Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Finally started the build today. After discovering Aquaponics at a Bunnings demonstration 2 years ago I have been busy planning my potential system. A move to a new house, new job, busy lifestyle, other house priorities and too much fishing over summer has prevented me starting but I am making time and need another obsession in my life

I grew up on a small allotment north of Gawler South Australia and we had a name for our small farm then, although I'm in the burbs now (dreaming to move to more land) the place needs a name so High Valley Farm it is.

For a full album check my Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/105486480521571943779/albums/6027709028095439153

This is going to be a weekend build, so updates will be slow. I plan to use the this thread as a diary of my thoughts, plans and progression of my system and hopefully share with the experiences of other.

Today was sump day. I have moved 2 garden beds from the back of the yard, so planned on one being a wicking bed and the other my sump for my AP system.

My helper assisted my leveling job.







More design to come through the week, but the fish tank and filter will sit on the sump with 1 media bed, 1 DWC and 1 NFT (using an A-Frame) sitting to the south (sump is approx north).

Finally, thanks to everyone for the contributions to this forum. It has been such a resource and inspiration and will continue to be one throughout my build.

Looking good!

I didn't know bunnings and anything to do with AP!

I don't think you should work on your system in mauve roller skates could be a trip.slip.fall hazard:-)
Welcome to the madness and good luck with the build

Albi, Your technique with your level seems foreign to me. Or is that because you are below the equator?
Welcome to the affliction.

Nice laying boxes
So pond liner in those raised beds?


No they won't You'll get the bug and finish it this weekend

Yep pond liner in the raised beds . One seperate to the AP as a wicking bed the other my sump. Heavy rains last night remind me I will need to plumb a sump over flow in and get the water out of my yard.

Sent from my HTC_0P6B6 using Tapatalk

It was a little wet last night.

My sump tank was almost about to run dry last night, I woke up this morning to it overflowing. All just from what hit the raised beds.

Scale is a little off but the this SketchUp gives me an idea of the proposed layout (I drew the sump too high).



Fish Tank into Radial Filter
Radial Filter into Sump
Sump pumped into Fish Tank
Sump pumped into Grow Beds
Grows beds into Sump

I then have room for an A-Frame or additional beds.

Anything stick out as a potential issue?

Still no AP action, but had to get some other jobs out the way which i have completed.

Quartz spread, slate path in and wicking bed complete.



Day of Wednesday and plan on picking up some IBC's. Have promised my 2 girls to build a wishing well which i have to fit into the day so hoping for a clear day.

i will also get the sump completed, from here im hoping i can get on a roll and get my AP cycling within the month.

IBCs are in!



I tested out the heights today to get an idea how it will look which i really like. Will be hard for the kids to get up and see and feed the fish buty have plans to setup an old steel ladder. The FT lid is cut and the tank is now waiting for a good clean which should finish mid week. I will then cut some thicker treated pine for the FT supports and have the sump finished off and protected from and direct sun light.





UniSeals are on order and should be delivered next week. Once they arrive i will buy a blue barrel for the radial filter and plumb up the FT to Filter to Sump.

I still trying to design how the grow beds will be supported. I really like what Lear300 did and might use a similar design for the beds

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=22335

Some further progress today ... Daughter was home sick so got in a couple of hours work when she was sleeping.

Installed the SLO and wrapped the tank in some black builders plastic




Cut the grow beds and raised to appropriate level



Plans from here

Re-enforce grow beds
Wait on uniseals for the Bell Siphon
Buy some old pickle drums for a radial flow filter
Build tank lid
Enclose tank with wood
Enclose grow beds with wood

Hoping to get this all done before spring, should be cycling by now

Bell Siphons are in and I've started cycling, still waiting on my PH kit to arrive to know where Im at precisely. I've added a cap full of charlie carp anyway.

I bought larger uniseals then I really required and now have 40mm standpipes, 65mm bell and 90mm guard. Doing it again i would go smaller for the standpipe as my inflow is quick to get the siphon to work. I still haven't timed the system which I will get to this today.

It took a little adjusting to get the siphons working regularly, I found dropping the outlet like in the following picture help ensure the siphon starts. The long pipe into the sump has now also been reduced down to a 32mm which again I felt helped ensure it starts every time.



One of the beds is still empty which will be filled with some scoria from a friend this week. The other bed is River Pebbles which I hope are not too large. I dont think running 2 different types of media will matter.

Quick video of the layout, sorry for the bad quality.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/105486480521571943779/albums/6027709028095439153/6045672234188444482?pid=6045672234188444482&oid=105486480521571943779

What i have learnt/do different
1. Start with smaller stand pipes ... go larger after trialing first
2. The beds are on pallets, i upgraded to higher quality ones as the orginals sagged when then beds were filled
3. Run the pump to the highest point first to ensure water gets there. My original configuration had a T piece at the bottom and the water would get there but only a tickle compared to the beds.

Looking great - I would make a blue barrel bed above those pipes to hide them and create a 'H' shape layout - I have 40mm standpipes and run constant flood. You could have half/half scoria on bottom and pebbles on top


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good idea but the reason the gap is there is no sun shines there because of a fence. I will see how it goes in Summer.

New pump coming this week! I need to increase the flow to the beds.

A little more progress tonight, got home early from work and clad the sides with some recycled wood I had from on old fence. I have some nice hardwood to install on top around the beds.



I only have bed running as a Media bed and the other as a DWC whilst i wait for some scoria from a friend.

I timed the media bed flood and drain and in total it takes 11 minutes, 1:30 of that is the drain.


Waiting for my API test kit and new pump to arrive early next week