Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Aquanoob was able to source some decent IBCs on the weekend, so it's time to expand my current BYAP system.

The current system is a BYAP Courtyard system, consisting of a 500l growbed and round 1000l tank. It is on a 15/45 flood & drain cycle and houses 15 silvers.

The Grand Plan is to convert it to a CHIFT PIST by:
- expanding the growbed volume by cutting another IBC in half, creating 2 additional 300l GBs.
- using an IBC for the the primary FT with a SLO feeding the GBs. This will be for barra/trout.
- using the existing FT as a sump, pumping the water back into the primary FT. This will be for silver perch.
- changing the cycle to 30/30 to account for the increased water volume.

I'm also planning clad the IBC with ply and insulation to regulate temperature and aesthetics. Might do the same for the IBC growbeds too.

Are there any flaws in the design? Would it be better to use the sump for silvers and the IBC for barra/trout or the other way around?

If you can get the ibc fish tank lower then the two ibc growbeds then I personally would just make a second system. The courtyard system works so well if you want to expand the courtyard system just add a second bed may one of the ibc beds can go on the courtyard system and one on the ibc tank.

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reckon the fish with highest poo capacity (trout?) should be in the ibc so their poop goes straight to the gb. I've just done a spreadsheet to cost up running two pumps - it can add another $40-$80 running cost per year depending on how you run it.

Two systems would allow complete separation (handy to quarantine new fish in the system) , though would use more elec - what pump do you have at present?

do you think there will be more expansion in the future?

Thanks guys. I thought it would be less maintenance to run one system with one pump.

I think the pump is 3000lph, which would be fine if I run it 30/30.

Why cut the IBC down to 300 litres, just cut it in half for two 500 litre beds or are you worried about height.

Edit believe that was the same content in my first two IBC's, one sump and one cut in half as two grow beds. No problems with them.

+1 for starting a second system. It does involve an extra pump which is $100.00 extra initial outlay of $$ but it shouldn't cost any extra for power if you are planning to run you current pump 30/30 with a new setup.

I did almost exactly what you are doing a month ago by adding a full IBC FT to my BYAP entertainer system to create 2 separate systems.http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=6435&start=15

Will

Yeah ccbear, height would be a problem if I ran it as one CHIFT PIST, but the forum has spoken :-) I'll build a separate ibc system. The redundancy idea is growing on me.

Time for some ibc-of-aquaponics bedtime stories ...

Once upon a time there was a cheeky little monkey. One day he decided that he should start another ap system All the other boys and girls ftom the forum jumped for joy and pleaded with Fuzzmonkey to share the story in pictures. La deedaadeedaa. Thats all for now girls and boys. Sweet dreams designing that new system. You know it happens.

Nighty night aunty Faye!

Night night sleep tight
Don't let the bed bugs bite

and if they do.. you might need more than some Dipel...

And if they do I'll spray them with 1 part milk 9 parts water. Or put out a saucer of beer? I don't remember which.