Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

here is my system so far. been a slow process, but its getting along.



decided to concrete the posts into buckets as this is a rental property after all...



this is my fish tank



Next step, sump.

bit confused about this one... i read through this thread, but there was a lot of hijacking going on lol...

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4622&hilit=how+big+should+your+sump+be

SO

from what ive gathered... after the grow beds are filled (8 200 L blue barrels) total water volume is 1600L, then the actual water will be 40% of this (640L) flooded after gravel displacement.

Now from what ive learnt is that the sump should be close to what the blue barrels hold... so should it be at least a 1000L sump? or closer to 1300+ ?

Also can i confirm that the sump volume of water does not affect the 1:1/2:1 ratio? So that means that if i have 1000L of fish tank and 1600 L of grow bed id have a 1:1.5 ratio regardless of the sump size i choose (within reason)?

thanks for viewing

Have you got 8 barrels cut in half or 8 halves? 8 halves is only 800L

oh... you cant really tell from the photos ey..

16 halves

Nice setup. I'd say 1000 liter sump should be enough. You are simply looking for enough water in your sump to fill your growbeds and allow for the stuff the pump can't get. And it is nice to have some extra volume so you don't need to top it up so often.

Watch out for polluted runoff from your treated framing getting into your sump.

Have fun! This stuff is a kick, eh?!

how can i avoid run off?

By not locating your sump under your frame. Any water which hits your treated pine frame and enters your system via the sump could kill you fish, plants and possibly you.

Have you thought about adding another IBC and turning it into 2 systems side by side... Easy to do with so many barrels.

Yeah I agree, with all those barrels and the space make two systems. 1000L fish tanks, 800L growbeds each and another ibc cut in half for the two sumps. Sweet

i'll consider it i guess... Want to do minimal digging though... ill also have to re evaluate for space. It could just work.

hi guys

well ive decided against getting 2 more IBC's... i dont have access to a trailer to pick any up anyway... +money +cbf +difficult with space

ive got logs like these lying around



Except they are 2400x200x80. ive got 6 of them

im going to cut 2 in half and make a raised pond style sump like this

http://www.railwaysleeper.com/The%20Bea ... 20pond.htm

or

http://www.pond-life.me.uk/forum/viewto ... =8&p=53179

or if you cant be bothered going through those heres a photo



so this will be next to my IBC fish tank. im thinking of doing an above water walk way to the IBC. would be pretty nifty.

Nice ponds

That table full of barrels is mouthwatering, great job Have you figured out your grow media yet? Make sure it isn't limestone/marble!

theres a local garden supply that sells scoria at a decent price.

theres a local garden supply that sells scoria at a decent price.

well i went to Ben (Bonsiabelli)'s house last night. Nice system Ben. Your kids are funny as haha. Scoria seems kind of tough to work with. So I might check out what else WT Grant has (garden supply store). Or maybe ill layer some hydroton over the top... ive heard it does mix through... Ive read in permaculture that you can "chop and drop" - that you can just cut stuff at the base and leave the roots to die off - the worms then get to work and feed the next crop. I wonder if you could do this with the AP system or will it effect ammonia levels too much. It'd be good for the worms if you had them in there.