Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have a design in mind and I am interested in any thoughts. I am planning on building a trough about 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide and 12 feet long. I plan on pumping the water into a 55 gallon vortex filter and then drain into a 55 gallon media filter with a bell siphon that drains back into the trough. The trough will have the fish in it I will have a plastic sheet on the top with holes drilled into it for the net pots. The idea is that the siphon and media will be housed separately in the 55 gallon tank and the grow bed and fish tank will be one and the same in which the water level in the tank will rise and fall to aerate and soak the roots. This will be so that I can have holes very close together on one side and then progressively farther apart as they get closer to the other side. I will then be able progressively move the plants along from one side to the other as they mature/grow and I cull the slower or misshapen plants.

Thoughts? Am I just wasting my time?

Hi VT,

it sounds like you're trying to do a deep water culture / aeroponics combination. Both of these system require relatively clean water that has been through filters of some sort including bio media then returned back into the FT.

Growing in the FT may not work as well due to the lack of bacterial conversion and the possibility of fish snacking on the roots.

Pete.

Well The idea came from combining the ebb and flow technic specifically the flood and drain aspect but using the separate container for the media/filter like that of the NFT. I suppose I could install a screen to keep the fish from the roots. Do you think I could put pea stone or gravel in The base of a tank to assist with the bacterial conversion?

That'll just increase the amount of solid waste that will collect in there and end up coating the plant roots and smothering them. Best not.

I think you'd be better off getting another tank for the fish that is more cubic or cylindrical which has minimum surface area to maintain a more stable temps.
Then build your trough a couple of feet deep and use as a second GB (the first being the media bed). Pump the water from the FT/ST up into the media bed and drain through the trough and back to the FT. If you use a plastic float to maintain the resting/static water level in the FT.
With a bit of thought you'll figure out how high to make the outlet of the trough or make the sides adjustable so you can best position the plant suspension system.

Pete.

what is FT/ST?

FT = fish tank ST = sump tank GB = grow bed

Thanks