Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey guys,

After getting some comments on my basic system - I've decided that 2x 200L plastic drums would be better for toxin & temperature stability.

I will dig the drums into the ground about halfway, to give some extra temperature stability during the summer.

The system will contain 6 tilapia's once it's established, possibly more if I feel comfortable after a while.

I'll run it either continuous flow, or flood and drain with a 15/45 minute cycle on a timer. The fish tank will fluctuate, but I'm gonna keep 300Litres in each barrel > which gives 100L spare for each one (200L total) - I think this will be able to handle the 150L of growbed volume.

The overflow will allow the system to maintain a maximum water height in the growbed to 25mm under the surface of the expanded clay.



Please give some comments if u see something wrong with it! I'm hoping start building it this wkend.

Thanks!

hi
where can you get tilapia in perth?

Umm not sure > I just assumed you could :p

I think it'd be better if you use one of the fish tanks as the sump. It is enough for your GB volume (estimated your GB will need only 60-70 liters to fill). You may also use the 'extra' room (300-75 liters) in the sump to stock new fry in when you decide to add more fish as grown ups will pick on the small fry. Then you only need one pump in the sump that pumps to your GB, drains into you FT and overflow via an SLO back to the sump tank. This way the FT won't fluctuate and provide a better environment for your fish.

Also, what is that manifold connecting all you GB for? To level the water in your GB I assume? The overflow in the GB is a backup then? A loop siphon at the end of your manifold is a great solution I can suggest. An external loop siphon from PVC pipe will allow a 'swivel' design that you simply swivel around to adjust water level.

If dreams could come true

you can get them, i dont know where but someone i think it was tonyfromoz had them

cheers
pete

probably a silly question- if I use one of the drums as a sump, can the two drums still be @ the same height?

the manifold is there to make the water height in the gb's the same. the overflow is just for backup.

I looked into siphons and it just seems like it's another bit that could go wrong, and they didn't perform very well in the BYAP testing

Matt, a siphon can be used as a siphon (duh ) as well as a standpipe when you flow water in the GB at a rate less than what is required to start the siphon. Every siphon has a threshold flowrate to start, if you don't exceed that threshold, it doesn't start siphoning. With the case of a bell siphon, simply remove the bell to make it a standpipe. The picture of that loop siphon, I'm currently using it as a 'standpipe', an adjustable standpipe if I may say because all I need to adjust the water level is to swivel it around the pivot point and change the water level. This is why I'm suggesting the loop siphon to you, no changing of pipes wtv to adjust water level in GB.

Here is something you may read on this swiveling loop siphon: http://mahfudzaquaponic.blogspot.com/2011/03/fine-tuning-swivel-siphon.html

Also, I strongly suggest a diversion from the pump that flows straight back into the sump (following what I suggest in earlier post) with a valve at the end so you can control the flow rate to GB without stressing the pump (you may or may not need it but it certainly doesn't hurt to have that diversion).

Sump question, yes the sump may be at the same level as the fish tank.

Mahfudz, I really like that eternal loop for adjusting water height.

BP, the loop siphon design is very versatile IMO. I started with a siphon in mind then after reading the BYAP trials, I wanted to try a standpipe. This design made it possible and I really like the swivel feature. Why would you want to adjust the water level? I don't know, somehow when we start running our systems, we may just need to readjust the water level...Somehow that is just the way running a system goes you know

The manifold is all glued by PVC cement. The loop siphon part starting from the T is not glued at all, it is just put together thus making it possible to swivel it around. I was think about it, if you want a stand pipe you may opt out the reducer keeping the loop in one size all the way. A 32 mm diameter loop siphon is going to be sooooo hard to start in most of the systems here...I'm willing to put my money on that fact, but not so much

Here I attached the same picture with some text on it to make it clearer...