Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

lol, of course a RFF will cost less than 6 beds worth of distribution pipes. It would be less than a 20, 30 or 50 bed system too

We should have been more specific and my comments were in relation to my own personal experiences. My RFF set up cost a heap more than the two distribution pipe arrangements on my GB's. There was the larger pipe, larger fittings, uniseals, bins, framework and a lot more time etc so yes it is more expensive in some situations and I agree if you have multiple beds it will prob be cheaper.

But, why are we even talking about distribution pipes and RFF's? Distribution pipes arent designed to distribute waste matter... they are designed for CF systems to evenly distribute water around the perimeter of the bed so greater grow bed coverage is achieved. So in my opinion, you should have distribution pipes with a CF system WITH or without a RFF attached so the cost is still going to be more no matter how you look at it.

Worms.. Ive never introduced worms to my system and my beds are full of them. They turned up within the first 12 months I suppose. You cant put all solids handling up to the worms anyways, there is a mineralisation process that occurs in the beds naturally. BYAP systems arent supplied with a box of 5000 worms, aquaponics can work without them... they are just better with them.

Worms wont multiply unless theres food for them dig a hole in one bed and bury some food scraps and after 1 to 2 weeks check the scraps then

Sankuverymuchness!!!

But charley, I said 3-6 beds. 3 beds is pretty normal on this forum now. You have at least two as far as I known... you make out that 3-6 beds is a ridiculously large amount...when it is not.

You are right about the distribution pipes in CF, but they will also help spread the crap out in flood and drain systems, rather then dumping hem all in one spot.

Look. Fact if the matter is...I don't see why people are so against them. You certainly don't need them, but thy make some people's lives easier.

All good mate. Im actually not against them I just want/hope people incorporate them for the right reasons. I get the feeling that people might misunderstand what these types are solid settlers are actually designed to do and what place they have in AP.

Some comments (not yours) gave the impression that if people add a solids settlement filter to a system - then they can increase their fish load, because its reducing wastes to the GB's. Thats bumkin.

That would be me I guess... I'm not sure if I said "because its reducing wastes to the GB's" but if that's what you got then it isn't quite what I meant - mea culpa.

The limits on fish in FT's, until they get fin to fin crowding levels, comes from the ability of the system to process the wastes, i.e. turn ammonia and other waste products into valuable nutrients that can be used elsewhere so they don't bild up in the FT. That way we can re-use the water and we get the advantages that, for many of us, make AP worth doing.

Adding a solids filter makes sense to me - it brings the main constituents of possible problems to a collection point and from there they can be processed further, quickly and used - solids once mineralised can still go into the GB or out to wicking beds or garden bedes or even indoor pot plants. The clear liquids left after the mineralised solids settle out can be returned to the system, which returns valuable nutrients to the system within a few days instead of waiting weeks or months for them to break down and (hopefully) get returned from the GB's.

Chances are, looking at my GB recently, most of them will sit in the sludge at the bottom of the GB and vanish from the system.

An external biofilter also makes sense - with media running anywhere above 250m2/m3 it doesn't take much to effectively double the size of your processing area - and as everyone has been telling us, your GB volume (processing area) defines how heavily you can stock.

There are other considerations such as ensuring a more-than-adequate air supply, and designing the system well enough to ensure adequate time in the solids filter as the FT water passes through, but they are easily dealt with.

Yes, you can run a system without external filtering, and it is the easiest way to get started. You can drive a car without power steering as well and most of us older types got our start that way. But just as with cars, there are better ways to do things that provide benefits for everyday use.

That is just what I am doing with the Puddle, Charlie, 'bumkin' or not. (I think you meant bunkum.) There is insufficient space to incorporate the number/volume of GBs that would be needed to adequately filter the 10kL of FT water to allow stocking to the level desired for the Puddle. Therefore, a RFF is being used to settle out some/much of the solid matter before the water flows to the GBs. Solids rich slop is drawn out of the RFF every so often, thus reducing the overall source of ammonia in the system.

The theory is sound, as far as I am concerned. In the case of the Puddle, time will tell.

;Charlie;I recon you are wrong as somebody said earlier on go ahead and prove it
Ok my new systen will have 1200 liters water 40 trout a swirl filter and a bio filter 5 standard grow beds total 5 sq meters the ability to spray for bugs if you need without affecting the fish the ability to salt if your fish get sick without affecting the plants if all this works i will ramp up fish production to see just how far i can go
With my last system i over stocked had not enough beds and had a big problem with gunk in grow beds where if i stayed there the beds need dismantling and cleaning

I have tried to keep out of this because of entrenched views; however a few comments.

I have a pond system with approx 10k (this is just a guess) and relatively, to the size it is lightly stocked. I need a filter because of all the crap that enters the system. The pump is in the FT which trashes small organic detrius that the gilgies do not get. Surprisingly the crap is not heavy until it clumps, aside from a fairly small amount.

I would say the floatie(spelling) crap, by volume but not by weight, makes up at least 80% ( and I would put that higher) of what is going through the system.
Swirl and Contra flow filters are designed to take out the non floating crap.

I am not necessarily agreeing with Charlie, but if you wish to use a filter at least target what you are filtering.

And Charlie the debate over this did not come over from another place; it has been going on for a fair while.

Floating crap in your pond/tank is a good indication that you aren't efficiently moving solids out of the culture tank/pond quick enough. As they break down, they form gasses which cause the fecal casings to float.

Also, pumping out of the pond will emulsify the solids as they are drawn through the impeller making them much harder to settle out via gravity.

I'm all for solids removal and processing outside of the system. It provides a level of control unattainable to those using no solids filter.

Taking solids out of the system does nothing to lesson the plant growth, as long as you don't take them all out.
Been taking solids out of my greenhouse system since it was first built 3 years ago, and its been the most productive system I have. Having trout or jade perch in it helps but its now got a few murray cod and is still doing well.
Plus I like some free ferts for the asparagus patch

im going to build a rff cos i can, and it cant hurt, and it will give me some good stuff so i can spray on the plants, and cos it looks good and just works

I like your thinking, Erich! It is also very satisfying to watch a swirl, vortex or radial flow filter work, doing what you designed it to do. The 'good stuff' may be a bit too lumpy to spray on your plants, though.

It does clog up the spray rose on my watering can