Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

LKB I will have 8 gb same as you flooding and draining in sequence. What size sump would you suggest?

AP

Aussie, I think it depends on how you are going to set up your system, there are 2 ways being used:

1) having the water pumped to the GBs from the fish tank and then returned via a sump tank which empties when the water rises to a specific level - with this method the water in the main fish tank fluctuates as it is pumped in and out - sump tank could be as small as 200-300 litres providing the sump pump could move the water rapidly.

2) keeping the water level constant in the fish tank and have the sump tank carry the water fluctuations as GBs flood & drain - this method also has to take into consideration of water consumption throughout the system - this is the method I use.

Running 2 GBs, my water consumption is ~110l/week - which could be reduced by not running it overnight (gonna test that shortly).

The other factor is whether that equates to 55litres/GB, which is another test I will be doing soon as I finish laying out the new GB.

The GBs hold between 200-250 litres flooded, I am topping up 3 times per week but I think the weekly figure should be factored in, so in IMHO, the sump tank should be a minimum of 350-400l.

Not knowing what the weekly loss rate would be (green house use seems to be a bit higher), I went for two 400 litres tanks and coupled them together - to minimise the extravagance, I use one to hold fingerlings (if the main tank has larger fish) and use the other to grow duckweed.

The other benefit with the 2 sump tanks is that I can split them easily and will be setting one to be used as an isolation/hospital tank and just have one as a sump tank temporarily.

Method one also requires 2 separate pumps, (2) only uses one pump
I got all my tanks from Tilkey's at Coopers Plains

Electicity ditch dug and conduit in . Crusherdust ready to be raked for the floor.

Thanks EKB for the info.

AP

Doing it right the first time AP! Beautiful stuff

Thanks Monya

AP

What is that crusher dust like AP? looks a bit like sand? Are you compacting it, will you do anything else with the floor?

EB the crusher dust is a mixture of powder and grains about 1mm or less. All I will do is rake it, water it and roll it. It will get very hard and firm. Once this has happend I will set up the tanks and growbeds.

AP

Hey AP will you add cement to the dust before rolling maybe rake in or does the dust go hard as *potty mouth*?
C1

C1 the crusher dust will pack down and become a great hard floor, no need to add cement, but you could if you want it harder.

AP

It's looking fantastic Brian. Very exciting to have such a large greenhouse so close to completion.

Thanks VB. It will still take some time though.

Here are a couple more pictures. I have built a small retaing wall to keep the crusher dust from moving under the bottom plate of the greenhouse and down the slope.

AP

All nice and professional looking AP, are you in the building trade?

EB I am not in the building trade. I am a horticulturalist and I work at a christian school in the Redlands shire. I get to do a lot of landscaping, comes in handy sometimes, also I get to borrow all the tools I need.

AP

Nice one... I'm a horticulturalist as well..

EB Cool, I have a cert 3 in parks and gardens and landscape. What is your qualifacation?

AP