Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks. The solids at the bottom of the tank was a cocern to me as well. GBs & DWCs would be IBC sections, 15" tall, 12" deep.

Hi! Looking your picture It is good idea to use the same pump to fill all beds. However... because you are suppose to clean your growing media from time to time I don't advise you to drain the GB's on the floating rafts. Better to keep them with individuals drains just in case you need to close some section for any reason (repairs, maintenance or leaks). The filter must also have an emergency bypass directly to the fish tank to keep the waterflow going in to the fish tank (just in case you need to temporally isolate the beds for some reason such as beds contamination, fish tank contamination or cleaning). Solids at the bottom of the tank can be removed manually with a secondary pump, tubing and some pvc pipe, but your pump may pay the consequences because solids can damage the pump. Pardon my ignorance but, Is there some special reason to put your fish tank in ground?

Mel, my system has been evolving constantly ever since I began about a year ago
(The tank was really supposed to be a sump). The reason I've configured it the way I have is mainly for space. My overall area is just 80" wide by about 35' long. To maximize the use of space, I'm going to put the filter above the fish tank. We've done quite a bit these last few weekends. I will be posting pics soon!

Mel, I thought I'd add that the temperature in the in ground tank was considerably lower than in the above ground fish tank.

Update (pics coming soon!): 4 new IBC GB's cut and power washed. Leaving them filled with water for a few days, then power washing again. Goldfish are in their new home, happy as can be. Did some quick & dirty plumbing to get the 2 existing GB's hooked up to the big tank. Put up some pipes for Shade cloth, but I'm going to leave it open for now. Tomatoes love it the way it is! Old fish tank power washed and on the way to becoming a filter. cut up some recycled metal bars and built my stand out of them. Mud everywhere!

If I may, I'll compare that inground tank to one that I have (had)...



As you can see, my tank is built with side reinforcements but still bowed out even though it wasn't completely full. Please make sure to brace your tank very, very well on the sides. The surrounding dirt can push in on the tank sides, the water in the tank can push out as you see on my tank.

And don't forget that ground water can and will lift up a buried tank if the tank is not completely full. There have been many stories of HSM's happening with sump/fish tanks floating after a hard rain and breaking pipes and such.

Well now, that's not very nice of me. Giving you doom and gloom instead of encouragement.

Hey, your system looks GREAT! And Kudos to you for asking for opinions as you build your system. Keep going, it's coming along just fine.

Edit: And you are correct, the ground temperatures will keep the system water more stable. No reason not to keep the goldies in with the Talapia. They will co-habitate very well together.

Thanks Bill. I agree about the tank warping. Having made the tank out of 1/4" PVC (somewhat thin, IMO), we've been working with it to get it just right. We've been slowly filling the tank & back filling it with sand & gravel. Right now its up to about 48" deep, and the sides are bowed in here, bowed out there. I can't fill it anymore until I raise the ground level (and deal with the drainage). At least for now its running. Once I get that done I'll do a cement edge on one side, and back fill the other 2 sides with gravel. I feel that'll hold it down! I got pictures, just have to make some time to upload them.

Thanks again!

Ok so I'm going to deliberately post a bunch of embarrassing photos of my messy, dirty, in-the-works-house fix-up-aquaponics-yard-mess-piss-off-wife-neighbors-think-I'm-crazy stuff. Lets see them as a "Before" set, shall we? I'm working on it!

NOTES:

1. Yes, its a mess. It will all be cleaned up, finished, painted, and hopefully look a little better! (The front of the house looks worlds from the way it did when I bought it!!)

2. The plumbing was just a quick & dirty so I wouldn't have to shut the system down. My big pump died .

3. The long metal stand sitting on blocks in the pool pic is the 4' x 24' stand the 6 growbeds will ultimately live on.

4. The tank will be backfilled soon and filled all the way.

5. The bald guy is my uncle. 75 years young and strong as an ox!

6. The fish are the same goldfish from the beginning of the project. Not one has died and some are huge!

7. My biggest delay is that tomato plant... Its loaded!

8. The bucket of muck is a year's worth gunk I collected from the filter before I cut the bottom off it and
stuck it inside the new IBC filter.

9. The (4) growbeds filled with water were powerwashed and left filled with soap water. I will be giving them a good scrub soon and a final powerwash before I start drilling holes & gluing pipes into them.

10. The lemon and banana trees will be hiding the tanks and filtration of my wife-approved UVI system that will take over half the yard (Project 2)!!

11. Questions and constructive criticism welcome!

My backyard is still a dirt pit after I dug out my fish pond (levelled all the dirt over the grass). My wife is not impressed still. So yours isn't that bad.

However, get some ear plugs when you're angle grinding. Hearing loss is permanent, I used to play a lot of drums when I was younger, which isn't as loud as a grinder, and I'm slightly deaf from it.

Looks like it's going to be really neat MWD. Access to beds and tank between buildings is from the end away from the Fish Tank?

Thanks Columm. I do have them. I really need to put them in the box with the grinder.

Correct Scotty. Access from the backyard, although you can climb over and around the filter area. That filter drain valve faces the front of the house. There will be a an aluminum gate covered with some thin bamboo to hide the system (somewhat).

All looking good MW, you've it all happening there

I see... Don't get me wrong here, your system looks great so far, I just thinking that it will be more difficult to deal if a problem arise with the tank or the fish.

Are those red tilapias in your fish tank?

Nope. Just 15 cent feeder goldfish from Petsmart. I agree about problems. I have this fear of the tank emptying in the event of a leak somewhere. We shall see!

Those are big goldfish!

Just don't start with mosambica tilapia (if you want to use tilapias) try to get nile tilapias (blue, pearl or red) the blue and hybrids will be the most difficult to find here, the average price for those in PR is between $1 to $2 for each fingerling.

To prevent leaks on your tank you can add a pond rubber liner from Home Depot inside your tank. So if the tank is broken the liner will hold the leak long enough.

Also remember to build a long DIY vacuum siphon to clean solids from the bottom of the tank without breaking your back on the process.