Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all well here it is, the kids first attempt.


Have put some seeds in Cotten wool and have a couple of sick tomatoes to try.

Open to improvements ideas

12 volt pump
Will have 12 volt solar system soon hooked up
200 ltr fish tank, no fish at the moment, getting some tomorrow, silver perch
3 90 mm storm tube 5 cups in each
Chucked in a few organic fertiliser nuggets to star things off

The finaddict

looks good mate. im just about to start my first system. Im going to attempt using a half of a 22000 lt rainwater tank though haha bit scared and excited

Cheers, will post updates

Good to see more kids getting into it.

I like it! Bet the kids are proud of their work.
Just wondering if it has any media (gravel or clay balls) or any other biofiltration?
Without some kind of biofilter the ammonia won't get converted into nitrates for your plants and the ammonia will build up in the system until it reaches toxic levels for the fish.

I helped the kids make the following,

Two 10 lt buckets

One ten liter bucket has holes drilled 40mm up from the bottom art round spaced 25 ish mm apart, some laying around ss mesh (2mm) on the inside of bucket, bucket filled 50 mm from top with 15mm gravel.
Lid on and 25mm skin fitting in middle of lid.

Second bucket
12 volt Sub pump in it, lid on and two 25mm skin fittings thru lid, and a screw grommet for power to go thru filled at the back with silicon.

Thes buckets are submerged in the fish tank, as in my case, or sub tank

The second bucket is connected to the first and sits on top of the first bucket, via a couple of bricks for spacing, the idea is the water is sucked thru the first bucket creating the bacteria and filtration and the thru the skin fitting to the second buckets in feed skin fitting, which is connected to nothing, this allows the sucked water to fill the second bucket then the pump pumps the water out thru the second skin fitting and up to the pvc pipe (plant part)

Idea stops the sediment bit and allows a good clean pumping location.

Hope my discrpiption is as clear enought

Oh and the cup are filled with gravel also!

Glad to hear you're all over it but thought I'd check that you knew just in case.
Not sure if I've got it right but you might not need the top bucket if it only houses the pump. Most pumps could be setup (via a pipe/hose) to suck straight out of the first bucket with the gravel in it. The second bucket wouldn't be hurting at all but would be taking up a little extra space in the tank that it might not have to.
I don't know what bioload the filter can manage but I like the sound of it, no frills but functional. Love that stuff.

Cheers champ

Was just concerned of stones or gravel getting drawn into the pump impeller!

Question,

Does the pump need to be on a on off timer, on for x and off for x in this system???

Looks good.... Run the system constant and add some air,that will improve the results again.