Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Photo's it is then Scotty.

Yet to move the grow beds but that is coming.

Dont think my plc would help with chicken ponics but we have attached the duck bath to it.

We want to see if they will use it.

Having issues with the upload of photo's.

Probably just need to resize the photos to 800 x 600 (or is it 600 x 800?).

got them down to 375 x 281 and it wont work. Must be the connection at my end

This is the arrangement so far. Have to move the beds soon.

This is the duck pond and sump to the left


This is the Sump with pump and High/Low limit switches


This is the Main FT with the pump, heaters and float valve for filling.

This is the FT's and balance line joining them.


Finally this is the PLC all wired up. I have been a bit lazy as it has been running on the system for sometime. I needed to play with the programming and find the easier ways to do things.

Looks a mess but it works. Its all IP56 for the weather and wet area.

Dont know how to put up video but it wouldnt be that exciting anyway.

It has been a fun project and gives us the flexibility to change the system to suit our needs.

We have had lots of trouble with things bolting to seed but in the full sun that isnt that surprising. The next move is to place the beds under shade cloth and in rows to make them easier to access. Its time we made our knowledge of our area start to pay better.

The Miner

The inclusion of the duck pond was to try and utilise the duck waste. Another form of fertiliser that is readily spoken of in these forums.

I have been looking at making an auto feeder but the auger had stopped me until I read a post online here. Cant remember the name but he used an old wood auger bloody simple way to do it. That is the next addition to the PLC for the holiday period.

Save my mates trying to work out how the system works.

Hey Miner, what is it you're going to program with the plc? Just interested because I tried doing this quite a few years back. I ended up just going for some switches in the end, turning on and off a couple of solenoids to direct water.

GDay earthnound,

I have the system set up with three pumps (yes could be overkill)

main pump fills the beds (can fill upto 20 beds in the alotted time)
sump pump and a tank
transfer pump that just circulates the two FT's (when the heaters are on and to stop stagnation)

I have a fill valve on the back of the tank that automatically tops the tanks up (due to evaporation big problem for us as our relative humidity can sit as low a 10% some times).

I have 2 @ 600W (will be 4) heaters that are controlled utilising the analog signal that the PLC has. So i can set the temp pretty easily and accurately.

My beds are set for 10mins on/110 off in winter and 5mins on/55mins off in summer. This is all set in the program. ATM the beds all fire the same but I can also setup each bed with a different on time if required utilising the garden watering soleniods.

I have a the chicken coop door written (but not yet physically installed) and the feeders for both the chooks and fish to come.

The timer i had was a crappy one and the time started to stray. Since the timer would work (i am guessing) on the Hz of the supply power any change would the timers accuracy so would any gear wear internally (but they were new so i discounted this as a main problem). Since ISA has its own little Power station the Hz can vary bit and so does the voltage. This is one of the reasons i set it up. I was sick of getting woken up at 4 in the morning and midnight by the timer. Now the system fires on the hour every hour.

The other reason was the flexibility it offered in timing beds. I can write some code, take the laptop to the plc and then download it and see if the plants respond.

The time control lets me utilise the power required to run the system better and reduces my power bill.

Hope that answers the question..

The Miner.

Hey man, give this a look-see:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=5098&hilit=auger&start=15

for your fish feeder using the wood auger.

Ok, it looks official.

Pullet aaand Fish Logic Controller - even better

Hey Miner,

I live in Mt Isa myself and I am thinking about getting into Aquaponics, been reading and watching videos and yeah i was wondering if it would be possible to come have a look at your working system? Thats if you are still here lol

Yep I am still in the ISA Kade. System is in the middle of a revamp so not actually running now.

Let you know when it is.

The Miner

Hi The Miner, just had a read through this thread, had missed it earlier. I had one of the Internal Float Switch Sump Pumps, gave me no end of trouble with the float jamming and not switching on. I now just use it as a transfer pump. Found the ones with the float a whole lot better, and can adjust cutin and cutout levels.