Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I wanted to get opinions on this system I planned for a greenhouse I hope to build. Please let me know what you think:




Please pick it apart and say what you think. Here is the greenhouse it will go in:



Again, Let me know what you think.

I think its worth a shot, get cracking and build it, you will learn lots and be able to tweak it here and there, like perhaps swap the bio filter over with the swirl filter to remove solids before the bio filter to avoid clogging and perhaps add a digester in there some where? just a thought.

Cheers.

oops you have the bio filter and swirl filter round the right way, my bad

Possible overflow problems with your sump tank perhaps. Make sure it is large enough to cope with all 6 tanks emptying at once. You'll might have to regularly vacuum out the fish tanks as well as some debris could collect from the overhead GBs. Otherwise, should work

Nhibbo,

This will all be on one level. Just high enough to get a 300 gallon IBC underneath. I had to make look like two levels to fit the page

Yes, I expected that to fit into the GH, but you still have all 6 GB's draining into the sump with bell siphons.
If all 6 drain at once 300 gallons might not be enough. e.g.. Assuming each GB is a foot deep inverted IBC and carries about 50 gallons of water then 6 x 50 is 300 gallons plus you'll need a residual to keep your pump submerged. This means more than 300 gallons.
Once again, your sump may be too small.

Why soo many FT for small area? Unless you are going to be growing/harvesting and wanting to have adults to keep system operating to keep nutrient levels up?

Think of the sump tank as your starting point for the fish loop and the collection point for your GB discharge.

Sump-FT(s) -Settling/Mechanical-BIO-GB-SUMP (repeat)

I would eliminate the T that goes to the back to the FT and send it all to the GB.

Use a SLO to feed the mechanical/bio and have the 3 tanks with inlet/outlet lines combined at the mechanical stage. . Think of being at the end of the line if your water source was fed from the previous tank if they were chained together?

Adam

The GB's will be 55 gal. plastic drums cut in half lengthwise. So that will probably make each bed ~20 gal. 55/2=22.50-Grow media~20 gal.

BroHay,

Is this like what you are talking about?:

Going back to look at the posts, the growbeds are going to be directly over the fish tank?

After the heater leg, it splits. Why is the flow being directed back to the FT? Is it timed for the growbeds and constant for the FT?

Adam

Yes, the GB is right over the tanks. I suppose I could move the Heater to where it is just before the FTs but I thought they would stay cleaner where they are. The duckweed and fish tanks would flow to the sump tank which goes to the filter/separator, from there to the bio filter to the grow beds. I think that was the way you were talking about.

Chris

So this is strictly and aquaculture setup?

On the FT, the siphon valve returns to the Sump. Then from sump, is picked back up and sent back to the FT. Water, depending upon flow, it may/may not (but eventually) make it to the mechanical/bio? (kind of an open loop that recirculates somewhat processed H20, but not as clean water that is discharged from the duck weed.

After mechanical/bio, it can then either be returned to FT (more filtered, but misses duck weed to further clean/remove some nutrients) or go to duck weed which it's output is fed back sump (optimal cleaned water).

I would make the path of water go one way:

sump->FT->mechanical/bio->check->heater->duck->sump

That way you are not blending water and trying to return the cleanest water possible with each circuit (not mixing @ various intervals)

The duck weed is for fish food?
How big is your filtration going to be?
Stocking density and type of fish?

Adam

No, it will be for aquaponics. I gotcha on the route of the water, sounds like a better way, will make the adjustments.

The swirl filter will be about 15 gals. the bio filter will be made out of a 5 gallon bucket.

I will keep about 25-30 Tilapia in each tank . Might use the sump ha a breeding tank

All the GBs will be 55 gal drums cut in half with a 55 gal. clear drum under the GBs where the duckweed will be. They will just have the top 1/3 cut off for access.

And yes, the duckweed is for a food supplement.

Hope I answered any questions,

Chris

Maybe this new sketch will help.

Sketch not showing, and with recent Tapatalk update, quick reply is no longer available to see previous responses to tie altogether.....

I can see where you get the swirl @ 15 gallons, but to try and get solids to fall out before bio you would want to shoot for a 5 min retention time. So now it is up to 75 gallons. I would also consider adding a static upflow filter which uses some sort of media to further screen solids out before going to the MBBR.

If you want a compact footprint for solids removal, go check my sieve filter..... :tup:

If you have 25 in each tank and you raise to a good filet size (say 1.5 lbs), you need to size your bio to be able to handle the feed right up to the maximum size before harvest.

Now, if you have 2-3 weeks of growth between each tank, you can take an average and reduce your bio capacity b/c you will not be growing and then next day nothing.

Not exact for your application, but you would need to size your media to handle the fish load. For a MBBR your container would need to be filled with 50-70% media and a 50 gallon barrell is approximately 6.7 ft^3. So 3.35ft^3 (50%) of media would be more than enough and give you plenty of buffer for the densities you mentioned.

As for sump as a brood tank, anything hatched if not there to collect immediately, would end up somewhere down the line in the system.

Adam