Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey all, first post here so forgive me if this question is a common one.

I've been reading diligently on the subject of aquaponics. I have read a paper/report about a group that installed a system in Haiti that used a manual bilge pump instead of an electric pump. Is this a viable option? Assume that I will not/cannot use electricity where my system will be set up. I know you essentially want to turn over the volume of the FT every hour for optimal results, so taking this into account would a hand pump work? Something along these lines: http://www.go2marine.com/product/77703F ... ml#bullets

Another question: would there be any drawbacks to having the grow bed(s) contained in a greenhouse-like environment? Is this climate dependent?

Thanks in advance.

Welcome, if you want to manually pump every hour for the required time that is your option. Most of us have a life to live. Why not get a small solar panel, battery and pump.

Regarding your growbeds what is your climate like in NC, the members will need this information to help.

Its a sad group you have joined, the addiction only gets worse.

Thanks for the reply. Looking forward to the addiction!

I assume the pumping would then have to be carried over into the nighttime, correct? Have there been successful systems run on manual pumps? The solar panel/battery combo would be great, though I am trying to keep costs to a bare minimum (I shall look into this option however). If I use an IBC and size it approx. 750L FT to a 450L grow bed what size pump would be required? Sorry, I know I'm asking to be spoon fed the information but just trying to hit the ground running with this project.

The two possible test locations would be Raleigh, NC and Jinotega, Nicaragua. So those climates vary quite drastically.

Are you pumping to the grow bed and then gravity feed back to the fish tank?
Will the grow bed be sitting on the fish tank or higher?
Will you use a sypthon, constant flood or flood and drain, 15 on /45 off on a timer?

Grow bed will hold close to two hundred litres of water. If flood and time you would have to move the 750 litres in under 15 minutes so you would be looking at 3500 l/h min.

Have you down loaded the PDF file the IBC of Aquaponics available free from the link up top of the page.

Yes, pumping from the FT to the grow bed and then letting gravity drain it (so the grow bed will be above the FT). I was just looking into siphons... I see that bell siphons are quite simple and cheap and could be a good way of managing water levels. Is there an upside to using a siphon rather than just having a valve to open/close to drain back into the FT? If, after more research, I go the solar panel route, I would probably go for the 15/45 timer.


Yes, I downloaded it a few hours ago actually and read the first few pages - will definitely keep reading once final exams are out of the way (college student).

I have no experience with siphons so will leave that for another members, if you go the solar you may want to still think of siphons. A few members have done low energy systems . Use the search function and check them out. I think you need to check out some more members systems then start your questions.

Open up your own thread in Members System and then you will have a record of your questions and journey. Work out what you want to do, post a sketch using Google sketch up or a similiar program. This will enable members to see what you are aiming for and offer the best suggestions, cheers

Good info, thanks. I'll do some more research and start up a thread in the mentioned section.

If u are power restricted and go solar, definitely look at low energy systems (LEAP).

I just don't see how a manual pump option can work. Unless u manually pump every hour or so, the body of water will need to be large enough to keep the tank level stable between cycles. In which case you could not stock densely with fish, in which case you probably are not going to get the full benefits of AP over wicking beds.

Perhaps if it were used in a sufficiently large community were the responsibility of pumping could be shared. Or if you could walk animals on a treadmill or other device???

If you ever get the manual pumping way try to make it the "pedal way". Legs are stronger and have more (many times more) endurance than the arm, as well as being less prone to injury. I'd be more than interested if you found a pump powered by pedals of some sort, I could use it as a back up pump.

or you could use a windmill, these have been used to move water for hundreds of years. May not work out to be the cheapest option these days....

You can pump manually, in fact you can have a system with no pumps at all, but your not going to get a lot of production from the system.

The more pumping you do, the more production you can get from a system (sort of). You can have a small still pond with a couple of fish and some floating plants, you'll get a bit out of it.. If you pump 24/7 you can put in lots of fish and have lots of plants. If you only pump a little bit manually then you fish levels will be much lower, perhaps a little more than if it was a still pond.