Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

System looks AWESOME. I have been introduced into so many other different system components and how to tie them all together that already looking @ another redesign to my current build for future expansion.

Is a gate valve better to use than a ball valve?

How far are you burying the piping underground? is if for aesthetics purposes or temperature control? Both?

Do you have any pitch for drainage purpose in the underground pipe, or just running horizontal?

For critter control, I would look at something to block your FT drain valves -- similar to what you currently have for you air pump house as a removable wood panel. Kind of like burglars, they'll get into it if they really want to, by why make it easy for them.

Adam

whoa whoa.... is that a giant fish tank in background??? NICE! how many gallons is it and when are you building the grow beds for it???

Thanks.




Yup, I'm on my 5th major revision. Each time getting bigger. I truly went all out on this expansion though. This has been the biggest upgrade out of all 5. It's an addiction. There is something about AP that keeps me up late at night and up at first light tending to the fish, plants and system maintenance.




The slip gate valves are super easy to cycle. The entire system (except for the pump excess flow valve) is plumbed with 2" PVC. 2" PVC ball valves are tough to turn even with 2 hands. My wife can't turn them period. She can now cycle the slip gate valve with one finger.

For fine tuning of flows, I would recommend a true gate valve. I have true gate valve on the pump excess flow line. Pricey but well worth it IMHO.




Piping is buried within 12" of the surface. Its for aesthetics and to make walking around the system easier. There are 3 fluid pipes running parallel between the two GBs. 1 airline running on the outside of the DWC bed. plus the drains and inlets for each GB. To much to leave laying above ground to attend to the system. I'm sure the ground is providing the pipes with some temp stabilization. The settling tanks are partially buried and the water on top is HOT. Reaching down a foot or so in and the temp drops significantly. I attribute that to being partially buried. Couple weeks ago, the rain barrels were exhausted so I filled a barrel with tap water. This tank would also get very warm despite the aeration. So yes, the earth insulates no doubt.




Pipes are not pitched. I just make sure the outlet is lower than the inlet. All but the overflow/settling tank pipe to the sump have a constant brisk flow of anywhere 2-800 gallons per hour. The overflow pipe gets an occasional flush with the opening of a FT IBC valve for a few seconds.




Good point. The Slip valves have a safety clip that locks the valves open.

Great video of a great system,nice work and your settling tanks have got me thinking....
Inter veinal chlorosis leading to necrotic spots and with the older leaves falling off I would look at magnesium deficiency.

The last setting tank TDS is now at 280. Last reading was 180 about a week ago. It seems to be minerilzing well I guess. PH was 6.4.

Added a top rail to trough to tidy it up a bit.

Cantelopes are getting VERY big! Bigger than store cantelope. I'm impressed. Not sure why but I'll take it. There are 6 cantelopes between two vines. I'll spray kelp and add dolomite to see if it's a low Mg issue.

Gro grips arrives yesterday. No seedlings to plant out the trough. Started a seedling tray ala Biglow style. I set the tray on the MGB. Not sure how they will do in the florida summer heat.

Need to start building a vortex generator. Airstones should arrive today.

The upgrades are almost done. Things left to do:

1- vortex MT
2- RFF
3- Sump Cover

I think my flow issues has to do with the too much k2 media. Not for certain yet. When I bypass the first SUF, fish tank level drops about 2 inches. Even after cleaning SUF1 and putting it online FT level rises. I plan to empty SUF1 after a cleaning for an inspection. I'll also drop a gopro camera in there to see what's going on.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Putting an RFF in before the Static Upflow Filters should help with the flow if the backup is because of media and solids building up in the SUF. You'd get rid of close to half the solids before they get to the SUF. It will be interesting to see a video

Video of a working SUF?

I've tried a few times already. Out of 6 1 min ish videos, I got like 2 secs of focused footage. I'll be trying again for sure I really would like to see what it looks like down there. Be nice to know that my bubbling/boiling cleaning is doing a good job.

Agree with the RFF comment.

Next day off, I will clean both SUFs then bypass one at a time to see if one flows better than the other and investigate if so. I'm hoping they both flow the same since they are identical.

Still waiting on Tank Depot to get their shipment of conicals in. Frustrating having to wait so long. Been at least a month.

Any ideas how to keep a dog who loves the water out of the DWC bed? She hasn't done it yet but don't want her claws ripping a leak.

Need a way to prevent her from getting in the trough. Electric fence is an idea. But not sure where to put the wire or how high.

I have used a No Climb fence for my orchard -- helps keep Elk out during the winter months. 4-5' tall heights available and can hold in place with metal t-post for good support but easy to remove and not permanent.

Lowes (I know for sure) has RedBrand, I am sure HD has some sort of equivalent with metal t-posts or something less sturdy for a garden fence application (think they call it a u-post).

Garden fencing u-post works well for me and 3' high chicken wire to keep my birds out of things -- if you do not mine the writing, you can even use stucco lath for it is cheaper / ft than the regular chicken wire with 1" opening, just have markings on it for the hanging during installation.


I do not know about the electric fence, but figure something around chest height (if shorter fence used) b/c one sniff, and he/she ought to learn quick to avoid.

Adam

Or, she could test out, get shocked, and end up on the other side (if high jumping ability) and who knows.



Take the dog on lead, for a few days, and see their interest in the setup. Correct as needed because a system that was @ TSC was around 200ish, that I saw in passing yesterday as I was picking up feed in the rain.

Adam

She stays with me where ever I go. But when I'm not around, she gets careless. She puts her two front legs in her bucket of water everyday. When it rains she runs in rain and finds puddles to play and lay in. That's all good. Just don't want her to do it in the trough. Electric fence going up tomorrow. Right at sniff height.

Air stones air in. They are Bubblemac air stones



It s a 1/4" OD barb. The big box stores in my area did not have 1/4" ID tubing or valves.

Anyone have an online source for the airline valves? I was planning on tapping PVC to put in valves but I'm open to suggestions.

I found a space for this in my Lowes in Santa Fe, but no inventory when I was searching for future....


Ice maker installation kit?

Get an adapter they do have in stock and then start shoving smaller diameter pipes inside of one another until you get to the desired size (ACE hardware, in my neck of the woods, had a pretty good selection of PVC clear tubing (not silicone)

Don't you have an EcoPlus air pump with your own PVC manifold? Use the stainless one and adapt the 3/8 hose to the end of your PVC supply and then run tubing from there? Not as clean.

Even less clean -- would petsmart/petco with their airline fittings (barbed only) and a bit of silicone to seal the air leak work? Also have the 1/4 tubing. Maybe try adapting one of the airline manifolds from the store at the end of the line until a more permanent solution can be obtained? (Amazon has good deals on the tubing in 50-100' lengths (good for me anyways because closest city with anything is 60 miles away)

maybe one of the above works as permanent/temp solution and and makes my life easier when its my turn to tackle the same problem.

was searching for something in my storage container and came across some irrigation fittings -- 1/4" barbed, but maybe another source for the fix?

Adam

Brohay,

Thanks for searching. I found 1/4" tubing, AND the 1/4" barb X 1/2" male thread fittings on amazon last night. It will be delivered tomorrow SUNDAY!!! Free shipping. Couldn't beat that.

I'm looking for a neat look.


Update:

Today I plumbed emergency overflows for the FTs. Swaped the bottom drain of SUF1 to uniseal. Moved the filter waste drains to the back away from the concrete pad to be able to get closer to the tanks with out having pipes to step over. Also started the Dashboot vortex MT. I'm using a uniseal for the bottom drain instead. Need a couple 1" uniseals for the inlets to finish. Then I need to decide where to drill a decant drain and where that decanted water should go. Sump, settling tanks, or...???