Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Okay I've dismantled my two systems and have decided to use a friends 8x3m greenhouse.

Currently I have a design in mind of blue barrels down the sides cut longways (which I would rather use for ease of cleaning and less media capacity because I'm buying clay balls and don't want to break the bank).

I will have 1 or 2 IBC fish tanks at the end of the greenhouse on the North side and a fully buried sump tank or 2 on the outside which I've already got 2x half buried ones, so using the holes would mean less digging.

I could change one side of the greenhouse to barrels sideways rather than longways to make more grow room.

Or I could run a 3rd row down the middle.


CHIFT PIST
uniseals or bulk heads in the barrels into 90/100mm return pipe to sump.



What are peoples thoughts on this design.

Jays back!


Ok I give up, what happened to the other systems?

As for your design, less media means less plants. Any reason for using clay pellets instead other media Jay?

Easy planting and translpanting, cleaning.
After so many years of running trout to capacity with just an RFF, they have become clogged up and also there is this fine gloop at the bottom (Scoria dust and gunk). The barrel system just wasn't producing, maybe a nutrient problem or some locked up lime somewhere.

Current build photo with barrels running long ways

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I would stay away from a row down the middle. I think it may work best if you put 3 or 4 barrels in a row with aisles between, leaving one access isle down the side. Maybe split that to two rows with an aisle down the middle - easier access but more plumbing. I tried to show this by outlining proposed barrel locations in red. If you shift your FT to one side you could even get another row of barrels along one wall. At the end you can fill the aisle with a barrel or two since you don't need the aisle there. I show the center aisle proposal with barrels on either side, but plumbing may be easier if you group all barrels together in rows and keep the aisle to one side as long as your okay with the low ceiling side aisle (doesn't apply unless it's a hoop-house).

Thanks for your idea
That's just a quick snap of the progress
I was thinking the barrels on the side all the way down the length linked together
The IBC in photo is just temporary

Here is progress so far
Take a look at my other barrels thread in my signature, that's basically the same idea

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>> less media capacity because I'm buying clay balls and don't want to break the bank

do you switch over to a DWC for bulk of the grow space surface area ?
That would suit a long run either down side or two side by side down middle.
But that would then require an alternate filtering.
Drums are not an ideal DWC (straight sides would be better for the surface area ratio), but they would work.
Forget the polystyrene rafts and go with acrylic/polycarb cell roofing or something similar resting on top.
Quite easy to clean.

Could then even go with couple full size media drums upright (then less space required for 200L) primarily for bio-filtration volume. and may not need the clay balls that way - might allow for lower cost media option.
(depends on how stocked and dirty your fish load will be - might need a flush option at bottom of drum).

Hmmmm now you've got me thinking
In terms of height I'd rather walk down the middle and have beds on the sides - I could do an IBC or 2 of DWC and have the barrels drain into them.
Probably do 3 barrel filtration (RFF, brush, bio balls) then into barrel beds then into IBC DWC then into sump

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Wow oh wowo! So happy to see you back, Jayendra. You always have a ton of cool projects happening. What a great looking greenhouse to play with. Mind if I ask for more information about the reasons you decided to do a greenhouse?

I always love the climate it creates for early fruiting plants which I can start earlier and also extend into winter. Also to contain the structure hidden away from eyes. and also a mate have it to me for free


Current situation
This is looking north - so I thought fish tank and filters down that end where the neighbours fence shades in winter.
As you can see from the barrel on the side there will be plenty of walk room in the middle so I might run an IBC row down the right side and do DWC.
Now I have to dig the sump at the back right corner. Alternatively I could do decking down the middle and do half burried sumps connected by uniseals or a pond liner long pool like structure and have open sections for gold fish and duckweed


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Something like this

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Rough idea of decking - might even recess the decking down a little to create easier access to grow beds and have extra grow height

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So what do people think of this design?

pond under removable decking panels to use for possible DWC

That is looking pretty good Jay.
Great use of space and like the central sump come pond idea.
The decking is a good idea.
Could also have a movable section if you ever need to place across centre to put things on etc.

Yeapppp - in the latest drawings I've accommodated for this as there is not that much space to walk and we don't want people falling into the water

So the decking panels will be about 1000mm long x 600mm wide

Some progress today
Finished the outer frame
Dug 1 frame into ground
Tried out decking to see what it looks like
I'm going to have to keep the pond edge away from the sleeper walls, so as to not undermine the structure.

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