Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

System has been running since the 19th after some initial problems with leaks where the pipes went through the greenhouse wall and at the low point where the water comes from the big tank's SLO and T's. Had no choice but to cut these out after trying water weld. Part of the problem was maneuvering the 4" pipe into position on the longer section so I downsized to 3" pipe and installed an overflow to the sump that gets any excess.

I decided to pump directly from the sump to the growbeds in the greenhouse because of flow issues. The SLO from the main tank still goes to the outdoor beds and now to the sump tank as well. Works great, the sump pumps down to about 4 inches over the top of the pump and hits equilibrium. Two of my beds still are flood and drain so I can adjust the level if I change these out.

As promised here are a few pics of the system. It started at pH 8.3 and is now at 7.6.

More pictures - the PVC frame is for shade cloth and possibly a dome for Winter but I'm still working on it.

Nice system! What are you going to plant? Your yard looks peaceful.

Hi Dave, Yep it's pretty peaceful and the sound of water flowing is great. I've gotten a late start but I decided to plant most things from seed. In the greenhouse I will try to grow;

Lemongrass (from the grocery store), Bush beefsteak and tiny tim tomatoes, Spacemaster bush cucumbers, Genovese basil, carrots (transplanted from the dirt garden, just to figure out how to grow these in AP), Brocolli, Ginger and Galangal(from the grocery store), Peppers (Habanero and Bell).

That still leaves me with 1-1/2 tote size grow beds plus I'm thinking about making a strawberry tower or two to go over the sump.

Outside I'm trying

Blue Lake bush beans, Yard long beans, oregano, more carrots (this time from seed), lettuce, bell peppers, onions (thinnings from the dirt garden), cantaloupe (store bought plants - going to let them run along the ground). I'm trying some water lilies and a few water hyacinths for shade and to filter the water in the tank part of the year but based on what others have said I don't know if this will work out.

It's been years since I had the space to do much vegetable gardening so I'm feeling pretty ignorant - got some learning to do. Hoping to donate what we can't eat to the local foodbank.

Dam thats a lot of syphons.

Hi Charlie, actually no siphons at all - running continuous flood on all but two of the 50 gallon rubbermaid growbeds. Basically just a standpipe in each bed at this time since the sump is only 150 gallons. Letting it run most of the day with a few cycles to drain the two beds that have weep holes and that's it.

Paid the price for not covering the tank - four or five missing fish and the rest are really spooked. I'm thinking it was a heron but didn't see it.

Your system is looking very cool Scotty. It's such a pity we need to cover up our tanks... yours looks so pretty without it. I love the water lilies.

Thanks Brian, your system looks pretty neat with those round growbeds - I might have to build some like that to replace the outdoor beds a few years down the road.

I wish I didn't have to put the cover on the tank but we have lots of Great Blue Herons around this area (not to mention the other smaller herons). I used cable ties to put some plastic hardware cloth on the pvc frame yesterday but I'm still not quite done with the cover. May need to raise it above the top of the tank to clear the plants.

The lillies are great but I'm finding out that the water hyacinth grows like mad. I've been taking and tossing some of the water hyacinth into my compost pile just cause I don't want it using up all the nutrients .

Water hyacinth is a pest here in South Africa. There is a river running through Cape Town where they have these special modified long reach diggers that work all year round just removing the stuff to keep the water flowing.

And here in OZ as well.. classified a noxious weed...

I hear the same is true in the southern U.S., fortunately it gets cold enough here to kill any left outdoors.

+1

Like the brick work around the tank. And you found all those on your own land? Very good find.

All I did was dig holes and blocks were burried everywhere. What could I do? I had to use them somehow