Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I've seen the hanging method use by http://brightagrotech.com/home.html since it's useful for urban setting. Recently I have dismantled our aquaponics system at home due to avoid hazard of aedes mosquito breeding there because of the water in the growbed. There have been several death from denggue fever in my neighbourhood and I don't want to contribute to the risk of death to others. Although health inspector have checked my system and found no mosquito larvae still there's a lot of place the larvae could hide.

The hanging system of by brightagrotech to me seems like a better option since the water flows cascading inside the tower and there's not much tanks with water collecting inside. Living in Malaysia it's sometimes near impossible to find certain components at my hometown. For example Leca are not available in any shops and although I could travel to the capital to look for it the price is very expensive. So I need help or advice to look for this component which is a PET(Polyethylene terephthalate) fibre. I want to try making a similar growbed like the agrotech system as shown in the video link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GcFQ0MSdW7g

The closest picture I could find online is this:




I'm not sure if I need to order the fibres custom made from a recycling factory. I could but it'll take time and money. But if there's already a product maybe like sponges or scrubs available in market, I could just use that. Really need help on this, leca is out of the question and normal aggregates pose as structural hazard to my parents, had a storm earlier this year and and half of the aquaponic roof frames were broken off.

Thanks in advance.

It looks like a Scotchbrite pad to me. Check janitorial supply places.

Floor scrubber pads are very similar, but not the right shape: http://www.cleanfreak.com/Qstore/p002517.htm

Thanks...this proves to be an interesting challenge. Found out it's also hard to find any square hollow pvc pipe at the local hardware. Either look for it at the main cities or order it at the port. Not sure if coconut fibers would also wok, we have a lot of them here. I've been born here and it's first time I knew they've been using it to stuff furniture, matresses and car dashboard.

Coconut fibre has been used in wicking beds I think, and I've seen comments about the use in GB's in that it colours the water brown. Don't recall seeing any mention of bad effects though. Search for 'coconut' on here or maybe 'coir'

Here you could use rectangular rainwater / gutter down pipe maybe that points you in the right direction for your search.

Cheers

Hi arthoz,

If you are still around, you can try your local pet store or aquaria for Leca. I found something similar, branded as aqa-clay.

If i remember correctly they have 2 types. One is smaller, physically closer to very rough sand/pebble and the other is just like the ones that is being used here by everyone, branded as hydroton.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15164 - Link to when i asked about the difference.

If you would like to have a look at what i am using you can drop by to my system linked below at my signature.
Or click viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15742

Regards