Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This is the current progress of my aquaponics setup. I'm limited on space, so I'm starting small. I actually broke the fish tank just today on accident, so tomorrow morning I will be re drilling holes into a new one. Also I have managed to get four flood/drain turnovers in my grow bed per hour. I'm aiming for 2-3, however I need to construct a new standpipe to achieve that which will be done in the near future.

Videos and pictures below!(Pictures were to big for the forum, the links work better to view.)
20 gallon grow bed
10 gallon fish tank
12 gallon sump tank




I have puchased a new LED light which will work through all grow phases of a plant, the square one is only good for sprouts.

I have moved the inlet pipe out of the media and have it dripping over a scratchy pad now. This helped achieve a lower turnover time because the flow would not get restricted above the water line.

My three koi normally have a bubbler, heater, and a few rocks to keep them company.

This is the sump tank, it works well. There is also a bypass line in the GB inlet with a valve to adjust water flow more precisely.

Let me know what you guys think! Or if you have any questions/suggestions.

Turn your growbed into a fish tank and put your sump and current fish tank above it as growbeds...

no wayyy

Why not....? Far more efficient.. With your growbed above the fish tank you have no need for a sump.

It keeps the water level in my fish tank the same and my fish happy. (: As well if I would like to expand, all I have to do is put a bypass in the pump line and add more water to the sump.

Not to mention, it wouldn't look as elegant.

Awesome!! What did you use to cut the holes for the returns in the tanks? I was going to do one and use a diamond tip hole saw. Just wondering if you had a different method.

Each to their own.... But if you ask for advice, expect to get it.....

Thanks for being so friendly earth!

And yes, diamond tipped hole saws with a simple power drill is what I used. Make sure you use as high as a speed as you can, and put little pressure on the glass. Along with a constant flow of water over where you are cutting from a hose or somewhere. Remember, it is more of a sanding method rather than a cutting one.
Fast speed, little pressure, constant water flow, and it's really simple.
Also make sure the return in the fish tank is at least twice the size of the bell siphon stand pipe or you will have problems.

Also if you search on amazon for diamond tipped drill saws using mm as a measurement rather than inches, you get a lot more results.

Awesome! Great to know. Yea I've cut plenty of things with hole saws even diamond tipped. But never glass and thin glass at that. So thanks for the advise. I like the idea of having a great producing system as well have it be aesthetically pleasing with a nice fish aquarium if its going to be inside. When I start to go bigger and use farm fish I'm just going to go basic.. like I have now lol

Remember to be very delicate with the glass when it is cut. I did something as simple as dropping the "stand pipe cover" over the stand pipe from about 3 inches because my hand couldn't fit and it cracked the entire bottom of that 20 gallon tank. It still works but they are very delicate. I broke the fish tank the other day too pulling too hard on it and the piping in the back got caught up and broke the back piece.

North Dakota.. no wonder your growing indoors! tough winter there.

The winters are fantastic! I've lived here through snow that will touch some of the roofs out in this area haha.

Yes I visited a little town called Tioga in ND once, but I was there in the summer. But someone showed me an apple tree that they had that had had the branches snap off in winter from the weight of the ice... and thy had wind breaks everywhere made of rows of trees.. beautiful place though!

Yea I like it up here. I was actually considering moving back to Arizona just to expand on my aquaponics venture but the jobs up here are hard to get away from. Maybe one day! Right now I am trying to acquire a license to sell produce to my current work place. If I get the license I'm going to expand here no doubt.