Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello Everyone, I've decided to get into aquaponics after seeing a friend's system and doing some reading of my own. I'd like some advice on my prospective system and some critique on on any obvious flows or pitfalls in my design.

I live in Trinidad & Tobago so no worries about extreme cold affecting the system.

System will will be located in the corner my backyard against the wall/fence and I've tried to leave sufficient room around the components for harvesting/maintenance.

I have tried as well to route the plumbing as neatly/cleanly as possible as I don't really want a mess of pipes all over.

I've drawn out the project using Sketchup to get an idea of how it will come together before starting.

PHASE 1

System Type : CHIFT PIST with SLO

*Guestimating capacity for all tanks based on starting off with 4 x 1000L IBCs.

Fish Tanks : 2 x 750L IBC Tanks

- Overflow into sump via 1.5" PVC line. SLO in tank - 1.5" -to 1" reducer for growbed line.
- *Optional spray bar in each tank
- Fish will be Tilapia.

Grow Beds: 4 x 250L IBC Tank tops

- Water in via Grid - 1". Water out via auto siphon in the center of the bed. Standpipe 1.5", Siphon - 3"
- Overflow into sump via 1.5" line.
- Media: Gravel base topped off with expanded clay pellets

Sump Tanks: 2 x 500L IBC Tank bottoms

- Pump in main tank closest to the fish tanks. Secondary tank connected to main via bridge siphon.
- All overflows into main tank. 3 Growbeds draining to main. 1 draining to secondary.


Pump: TBD based on finalization of system design.

Cleanouts and blocked openings for possible expansion will be added as well.

PHASE 2

Enclosure(removable) of tanks and beds with reclaimed timber from wooden pallets. Secondary system for decorative plants tied into original. *Possible PVC framed shade house over entire area.


Questions :

1. Based on the proposed tank sizes am I going with the right size piping?

2. Would 15-25 Fish in each tank be enough to support the beds?



All comments, feedback, advice is welcome. Thanks for reading.

Looks like a nice neat system there mate, my only advice would be to take what ever sized pipe you think you'll need and then double that (excluding your siphons, I know nothing about syphon except that they seem like a pain in the bum) but that was a nugget of wealth that was passed on to me when I started and it hasn't let me down yet.
Can't wait to see it come together

Any other observations?

Hi there HRF
Just so I understand correct from description and pic from system
You are going pump in sump tank to fish tank with SLO-overflow back to ST.
From ST pump I guess you have a T-off feeding the grow beds or you must have another pump?
If so I would rather suggest - pump from ST to FT - SLO in FT to overflow with gravity to GB - drain with siphon to sump.(Cycle will repeat itself)The old CHIFT PIST system.A lot of members use it no problems.
In your pic you can either lift FT or drop GB height to get better gravity.Personnally I will go with first option.
(I am new to AP as well but I am building my CHIFT PIST system now)
Any questions just fire away.

Two things,bridge syphons,notorious for failing not something i would use,inch line to the two inlet manifolds not sure you will get enough flow through the second section.

Looks good HisRoyalFlyness,

I have only ever used loop siphons in 19 mm poly and they have never failed.

I agree with dasboot about bridge siphons, it was the only part of a system that I've had fail apart from pumps and just being a plain forgetful

They seem to collect air bubbles in the bridge until there is enough to just stop working. I had aeration in the two sumps from the water splashing back on itself from the return pipes, I think this was enough to build up a air trap over time.

God bless, froggo.

Thanks for the feedback.



Pics may not be clear enough sorry. The layout is as you described - pump from ST to FT - SLO in FT to overflow with gravity to GB - drain with siphon to sump.

The height difference between the FT and GB will be about 1' as well when its done.




Would it be better then to connect the two sumps at the bottom like this? :






Would this layout be more effective for the irrigation ring?

Hello HRF
I am joining my sumps the same way and can not see any problem assuming you are using 50mm (2inch) pipe?
Not using a irrigation ring, can not help you there, sorry.

DAY 1:

Got my IBCs yesterday at last. Cost about US$166 for the 4 of them so not too bad expense wise to start off.




Started cutting the first frame and got halfway around when my angle grinder slowed down and started smoking. The hardwares close by are all closed on a Sunday so no more progress today till I get a new one.

Uniseals ordered off ebay should be here early next week.

Pump in hand a while ago. Went with the Hydrofarm AAPW1000.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049X ... UTF8&psc=1

Will post more updates as I go along. Glad to finally get started at least.

The height difference between the FT and GB will be about 1' as well when its done.


If it's 12" from the WATER LEVEL down to the top of your GB's that will be OK, not 12" from the top of the fish tank itself, in your drawings there's doesn't look like a lot of fall from the fish tank down to the GB's, the flow will be better with more fall than you have in the drawings.

You do mention "when it's done" so it might be just the way it's drawn

Love the drawings. When I hooked my CHIFT PIST system up last weekend, I found that the 32mm SLO was too small and the water was backing up in the fishtank. I replaced it with a 50mm SLO to the grow bed and it works well now. I do not have much fall between the fish tank and growbed as Stage 2 will be a bank of 20 grow towers, and I am trying to keep the head for the pump at a minimum. It appears to me that if you are pumping under pressure through a particular diameter pipe, you need a larger pipe for it to flow out under gravity otherwise the water level backs up.

If you are going to clad your IBCs later, you might want to get the battens on your IBC frames before you put your system together.

All the best with your build :-)

As far as the irrigation grids go, I spent a lot of time carefully crafting mine. Perhaps that is the only reason i used them for as long as I did. I have since ditched them as they clog way too easily. That was just maintence I could do without.

Ron, do you just have a single outlet now? I was thinking about adding a distribution manifold, but haven't got around to it yet.

Coach,

Jayendra was the one that talked me out of using a manifold. He ran a side by side test and saw no measurable difference between the 2 styles. With the added upkeep of the manifold, he decided to ditch them.

Drill bigger holes and you never have a problem... On average I think we'd clean out the grids at the shop perhaps once every year or two, generally when a bed got all plants pulled out.


HRF, how about 2 discrete systems rather than all as one? You can have the same layout but just put one sump under the other growbeds, then with two separate systems you have no problems with joining sumps or fish tanks.