Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have been experimenting with aquaponics for about 4 months now. I use goldfish and koi as a nutrient source at the moment for my two trial systems.

I am using PVC piping for my systems. One has 13 plants in it and my latest has 32 plants. I am growing Tomatoes, Spinach, Peppers and one Sunflower (Unsure how a sunflower seed made it into the mix but it has grown) Winter is approaching so I am not sure how the plants will do but hopefully I can protect them from the cold.

I have started work on my third system. I have acquired a 1000 liter container and have modified it so that it will serve as both the fish tank and the support frame work for 3 PVC pipe rings that will hopefully contain 80 plants. I am not sure that i will successfully grow 80 plants as the container can only hold so many fish, and from what I have learnt you need a certain number of fish per plant for it to develop nicely. Hopefully it will work.

I look forward to many conversations with fellow members and i look forward to learn from your experiences.

Welcome to the forum Mephit

Lots of help here if you need it

@Mephit - Hi and Welcome.........pictures please

Its not much but it works. The new ones will look better

Woke up this morning to find one of my tanks almost empty and my fish flopping about. One of my grow pipes clogged and the water overflowed. I need to find ideas for a level switch of sorts

Maybe locate the pump off the bottom of the tank if it's in the fish tank? That way all the water won't be pumped out.

You might also look at CHIFT PIST - Constant Height in Fish Tank, Pump in Sump Tank. Using this and having the pump in the sump guards against running the Fish Tank dry. Most people use a Solids Lifting Overflow along with this (Usually just called a SLO).

Cheers

@Mephit - I agree with scotty435, with the pvc setup, it is prone to be clogged with roots depending on what type of plants and filter you have. I have a DWC/NFT hybrid and doing mint, i usually have to maintain it at least once a month.

Regards

We had the same problem in our koi pond system and solved it by suspending the lift pump at least 2/3 up in the fish pond. ( in our case we set the pump on a cinder block brick) Now if there is a leak the pump will suck air before it empty's the fish tank

Thanks for all the advice. I will look into apply it on my next system which I started last week.

I finally started work on my 1000 liter container and i get a job offer across country. So I cannot take my aquaponic setups as I will probably living in a flat/apartment. Just hope I can find someone local who will see the value in what I have done.

Job didn't go as planned so I am back on the farm and expanding my aquaponic setup.. I have found 2 more 1000 litre containers which will arrive next week.

Hi Mephit

Hello Scotty

Nice to see fellow South Africans on the Forum. I lived in Pretoria ... Also had a system back in 2008 but now I am finally into this again.