Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Been watching and reading for awhile (years), finally jumping on and saying hi.

I currently have a single cut IBC system that I use as a test bed - learning. I am in the process of planning and setting up a slightly larger system.

Welcome to the forum Michael

welcome to the forum. Having a trial system is god in many ways. Should make the next steps much easier.
As you get your ideas together throw them up and people will no doubt provide lots of feedback.

Well...

I am planning an 8 (275 gallon) IBC system which will be broken down as follows: 3 for the sump and 5 for fish tanks. 2 swirl filters (55 gallon drums). Four beds, two deep water cultures and two flood and drains. As well as a hand full of dutch buckets as well.

nothing like a new years resolution

quite a few systems around here have got to those levels.
Mostly it comes down to how you are going to set them up and the critical ratios
(water volume, fish stocking rate, wet media volume, filtration capacity etc)

a pic/sketch works for most to visualise and comment upon.

my only comment would be that as you plan a bigger system there are good arguments for upgrading to larger circular fish tanks. Particularly if fish are to be a significant product. Large volume circular tanks offer a lot of benefits over IBC's in series.

but people have done the IBC's in series before....

Welcome from Se Florida!

welcome from Port Orange FL !!!

It has been a New Years Resolution for the past 3 New Years haha.

I agree (and would prefer) about the large circular tanks for the fish tanks; however, local availability and price has pushed me entirely to IBC's for the both the fish tanks and sumps.

I will create a new thread for the new build (sooner rather then later) that will contain more info and post a link to it as soon as I do. I will also upload a couple of pics showing the existing test bed here shortly.

Here are some pics of the test bed taken on January 1st 2017.

Here are some pics of the test bed taken on January 1st 2017.

Here are some pics of the test bed taken on January 1st 2017.

Here are some pics of the test bed taken on January 1st 2017.

Here are some pics of the test bed taken on January 1st 2017. The bees were a nice surprise.

There is 10 koi in there. They were too camera shy for a pic, would come up long enough to gulp some food and then go back down with their bite before I could capture them with the camera...