Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/guide ... f-cycling/

Also check out the IBC of aquaponics (link at top of page) chapter on the nitrogen cycle.

Then search the forum - do an advanced search to restrict results to cycling in the topic heading. You'll find heaps of posts to wade through... including advice on how many fish and how much food to cycle with... or how much ammonia or other things if going fishless.

OK so I've redesigned things a bit and have been thinking of different ways to make my GH more sustainable and I've had a weird idea that I was wondering if anybody had heard of. Since all my plants are going to be up off the ground includingthe DWC, and the floor will be the ground could I put a rabbit in there to eat on the grass and help eat some of the scrap from plants and eventually be dinner? O and I'm also going to put a small beehive with access to inside and outside of GH to take care of pollinating.

Thoughts?

Filter media? Thinking of using some legos from my kids stash. has anybody used them with any luck?

I've talked myself out of buckets and growbeds I honestly just don't want to fight with the media. It's hard to find anything suitable and the pros out weigh the cons for me. Just going to stick with the DWC and towers. If anybody thinks I'm making a mistake chime in.

OK so I finally got started on the build this past weekend I'm going to keep this design smaller and toned down because we're expecting a move in the semi-near future. I'm running a modified IBC CHIFT-PIST system with an added DWC and wicking bed. I might also add a couple of towers later on.

The flow will go FT>SLO>RFF>MT>DWC>GB>FT
and FT>SLO>RFF drain>WB

If I add the towers in the future they'll be in between the DWC and GB.

I have 1 IBC fit the coip and

OK so I finally got started on the build this past weekend I'm going to keep this design smaller and toned down because we're expecting a move in the semi-near future. I'm running a modified IBC CHIFT-PIST system with an added DWC and wicking bed. I might also add a couple of towers later on.

The flow will go FT>SLO>RFF>MT>DWC/Sump>GB>FT
and FT>SLO>RFF drain>WB for the wicking bed.

If I add the towers in the future they'll be in between the DWC and GB.

I have 1 IBC for the chop and flip side of it then I have another that will be split horizontaly for the DWC and wicking bed.

Going to have tilapia in the FT and crawfish (yabbies I believe in AU) in the sump, I've heard they help keep the water clearer.

Also is possible to have too much aeration?

I'll add pics when I get home from work.

Thank you

As far as I know it is NOT possible to have too much aeration, however depending on where/how you do it, it IS possible to have too much agitation. But as long as you're not causing an underwater tornado (I did that once trying to use the ass-end of a shop vac as the air pump - WAY too powerful), you should be fine.

I also wanted to ask you - did you ever complete the setup with rabbits as you'd intended? I have a couple of rabbits in my greenhouse where my tilapia are, but I'm having to fight a hell of a rat problem since they're happy to chow down on the rabbit food whenever they can.

No I decided not to build the GH for now since I'm anticipating a move but it's still in my mind for when I do build one. I'm also going to put a bee hive in my GH with access to the outside and inside. I've read that it had been done with success.

What is the purpose of the rabbits in you GH if you dont mind me asking. As for the rat problem I would do 1 of 3 things. 1) Get a cat. 2) Get kid/pet proof poison blocks (I've used these in the house and my 1yo can't get into the thing but rodents can) 3) At some lumber stores they sell this thing you can plug into a receptacle that sends out a frequency that rodents can't stand. (I would read the package to see if this option is safe around fish and rabbits)

... and the underwater tornado. That's awesome

The cons to legos would be cost and they may float. I'm slowly building up my system with acrylic gems (about 1 inch size) but those too are pricey.

Acrylic gems? Do you have a link I'm not sure what you're talking about.

And, correct me if I'm wrong, don't bioballs float until they grow a bio film on them making them neutrally buoyant?

Your in SETX, home to the biggest manufactures of plastic media, buy direct from them

Your in SETX, home to the biggest manufactures of plastic media, buy direct from them[/quote]


What manufacturer are you talking about? I have a lot of friends in the plants so I could probably get them free depending on what plant it is

thomasnet.com

Supplier & Discover 700,000 industrial and commercial suppliers

What ever you want will be there.

Here is a 10 min search for "sewage treatment" within 100 miles from a zip-code I entered, not mine but my daughters in Austin, TX. If I had a zip from Houston handy I would have used it instead.

Company description by ThomasNet.com
Manufacturer of wastewater treatment equipment. Products include clarifiers, classifiers, mixers, dewatering equipment, filtration equipment, separators, screens, and skimmers.

Company description by ThomasNet.com

Manufacturer of sewage aerators for municipal and industrial wastewater as well as sludge aeration. Various systems include multichannel oxidation, vertical loop based design with loop reactors, high speed surface aerators and more. Wastewater mechanical aeration systems are available for sewerage treatment operations or combined with another wastewater technology to meet specific needs. Applications include landfill leachate treatment and sludge stabilization.

This reminds me of back in 2005, selling on ebay. There was a product that had a high rate of return. You might know it by the name of "Savio filter media" it's a PVC strip material that comes on a roll and has 180 s/f of surface area. Todays cost is $90 roll

So I was doing another search on a item and thru Thomasnet, found a supplier 120 miles from me, called them and they were much obliged to show me their manufacturing plant.

When I go to places like that, I like to see what is outside their backdoors. An what I found there was dumpters filled with this similar material known as "Savio". After touring the plant, I asked about the bags full of his shavings, says he sends them to the local landfill.

Left that day with a truck full of bagged shavings, and less than a week later was selling a c/f box on ebay, pure profit.

Might have found a source. Would 3/16" LDPE pellets work? They're inert and I could build a ring out of PVC pipe and 45's with 1/8th holes or slits in the top of it. Eventually they become neutrally buoyant correct?