Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey Fizzyj, From what I can figure out with what your saying here I think the main problem is the volume of growbed not being large enough to accomodate enough water to work the float switch cycling properly....

You don't want syphons on a system like that, they will fill quickly and then drain straight away, this is great if you have a really slow pump that you want to run continuously, yet get a flood and drain effect.

You want to slow the draining of your beds.... Go back to your plan of the stand pipe, inside the other pipe. Make sure that you cut the standpipe at a height that means if there is too much water being pumped into that bed then it will go straight over the top of the stand pipe and down the drain.

Now perhaps you may only want one small drain hole in your standpipe seeing that they are only small beds, you want them to drain slowly so one will probably do it.

Simple answer, use a timer on your fish tank pump, you can pick them up fairly cheaply. Fish tank pump turns on for 5-10 minutes, enough to fill the growbeds, then switches off via timer. Beds slowly drain into drain tank and get pumped back into fish tank bit by bit. Then perhaps half an hour later, have your fish pump switch on again via the timer... This should work pretty well, the only other answer I can see is to increase your growbed volume..

Here's another link to a supplier at Luscombe Qld. They deliver nationally and internationally. http://www.seqfish.com.au/index.html
Fingerling prices are $1 for up to 500 and .50 over 500. They have Silver Perch, Golden Perch, Australian Bass, Murray Cod, Eel-Tail Catfish (freshwater jew)

Jonty

Good points EB, I changed the beds back to the pipe within a pipe last night, however I now need to get my hands on an electronic timer. I don't think the 15min interval ones will cut it.

All i really need is 5 mins on, and 15mins off. I see there is plenty of discussion on the forum about timers. Steve have you seen a simple one like this that I don't have to make from a kit?

I will be checking out Jaycar and Altronics today.

Long time no update.
Anyway mizuna and bok choi were planted as seeds 30 days ago. since then I have planted some other seeds - just starting to sprout and also some seedlings. all tomatoes were from seedlings/runts from backyard.

1 week ago the water began to clear and now I can see the bottom of the tank and all the fish. Many varied sizes in their ~5-15cm. I have had fish now for 40 days.

nice

Hey Fizzy - looks really nice!

Here is another monthly update. All things growing very well. Dwarf beans doing very well. Have been eating away at the bok choi and lettuces, basil and some Mizuna. However most mizuna goes to the chooks and fish.

Sorry forgot the other pictures

Water in tank is quite clear, however goes murky when I top it up from the tap. Fish are growing, got one on the scales the other day - 85g - but I think he was one of the smaller ones. Big ones are too hard to catch.

Excellent - I gotta pull my finger out.

WOW! Coming alone very nicely FJ... Everyone of these pictures make me Sooo jealous... I got to get my act into gear. I can't believe how fast those plants have grown in a month... Keep it up FJ...

Good stuff. your doing really well for yourself,keep up the good work.

I WANT MY FISH!!!!!!

I hoped to have a lot of that green stuff in a month too - doing good Fizzy

Well done! Making me want a BLT.

Well done fizzy!