Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

G'day all
Thought it was about time I chucked up a couple of Pic's of my system so far, like most systems its going to be ever evolving and expanding, as I can't help myself but tinker with stuff.
System so far consists of:
A full IBC fish tank.
A Bathtub growbed filled with Tuscan gravel( it was left over from a job), another 1/2 IBC growbed under construction that I'll fill with Scoria.
1/2 IBC for a sump.

At the moment I'm only running a 1300lph pump in the sump which is ok for the one grow bed but won't be enough once the second GB is plumbed in.
The pump runs for 15 mins in the hour and the bed drains via a standpipe.
currently have about 6-8 goldfish in the tank that can't be seen as the water it pretty dirty as I was pretty slack on the gravel washing front.
Cycling will be slow down here this time of year due to the cold but such is life.

Jazzed it all up with some bamboo screening to shade the tanks and pretty it up a bit.

Today I got my back up system finished.
I have a whole stack of truck battery's hooked up to 70w of solar panels.
I connected a 150w inverter to the battery's, through a relay pretty much like this http://www.earthangroup.com.au/12-volt- ... ay-switch/ but a bit different, when the power goes out the inverter will kick in and power a 20w electromechanical air pump that runs into the main fishtank.

And one of the new growbed mock up just for good messure

Well it dawned on me that if I want to make the most of the new grow bed, i.e. not have to cut it down and loose out on the filtration I am going to have to lift my FT up a bit ( or dig my sump in, which I don't want to do as I plan on moving the whole thing at some stage once my pergola and extension are finished). the FT weighs a ton at least so I'm not sure what I should put it on, pallets would be easy but being on the dirt they could rot and I'd hate to come out and find it collapsed, I was thinking of some besser bricks ( cinder blocks for you yanks) but not sure if they will handle the weight either.
What do you guys recon?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Besser blocks will handle the weight easily, but what about ground they are sitting on ? The more you use to spread the load the better.
I'm curious, what are the fittings you used to bring the pipes out of the IBC ? White uniseals ?
cheers

the fittings are bathtub / sink drain fittings.
almost every part of this system was already in the shed including them, I don't think they are my best option but they work

Maybe I could put some pavers under the besser bricks to spread the load a bit, the groung here does get pretty soft over the winter

Is your bathtub fibreglass?

No Greg its a metal one, but I have kept fish in it for many years although I have been warned about it before, I will probably swap it out for more ibc's when I can.

I would concur with the need to spread the load on the fish tank. I've just have one side of my tank sink 50ml because I didn't do that. Fortunately i didn't have the fish in yet, so I can drain it, do it properly, and start again.

Yeah my tank only has a couple of goldies that can go back into the pond, not fussed about changing the water as it's pretty dirty due to my lazy gravel washing.

Well I had a bit of a think and a look around the backyard (pronounced "junkyard") and found some 200x200 timbers that should do nicely to raise the tank up, I think I'll still wack a couple of pavers under them to keep em out of the dirt.
anyway so I bypassed the tank and now have the sump pumping straight into the grow bed and the tank is syphoning out into the duck yard.
Pics to follow soon.
oh and I also grabbed a length of 50mm pipe so that I can plumb the new bed in once its done

good work bentaz

Thanks mate.

Nice setup bentaz,

Your name reminded me of Beachedaz. I love that series. Parched az bru.

I do like that 12 volt backup. Might have to modify that a bit to suit my current setup. Getting some free fish this weekend ( I hope ) and don't want to lose them straight away.

Thanks mate.

Funny the wife just busted me weeing in the sump, apparently "watering your dinner" is the wrong answer to " what the hell are you doing"......
Oh well the FT is now on blocks and refilling, I'll let it gas off for a few days then off we go again, in the meantime the gold fish seem happy in the sump, even after a shower