Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello all,
Still trying to work out how to get around the forum, so much info and views.
Having lived in South Gippsland, Victoria all my life, am used to four foot of top soil to garden and
Plant veggies. Two years ago we moved to Dalyellup, WAand the back yard is pure beach sand.
So ,being in a rental ,I ve decided to give aquaponics a go , still in the middle of the build, hoping
To have it completed ready for media this weekend.
I'll try and get some pics up as they worth a thousand words.
Cheers JohnnyK

Welcome to the forum JohnnyK

I think I've posted photos of the system I'm building, still a bit to do, getting media this week end.
Going to paint the grow beds to stop algae, not sure if I have to do the same for the sump and ft.
Still got some pipe work to do and going to put a lid on the sump and ft.
Cheers

Welcome, looking good, if it is exposed to light then paint it. FT and Sump included.

Thanks Kitacooch, do you know what paint sticks to IBC plastic?

Lol, nothing really sticks properly to IBC's, i have heard some have had success with pressure packs, but i just used an etching primer for plastic, then just an ordinary good quality outdoor paint over that. I do recommend you scuff the surface and clean with something like metho first though.
But even with that prep the paint still scratches off min relatively easily but certainly does the trick.

Welcome to the obsession.

Obsession is right Johny5, haven't even got any plants in and I'm already thinking what can I improve.

Then you are right on track.

Been busy today, after a trip yesterday to perth to pick up the media and get some useful tips from backyard aquaponics got busy doing the final wash, loading the media, final pipe work and bobs your uncle it all worked, not. Pump is pumping to much water, does any one know how to slow pump down or can I put a gate valve in and restrict the flow? Or do I have to get a smaller pump. I have four gbs totalling 1200lts, draining into 700lts sump in which I pump to ft of 1000lts which gravity feeds gb.

You don't need a smaller pump, why not run a 50mm overflow line from the fish tank back to your sump. System looks good btw.

Hello mate, what size pump are you using? Why do you say there is too much flow?
Your set up looks good though.

Hi skeggley, the pump I've got is a aquapro (ap4800f) , after reading threads on the forum, the pump loses lots of power with the head and distance of flow, so i bought a bigger pump than required.My pump is pumping with a head of 1600mm and a distanc of about 7m through 32mm pipe, at the moment the pump empties my sump (650lts) in under 5min, this over flowing the ft as the gravity feed to the gbs can't keep up, 32mm pipe reduced at each bed to 20mm taps. I like hairy camels suggestion in putting a 50 mm overflow back to sump and I may put a tap on the pump to restrict the flow.the pump came with fountain fittings that would restrict the flow so I assume it won't hurt the pump putting a tap on it. Any other suggestions? Happy to take them

nice looking system, the 50mm overflow is the way to go.

the photo doesn't show much flow how much head do you have (FT water level over GB level)?

might need to raise the FT?

unless there is some restriction in the line, how big is the SLO?

some guys have been using 2 SLO's

Hi slowboat, head between ft and gbis roughly 120 to 150 mm via filter which at the moment is straight in straight out. What's SLO?