Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all!

I would like to introduce myself after I'd decided to make an account (after lurking for some time ).

My name is Chris and I'm 23 years old, I'm still a student and I live in The Netherlands. Forgive me if my post(s) include weird translations, the jargon of plumbing and such are quite different in my native language.
I've had an aquarium and terrarium in the past, currently the only living things I'm caring for besides myself and my girlfriend are bonsai trees, other plants and herbs. Sadly enough I currently don't own a outdoor garden, just a small balcony (currently filled up with bonsai). I learned about aquaponics through visiting forums in my bonsai-related research which kinda relates to the same science in regard of: growing media (surface area), aeration, additional lighting, niche hobbies and other .

The reason I joined up here is because I have carefully decided to build a small (newbie) aquaponics system. I'd love to make a bigger one, but currently I have no room for it, but I do have spots in my apartment where I have grown vegetables before. This will be as much a small scale experiment as it is a very welcome addition to our lifestyle. I hope you some of you will guide my attempts with advice, as this will be my first try at something like this. Of course I will keep expanding my online research on the subject as well.

To lay it out there, this is what I currently have planned:

*Keep in mind this will be of a much smaller scale then I generally come across on the web and on this forum*

Tower design (for space purposes) 170 cm in hight.
Fish tank at the bottom (black quasi-transparent) approx. 18 gall total cap, which will be filled to 15 gall.
Fish won't be for consumption because of the small scale, could use help with the amount of fish once I've decided on the type of fish (currently thinking goldfish or a type of catfish that stays tiny).
Two media containers above the fish tank of approx. 6 gallons capacity each.
One container filled with expanded clay containing herbs, the other will eventually also be filled with the same media - but I plan to start it out without media just water for lettuce or watercress.
For the top I have grow lights available but I want to try running without.
Everything will have a decent amount of space between the layers, because of the framework.
I am going to try out different drainage systems, but I am probably going to start using a timer without siphons, just using overflow tubes.
Still not completely sure about how strong the pump has to be, don't really need really fast flow running in my media beds, in such a small system I'd figure? I am currently looking in to a submersible pump which can pump water up to 2,5 meters (sorry about the metrics) and runs 475 gallons an hour at 0 head.

I am working on a student budget of course, but this construction including the frame and plumbing (excluding media, plants and fish) will cost me about €100,-.

I'd love to hear a more expert opinion on my small scale budget AP plans. I am committed to building this, so any advice to my specific setup will be rewarded with my gratitude.

Yours truly,

Chris / Cheese

Hi Chris welcome to the forum,

I don't know if you have Metro shelves available where you are but they might provide a decent framework on which to hang towers and place grow beds. I used these long ago for a hydroponics system. They are too expensive new but they're common around here so maybe they are in your area and you can get some used ones cheap. The heights may not be what you want but might be worth a look. They have hanger rails and the cart rails and shelving are fully adjustable. The ones I used could hold 200lbs per shelf (I'm not 100% sure on this but check around if you're interested). You can even put casters on them.

Some of these kitchen shelves with hanger rails are what I'm thinking would work - http://www.theshelvingstore.com/Wire_Kitchen_Shelves_s/1143.htm

The pump guideline we use here is that the pump needs to pump the volume of the Fish Tank once per hour. A pump will pump less the higher above the water level you are pumping. The distance from the top of the water in the pump container to the highest height you're pumping is called the head height. Most pumps have a chart that tells you what amount of water the pump will put out at different head heights. So you just need to figure out your head height, figure your tank volume so you know how much you need to pump, then figure in some additional capacity (because manufacturers sometime try to look better than they really are) (you can use the extra capacity, if any, to aerate the Fish tank). With this information you should be able to go pump shopping but first - Three other very important things -
1. Pump efficiency - will save you lots of money on electricity so cheap is not always the way to go. Look at the watts used by the pump per hour and look at your cost per KWH and figure what it will cost to run for a year.
2. Solids handling - You'd prefer the pump not stop if something gets into the impeller area.
3. Reliability - I know Laguna and Rio both make good pumps but others do as well.

With a small system on a tight budget you'll probably need to compromise but you should be able to swing it.

Hope this helps

Thanks Scotty for your advice!
I've looked in to those metro shelves and I must say they look sturdier then what I currently plan to use as frame. But it's going to be a price factor if that's the system I'll be using. It's difficult to figure out how strong the frame has to be, 'cause it would of course be beneficial if I could get a bigger fish tank under it and provide for an extra media bed in the future. I do need it to be stand-alone though, as I can't hang shelves in my apartment.

I kinda ran my own design off of the existing Ikea Aquaponics which has been around on the web for some time, but the frame used there is not high or strong enough (I'd guess). Click here for the Ikea build.
As I said that design got me thinking about my own design, and I've 'hacked' a lot of Ikea stuff in my life . As the design of an AP can be very customizable, I thought why not build upon Ikea parts?
So if this frame holds the weight I plan on putting in there, I will be using THIS, only with a slightly different setup and several modifications. If it won't work, it will be something like the Metro shelves like THIS. With those you could add another one on top of it as future expansion, but the square footage on a shelf is less then I'd want.

As for the pump, thanks also for the advice! I had the basics down, but what got me confused is if the pumps should be able to pump the fish tank volume round at head or at media bed hight. I think I got it now. Also I will probably buy it at a pond store where a friend works (discount baby $$$) so he will also be able to help me pick one out.

Anyway thanks! And I'll probably be able to show you guys what the choice will be somewhere around next week.

Look forward to seeing what you come up with Chris.

Yeah should be interesting.
Welcome Chris.

Welcome Chris. We are very forgiving of peoples language skills as long as they don't ask us to reply in their native language.

Fortunately your English is better than my Dutch, Fryslân or Nedersaksisch.

Haha well I guess google (translate) and I will remain close friends for whenever my English fails .
Never heard anyone here speak Nedersaskisch though, but back on topic:

So Scotty's advice came out more useful then I originally thought. I searched local online second hand websites and coincidently found myself some great Ikea parts for a massive steal. I'll start up a new topic in the members systems section when I clean up the place and get the frame in the corner where I want it. The seller already removed his advertisement, so for a sneak preview you'll have to do with these stock Ikea images and some imagination:

1x 92x92x36 cm

1x 46x92x36 cm

As these systems are modular, I am going to use the legs of the winerack to highten the other model. I'll only need the three wide plateaus, one at the bottom for the fish tank and two for the media beds. So far so good, but as said I will relay further development in a new topic in the correct subsection.

Thanks all.

So as stated previously my system (concept) is open for further discussion in the Member Systems section.

View topic here

(@ Scotty435 ) As you can see there, I went with the 'metro shelving' style unit.

Cheers

Good find Chris. Thought there might be a good chance of finding some of those