Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello all,

As i am new to aquaponics,i have a few questions,that may appear dumb.
Q1
I am currently designing my first system,and want to add a swirltank/solid filter,between my sump,and my fishtank,just like the idea of as clean as possible water returning to my fish tank,and was going to put air brick in the bottom of swirl tank,so airated/clean water going into fish tank.
Can you tell me if this is a good idea/or any other thoughts.

Q2
was also thinking of putting small biofilter in corner of my two sumps,with the idea of that if my growbeds are low on plants at times when finish grow/harvest,and new seedlings starting,or if i push boundaries with fish stocking,that the biofilters will pick up the slack a little.
Thoughts?

Your growbeds should take most of the solids out as well as the worms that are in them, its just an added expense...but if you really want to, it won't hurt

As above...it can't hurt...but really, if your pushing the boundries you haven't read enough posts here.....why do it, just take your time, learn your system and be happy ...there is a real nice little tab at the top with search written on it....my best advise would be to make it your new freind and remember most people don't mind helping if you don't understand something Good Luck

If you have a swirl filter anywhere, it's got to be just after your fish tank, when solids come from your fish tank, you want to extract them then.. Going from your sump to your fish tank there should be hardly any solids..

Biofilters won't remove nutrient, so it would make hardly any difference when your plants are small. It's the media filled bed that acts as a biofilter. Generally best to try and keep the bed with a mix of different sized plants at all time.

Not really a great idea.
A swirl tank is supposed to be a "Settling" type of filter.
By putting in an airstone you will be creating turbulence exactly where you don't want it.

Dicko

Swirl Filters Are another Maintenance issue, if using Chift-pist setup it may be viable to use if you dont want to have worms in growbeds, however worms in the beds are a great idea. If your pumping from the FT to the swirl filter will have basicly 0 effect as the solids will be chopped up by the pump then be so fine that they will mostly bypass the filter.

Somthing iv used as a solid filter is some filter medium inside a shadecloth pocket under each inlet in the growbed (i run chiftpist so its effective, however i no longer use this as iv got worms in the beds)


if your thinking of any kinds of filtration other than growbeds, ABF (Airlift Bio Filters) theres a thread on here just search ABF in the Fishtank would be a benifit, but spending that moeny and time into another growbed will have much more benifit.

one thing iv learned with Fishloss, crashes, diesese control is to keep things simple, follow the advice of people who have run systems for a long time.... They know whats going on. Iv been running my systems for over 12 months and still learning that the most simple ways of things are the most benificial & Practical.

Cycle your system over time, dont use a high load until its mature, KEEP THINGS SIMPLE and you will have a great system in time....

Time is of the essence,

Hey Dave give me a call tomorrow if your available we might be able to organise a time to come see my home system and see the Simplicity and effectiveness of it, and have a chat etc!