Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

How goes it peeps? I've been too busy to start a thread but realize that it will probably save me some time in the grand scheme and I will most certainly gain some knowledge from some of you AP vets.
I've been dabbling with AP for a number of years but haven't taken it too seriously for the long haul. I'm a full time farmer so its hard to dedicate so much of my time to learning and retaining all the info when so much is going on during this time of year. I'm already way behind on getting to where I'm at this year with it but things are calming down a bit so I'm ready to make some head way. I'll get some pics up in a day or 2...nothing special but pictures tell the tale

My goal for this system is different than my past attempts and I hope to hear that it will indeed work. We're practicing permaculture on our farm and this just seemed to fit the bill better than what I would define as a truly closed system. I'd never heard of this approach but I was reading an older book called Chicken Tractor just last week and it briefly described doing something along the same lines..even watering the chickens with the water! Hmmm...now that I'm typing this, I'd bet that everyone who's involved with AP actually does the same thing just perhaps on a different level.
Enough chatter for the moment..heres the specs.

System is based on chift pist
FT is approximately 900gal and currently has around 100 hybrid bluegill and 30 hybrid catfish. The cat's are around 5-8" and the blues are split evenly..half are 2-3" and half are 5-6"
GB's will be 3 IBC's/12" depth as well as 2 DWC troughs for rafts..each trough will be 4'x28' with 14" depth
ST is an IBC..most of one
The IBC beds have hydroton and are just there for some filtration if needed, and to play with plants that aren't so much suited for the rafts. I also think it will help the kids to grasp how AP works, especially when they get to see the worms in the gravel.

Water flows out of FT to GB's to ST to trough #1 then #2 then pumped back to FT. I may need to add a second sump after the rafts but that will be decided once their online.

Here's where I'm hoping to get some input. Our dirt garden sits beside this system and is 2000 sqft. I will be watering it directly from a submersible pump that will sit in the FT. Our summers can and have been pretty nasty. Last year it was over 100f for 40 some odd days straight..so watering is a daily affair.
I have IBC's coming out my yoohoo for rain water collection. We're on the side of a mountain and I've setup guttering on 4 different structures (all uphill from system) and have devised a way to get that water to the system..works great.
I'm asking for reasons why this won't work. Does anyone feel that this will absolutely not work due to lack of nutrients? By that I mean not enough nutrients for the rafts. IF I had a higher stocking density would that alleviate your doubts? Are there other issues that I should be prepared for?

I really want to make this work so please be my worst critic..tell it like it is

The Ft is under a lean to that's off of a 10'x16' shed that has been my fish house for overwintering the fish. Vinyl billboard posters are currently up to block the sun..ugly but it works for now. The FT is even wrapped in it. Piping is all temporary while I'm building the main troughs.



The hickory tree on the right must come down and is on top of the list of to do's. It would be nice to keep it but I know when the leaves started dropping I would regret it.



There is currently a 300gph pump in the middle of the the FT..it pumps into the blue 15gal drum filled pillow batting. I had quite an outbreak of algae before I put up the vinyl and in one night of running this filter I had crytstal clear water. It was just temporary but I haven't taken it off line yet because I'm sure there is one heck of a bacteria load in it. It could very well be an ammonia pit ??? The pipe in the middle just holds up the pieces of the tank that I left when I cut the top off..I need to add netting over it to avoid suicidal fish. The return line from the sump is coming from the left.

One more for good measure..another bed will be added to the right eventually.



This is part of the garden and where it sits in relation to the system. I wish it was about 10yards further downhill but it'll have to work.



A few of my little garden friends were chillin in the shade so I had to get a picture of them as well. Incorporating quail into the garden is one of my best ideas ever...sad I know I just wish they'd all realize there's more of them than there are crows...I dislike crows very much

All looking good

Thanks mantis..many things left to do but being a full time farmer with 3 kids has me strapped for time to do them

Update - My ph had dropped to 5.8 by last night and held all through the night. I added a gallon or 2 worth of crushed coral to the sump this morning and it actually bumped it to 5.9 by dark. I didn't add it to make any noticeable difference anytime soon but I have to give it the credit because my ph has never went up unless I make it. I think I'm happy with it around 6 at this time in the cycle but I really don't know where is ideal



Another question..or 2...has anyone seen a problem with a system that was fed rain water collected from a galvanized metal based roof? I have to add guttering to the lean to before it rains again and it would be nice to store it or at least just add an overflow to the ST and let it dump right there.

Also...I'd like to put just enough bleach into the IBC's that I'm storing water in to defeat the algae. Does anyone happen to know a safe dosage? Or maybe how long it takes bleach to dissipate from water? I realize this may not be kosher but still I'm unsure

Well I'm rethinking my supposed grand plan but I'm still on the fence. My water has yet to cycle and that could have something to do with my water changes. If I'm unable to water my regular garden from the system water, perhaps daily, then I need to plan accordingly. Soaker hoses are a few of my best friends and I'm currently not using them because I'm sure they'd get clogged without the constant cleaning of something.

I'm still tinkering along with the system though until something happens...or doesn't

I've reconfigured the plumbing to how it should of been from day one and added the 3rd media bed as well. Managed to get the tree sawed up and added guttering to the lean to that will dump into an IBC that sits beside the FT under the lean to. I have several hoop coops for the chicks by the shed and it would be great to not have to tote water from the house EVERY DAY
I finally ran power for a dedicated outlet to the air/water pump...also added a light above the fish tank to see how the fish like moths. I haven't researched yet to know if this is okay but I can't see why not.
I took down the billboard vinyls and replaced them with an old sign that we weren't using. I had to cut the sign in pieces but it works all the same...and it doesn't blow in the wind.

I'll post some pics soon

Took some progress pics

3" slo was added and the old 1.5" by the blue barrel is now an overflow to the sump. The pump in the sump now pumps to the blue barrel to help the water stay completely clear but will eventually go away I'm sure.


Added a bigger air pump and built a manifold out of 1" pipe...there are now 8 air stones and the water movement is great. Probably don't need a slo since the air seems to get everything up and moving but oh well


Moved an IBC next to the FT to catch the runoff from the lean to or to possibly use as an extra FT in the future for smaller fish. You can also see the sign that I added to replace the vinyl that was blocking the sun.

Built a box around the sump to keep the sun and some bugs out



Just a different angle..

Good stuff, this is awesome.

Thanks jeezy..its coming along. I'm glad to see that you added a filter to your system but I was also curious to see how your system would of cycled without one. I assumed you'd be a similar situation as myself currently but you just never know


Progress today -- nothing really I did go get a load of straw bales that I will be using to stack around the rain barrels to block the sun insulate the water...hoping to keep their water temp below 80f. I thought about using plywood or logs..even rocks since we have plenty but I believe straw bales are my best bet to keeping the temp down.

I'm thinking of leveling the ground for the troughs by hand and save a few hundred dollars. If a cloudy day comes around this week it will probably happen...not a chance with the sun and heat though! A neighbor friend has an excavation biz and is supposed to stop by this week to check out what I'm needing done so I'm really hoping that he comes through before I do something rash and hose myself by slipping a disc because I just couldn't wait..haha

Yeah, I only added the swirl filter to keep the water clean as the water is going to the sump first and not the grow beds. I'm not sure if it would make a difference with the cycling or not.

What are your plans for your system during the winter?

Planning has never been my forte...I usually just wing it. I admit its not the smartest approach when dealing with living things.

Since this system was mostly to meant to be a way to water my regular garden and have some fish at the end of the season, I didn't much plan on anything else. I imagined that if or when I decided to keep a few fish, I'd just move them back into the shed. However my mother in law has just decided to fund a greenhouse so my options for anything involving AP have changed dramatically.
The shed was intended to be a dedicated fish house and the biological filtration for a larger system. I got sidetracked and in a pinch and now somehow I'm breeding heritage and rare poultry...so the fish house became a brooding shed...



There ended up being 9 of those brooders in the shed with the AP system crammed into a corner It worked out but this spring was one of my most stressful years to date. I learned a person should NEVER try to raise chicks and do AP in the same small enclosure. If I would of "planned" ahead and actually thought about what I was doing, I would of never put myself in that situation...air quality is very important to poultry and even though I had 2, 550cfm exhaust fans for that small little shed, the dander from all those birds still managed to settle and create a mess when it accumulated on the grow beds. Can you say MOLD spores!! It was not a good time.


Anyways...

Ah, that sucks about the mold but awesome about the greenhouse funding from the mother in law.

I would like to have one but I'm currently renting at the moment. I also was looking into walipini greenhouses for when the time comes. I live in central pa and we get some long winters and I definitely want to expand the system and get it outside the house.

I like the walpini style and the chinese style. I'm actually torn between the 2 and trying to imagine an integration of the 2.


I decided to attempt leveling the ground but just didn't feel comfortable when considering all things, such as the dirt settling. I have a hand held dirt packer but my design was not to level the troughs width wise, only lengthwise, so the possibility of a lot of water running down the hill and slowly seeping under the trough is a possibility. On the bright side, the friendly excavating neighbor came by yesterday to scope it out and see what needed to be done...I hope he can find the time this week.
This was my attempt...not bad but my sciatic nerve is giving me a taste of the consequences if I continue



I added some plywood to the sides of the growbeds to hopefully stop the algae from growing around the inside of them...seems to have worked and coincidentally my water quality has improved and it seems that the cycling is almost complete.

pics of beds and how the plants are doing...second bed has finally decided to show some love too

Wow. You are having some really good growth. I've seen people spray paint their IBC totes to help with the algae.

How did you cycle your system? Fish less? When did you get your seeds in?