Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My second outdoor system is well under way & has been more complicated than the first which is now 2 1/2yrs old.

It consists of a 1000lt IBC FT with window, 200lt radial drum filter, 4 x 300mm deep IBC GBs (1 will be filled with water to grow duckweed) and a 1000lt sunken sump. I will connect a DWC as soon as it is built and at this stage it will be 3600 x 1200 x 350mm deep. The system will be housed, along with the original setup, in a 14m x 4.2m hoop greenhouse. This time I am running it as a CHIFT PIST with the FT overflowing through a 90mm SLO to RF then stepping down to 40mm pipework & into the GBs through 25mm valves. Syphons will empty 3 GBs & the duckweed bed will be constant flood. The GBs will be filled with half scoria & I am trialling Hydrocorn for the other half.

I would love to pave the hoophouse but that would add a huge cost to the project, so we will lay grey metal or quartz stone at a later date.

I have had only minor problems with my first setup, but wanted more growing space & wanted to try DWC growing, as I have seen so many inspiring results from others.

The dilemma at the moment is what to make the DWC from, to keep the costs down, but ensuring that it is also built to last. The tradie in the family tends to over-engineer most of our building projects & wants to do the same for the DWC.

Here are few progress pics!

It's just like Christmas!

An afternoon's work.

& a bit of pipework.

The beginning of the hoophouse.

The beds are cut & on their stand.

The sump in place

Looking good so far mate,

The pipework started

The fishy window

FT framework & RF


I have run some water through to test the syphons & check for water levels. I had to cut down the stand pipe heights & glue more pipes than I had hoped to - I like to push the pipes together just in case I need to alter something (I didn't have any leaks in my first setup). The scoria & Hydrocorn are waiting to be washed but with 39c forecast for the weekend I am not sure when it will make it into the GBs.

""It consists of a 1000lt IBC FT with window""

How did you do the window... I wanted to do one but have a general rule of NO HOLES UNDERWATER...
meaning that. If you have no holes, you simply can't have a disaster from leaking...

I wanted to use a front loader washing machine door, so you could put your head intro the tank.. :-)
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Hi BuiDoi,
The inside is the same as the outside with stainless strips welded to make a frame, ss nuts & bolts, 5mm perspex & a liberal amount of silicone!
It has been full for 3 days with no sign of leaks although at the moment the window seems pointless as the dam water is so dirty, you can't see into the tank anyway!

Not quite sure how the washing machine door would have worked

Washing scoria today in 39c was not fun
Needless to say I haven't finished & will be doing more tomorrow & the day after.
At least I am on the homeward stretch to getting it switched on & cycling.

A few more progress shots & a few pics from my old bathtub setup.


The T & valve are for the DWC once built


Tomatoes have lots of growth & few fruit - must learn how to prune them better!

Spring onions, beetroots, broccoli, chives & marigolds

the first system looks damn good too. those tubs seems like they worked pretty well. nice variety

Looks great

I am just too scared to attempt anyything ATM... I am so hesitant to make ANY holes or cuts below water level in a FT...

You did a good job... I like the system... like so many others, suited to the area being used..

With that front loader door... they are glass, sandwiched between plastic rings... I had planned to just cut a tight round hole,that the glass would slid into, from the outside and then use the rings just as you did with stainless bolts, and apply a deal of Gorilla Glue to everything such that ALL voids are filled and sealed..
My plan would not work with you IBCs, because of the ribs.. I never see that type of IBC..

I will likely have to wait until a fish cull or a remodel to consider risking the whim....

Don't be concerned for the murk... it will settle down..

Looking forward to see the progress... our next system will be a similar linear one, where we can get to both sides..
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Looking great!

This is the part I hate - washing media
Even the new pressure washer didn't want to play the game in the sun today.
I quickly put it back in the shed hoping it just needed a rest - I'll be in strife if it is any more serious!


Nearly finished!

I seem to kill pressure washers too.

Although, I've never washed my media, it all seems fine though.

Looks great mate!

Some media could do with a good wash, if only they would keep still..
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System is pumping but I have flow issues.

I am using a 5000lph pump with 32mm pipework to the FT, & lifts approx 1500mm.

I need a reasonable flow into FT for 90mm SLO to draw out solids & pass through the RFF. The flow into the 4 GBs is then too fast & the syphons don't break. I can back the flow off at the t for the pipework which will feed the DWC & send water straight back to the sump, but the flow would also be too great for an operating DWC I feel.

My next thought is to t into the GB line & send water to 2 large wicking beds (currently under construction) which could then gravity feed back to the sump. I hadn't wanted to go down this path by including the WBs as I thought things were getting too big & complicated - but I just may have to.

I am glad I haven't glued all the pipes yet as I can see I am going to make some changes!

The DWC diversion


The 1st of the wicking beds in place.