Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I love the fact that the last 25 seconds of your video above is night time... Are you trying to say that you were sill working.?

Nice work on the set up...

Have you found a source of cheap recycled drums for your water wall at the back (when you build it)?

There is no artificial light in the GH so it cant be a night time video. I made it around 7pm.

- I found a source, he had 20litre cans but only 50 of tham, I need around 150 pieces, so I'm still looking. I leaved such place on the back side that the 120 liter (32gal) drums can fit in. So if I cant find enough identical cans I can put in 20 drums. However the best would be 120-150 pieces of 25-30 liter stackable cans.

Zsazsa all I can say is

Hi!

Just a quick update.

I have plumbed yesterday, managed to connect two sumps in the middle and crated siphons for 5 growbeds (4 on the back row and the middle one on the front). I have planted my first 3 seedlings. They are tomatoes and so far they feel fine. Siphons worked correctly all the afternoon. Siphon suction speed is ok, elbow-taps work like charm, but I just couldn't let it run for the night. I switched it of.

This morning I started the pump again, added some more water to be sure that the pump doesn't run dry. It was very hard to turn my back on the system and head for work. Now im in my office, working fingers crossed, and hopping for the best.

No water test so far, I will do the first water test today. If all is fine start to dose humonia.

Yep you have done a great job

Yeah, well done Zsazsa...

Awesome Let the cycling begin!

I think I get the elbow taps idea. An elbow with a rubber ring that you can swivel to get the right height on each bed?

I'll make a quick video today afternoon, with details abou the elbow-taps.

I went for a few minutes after lunch (its 5 minutes bay car) to check the system.

Pump is still running

Siphons do their job, star and brake, so no flooding

The temp in shade is 27C inside and outside as well, we are not overheating. (It feels hoter inside due to humidity.)

Water temp is 21C (25C is the ideal for Wels Catfish)

I was just reading fishles cycling http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6809 and realized that we have ppt and ppm and they are quite not the same...

1ppm of amonia = 1g / 1000 liter

1ppt of salt = 1kg / 1000 liter


My total water volume is right 2500 liters.
I need a few deciliters of humonia to reach 1ppm.
I need 2,5kg-s of salt for 1ppt before fish arrival.

Are these above right?

Looking good, man.

Hard to resist a new system, isn't it? At my office at home, I go out at lunch breaks just to walk around inside the greenhouse and look a the plants growing, make sure the siphons work, and just piddle around some. Can't help it.

Are you planning on painting the inside plywood/OSB with some water resistant paint? That stuff will soak up all the humidity and swell right up in places. The end fans and ventilation will probably will keep the humidity down some, but might want to think about protecting the plywood.

I did the first water testing yesterday, here are the results:

I was jelous about those nice colorfull water test result fotos, so here is my time, and do you might not intrested, Im posting tham with great pleasure.

High pH. Join the club!

Results:

PH: 8-8,5
Ammonia: 3-5
Nitrit: 0
Nitrat: 0

- Is ph too high? I read that low ph blocks bacteria, but what about this? I also measured my tap water and the well water, they are both show 8-8,5, so I guess thats the reason. Is there anyting to do with it or just leave it and see what happens?

- I overdosed ammonia, i know. I measured it when only 5 GB -s where running, after that I started 3 more, and added ~500l of new fresh water to system, but still the ammonia is surely over 2,5! High ammonia block the No2 to No3 bacteria. Anything to do with this? I will open the 3rd sump and the 9th GB today, which means an other ~500l of fresh water. Is that enough or I need some water change?


Otherwhise the system survived the night, I see sign of owerflow on the fishtank.
My hypothesis:

1. I only used 2 sumps for 8 GB-s that leaves about 600 puffer between sump min, and max. (One GB holds 150-170 liters of water)

2. If at least 5 GB-s overflowing the same time they can raise the sump level around max.

3. if the sump is arround max the lifting height of the pump reduces from 110cm to ~70cms that gives a huge boost for the pump.

4. I need to work on the fishtank overflow and the SLO as they are just thrown there without anyithing and they really fight hard to take the water away.

5. As I loaded the GB-s with rocks the irrigation pipe need to be re leveled (I was expecting this.) and the water not getting out so smooth, this pushes back on the fishtank owerflow.

So its like a big chain of little mistakes, that can lead to a catastrophy