Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok, so like I said in my introduction, the plan is firstly to get as much materials and equipment for free or from second hand dealers.

As for the system I’m planning to do a CHIFT-PIST with media filled grow beds at first and later add on more GB’s and then also add a DWC, slowly adding more fish as needed with each addition.

So far I have managed to source the fish tank 3000L (Diameter = 1.82m Height = 1.29m), a bath tub GB, some PVC pipes, a few 50L storage tubs and a small submersible pump (filled a 5L bottle in 24 seconds).
The tank is old and has been repaired a few times with patches and had some sort of paint or Polyurethane coating done to the internal bottom half. I have received a quote to grind it clean and add 2 more layers of fiberglass for just over R2000. Thinking this a bit steep I went and got a quote to coat the inside with a durable rubber lining which came in just under R2000. I’m thinking to go for the rubber lining as I would still need to paint the tank after the fiberglass I suppose.

I need some advice here there is an overflow connection on the side at the top of the tank, it is really close to the top and I’m worried that if I keep the water level this high I might have problems with fish exiting the tank. As well as having to keep 3000L of FT water while in the early stages only having 10-12 fish.

I plan to build a slightly raised platform say 20cm for the FT and then to build a wooden housing around the tank with a lid.

I have attached some images of the items I have so far and will update with more info as we progress, any advice and suggestion will be welcomed as I will be sleeping with the fish if I mess it up.

Not sure what your tub is made from but it might cause you some problems if it leaches zinc. Looks to be in good shape though

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7982&p=240592&hilit=bathtub+zinc#p240592

Not sure about the tank (it looks like paint to me)

Morning Mike
Maybe as a way of addressing the water level in your FT, put in a bottom drain in the centre with standpipe inside, but done with some kind of screw fitting, you must be able to screw it out easily to replace. Make this stand pipe the height needed to give you the required water level and qty.
Place a pipe over this one, let's say a 100mm pipe with the bottom end notched so that water and Solids can flow under it, but block fish from getting in. This way you have a SLO/height regulator All-in-one. Make the outer shroud pipe to already be the height of the Tank overflow outlet' s height, minus about 25mm.
On the outside from the SLO pipe, just add needed elbows to lift the water up to the pump's level and so forth, you will have the weight of the water working for you at this stage. I'd think trying to use 50mm PVC pipe inside the tank as the standpipe should cover future expansions and the fittings are standard and cheap here in SA
Shout if I should elaborate more or if I can maybe brainstorm further with you
Have a good weekend
BM

Hey all just a quick update, been digging some more and finished my platform for the fish tank, however think i might redo the platform with a brick edge instead of the wood. Also thinking of bricking up the walls of the sump hole just to keep it all neat and presentable.

Got some more goodies, 4 used IBC's for 200 bucks each, 2 of which had Hydrochloric acid 33% and 2 which had a cleaning agent. Funny story about the HCL IBC's i just started to rinse them out when i got them but as i was busy i realized that i was only creating a diluted acid so tested the pH and found it to be 1 so now i have 400L of diluted HCL. Havent started cleaning out the other 2 IBC's as im waiting for the supplier to send me MSDS of the chemical which was in them.

Then also got 2 more baths for R50 each, all of the baths are fiber glass, and a few more random lengths and sizes of PVC. Unfortunately the PVC pipes i got for free are not the correct size, and i had to go out and buy 3m of 40mm for stand pipe and 3m 75mm for the bell, to test if i could make a bell siphon. Im still working on it but think that the 40mm stand pipe is to large to get the siphon started, although it could be that the duck tape i used to seal the 75mm bell did not seal and was leaking (spent a long time looking for a cap for 75mm pipe with no success)

I have decided to re-line the fish tank with fiber glass as the rubber idea might not have worked to reinforce the cracks so that they don't expand from the water pressure.

Mike_L_za wrote "I’m thinking to go for the rubber lining as I would still need to paint the tank after the fiberglass I suppose. I've done the paint-on rubber lining, yes it is nice, but it took three coats to get the product to company specs: Herco Koi pond coat.
We should ask the experts here, but until then, I'm pretty certain fiberglass if smooth doesn't need painting.

@ scotty435 - All the baths are Fiber Glass, but thanks for the warning nearly did get a cast iron one.

@ N8Wulf - Thanks for the advise im doing the tank this weekend, could you send me a sketch of what you said, I will do one of what i had in mind shortly

@ boss - I was hoping that smoothed Fiber Glass would be enough, does any one else know if this would work? I not going to use the rubber lining i had in mind but, i was going to paint it with the koi pound paint, hopefully i dont need to do that either.

Please can you all check the sketches below, I'm open to critique and suggestions.

Hey all, I have arranged for the guys to come and fix the Fish Tank this weekend, Im still not sure on the fittings i should allow for, so i was thinking that i should have 2 outlets at the top of the tank one for the SLO and another a bit higher up for an overflow, and then a drain near the bottom. I has thinking of using 50mm fittings hopefully this will be enough flow.

See below sketch of what i had in mind.

Will do a sketch now during the morning for you, if it's not too late already
You might want to consider only using one IBC as a Sump, and then cut the other into 2 GBs, as the baths don't afford you a lot of planting and Biofilter space and volume.... Just a thought

Hiya Mike, you can use your slo as the overflow, just need the top tee lower than the top of the tank. I'd say you'd need a slo larger than 50mm with 3kl. Storm water pipe(dwv) is all you need. Cheaper pipe and fittings.
I think ft=>GB=>st=>ft will keep your maintenance on the st to a minimum. Just like your last dwg.

Hi Mike, I agree with skeggley, rather standardize on using pipes and fittings with sizes 25mm, 50mm and 100mm. Believe me when I say that in the back of my mind other sizes made sense,so I also starting using sizes like 40mm and 20mm and all such, I got them from a Irrigation supplier from Sasolburg, but as it was kinda Non standard sizes, the moment the supplier was out of stock with one of the fittings when I did expansions and maintenance, I was left feeling like a Springbok who just faced a Sushi and Rice eater... "WTF!?!?!?"

Try to use UniSeals (threaded plastic pipe with a rubber washer for inside the tank and then screw nuts both sides to make things watertight) when going through the tank, instead of glues and thread tape and silicons. Do add a bit of Silicon on the rubber washer on the Tank side, must be Marine Silicon and allow 24hours to set and dry


How the variable depth and Volume issue might be resolved

Thanks for all the feedback. Will definitely keep all my pipes to standard sizes it's near impossible to find fitting for the odd size pipes.

Finally completed the tank looks awesome on the inside and put it in place but want to get some more play pit sand for it to stand on. Also salvaged some carport covers from some guys i found putting new covers up and used it to cover the tank from debris falling in.
@ skeggley - I used a 50mm fitting for the SLO I'm hoping it will be enough but if not, it will be easy to up-size later or add a second SLO.
@ N8Wulf - Not sure if i can incorporate the variable level idea now looks like i would need to put the outlet on the bottom of the tank when i now have it on the side near the top. Will use the full 3000L capacity and just add more fishies to eat

Got my Bell Siphon working for the baths, all i needed was a U-bend on the bath and it now works gr8. Started testing the flood and drain times but the pump i found in the corner of the garage was there for a reason, it stops working just before the bath fills and then turns on and off intermittently. Have sourced a new more efficient pump for R600 from a place in Pretoria, and hope i will have enough over at the end of this month to go buy it. Had to cut back on the beer so its been a dry month so far

Next problem to deal with will be building the frames for the Grow beds, I have a welding machine but that does not mean I know what I'm doing with it. Will experiment with some scrap metal i have before committing to buying new steel tube.

Also finished sanding and re-painting all the IBC Frames with 2 coats of primer and will be putting the sumps in place this weekend.

That frame holding the bath full of water scares me...

Lol it is actually the frame for my drum braai, worked really well for the bath too