Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yeah I like that... I mean it's not like anyone is doing any harm and it was amusing

What's a AP forum without a bit of biffo?

Sheesh, you just can't count on anything anymore. Must be taking a break like the US Govt. - essential services only.

Actually there is a way of looking (a little bit) into the bottom of your GB. If you put a 1/2" pipe into your GB and drill holes large enough so your media will not go through it you can use an endoscope.
This will be my next purchase on ebay, I will be using it to look at the bottom of filters and through certain pipes.
They are now very cheap.
As far as Flood and drain and Constant flood are concerned, they both work but I am not terribly fond of them.

I use 90mm stormwater pipe.
Push it in to the bottom of the GB, then just scoop out the gravel inside the pipe.
That's how I plant seedlings etc

using a RFF or a swirl filter also certainly is a great investment.. You can draw off excess crap for the wicking beds And the bonus is no crap in growbeds to clean

I just received a $40 one from ebay, it cant see very far along a pipe.
Sitting in a well lit room it can see everything, but putting it in my pond it cant see more than a few inches.
putting it down my storm water drain, i can mostly just see the side of the pipe that it is slightly pointing toward, the rest is basically black.

Well.....while you where busy assuming that I disturb my media....some pointed out about the perforated pipe to asses the GB settled solids that I use!
Plus you have just lost your bet too!
When I've dismantled my first system (1 year old and never been purged!) with great surprise I only had about 2mm of brown gunk on the bottom of my GB, hence my commercial system is been design with the consideration and knowledge based upon my previous experience, now my 12 GB are now 7 months old and have about 1 mm of that mineralised gunk! which IMO it's negligible!

have you tried to look down the pipe with a torch? what is the diameter of your GUNKSCOPE?

I still remember when some guru here as questioned me about my commercial design and why would I use timed F&D system.....well.. a year later the guru is now building his new system with a Timed F&D
..... a guru with over 10 year experience taking after one of his successor that in only 3 years time has maybe proven to be right about some design!

And I also remember on another forum another Aussie guru asking about my first design and never making a point about his precise question (the post magically disappeared from that forum! I guess he panicked when he saw a newbie designing something his been working on for many years!)........ 6 months later he launched and trademark the same design I was working on! Amazing!

Quantification of experience based upon number of post/grammar errors/years in AP etc.... are not a viable way of assessing any individual knowledge.

Yavimaya talking about my attitude..... you've proven to judge based on your own assumption...... and sharing the same characteristic of a few on this forum sounds like you have fund your place here....like with like!

Thanks for the clarification Rupe

I am still wondering why CF with water set to 1 or 2 inches below media surface is not good? or how it is similar to DWC(GB)?

And you could make some money on the side doing backyard Endoscopy.

There's no way you're gunna look at my backyard with one of those things....

£40 on EBAY? what a rip off! mine cost me £0.40! I must get it patented before somebody else it's gonna make $$$$ on my inventions!

I never said it's not good to have a DWCGB, I find pointless to use pumps/pipes/electricity and all associated cost when the most simple design with plant growing in standing water it's always been the INCAS WAY!(unless you want to use raft beds loosing the benefit of bio-filtration obtained in media beds)

In 2010 when I start my AP project I remember reading in PERMACUKLTURE MAGAZINE issue 66 about this guy in Scotland (UK)

have a look at his design of CF GB ......tell me what you think.
I've fund his website with all the photos af the building stages, I must admit that is the real AP in my way...My new system will be design around his concept...I already have drawn drafts and as soon as I'm finished building my large scale system I will do one even more in tune with nature....like this one here!

http://envisioneer.net/gallery2/index.php?sGlry=1