Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi everyone

Finally got a system up and running in Newcastle NSW

Specs:

Second Hand IBC's

Flood and drain pump on timer
1000L FT
4 * 300L GB
3 * 400 L Sumps (connected)
1 * raft setup (cups with medium - which flood and drain as there are props which it sits on, its the blue foam one pictured below got the cups in it now)
Scoria Medium with a few clayballs and a little gravel just to top it up.


















There is about 15 Goldfish in there at the moment. They all seem very happy, had some excellent plant growth with some tomato seeds (straight from the tomato in the fridge), the shallots (panted after being used), Pak Choi, basil all going well. Capsicum not so good.

As you can probably see had some good insulation sitting around so the temperature has been a pretty constant 22 not sure what to expect through winter.

PH has dropped from 8 to about 7.6 but this could be due to a fairly large (40%) water change not intentional just poor design of the greenhouse meant that the pipes pulled away from the gb's so we lost a lot of the water

But the problem is still getting 0 ammonia , 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate readings???

P.S its been cycling up for about 3 weeks

G'day, it's all looking pretty good mate. Sorry, I can't help with your question, though I was hoping you could help me. I'm currently planning a very similar set up to the one you have here. What type and size pump are you running? What size plumbing have you run FT to GB, standpipe, drain to sump and sump back to tank? Are you running air in FT or Venturi? OK all questioned out cheers. Good luck with your water tests.

15 goldfish isn't alot to get it cycled quickly - you need more input no5! You've got heaps of filtration and water volume.
Experts might even suggest add some charlie carp?

to early to add some silver perch?

got a brand new pump for $100 as the irrigation shop was clearing it... catch is its 10kL so we attached added a t intersection and a ball joint back to the sump tank. We are running 40mm pipe between sumps (we had to add the pump to the middle tank instead of the end one as we weren't getting enough flow) we are using 40mm pipe and ball valves to the growbeds. Got to get an air pump for the FT. Running the pump on a timer (its only a 14 interval timer so the cycle is roughly 40 an hour off give or take a few minutes each way depending on the time of day :p) and the standpipes are 19 mm with about 8 holes drilled in them near the bottom.

Awesome system

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Insane growth from seeds squeezed out of tomato from the fridge. They germinated after a day. the first photo was about 3 days after that. Then the 2nd is 8 days after the first photo





Floating GB with stands under it so as sump drops it gets held up so the cups drain.

One thing I might suggest, if the tomatoes were straight from a generic shop bought tomato. Before you get too invested in them, and they start growing too big.

Go and get a nicer variety of tomato (ebay has a massive selection, or visit bunnings). The store bought ones pale in comparison to what you can grow yourself. They are grown for the amount they'll crop, and how hardy they are with transport (and some varieties are grafted, so they won't be true to type).

Get some tommie toe cherry tomatoes, or a nice beefsteak variety. You won't regret it. Or PM me your address, and I'll send you some second gen AP grown tommie seeds.

Yeah that's a good point.... This got built to get away from the same old store bought shite I was looking at The Seed Collection do you know if they are much chop?

Don't buy seeds - we can give you some
I have fresh tomato seeds from this year also.
Many varieties.

That would be awesome thanks, I looked at your system thread and you have a huge variety. On a side in 1 bed only there seems to be a lot of white flecks on the scoria and I run my hand through it there are heaps of tiny bugs which seem to be jumping around.

Pm address if you want seeds - re white bugs could be whitefly?

We are having some good growth... but there is something killing some of the plants, little jumping bugs and there are white specks around the plants they are eating...



Also this sweet basil isn't dying but it isn't growing and it has just started to get some holes in the lower leaves... any theories?



If someone can point me in the right direction that would be awesome. Also we have some pregnant goldfish by the looks of it. Anyone had any experience with actually hatching and raising them?

Cheers for that mate, your system is looking good, except for those little white bugs of course. My project is coming together painfully slow, I hope to have it online by the end of winter (self imposed deadline to avoid the many excuses I seem to come up with to not finish anything).