Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm new to Aquaponics,have plans of going commercial but want to start with the three bed toteponics system first. I currently don't have a system but am gathering things, i'm only having difficulty with which pump to choose, i came across this pump SunSun CHJ-5000 Koi Fish Pond Pump submersible Pumps 5000l/h 80W on this site http://www.wiltec.de/catalogsearch/resu ... HJ#/page/2 can i use it in my system, intend to add vertical grow beds later on.I want to start my system cycling and start some seedlings ASAP . Will also like to know if i can add some barrel grow beds? Will be using gravel as my media. will start with lettuce, want to know your opinion on the pump so i can order it ASAP.

more than enough especially if you're going to add vertical grow beds. Check the maximum height it will pump to first..
It might be to powerful at this stage so add a t-piece so that you can feed back into pond and restrict the outlet flow. Never restrict the inlet flow

really depends on how you are setting your system up.

As a guide the IBC of Aquaponics style single tote can use anything from a 1300L/hr to 3000L/hr.
However in most cases these only deliver about 50% flow at the GB above FT - and sometimes less.

So as you are talking multiple beds one presumes you will probably be using a CHIFT-PIST 5000L/hr in future.
That pump (if it meets its specs) would enable you to service a couple of beds and barrels.
80w is about right for that flow rate.

As kingair notes the quoted flow rate is usually at 0 or minimal head so you would need to consider the actual flow rate for the head you need. (difference in height between water level in sump tank and the top of fish tank)
For most AP systems head will be 0.5-1.0m - but vertical grow beds may need a different approach.

better pumps provide flow curves however even some of these are generous in their predictions.
I cannot comment on that specific pump.

Hi, I too am a brand-newbee to Aquaponics, so have no idea on the setup the other respondents refer to. However, I do have some understanding of pump outputs and how to determine them, which - at the risk of telling you how to suck eggs, I'll try to guide you through this.


As Darren points out, you can use the pump curve document, which is a simple x/y-axis graph that accompanies your selected pump - CHJ-5000. To access the document, from within the brochure (that you provided the link to), click on the "more-info" icon adjacent to the -C HJ-5000 pump image. This takes you into a page containing, amongst other things, 3 documents. Click on the RH document, which is the curve (or chart/graph) that you will need to read off.

From memory, this document presents a standard format x/y chart where the lower horizontal line reads litres per hour and LH vertical line Head/pressure in Meters. Each pump within the range is then listed on the RH side of the graph and has it's own curved line. The CHJ-5000, is second from the bottom - sat above the light-mauve line. This line points to it's respective "curve" line (same colour). This line terminates on the flow line at 5000 l/h and on the head line at 3.8 m. by using the chart's gridlines it becomes possible to select a duty-point, where the curved line intersects the grid. For example, a 1000 litre duty-point will enable a head difference (from tank water level to discharge point) of 3.25M head.

Again, as Darren rightly says, these manufactureres charts are the best possible results under ideal conditions, where the water used is free of any matter, thus filter is clean, discharge pipe is perfectly straight, sized and specified correct to manufactureres requirements to provide optimal performance. So. the more bends, tees and longer a discharge pipe iyou have, the more friction (loss) occurs, resulting in a reduced discharge by the time it reaches that duty-point.

Hope this has helps and feel free to let me know if it doesnt.

Shedder Chris