Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am currently in Iceland on student exchange, where I will be focused on improoving the aquaponics system. They used it the past year, but was not happy with the raft system so they want to use something else. I will be here for 3 months and will try to do as much as possible.

So far there is:

- large fish tank 4500 l / 1000 gal
- small solids filter
- IBC bio filter
- IBC sump
- NFT pipes
- UV filter
- tilapia swiming in the FT
- old slow pump
- new pump: blue eco titanium 900

I am just making a new larger radial flow filter.

It is all in a heated greenhouse. Where most of the space is occupied with hydroponic production of mostly salads for the market.

I am open for any suggestions what would be best to make out of it.

Adding photos so you can get an idea.

Hi! It looks very professional

Is there any other solids filtration other than the RFF? Any media beds? Why weren't they happy with the raft system, was there a problems with root rot.

The reason I ask is that suspended solids don't get filtered out by an RFF and in a raft system they can coat the roots and cause the plants to die. If this is what happened adding in a Static Upflow Filter should cure this problem and would be a cheap fix.

There is no other filtration except bio filter that is filled with bio balls and some other plastic for bacteria to colonize. That you can see on this image:

http://imgur.com/OWw3cLw there are also two air stones inside.

No media beds, perhaps it is a good idea to add at least one of them?


They were not happy with raft system because they got bugs, no idea what kind they say "pottamor" in icelandish. They were in the dirt which they were using as media. They still plan to continue using dirt as media.

Do youthink we need a static upflow filter for NFT system as well?

A bit of update.

I dug the hole for sump tank and put the "naked" IBC in it.

I changed the location of UV filter, now the water will be pumped from sump to UV filter and to bio filter.

I upgraded the radial flow filter and installed it.

I also make place for NFTs and added piping so the water would flow back to sump.

Will add a new pump soon, part will be pumped to NFTs and the other part directly to FT, the pump will be in the sump and we will use another pump for UV filter.

Images:

http://imgur.com/a/lPDFu

Yes, you should filter out the suspended solids before the NFT as well as the DWC.



Another reason to filter the solids. UV light does not penetrate well so any water passing through that contains lots of solids won't receive the full benefit of the UV sterilization. The solids filtration should happen before the water passes through the UV. Hope this helps.

So I did some research on static upflow filter and if I got it right than I can implement the SUF to the current RFF. I can just add a bunch of bio balls http://imgur.com/OWw3cLw and a net to prevent them from getting drained. Do you think this would work? Will the suspended solids settle to the bottom as well?

More pics of current RFF:

http://imgur.com/OWw3cLw