Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Tying a sock stuffed with scrap cloth around the GB return pipe is an easy way to clear clay dust. After a few days throw the sock away and the water will be crystal clear.

i have the same hole saws great for the price!

I have those too lol

Recently I needed a cheap filter for my system - thought I would share.



I am using a 160GPH pump and some flex tube.

Its a 2.5' - 4" pvc pipe with 2 ends caps. one with a 3/4" inlet I attach the supply hose to and the outlet is a 1" outlet without a hose.

it is filled with cotton poly stuffing (used for pillow making) and right before the outlet i have used a 3" thick car sponge cut to fit the pipe.

Last week I had an issue with ammonia, and found I had too many fish based on my grow-bed size. Over 2 days I have been able to drop the ammonia from about 6ppm to roughly .5ppm and the fish seem MUCH happier.

this system was set up using mostly left over pipe, and some fill.

Cost to maintain this system

Poly Stuffing, big bag at wallyworld - $8.99 - feel i could get about 15-20 filter changes
car sponge has been re usable via a washing thus far and I can make 2 with one sponge - $1.99

How does this lower your ammonia? Is it acting as a biofilter? I would have thought it would take more than 2 days to establish something like that.

Sounds like its catching lots of poop which an overstocked system would have. Replace the poly fill material and away goes the ammonia.

Jumbo nailed it!

Also works great for murky brown water when adding new expanded clay!


~ jtk07~
using Tapatalk - please disregard typos!

Autocorrect thinks I'm fat.

Perhaps it's just trying to "correct" you...

My apologies - damn you auto correct! Lol


~ jtk07~
using Tapatalk - please disregard typos!

I thought I read somewhere that glueing was toxic to the fish???

Only if you glue while the fish are in. If you let the glue cure fully before attaching whatever you are glueing up first, no problem. Some parts need to be more than "just pushed together."

+ 1

Over 90% of residential plumbing construction is done with PVC pipe. And in a house it's glued.

PVC and glue is also a totally different topic, some times you have to pick your poison.


~ jtk07~
using Tapatalk - please disregard typos!

Ok, thanks guys, just another newbie overloaded with info. I would hate to destroy fish if I could ask the question and prevent it.

I don't glue pvc - makes it easier to change your mind :-)