Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am loving watching this all come together.

I need to pick up some of that 10X that you're taking. Talk about getting stuff done!
I like the siphoning SLO. That's a great application of "gravity works faster in a siphon."
Been lurking on this thread for awhile. Too amazed to say anything, I guess. Just great work!
I'll second DD on the possibility of the bottom of the SLO clogging. Plus, fish occasionally are stupid. Maybe some kind of basket around there is in order?
Anyhow, great work and a big THANKS for the great videos.

Hi Rob
I have been watching since your started your build and it is fantastic. I wanted to say when I set up my system the way it is now. I just return all my pump water to the fish tank between the fill cycles. My pump runs 24/7 and the valve is timed to flood the beds and drain on 30/45 min. it is a 4000 GPH and the tank is 1100 gallons. So you can imagine the swirly I get in my tank. Any thing that gets into the tank goes to the center and gets stuck on the pump filter really quick, to quick some times. The fish really love it. They really play in the current a lot. I have 85 brim and 2 channel cats in the tank. The cats are really big now. I have had the system set up this way about 5 or 6 months now so I don't think the fast water is a problem for the fish.

I like the faster water movement...the fish seem to like it and it keeps the solids moving along.

The first tomatoes! These cost me $40K....everything else is now free!

$20,000 each-what a deal!
And you're officially a Legend, although, I think this thread pretty well qualified you for that a long time ago.
Amazing build

I'll make a deal with you...If you buy both tomatoes, I'll cut 10 grand off the price of them!

Do I still get all the forthcoming free stuff you spoke of?

This is the last of the series on how my aquaponics system is put together. It details how the media and raft-based beds are designed and assembled.

Hi Rob, I like the "Strip" rafts and the spacer strips. I might have to use that Idea. (I've still never done a real raft bed.)

So far, I'm really happy with the rafts. I'm not sure what else I want to plant in there, but the lettuce seems to be happy. I may try some spinach when it start to cool down a bit.

Hi Rob I am surprised they don't turn over being bigger than the raft. But long as it works it is great. By the way what is that you have suspended over the one bed in the back at the end of video 3. Looks like nice setup all around. That must have been some planning party to dream up that system. I really like what you have done. Where did your inspiration come from?

No tipping problems with the rafts. The whole thing seems to be really stable. That bed has tomatoes, cucumbers, and cantaloupe growing up into an overhead wire trellis. (That's actually my next video on how I hang the plants!)

Every project is an opportunity to buy new tools, I'm curious to see a video of all the tools you had to buy or rent to complete this project! :-)

I don't have enough memory in my video camera to show my collection of stuff.