Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Surely this has been asked b4, but i had a search and couldn't find it.
How do u plumb a bathtub for a growbed?
Thanx Aaron

Put your "plug 'n waste" into the hole provided (older baths use 50mm, newer baths 40mm). Attach the relevant elbows and other PVC parts and away you go.

Plumbing it up to the bed is the same as any other bed.

Note: Always line your bathtubs with pond liner (unless it's fiberglass).

I've done it 3 different ways now, all work.

1) 40mm "plug 'n waste" with a 25mm standpipe shoved into it. The stand pipe was 2 pieces with a bell join. The wider bit of the bell fit nicely into the waste outlet.

2) 40mm "tank fitting", with an 25mm adapter inside the bath.

3) 40mm "plug 'n waste". This was looped to another bath with a t piece. The other side of the T went into a 150mm jumbo siphon.
Sort of see it in this pic. here
There is 25mm tank fitting at the bottom of the jumbo siphon for the standpipe. Into a threaded 25mm to 50mm adapter to get it back to drain size.

Thanx 4 yr help guys.
I ended up getting 2 plug and wastes 1 for each side and 1 big long screw to connect them.

Because of the hight of the plug and waste and the connection bit that connects to the drainage pipe, It means i will always have water in the bottom of the bathtub. Is that ok or is the constant water on the roots going to cause me problems with root rot?

I was planning on having blue metal on bottom (in the part where the water sits) and clayballs on top. Do u guys think that will work ok?
TIA Aaron

I am sure that will be fine Aaron. Some people have their beds flooded all the time, your bathtub is probably pretty deep anyway. Can you post up a picture as there may be a way to overcome it?

The bit that will be in water permanently is about 13cms deep. here is a pic



Also spotted some spider action while i was out taking the pic. The cocky in the 1st pic was massive

Redback and a slate beetle

I have a lot of these spiders they kinda look like a prey mantis

You could always drill a couple more holes lower in the fitting.

Thats a bad scar in the bathtub. Could leach nasties into the system

this is a big issue with old bathtubs. leaching of metals from chips and scars can and will poison your fish . . better seal it up


that last photo looks like a daddy longlegs, most venemous spider in the world (i think)
but ok for humans because the pincers are tiny

used to p[lay with them when i was a kid

Yes i think that is the answer if there is a need to not have water sitting in the bottom.



I was planning on lining the tub with pond liner , but i have some builders black plastic layiing around and thought a double lining of that might do the trick. Are there any reasons why i should use pond liner?




Nah not a daddy longlegs, but it is a poor photo. They look very stick insect like

the builders plastic will probably get little tears and punctures when you put gravel in which would negate the whole point of lining the tub. Better off using high quality heavy duty liner with gravel or coating the tub with potable water safe bitumen or something.

Thanx,
I was trying to cheap it out but ill get some pond liner.

Cheers Aaron