Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all,

I'm 29 and live in Albury and this is the first time i've tried anything like this.
I plan on bulding a multi IBC system in the backyard with help from the family.
There going to be a lots of questions in this thread so please come back and help me out. I'll also post pics of the progress.

I have started collecting components, so far I have 4 IBC's, 205L Poly drum and a heap of 40mm poly pipe. Total cost so far $0.

My ideas's so far are: 2x 1000L fish tanks, and 4x 300-500L Growbeds. The height of the GB will be lower than the FT's (slop of the yard )
Therefore will I need a sump to pump back into the FT?
Will the FT syphon into the grow beds creating a constant flod setup?
Do I have to much FT volume?
Will a pump with a float switch be O.K to pump from the sump back to the FT?

Here is some trial fitting.
I do plan to have a third IBC FT or a buffer tank to assist with the levels in the FT.






Any help or tips please?

Cheers

Hello Lyndon,

I think you have it pretty well under control.

As your growbeds will be lower than your fish tank you will need a sump to collect the water at the other end and then pump it back to your fish tank.

I would suggest you use a SLO to take water and solids from the bottom of your fish tanks and deliver it to your growbeds.

Also research CHIFT PIST.

Hi Lyndon, that is a great start.
Tip 1. Download the IBC of Aquaponics from the homepage and have a look at the different systems there. It is an interactive document so click on a link and it will take you to the thread where you can access further info. Happy reading

Will this work??? I think the FT levels will drop to much....
I'll have around 1200L to 2000L worth of grow bed, should I make it just 1200L.
I've only got a 200L Sump? Blue barrel...
Will I have to go a bigger sump?

Your design will work.

Your sump size will depend on if your growbeds are constant flood or flood and drain. Constant flood will let you get away with a smaller sump. Flood and Drain will need to cope with the entire growbed volume plus some to ensure the pump is always submerged - just in case all beds drain at the same time.

You may be better putting in a larger sump for when you expand...

Perhaps if you can bury a whole IBC as a sump... Plenty of room to expand later then..

I have a ? about the SLO's in that design.

Would it actually drain from both tanks? and would they both have to be level for that to work?

Im seeing the RHS FT doing lots and the other not because the SUMP to FT would possibly deliver more water to that RHS FT

You could put a valve on any lines that are flowing too much compared to the other line, for the FT lines or the grow bed lines.

I think that there might be a few Problem's.. With the SLO/Fish tank set-up..I'm not sure that the SLO in the fish tank will work affectively..

I would maybe setup the SLO from tank 1 to tank 2 as a siphon..
with the siphon Pipe hooked up to the SLO in tank 2..
ie the pipe hooks to the bottom of the SLO..

I would do it that way so the water lvl flows from tank 1 to tank 2 via the siphon..

Water from the pump only Flows into the First tank..

I think this will help to remove the crud from the first tank to the SLO system..

Juergen

If you dig in an ibc for a sump or even half an ibc, is it recommended to keep the frame on it or just use the plastic in the hole. Just in case you use this option I can benefit too from the answer.

From what i have been reading madcap you need the frame and reinforfce it with wood or sheeting to protect it more

SnowT... Would that be syphoning dirty water into the next FT?
What if there were 2 indipendant SLO's feeding the GB's

earthbound.. I was dreading that comments... thanks for making me cringe .... I have another option though
Do many people have success the pond liners and holding water, in thinking of turning this into a sump....

These are the local temps for our area, I guess trout and Golden Perch, I would really like yabbies. Maybe have them in the sump?

Summer is still going to be a concern if you try and run trout all year round... although with your average night time temps... with a combination of constant flood during the day, timed flood & drain through the night... you might get away with it...

Golden Perch are notoriously difficult to maintain in RAS/AP systems...

Murray Cod, and Silver Perch are definitely options... and there's a lot of Murray Cod done in RAS operations around your area, and across the border...

Just run the SLO's independantly and your design will work.

p.s. welcome to the forum.