Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I just took my pump apart for the first time and couldn't beleive the biofilm build up in the pipes close to the pump. I run 40mm from the pump to the growbeds, and I reckon the hole was down to 20mm tops. I return the water in 25mm, which is fine IMHO, being as no solids are getting pumped thru.

32mm would be okay from pump to growbeds given a clean out every 6 months or so depending on biomass and feed regimes. the 32mm is not sufficient for interconnection between tanks I feel.

EB, runs his blue barrel system through 19mm tubing (appears to be anyway... wonder if it's 25mm??) split by "T" to "distributor box" above both beds....

Wonder if he's getting away with this because he's running continous.... i.e suggesting that running continouous doesn't allow build up of bio-film as much as intermittent, timer cycles.... What do you all reckon?

Thrown a curve ball at me guys.... just spent all weekend plumbing things up using 19mm

Continuous still ends up with heaps of biofilm. I clean mine out every couple of months - using an aquarium pipe cleaner.

I've not really had an dramas with clogging in my pipes, apart from when roots grow into the pipes, some times muck building up in the irrigation grid..

I'll have to pull my main pipeline out one day and have a look..

Quick update:
Growbeds have been strengthened and GB 1 is now gravel filled and auto siphoning well. Having some difficulties with GB 2 auto siphon but will try to tackle that tomorrow.
Haven't changed the inter connecting pipes instead I just brought a cylindrical brush, put that on the end of a suitable flexible pole and I can clean the pipes easily. So far I have achieved 1 min 12 sec to clean the 2.7 metres of pipes. It works a charm. Will get faster when I can actually see the pipe connectors in the tank (still a bit murky after the addition of the gravel).
Readings haven't changed much yet PH is 8.0 and all the rest are showing 0.

OK so it's been a month. Here's an update

The system as last seen would not clear due to the silt that came off the gravel. So after 2 weeks and no improvement I started again with the gravel. This time I cleaned it real good. I also took the opportunity to rectify a few initial mistakes. Now, 3 weeks later, the system has happy fish (7 goldfish in tank 2 and ~20 SP feeders in tank 1) swimming in clear water, the growbeds have seedlings that have new growth and seeds that are sprouting.

I test the water every 2 to 3 days, These are the results of late.
Last 14 days PH has been 8.0
Last 8 days Amonia has been 0.25
Last 6 days Nitrite has been 0.25
Nitrate has remained 0.00 throughout

I did do a 30% water change and added 5ppm salt after the recent SP additions started flashing. Was worried after 2 days that it hadn't worked but all is OK now after 4 days.
Not feeding a lot at the moment. - about 1 teaspoon of feed into each tank each day.

Only real hassle at the moment is a heron that has taken a liking to dining on my fish. I know he has got 2 goldfish so far. So now I have resorted to covering the tanks. I don't think the fish will mind as the won't have any predator shapes appearing above them now.

good one quietly.

do you have naturally hard water there?

Just keep an eye on the ammonia with that ph, refer to the table in the useful info section.

I like it quietly.. A battle of whits going on with a herron....

How have the green tanks been, no dramas? I was looking at them again yesterday when I was in "B"..

Hi Steve, The water here is 7.4 out of the tap. I am watching the levels closely but water changes will only result in a minimal change to PH (unless it is a major change) so I'll read up on other reactive solutions should the need arise. Best PH in the last 2 weeks was 7.6 done early one morning.

EB - I've had no problems with my Green Bins from B. The lids are close fitting which is good for some applications but I will be attaching spacers to the lip of the bin so the lids can act as raised roofs during the hotter months.
They haven't lost their shape at all. I used Hansen fittings without any dramas.
As for the local birdlife - the shade cloth is due to go up next weekend so I'm hoping that will make difference and they wont see the "Open for feeding" that obviously attracted them in the first place.

Looks good Quietly. I like the green bins too, what do 'B' call them? My nearest one is 1 hour away and I'd like to call for a price. It's a bit far to drive just for a look! I like them 'cause there nice and deep, the things I've looked at here in town are quite shallow. I'd like to save that space for growbeds!

EDIT: Hey, wow, now I'm a Valued Contributor!

Good one Quietly. Looks like your stand is handling the weight. Bloody fish stealers - I reckon mine might be the neighbourhood kids once they realise what is in my tank .

i think they are just called 500 L rainwater tanks(if they are the ones i saw the otherday ) they had a little brass tap on them as well which i though was a bit pointless for AP

CHeers

Thanks Delgrade. Seems weird to have rainwater tanks you can take the whole lid of (imagines horrible things falling in!) but hey, it's good for us!

The description on the receipt is: Tank - Rainwater 500L Rainwater Butt Green. I might need to complain, my tanks only came with plastic taps, which are sitting in the shed unused.
They would make very deep growbeds.
With my set up I can isolate one tank off the system if needed or add another one when expansion is needed. The 500L seems to be a good size for that.
I think I will run out of growbeds before then.
The stand is quite strong now and hasn't move a fraction since being reworked.

I think I have the same problem VB - especially as I found fishing line in the senior students system a week or so ago, with a reduced number of fish too