Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

as in recommend pipe size or to put a T or not?

I would recommend 32-50mm pipe for a pump that size.

Are the leeks caused from plumping pipe size? that doesn't make sense....

Gday Jay
I was after recommendations on pipe size, would 50mm DWV pipe and fittings work or will I need pressure pipe?
I am going to put a tee in and run some of the flow back to the sump as I think there is to much pressure in the 2o mm pipe and I think thats causing the leaks from the fittings, they are all glued and I've never had them spring leaks like this.

wow

I have used 40mm and 32mm pressure pipe - if you use pressure pipe you can use taps - difficult to find pipe that fits pressure and DWV.

I went the DWV at one stage when building my raft addition and was very unimpressed and won't do it again. The fittings are very loose when connected and require glueing and care. Pressure pipe, although more costly, are a great fit and give you piece of mind. I'd recommend 32mm minimum.

Thanks again mate, I didn't even think about the taps. 40 mm pressure pipe it then, how would you recommend attaching it at the pump end? The pump came with a 3/4 inch barb fitting.

Does it screw off?
Look at Robbob's RAS system - he uses pipe clamps and things.

Or you could go down to the local irrigation store and ask for fittings.

You could go Barb 20mm to hose 20mm to barb 20mm with thread to 20-40mm thread adapter.

probably threaded.. i replaced it with a threaded pvc reducer (slipxthread) and went up to 1-1/2" pipe on my supply from the 3/4" outlet on the pump

I'd recommend 50mm DWV or larger if you wanted to decrease the head loss/increase the flow on the pipe from the pump.

Pretty much I always glue fittings and in the few places I don't I use a stainless steel screw to keep them in place. Generally I've found they stay where they are meant to but I had one blow out once and since then I've more careful.

You can go from DVW to pressure quite easily.



http://www.irrigationstore.com.au/Product/ProductDetail.asp?lngProductID=199

This fitting in the link and picture is a pressure fitting with a 50mm bsp thread. These fittings allow you to go from pressure to bsp threaded fittings. You can get the same style of fitting in DWV and in poly so it is quite easy to go from pressure to poly to dwv and any combination or direction.

The expense of pressure pipe has always driven me to DWV and you don't need the pressure rating.

Thanks guys, I will wack a tee piece in with a tap in the morning to run some water back to the sump and I'll start gathering up the bits and pieces to upgrade it all to 50mm soon.

Well that seems to have helped a bit.
Water is still really dirty

Got lots of eggs but they are all being sat on, sneeky chooks are laying under my duck

I think I'll move my trout into the system tomorrow despite the chocolate milk, the pond I have them in is getting to dirty and I have no real way of running power or air out to it, they were only supposed to be in there for a week till my water cleared up and the chlorine gassed off, we'll 4 weeks later and I still can't see the bottom of the sump let alone the tanks, but I think it's got to better for them with at least the benefits of mechanical filtration and good aeration with the water turnover.

Hey Bentaz, I am still a newbie at this, but I got some micro fibre cloths from a big box store, about $8 for a pack of 20. Ran all water going into sump from FT through it, cleaning it twice daily. I had issues where water wouldn't clear up for weeks to. Doing this cleared it up in three days. To clean I just rinsed cloths in AP water in a bucket several times, and it seemed to work a treat. I tested cloths for any detergent first but agitating in a bucket, and doesn't seem to have harmed my system. Just my two cents!

Thanks mate I will look into that

I clean mine weekly now (doing it as we speak, any excuse for a break )

I still reckon I am pulling out dust weeks later, even though stocking is very low and water is quite clear. Mind you it picked all the algae I scrubbed out of sump in 3 hours, which was a fair bit as I haven't put a lid on it as it is about to be moved and lid would be redundant.

When I do move system I will miss watching sump, I find it almost as interesting as FT, especially when all 4 syphons break almost at once. Mind you I only have small fish, I could spend all day watching big fish (and did spend half of today doing just that, a mate has 750-1kg Jade Perch in an established AP setup, man I could watch that all day!)