Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi I have an IBC Shift pist system with the pump pumping into the GB's and also dribbling into the FT which runs quite well. I have read forums that say the pump pumps into the FT alone and then by gravity feed into the GB's. Does it really matter which way? Is one way better than another?

Tim

If the pump pumps from the fish tank to the beds, the solids will get chopped into smaller bits, and might have a little more trouble clinging to the media and might make it's way back into the system.

However, that's in theory. I've got my pump in my sump to the beds, and I've got crystal clear water, without any issues.

So it doesn't matter.

Ok cool! Thanks for that. Now when you say Crystal clear water do you mean slightly tanned as in tea tree colour? or do you mean CLEAR?

I also pump from ST to GBs in my small system, and the water in there is crystal clear, no tea colouration at all.

I think the story about solids being chopped into small bits being a problem is a furphy, it isn't a problem at all - many BYAP members systems send solids through the pump with no problem. If you look carefully at the waste stream from a FT SLO, it is already full of small particles- you dont need a pump to make them small.

You can get tea coloration from the food.. So it has been suggested to me.. but I doubt that the circuit direction will have ANY effect..

My new system, has a slight colour to it AND there no particles, as it all goes thru a pool filter..

PS... pump to FT or GB... and it will likely make little difference, except for when a system fault happens.. ie.. you would have to think what happens if something blocks or is left off or ???
Pump to FT = empty sump and full FT
Pump to GB = empty sump and possibly overflowing GB..
BUT - only you know exactly how it is plumbed and what WILL happen under different fault conditions..
That - in my mind, will determine the best plumbing..
..
.

Ok thanx all for that. It has answered my question. However this new conundrum has come up about crystal clear water.
My water is tea coloured and I even have a 1 KG bucket full of filtering material (Cushion stuffing) that sits just under the inlet into the FT (works very well) and it gets quite dirty so I clean it each month. I run the system 12 hrs a day and not at night... (only 1/2 hr about midnight).
I have 30 Jade Perch about 10cm long and lots of 2 week old vegies in the 3 beds. SO.. how do I get this Crystal Clear water???

I've never really thought about the crystal clear water much. It's just clear. Could be the type of food, media, iron, algae, and a handful of other things. I wouldn't worry about it to be honest, it all gets a coat of bio film after a while.

Mothy, I also have a Chift Pist setup with Solids lift overflow into a trickle filter drum, from there back to the ST. From the pump I have a T-piece running sump water to the FT as well as the GBs and towers. I also shut my FT flow off at night... Thus bringing me to the next point, as your system matures, the biofiltration of your GBs work better and better, eventually leaving your water crystal clear after about 3 months.... IF the food you are using is not causing the tea colour. Do a test and add a spoon full overnight in a glass of water
As far as the additional Cushion stuffing filter goes, I wouldn't bother, as this makes for a "non-natural" item in your setup, which you need to do maintenance on regularly, this will become bothersome. Just trust on your GBs ability to work for your fish and plants

I have an IBC Shift pist system that pumps from the sump to the fish tank and I've been turning the pump off at night during the very cold spell we've had, and I've noticed the SLO doesn't clear the build up of solids anywhere near as well as it does if the pump is running 24/7.

Turning the pump off at night quite oftenI need to sweep solids from the corners to the SLO and the water is not as clean as it is running the pump 24/7.