Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

A timer consumes almost no power at all- only milliwatts. I run both my systems on timers - and the pumps run for way less than half a day per day, just 10 mins per hour on my large system.

If I use a timer, will nft still be possible?

It's worth noting that even though I get a mention on that thread's first page, the idea was well and truly someone else's wayyyyy before it occurred to me.

I think perhaps the credit goes to Dave.

I'm surprised it hasn't taken off, and become the standard for new systems.

Are there any good timers for aquaponic pumps? Any good small inverters for the AC water pump? Any good solar panel wires?

Yes, yes and yes, but what is available as here in Oz wont be the same as in the US - wrong inverter voltage for starters.
I use CN102 timers, which you should be able to find on ebay, and no doubt there are heaps of others available there. The wires just have to be large enough to carry whatever current you have from your panels, without getting warm.

I hear that the inverters consume a load of power. Along with the solar panels having specific connectors.

Cheap inverters waste a lot of power, as I mentioned previously. You don't have to use the MC4 connectors on the solar panels, most small charge controllers just have screwed connections

If there is use of a timer, then will 50-60 watt solar panels work?

It all depends...

These are all rough examples, but bear with me!

Assuming you have a DC timer that is switching the inverter on and off, with the pump attached to it, so your inverter isn't wasting power when the pump isn't running, then if your pump is set to be on for 15min every hour then it will use about 1/4 of the electricity of having it running all the time.

This will mean you need 1/4 of the solar power generation and battery capacity.

However, if your system needs your pump running all the time to have enough water flow then you will need to use a larger pump to have it on a timer, and will probably break even on energy requirements.

To add efficiency to your system try and minimize your pumping heads. This is both the vertical distance that you are pumping water as well as the restrictions caused by the pipework you use.

Minimizing your heads will allow your pump to move more water for the same amount of electricity, which can mean that you end up running a smaller pump to save power, with the same flow as a larger pump with head losses, or you can run the pump you already have on a timer. If you get a 30% gain from reducing head losses then you could run your pump for 40min on and 20min off moving the same amount of water as you were moving having it running all the time, but saving 30% of the electricity consumption

You may wish to consider running your pump constantly during sunlight hours, and on a timer at night to cut down on your battery capacity requirements, provided you have enough aeration in the fish tank.

I am a little scared of DIY wiring as I am no electrician. Any good DC timers?

With your budget you're going to have to do some electrical work yourself, unless you have a knowledgeable friend who will help you out.

It's always good to learn new skills. Take your time, do some reading, watch some youtube, and it will all come together.

Considering your lack of knowledge of electricity, it would be a very good idea to have your work checked by someone if you DIY. 110V from a cheap inverter can kill, which is the reason you should install a correctly configured safety switch on the output.

Is a bestek inverter (400 watt) for a 17.5 watt good for a solar panel system? Any good water pumps that connect to D.C.? Any good D.C. Timers? How would I mount the solar panel?

Sorry if I was repeating some things, I'm trying to get this all together. So in summary if I use a D.C. Timer for the aquaponics system, hook that timer some how to the inverter, will that allow me to use a 60 watt solar panel and a 35 ah battery? The system is media bed and nft Dwc hybrid system.

I wouldn't run a 400W inverter through a cheap timer, the inrush current as the capacitors charge up is likely to burn the contacts out after a while - you can either get a decent inverter with a very low standby current <5W - a demand start system sends a pulse every second or 3 and only turns on when it detects a load. However, not all motors will work with demand start. Otherwise use the timer to operate a contactor that can handle large currents. A 400W inverter is way overkill for a 17.5W pump, so it will be running quite inefficiently- meaning your battery will run flat a lot faster than you might expect, and the output of your panel wont go as far it it might otherwise.

You could only use a 60W panel and 35AH battery if you run the pump for fairly short periods each day, that is if you want the battery to last very long.