Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Prelim System Specs

My diagram is a work in progress and will be added to – The plumbing direction is not complete. I’m still trying configurations.

- My system will be indoors in a well insulated building . The building has two connected sections each 16’ X 31’ and new large HVAC system. If I have success I will build a greenhouse next to building and use the building to hold fish tanks
- I plan to use Tilapia, another reason for indoors in Missouri
- Growlights – yet to be determined (looking for advice)
- I was planning to place the Sump(s) and inline pump outside the main building in an insulated second small housing. The sump top will be at floor level. Should help a little with noise.
- I would like to have the sump inside but not sure how to design for that much water flow and holding, without crazy height adjustments to everything.
- Fish tank is fiberglass 24” tall with 8’ diameter- approx. 750 gallons. I could use IBC if better design. (I have 12 IBCs waiting to go)
- My plan is to use IBCs for Growbeds I wanted to have a few floating beds as show in the rough diagram.
- ¾ gravel in the beds
- Pump to be determined
- Planning to use Biofilter for deep water beds (if I do them)
- Depending on pump direction may use Hydrocyclone Airation design
- Will also use venturi aeration

I’m pretty new at this, but have been doing a lot of research. I’m open to any and all suggestions. My biggest issue is the water pump direction and getting that plan all solid.

With this config I can pump out of sump to growbeds or fish tank.

I was kind of wanting to have a few vertical growbeds that drain into the media beds. Obviously that will require me to pump to growbeds.

I really appreciate any help and advice..

Some thoughts...

Have you had an aquaponics system before? This is a pretty large undertaking, but I would be really excited looking at your sketch.

Most likely you are going to need a pretty hefty pump especially if you are trying to lift the water to vertical systems as well. I would definitely keep the sump in the ground though. If keeping it inside would require raising your grow beds, you are just asking for way more work than digging a hole in the ground. Below is a link to a youtube video about how you can use an air pump to lift your water instead of the aforementioned hefty pump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU6nE6bTt-8

The flow diagram right now looks good for all intensive purposes. The hydrocyclone aeration system looks awesome. I can't believe I didn't know about it before! Also, I'm not sure if you will even need a biofilter with the amount of media grow beds that you have, but I found a link where you can calculate how much surface area you need. It's pretty in depth, but if you are starting with a low stocking density, you could always add a biofilter down the road as you add more fish or as the fish get larger.

http://www.biofilters.com/websize.htm

Personally, I would use a radial flow solids collector instead of a swirl filter. The link below has a nice diagram of a super easy build for solids collection.

http://www.ecofilms.com.au/diy-radial-flow-filter-for-aquaponics/

Now, lights. I'm sorry, but I don't envy you here. Any light system is going be quite costly for both fixed and variable costs. My best suggestion would be to check craigslist. In California, you can readily find t5 HO fluorescent ~4 foot by 8 bulbs with fixture and reflector for relatively cheap. I imagine this would be your best bet new or used. Not sure how many used you'll find in Missouri. Maybe ebay. If cost isn't an issue, LEDs are undoubtedly the best grow lights (besides the sun of course Just for fun, I'm putting a link to one of the best LED grow lights money can buy!

http://www.hydrogrowled.com/189X-PRO---290W-LED-Grow-Light-P86C60.aspx

Hope everything works out!

GOOD LUCK!

Growing indoors works but the cost of lighting and fixtures is a definite negative IMHO. Heating would be an issue if you were in a greenhouse so I guess there are issues either way.

You might be able to rearrange the grow beds so that you don't need the biofilter but it's not really an issue. Looks like it should work and is well thought out.

If you run Constant Flood you can keep the sump small so it's less of an issue - if you run by other methods you have to allow for the fluctuation in the water levels or any additional grow beds added to the system. Running CF would allow you to connect up the greenhouse in the future using the same tank (although you'd probably need to add a different pump). This would also allow you to disconnect the greenhouse in the worst part of Winter if you don't wish to heat (provided you install a ball valve and can drain the pipes so they don't freeze). You could also just have two systems which can be useful.

I'm not sure where you're going with stocking levels? You have 585 gallons (78 Sq Ft) of media filtration plus the biofilter and I'm not sure what the DWC beds will give you. The hydrocyclone is interesting but you probably won't need it if you're dropping water into the sump from multiple parts of the system (don't see any harm in trying it out though)

I also would use the RFF rather than the Swirl Filter.

Hope this helps

Scotty, great insight about CF and the sump. I think that two systems would also be useful, and the stocking density really is the most important aspect at hand. The hydrocyclone may be overkill with the sump being so low, but it sure is an awesome concept.

You can never really have too much DO.

Thank you all so far... Those are exactly the suggestions I was looking for... I know indoors is going to cost me more and I hope only phase one. My next phase will be a greenhouse attached, I have a great level gravel spot next to the building. but I want to see if I can do it.. Once set up I can grow some things indoors anyway over the cold winters here.

I have this buiding that has water, HVAC, insulated etc that is doing nothing.

You guys have any thoughts about having the FT indoors and pluming out to the greenhouse. Anyone done it before, I have seen it, but just trying to get my mind around how much I will have to heat and even cool the water.

Keeping in mind Missouri weather and Tilapia... Although I was thinking a second fish tank that would hold something more weather tolerant to support the greenhouse..

If you can kill the U tube, better. I use for my sumps and every time I look at it, I hope it doesnt fail. Thats the one plumbing part that I hate about my system, and im going to kill it real soon.

I agree with Jolie about "Have you had an aquaponics system before? This is a pretty large undertaking". Im quite pleased with my initial 2 gb ibc system performance, but since I started explanding (after a year of running), Im having some problems and extra expenses that I could have avoided with a little more thought, research and patience.

The cool thing about the ibcs is that you can expand as needed.

Good luck! Post pictures!


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I definitely agree with mwdesign in that IBCs are very easy to scale. So starting with 2 or even 4 is a lot of work. I've been troubleshooting my bell siphon today in my one and only IBC. So, believe me there will always be work to do on any aquaponics system.

mlive, it's awesome that you have all this free space. As I live in California, I've never had to deal with freezing temperatures. I agree with scotty that there is a potential of the pipes freezing so a ball valve is a must. I imagine that you would also have to run extra heaters if you were running the plumbing outside. This will increase your overall cost. I think that running a separate system in the greenhouse would make the most sense. Use a better suited fish for those types of temperatures. With a ball valve, you could always reconnect the pipes in the spring and have one mega system again. Hopefully, someone can give you more insight as to how to manage your system in the winter!

In the greenhouse, maybe you could stock something native to Missouri!

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Parks_and_Facilities/fishreg.php#stock

I personally like channel catfish. I like to catch them at the Lake of the Ozarks and had one in my fish tank for a wile until I kinda killed it trying to get it out of the fish tank. They grow fast and are a hardy fish to water conditions.

A couple pictures of the initial setup.....

So far... 800 gallon tank and 9 grow beds...

Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated...

Some initial Pictures... Just getting started

My original idea had my grow beds along the side of the wall. I ended up leaving a little walking room around them, as I preferred to have a little less walking room but access from both sides. My wife is short and he would have had trouble reaching the wall side of the GB. Since you haven't filled them yet, you may want to consider trying this out

I'm thinking those are old pictures. Unless you got lucky from all the snow?

Where are you getting your IBCs from? Locally near St. Louis I'm seeing $100 or more.

Looks like you have plenty of growbeds, I just see a issue with providing enough light indoors. Where you thinking CFLs, LEDs, or even those high bay warehouse lights. I think the high bay lights can be found cheep and daylight 400w bulbs are a little more expensive.

OK, I had to turn my attention to other things for a while at work. We own our own business so it never ends. Anyway, I'm getting ready to start the plumbing process. I have read lots about PVC size... I would like to make sure I start off big enough to expand, but not to big any ideas...

I think I'm going to take some of the advice here and start off running about 1/2 this system and then turn on the rest, but I want to plumb and prepare to run the entire system

Any thoughts on PVC size and even purchase locations....

Also any grow light provider recommendations would be welcome..

Cheers...

So now it is August, how is the system going?

Mark,

I was wondering how the system was going? I am in Columbia as well and want to start a system in my basement.