Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This is where Im heading.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upXqN8KH ... ata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P7oVdLS ... ata_player

If you cut the IBC properly and stock the system reasonably there is no need for the additional "tower biofilter". If you are going to overstock (NOT recommended) then there are "better" biofilter designs to deal with the increased loading than what is shown, i.e. fluidised media bed filters are simple and effective. If you're going to have NFT pipes in your system, you'll need to fine filter the water to remove all solids prior to the channels to prevent the roots clogging with waste, so I'd either forget the channels for now, add extra physical/mechanical filtration before the channels, or insert the channels between the GB and the FT where the GB media will perform the fine filtering role. Having a water bridge between the FT and ST containing the pump is a little risky as they are prone to fail and require frequent monitoring.

Start simply... then expand as you needs change.

I plan on putting almost two gallons of sand in the bottom of the tower, plus a couple of other types of filter media in the upper chambers. How clean does it need to be for NFT? The pumps pressure line needs a Y in it also to control flow between the gb and nft independently. I wont have the channels on the wall for a while, but the gb has to be up soon. How do I maintain a constant water level in the ft? Thanks for design suggestions. Im all open.

I dont want to over stock. I wont know that till I start testing ammonia right?

Bunson, you just said this on another post... " Filters themselves don't aid in the breakdown of the solid waste, they just localise collection points for further processing.". I like that, makes sence. I have the idea in my head to just grind all of it up and push it through the filter to a point. I was looking at the volume of the filter, and by eye it looks like it hold enough to make the bed flush, not intending on clearing the entire volume of the filter in the process. Trying to get as much of that done before it gets to the gb.

I need to see the filters your talking about. And the gb to nft sounds pretty slick.

Guess I need to see some more mixed systems also.

Here's my constant height in the fish tank... SLO to media growbeds... and attached NFT...

Thats nice. You have more shots of it, or video?

Lots of photos... no video...

You can see more here... viewtopic.php?p=348472#p348472

Thats nice. whats slo mean. You have three kinds, nft, raft and media beds. Im off its 4:40 am here and work at 8. Great, Im obsessed.

"SLO"... a "solids lifting overflow"... basically essential for any constant height system... (unless bottom plumbed)

I like the way your thinking by taking the outlet of the ibc out of the tap as the lowest point. I have the inlet for my SLO near the outlet and the tank bottom is clean. I only have 9 big fish in this system so it isn't overstocked,

The outlet is there why not use it right? The drawing shows a slo and its not actually according to the outlet idea. Another thing is I dont want the pump in the ft.

Just seen a mechanical timer. Going to borg it into they sceme. Throws drawing in the can. Thank goodness I didn't cut more holes.