Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am going to add this next!
12V backup ... I have a 12V air pump and this looks very easy to put together!

I started a new topic for the indoor system here:
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=17126

For future reference:
This link shows the pump rate versus head height for a variety of pumps
http://www.yourpond.com.au/Fact-Sheets/Pump-Head-Heights

Changes to the plumbing:
From suggestions and ideas from this forum I am re-arranging my pumps and plumbing (80% complete) to better match new additions and to give me some flexibility to try and reduce heat loss through the night to keep my Jade perch alive through the coldest of winter.

First pump:
My largest pump - pondmaster mk2 3600 (Power : 71w; Max Flow Rate : 3500L/H; Maximum Head Height : 3M) pumps from the sump to the fish tank and the 2 NFT systems.
• 55 hole round system is connected and returns straight to the sump.
• 48 hole system flat bottom system which isn't connected yet but will return to the main fish tank. (There is an option to have this connected to the trout system).

Second pump:
Hopar H-6350 (Power : 45w; Max Flow Rate : 3000L/H; Maximum Head Height : 3M) used to pump to the fish tank but is now doing the 2 grow beds with the option of also passing through the solar heater (to be completed).
Currently running continuously with Bell siphons but am looking to put in on a timing and reduce pumping at night.

Third pump:
AquaOne 104 Maxi (Power : 30w; Max Flow Rate : 2000L/H; Maximum Head Height : 2M). Is now running the trout single IBC system. I am running this continuously at the moment while the system cycles and the trout recover.

Fourth pump:
I am considering a small fourth pump that pumps of 1000L/hr to put in the second bio filter so I have the option of isolating the fish tank and bio filters from the rest of the system. This may be necessary as the temp in the fish tank dropped an extra 1C (to 17C) last night now that the clouds are gone and the nights a but cooler. This isolation will also cut off the NFT which is where I think I would lose most heat.

Finally got around to making some baskets for the round tubes (NFT?), I might start growing plants instead of algae in my first row.
Wick coming out the bottom with double knot


Wick in the cup


Adding expanded clay & seedlings

Baskets in the tube

First flowers on the strawberry plants

Strawberry plants - from garden to NFT.
1. Find some runners to uproot


2. Wash the dirt off the roots


3. Throw it in the hole

Water Temp of FT was 18.8C at the end of the day today after a hotter than usual day, but with nights expected to be as low as 2-4C for the next week I have done a quick insulation of the sump tank and ordered another Aquaone 140 pump to use to isolate the FT from the GBs at night.

Jade Perch are eating well 3 times a day. I've just received some scales in the mail so I'm going to keep a closer eye on feed rates from now on.

The Trout don't seem to be eating much as the only time I've seen them hit the food they spit it out soon after and there has been a fair bit of food left floating at the next feed time.

I bought 3 IBCs today. One I will use to add 2 more GBs with 1000L more capacity which will be much needed as the Jade perch grow.

I plan to get the solar heater online ASAP, while its small I hope it will be able to add a couple of degrees C.

According to the BOM it was 4.9C last night but my FT temp rose to 19.3C which seems to show that my quick insulation of the sump has made a significant difference.

BUT before I start patting myself on the back I'll share my readings from the power consumption of my heaters.
I have them all on one powerboard which is drawing 730W.

Doing the sums: power use (W) x hours / 1000 (to convert to kWhrs) x cost of power per kWHr.

For me it is:
730 x 24 /1000 x 0.24 = $4.20 per day
My daily rate is assuming worst case of the heating not meeting its thermostat cut off and therefore being on the whole time.

Also, from looking at my stocking numbers and numbers of days I am likely to need heating (from BOM Stats) the daily rate equates to a per fish cost to get them through winter (for heating alone).

Certainly good motivation to change something & good reason not to grow jade perch in the blue mountains (if only I'd started posting her earlier ).

So to reduce my heating bill I am going to plug in the solar heater and buy a thermostat for the power board - the setting on the individual aquarium heaters I am using only go down to 20C and the tank doesn't need to be that warm. When I get the thermostat I plan on playing with temperatures to see how low I can go before the jades stop feeding or start dying.

My tanks losing visibility

Found this thread:
viewtopic.php?t=8415

My FT is fully covered so I am going to slow down on the feed and watch the pH

Also I added a small pump into the second bio filter to close off the FT from the grow beds overnight. Starting temp is 18.2C

Specs on pump:
Cost: $free. I was given it today by brother-in-law
Make: Rio 200
Power: 5.2W
From the below chart it is pumping at a height of about 1 foot = 85G (320L) /hr



I have a larger pump which i could swap over but there is a chance it may be over-spec and I might need to reduce the flow to prevent the FT overflowing. And didn't have time this evening to play around.

My questions from making this change are:
Do I need to put in the larger pump to get circulation back up to 1000L/ Hr and thus turning over the FT volume/hour?
Can I leave the pump to the grow beds completely off overnight?
Will it keep the temp up overall or will the temp drop significantly when I turn on the remainder of the system in the morning, thus creating greater fluctuations?

About 2 hours in and the temp has risen to 18.8C

Morning temp was 19.8C
Temp dropped to 17.9C after allowing the water from the sump (which was 12.1C) mix into the FT.
Left the system on timers to isolate the sump/GBs from FT from 10-10.
Lets see how it goes.

Will add solar heater some time this week.

Fish have been eating 60g/ day plus duckweed/Azollla

In the trout system the salt levels are still high, on permanent flood and still cycling but i thought i would plant out trout's GB with seed - onion purplette; carrots; beetroot; pak Choy; lettuce.
See what happens

If you're isolating your grow beds overnight, make sure you've got some aeration going through the night...

And test your ammonia in the morning... you will probably have a build up overnight... and may have to run a longer timer cycle to clear....

How are the trout... and what's your salt level?