Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So i thought i would start a thread. Im still in planning right now but have ordered a 4000L/H pond pump and a 4x 2.25L/m air pump with stones.

I only have 1 IBC + 5 220l Olive barrels available to me.

I have come up with the following idea.

Hi Zman looks like it may be hard to access the top barrels - might be easier to construct all gbs on the same level - they get pretty heavy too.

Just a update, i got some duckweed and azola and they are growing in the half barrels right now.

I got some glass shrimp and some gumpies and stupid me left them in 1 of the half barrels in direct sun light. All the glass shrimp and most of the gumpies died opps.

Was getting these 2 to try to get them breeding to provide food for my fish when they go in.

Cut my IBC into 600L and 400L stump. Will get some picks up soon.

IBC + a few barrels



Here is me trying the use the potable silicon, gave up doing it to one, so hard to use them.



Here are the glass shrimp and guppies



Guppies and shrimp in the bucket with the duckweed and azola



IBC cut and in the process of washing.

Just a warning get the ozilla out of the system its has no benefit to aquaponics and its illegal to have in some states

Thanks F&F. I will try to get rid of them. Just out of interest is azolla illegal in NSW?

I have an IBC elevated on blocks. Accessing the fish is doable, but difficult. Growbeds above that would be near impossible for me...I think I have it up on 3 or 4 blocks. The biggest drawback though are the big temperature swings. It seems to heat up and cool off very fast.

You would be best off if you could maybe bury your sump or somehow lower the overrall height some.

I will have the sump just above ground level (maybe 5cm above ground)

How high should i place the pipe from FT to the GB? (would 70cm or 5cm from the top of the FT be too high?)

Would 1 50mm be enough for the GB return water?

I'd split your water return... 2 x 50mm ... back to the sump...

One return for each set of barrels... allows room for expansion...

And lessens the chance that the 50mm wont cope if all barrels (unlikely) siphon/drain at once...

Doubles the oxygenation by water fall/return as well ...

Hi Rupert,

Yes i was thinking of having 2 for each side of barrels. Was thinking about getting 3 T sections so i dont have to drill holes for the return

What siphon should i be using for the FT and the GB? i have a air pump with 4 stones at 2L+ per minute, do you think thats needed?

Yep... I siphon mine into "tee" sections...

For half barrels... loop siphons work, and work, and work.... and are simple, and take virtually no space...

Supplementary aeration is always required IMO...

As you're pumping back from the sump... you just need to setup (with a "tee" on top)... a standard SLO... solids lifting overflow... as in Chift Pist...

Oh so by use the SLO i dont have to put a hole in the side of the FT and i just plug all the plumbing for the GW from the SLO?

No.. you'd need a hole in the fish tank... at the level you want to set for the "overflow"... unless you use a "bridge"....

And yes... you then just feed your grow beds from the SLO pipe... teeing off, with ball valve... to the grow beds... just as you've drawn...

Hi Rupert,

This is probably a stupid question but this has me stumped for a while. I know the basic way to make the loop siphon but what is the plastic thing that fits into the hole you cut out called (the screw type fitting)

Also do they come in different sizes Do i have to place this right at the bottom of the GB (i will have a slight problem with the GB with the screw lid on the bottom) as i cant physically do it.

You are looking for a "bulkhead fitting" found in most aquarium shops...or a cheaper version is uniseals that work on plastics with a pressure fit...a piece of pipe is actually pushed through the uniseal.

I made my bulkheads out of electrical grade PVC fitting....they would have worked better had I not drilled the hole to big. The electrical fittings are not tapered like plumbing fittings so you can twist them up nice an snug.