Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey guys iv been playing around with an mini AP system made out of a recycled waterbottel.

Only im having some problems with the drainige for my plant compartment.
It a 20L waterbottel cut in half top is the plant pot and the bottem the fish tank (see foto).
On the bottem of the top half i glued a half of a smaller bottel with holes for the drainage system. (yes i used aquasafe kit!)
At first i used 100% expaned clay as medium my water level was to lol so i had to dig very deep to get my plantroots in the water.
I then increased the water level so you it was only 3 cm til you hit the water from the top.
Only because its still standing water (with only a 120 L/h pump) the plant roots started rotting.

Now i have replaced the top layer of clay with potsoil (3-4cm deep) with only 2 cm water at the very bottom of the container with mesh preventing the soil being flushed away.

Only now the soil is very wet im wondering if this will also cause rot?
Do you guys have any sujections?

Other ideas i have:

- back to expanded clay and use a sprinker to spred the water over the top layer and drain the water straight to the fish tank.

-use an auto sipon to regulate the water level just like my IBC AP.
Only problem is i have to offer 1/5 plantspace just for an auto sifon unless there undergrond sifons or or other water regulating system?

You could try an external loop siphon? That wouldn't take up any growbed space.

Or plumb an overflow on the outside of the growbed and drill a couple of weep holes in the base of the growbed and run it with a timer

"back to expanded clay and use a sprinker to spred the water over the top layer and drain the water straight to the fish tank."

Dont need to use a sprinkler just some 12mm retic and a few tees. The water will spread out as it goes down and as the plant roots grow it will follow them. try to point the water down near the plant but not on it to avoid stem rot and algae.

Oke do you have an example? i have no idea how to build one?




Sounds like a good idea but what do you mean with Retic? plastic tubing with holes?

There's a nice simple explanation with a couple of pictures on this page here: http://www.japan-aquaponics.com/bell-siphon-guide.html

Retic pipe is just cheap black pipe you use to provide a permenant garden watering system. With Continuous Flow you would form a small grid of piping on the surface of the media eg 1 across with a few tee pieces to take water near the plants. (you won't need much because you will only be able to fit a few plants in your grow bed. If you cut a wedge, like a thin slice of cake, facing downwards on the ends of the pipe and then endcap them this will spread your water and point it in the right direction. Small holes would tend to get blocked easily.