Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

They did that many years ago in a small town I lived in here in the goldfields.

They put 1000 fish in a local swimming pool one afternoon and opened the gates the next day for the community to fish for the day.

Problem is a bunch of teenagers jumped the fence the night the fish went in and caught a heap and it stressed the remaining fish out and hardly any were caught the next day.

This is awesome

Where will you be pumping from PLJ? The deepest point or mid level?

I imagined I would have the pump sitting on the bottom in the deep end of the puddle but haven't given it any deep thought. Why, what are your thoughts?

I was just asking because I'm not too sure what would be the best option. Over a long time you will end up with soil build up at the bottom and this might not be good for the pump. Also at the very bottom of a pool the bacteria will probably be anaerobic and it might not be good to pump directly from there to grow beds that are growing fruit trees and vegetables. I don't have first hand experience in this but it's just what I was pondering. It might be totally fine to have the pump on the bottom in the deep end

Experimentation is the best bet I guess unless someone else has some insight. I wonder how DandM's pool is set up?

I have little expertise in this area either, MacGyver, but I reckon the best way to avoid anaerobic issues would be to ensure effective circulation of oxygenated water between levels so that no stratification occurs. As far as a build up of soil, detritus leaves or anything else at the bottom of the puddle is concerned, it would be a matter of cleaning it out on a regular basis as I suppose one would do for a pool (I have never had one) or for any AP fish tank, regardless of size. Whether 'regular' will end up being weekly, monthly, biannually or even yearly I cannot say right now. I may just have to 'suck it and see'.

Definitely dont want any anaerobic areas

I would have thought that any pump that is suitable for solids would be ok for sand etc. One thing that might be worth considering though, say if you pump can handle 10mm solids, get a 8mm or 9mm mesh and make a frame. Just for a bit of peace of mind that pump wont suck a leaf and stop. Using shade cloth or something like that would be a bad idea, you still want the solids coming through. You could maybe use a plastic peg holder if the pump is small enough.

Sounds like a good idea, rsevs. I will start looking for a suitable material from which to construct a pump 'cage'.

Any progress here PJ?

One lonely goldfish cruising the puddle.
Approval gained for removal of pool fence, conditional on a few things which have already been achieved, such as two handed door openers and window opening limiters (just guessing at the names), and a couple of others still outstanding such as relocation of gate to side of house (easy) and relocation of cat flap to back door (not so easy - sliding door.)
IBC grow beds are cut and ready to go (well, apart from all the plumbing). Half drum grow beds for fruit trees sourced but yet to be cut due to ongoing issues with my busted right hand. Hopefully I will be able to operate power tools again, soon.

Does the busted right hand pose any issues with the two hand door openers?

Haha, it does, Ron - well spotted! My hand is finally out of its procession of casts and, at least in theory, I have the use of my fingers again. I don't live at the house where the puddle resides so two-handed access to the back yard has only been an occasional issue for me to deal with.
My hand should be right by the time that the glazier/cat flap person has done his bit and we finally have the all-clear to remove the pool fence. My circular saw, drill and angle grinder have all been laying idle for far too long.

PLJ,

Wouldn't worry to much about the puddle going anaerobic if you site the pond in the deepest part, just set up the suggested strainer so that one can remove the larger debris easily and turn over of the water, which would probably be once every three to four hours as a rough guess based on filtering capacity mentioned above, seeing you have not indicated pump capacity at this stage, would be more than enough to prevent anaerobic spots developing.

Woz

Cheers, Woz. The larger debris at this stage is mainly flowers from a 'Bower of Beauty' vine covering an adjacent fence. I actually hadn't thought of turning the water over without grow bed or biofiltration, but just for straining and general circulation purposes. I will get on to it - a job for xmas day.

PLJ, Would worry to much about getting circulation going until nearly ready for fish unless there is a lot of flowers/leaf litter etc in the puddle already. It generally takes a bit for anaerobic bacteria to get going if there is any sort of air movement across the top of a body of water. If water ripples in a wind the it is aerobic, if it dose not ripple it is anaerobic. Stratification can also occur where an anerobic layer will occur under an aerobic layer, but most pools are generally to shallow in relation to surface area for this to occur if there is any wind movement over them. Anaerobisis occurs in several levels and while the earlier ones to occur do "smell" a bit, you do not really get the classic 'Anaerobic smell' of rotten egg gas until you start getting the reduction of sulphur compounds, sourced from either proteins or sulphur oxides.

Regards

Woz