Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Aquaponic fans, this is Ejder from Belgium. I am trying to setup an aquaponics system in my greenhouse by using the existing pond for my ducks. Actually, my greenhouse is also used to be a cage for my ducks and pheasants.

As usual, i've tried to develop my own plan and grow the plants in pipes instead of grow beds. Plants are growing, fishes and lobsters are growing and so far everything seems fine except the syphon. I was never able to build a stable and reliable syphon. Few times my all fishes were dead because there was no water in the pond. I've secured some disaster scenarios in my system but the syphon still doesn't work. I played with the height, thickness of the pipe, many other aspects but it still doesn't want to work.

This is the link to the intro video. My friend is talking and i am recording. We were drunk in the video;




Many points of the system are improved. I will also add here some pictures from beginning to the end. You can watch my aquaponics system with this link;

http://flyingdragon.ddns.net:81
username: aquaponics
password: aquaponics

I wasn't able to find edible freshwater fishes in west Europe so i've got orfe fishes, koi's and some crawfishes.

That's it for today. I'll give more details with pictures tonight.

Welcome to the forum flyingdragon. Very interesting system. I don't recall ever seeing anyone use a siphon on a pipe system like that. What about just running it with a set depth and no siphon?

Flyingdragon,

What is the flow rate that you are getting out of your pump at that head height? It may not be enough to be able to kick in a large enough siphon for your needs.

Thanks scotty435, i am considering this as last solution. There are appearently several benefits of using a siphon.

The height is used to be lower, approximately 40cm and water volume is significantly less. The pomp has 700l/u flow rate but it mostly depends on how clean the pomp is. It was clogging like weekly, then i put it in a basket raised on 2" iron feet. The flow rate still decrease because of too much debris in the water. I think the water will get better soon, once the bacterial life is settled. So far, the plants are doing ok but they don't grow faster than in soil. Thanks for your advice.

Be careful when drinking and playing with lobsters.....

Yea, I would lose the siphon, in a pipe system you don;t need a siphon. As you increase the feed for your fish the plant growth will increase as well. Basically aquaponics boils down to - Feed in = Plants out. But of course you have to go slow in the early days..

Interesting to think I was watching an AP system live on the other side of the world...

Thanks for the advice, we'll be I've changed few things in order to get the siphon work but after your reply i gave up. I think a siphon never works in a pipe system.

I've also added biological filter, uv light for algae and a self made protein skimmer. I hope the roots get enough air and the quality of the water increases with the new continuous system.