Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm looking for recommendations for a cheap but reliable solar pump. Output need only be low as the purpose of the pump is just to keep the water moving in my waterchestnut garden that I have in my traditional (non AP) veggie patch. The bloody thing is full of mozzies - which I need to resolve and figure a solar pump may be the best way. It is going to be hard to keep any fish alive in the pond to control mozzies as the depth of the water is not great and I reckon it would be quiote acidic due to rotting organic matter and the chook poo that provides nutrients to the water chestnuts, so fish are not the answer.

I won't be using the pump to filter or anything - would just set it up in a bit of a sump in the middle of the pond - surrounded by gravel to top the dirt from getting into the sump. It will just run with a little fountain fitting on it I guess. I don't imagine it should have to run for more thn a few hours a day to do the trick with mozzie control (correct me if I am wrong).

Suggestions appreciated - pump or otherwise.

Hey the garden sounds cool, could you poSt pics??

cheapest option might be to get a 12v bilge pump, with a small camping solar panel

Could you get some taddies?

I got a 4.5 watt brushless dc water pump from ebay - about $30.00, 10watt solar panel from Jaycar $49.95. Mine runs off a battery and charge controller.

Thanks guys - though I'm not sure I could be stuffed with putting something together myself. I'd prefer to buy a cheap unit, like the ones available on DealsDirect or possibly something more expensive by presumably more reliable like this one at AgeofAquariums. It is on special at the moment.

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=5357

Have a look at 12v bilge pumps VB... you can often pick them up fairly cheap...

Hey Rupe - I've already got some 12v bilge pumps - which I have used in AP during power failures. What I don't have is the solar panel, controller or a suitable battery.

I'm starting to think I might just let nature take its course, hoping that predators will set up in the pond. I've already noticed dragonflies around - and understand the nymphs eat a lot of mosquito larvae.


Freoboy - the garden may sound cool, but it doesn't look cool. It is just one of my old round plastic troughs (previously used as a sump in one of my AP setups) sitting on top of the ground with the waterchestnuts growing in it

Freo

Picture as requested. Scum starting to build on top of water. Hopefully the duckweed will grow fairly rapidly to control this.

cool, i rekon natrual predators will be the way to go, or maybe some really small fish?

is there media in the bottom for the chestnuts to grow into?

Mdia is quite deep and comes to within about 15cms of the top of the pond. It is made up of some soil, some sand and some composted chook shit dug out of my chook pen.

I put some small fish in the pond (gambusias from the creek), but I expect they have all died as the conditions would not be suitable at this point (water is pretty nutrient rich from the chook crap). I guess things will settle and I might try again at a later time. Who knows - they might not be all dead (I've only seen a few bodies) as they are pretty tough, being a pest an all.

VB, I have been using one of these :
http://www.crazysales.com.au/solar-powe ... p-kit.html

I've only had it a few months but so far its working a treat. I'm using it to run water thru 130m of poly pipe to heat the water much like the Challenger TAFE system at Murdoch.