Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Whipped this up just so you can see what's in mind:

Ah... I see what's on your mind...

Is the separate rack on the right running on a timer? Otherwise that extra pump seems unnecessary. That rack could just be tied in at the top of the filter.

This diagram doesn't show the slope, the sump and stacked troughs are lower than the other items to the right. I plan to have a good amount of water flow through my troughs, more than before in lieu of air stones.

Dug the hole for the sump (100 gallons/400L), filling it up now. Stumps surround this area, root was in the way somewhat.

Been so freaking busy with work and landscaping and pool maintenance haven't had time for AP for awhile. But, things are settling down a little and I got some of the plan from March (!) going on. The plan is to get trout in mid-August so I'm alright on that score anyway. The big tank has the three goldfish and two koi in it from the mudroom. I have to re-do the double trough but I have the mortar tub going and the sump in the ground and the pump running to the FT as of yesterday.

I've been working on my master gardener presentation for Wednesday all day today. It's on AP of course!

Attended an intro to AP session at the all-day master gardener training day at University of Maryland, and the guy didn't even mention media bed-based AP, not even once. I intend to rectify that in my presentation!

Can you get someone to record your presentation Dave so we can all see?

Ha I don't know, I plan to post the Powerpoint here though.

Is it still 2013? Took me awhile to find my own thread again.

I am not dead, and am firming up plans for the next system. Didn't get any fish like I was saying I would in the middle of August, but it turned out to be still way too hot for trout then anyway. Middle of September would be a good time to get new trout. Still have two koi and two fancy goldfish. I had thought the goldfish had died but they were in the RFF!

I moved the FT to the other part of the shed, and I decided to get the fish loop going on soon. Planning the filtration right now.

The patio on the other side of the shed wall will be enclosed with several sections of 2x4s and greenhouse plastic. The plant area will be a bit bigger than 10'x15', lots of room to experiment.

Here's a rendering of what I plan ATM to do for the solids filtration, more details later:

Hi Dave, glad to see your not dead, time fly's by so fast.

Hey GF!

So I met with the Ag Science teacher at the local high school today. I will be showing the kids a 20 minute PowerPoint about AP, and helping to re-boot their AP system from a previous student's project. Maryland has seeded many high schools with aquaculture hardware and they have quite a nice tank already. This has about 20 tilapia in it, but the water is very dirty because the kids throw food in when they shouldn't.

Finally got started on the new system! Today it is near freezing and raining but I hope to get the porch covered maybe Thursday or Friday. The framing is almost done, this will be like a hoop house on the sides. Will be about $200 total in materials.

I have been going back and forth about using the RFF or going with a gravel-based filter. Have decided to use the RFF, then into this tub with twin nursery pots with some kind of filter media in them with air lifts to keep the water re-circulating. Was thinking about gravel but today I'm thinking not gravel might go with a couple rolls of this and/or some Scotch Brite pads and/or some quilt batting : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044U ... QUKKLAHTT7

The solids from the RFF will go to a container of some kind with an air stone in it. Adding more to that container will overflow the partially digested solids to the "plant sump" on the patio.

I don't think I understand the purpose of the filter media Dave? Are you just trying to add a biological filter or are you trying to remove solids and where in the diagram would this go?

Looks like it's going to be a nice space when you get everything setup

Hey Scotty the diagram at the top is out of date, I moved the FT to the other side of the shed.

The plan for now is to go FT->RFF->Stock tank combined biofilter and sump. That is a 190 gallon one (pictured) that can fit two ~45 gallon nursery pots in it and a pump or two. In each nursery pot will be air lifts and media of some kind. The RFF solids will go to an aerated digester thingo, that overflows into the plant sump out on the porch when I add more solids to it. The plant sump will have a pump going back to the fish sump to mix the fish and plant water.