Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yes, it did, happely.

We've started the build of our first system after having roamed the forum for some time. Four IBC's have been purchased and cut. They will become, if all goes well;

Our amazingly bountiful super-efficient and esthetically stupifying CHIFT PIST system

1x 900 L FT
1x 1000 L ST
4x 360 L GB

and some additional horizontal pipes with plants probably somewhere

Fish will be trout, I think 40 or so
Media, not sure, maybe a combi of scoria and hydroton

If we go all out then the GB's will be placed in a greenhouse, but we'll see.

Currently we are amusing ourselves with digging the hole for the ST, which is not going as smoothly as anticipated. Due to the weather we have a lot of incoming water which makes digging messy and cumbersome. But we are still full of beginners enthusiasm and keeping things going.

There should be a pic below with the layout minus the FT, which will be partly on top of the ST. Pic is not made at our house, our back yard is not so big.



Thanks for the huge amount of info and thorough descriptions of successes and failures to be found here.

Hello Hoeve, we're all infected here so you are in a good place. Welcome to the forum and we will be happy to share your progress.

Interesting... Will be good to see it as you get it built Hoeve....

I saw the thread title and thought that there had been some sort of disease outbreak in europe lol, silly me.

Looks like a good start

Ah yes, we've given the topic a somewhat enticing title, to lure more viewers.

How deep do you have to bury that IBC mate? That should be a whole bundle of fun

Ah, well, the IBC is going to be buried while still on its plastic pallet. The FT will be partially resting on the cage of the ST, so we need the support below. Only 35 cm or so will stay above ground, so its quite a hole.

But getting the earth out is not the problem at this time, its the water, surprisingly. As well as the unexpected drain pipes from our ahem guest house ahem we've found in this location and have to re-route.

All and all some nice Christmas activities with the whole family.

After a busy day our sump tank is in place.We decided not to stack the tanks due to the high ground water level. It would mean a deep dug-in sump with always wet feet, in very cold water year round . They will now be next to each other, luckily they fit like this beneath the lean-to as well.


We've isolated the sump and given the outer cage a corset made from the remaining parts of the GB IBC's in order not to give the dirt a chance to implode the tank. Maybe not the most sound engineering but being suckers for small pieces of rope we were very pleased with the result. A water proof tarp as final barrier and in the hole it went. Off course, off course, an esthetically pleasing thingy will be put around it as promised... Later.

Wow, that is high ground water level. The IBCs look to be in very good condition, and that laced up bodice should work fine...

Ah I should have guessed that the ground water level could be high at times, with a name like the netherlands for this country. Bu I am in the belief that this is an extreme, normally it will be lower.

Fortunately the IBC's look very good indeed, they have been used only once. In the chocolate industry. They contained a gloss ingredient for bonbons and candy bars, which was very easy to clean out. It dissolved in the water very nicely.
I needed to be sure to have food-grade stuff, so did not look to much at cheaper IBC's with a more questionable history.
And now they have been commented on while in ear-shot, hauled through the country, shot at with a power cleaner, carried around, all cut up and some even dug-in. I imagine they are somewhat confused...

I have had some great news, an uncle of mine has just started up a professional trout farm! Last time I met him, couple of months ago, he did not mention his plans. But then again, I did not mention mine. Maybe I should have asked... Typical.

Seems I will be getting a good chance to have some solid trout advice, and hopefully some "budget friendly" specimens to practice with. YES!

very nice!

That sounds very exciting Hoeve.

Finnaly some progress again.

The ground water level has lowered again, the winter has been extremely soft and wet up-to this time. The fish tank is in place and levelled out. We used the parts of the GB IBC's to get it "up in the air". The next step is paving the GB area, which will take some more digging, a lot of sand and tiles and off course plenty time. But still smiling and happy to muck along.

We placed the components mock-up wise to see how it would all look in real life. We concluded it looks OK. So still all systems go.


Below should be some pictures again.

That's great news about your new favorite uncle!

Might want the beds a foot or two from the fence so you can reach both sides.