Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Well here we go! I did two test systems and found that this stuff really works. Also I have had a blast doing it and well I wanted to do more than just grow grass and ornamental plants in a 10 gallon container sooooo, I have designed (by the seat of my pants) and built a new system which no doubt will be expanded when time and money allow.

Here are some stats:

Fish tank--- 634 gallons/2400 liters
Fish-- Tilapia 50 for now and 300 in two weeks Will probably grow them out to 600 grams
Medium-- Lava-- Drove 30 miles to the local volcano and dug it up sifted it and threw it in the growbeds.
Grow Beds: 180 gallons/681 liters 2 of them, made from 3/4"/19mm plywood
Liners-- GB 1 is with plain plastic GB 2 is paint with polyester cloth and then paint.
Growbed space total 1362 liters

Go DT!

Because I could not find any good Growbeds here, I went with the easiest (though not cheapest) things to work with...plywood. GB 1 is plywood with a poly liner (doubled). First attempt the tank leaked so I patched it and it still dips a bit but on 1 drop evey 10 seconds. I am not about to take all the gravel out and start over. I am sure it will shorten the life of the box but if I can get a couple of years out of it I will be happy.

With the experience of the first one, I went with a different seal on the second box. I painted the box with a roofing sealer and while the paint was wet, covered it with cheap polyester cloth. When that dried, I gave it two more coats with the roofing paint, and I am very happy with the outcome. The paint can says it is OK for use in sealing drinking water tanks so I am not too worried it will hurt the fish-->plants--> me.

Total cost of both boxes: $160.00 US

Go DT.... what I love about this stuff is how everyone ends up working with what they've got or can easily obtain... and the results they get from it....

Kind of puts this whole age of consumerism and globalisation into perspective IMHO

Hi - love giving good news....

Your 1 drip per ten seconds will fix itself. The bio-film will clog it. A wee bit of sunlight, some protein wastes (fish food or anything carnivores eat) as you cycle up, and the bio-film will form nice and tight over that pinprick wherever it may be as it's obviously in contact with water and therefore will get a film on it.

I carefully placed the new lava along with some gravel from my old system in each of the GBs to kick start the bacteria growth. The water is cycled so I hope it won't take too long. I am hoping to be good in a week or so.

Since the windows over the Growbeds are the ones to the Master bedroom, I need to find a way to make the discharge quieter during the evening hours. For today I am finished and pretty happy with the way things went.

Part of what I am doing in El Salvador is trying to help start micro businesses and help people make the most of what they have. I am submitting a project proposal to set up systems in homes around town so that people can see that it doesn't take much to eat well and maybe have a little left over to sell. As soon as I put the packages together, I will post the model system. A lot of people are wanting to get involved in their own yards.

Well if the hole in the liner will heal itself, then there is not much need for a prayer meeting then is there? I hope you are right.

gosh, don't you want gurgling and sloshing water keeping you awake all night?

It looks great DT and it's always good to hear of folks spreading the AP word

I do what I can... You wnon't see my life on Ebay!

Always good to have prayer.

I'm quietly confident a very small leak will heal up having experienced it myself. One of my DWC planters has a pinprick leak. Lost a drop every 5 seconds or so. Couple of weeks later it just stopped.

Need to talk you into a couple of door openers to vary the sounds - looks well set up DT

Top stuff, DT!

I love it