Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello all!

You may remember that i had been trying really hard to get dad into AP and was up against "i don't want a bathtub in my backyard"

Well, then he saw steve and anges system and it changed to "i want one like theirs"

So construction began.

A pond was dug out, sad put on the bottom, layed with pond underlay (probably overkill), and lined with .8 mil EDPM liner.

Pond sits at approx 550 liters.

Four gold fish were put in about a week ago to get some ammo going, as well as a little worm tea (only becasue it his and not mine )

the photos tell pretty much the rest of the story. bio/solids filter is a 200 Lt drum filled with 100kg of coarse scoria, one shopping bag of FINE (really fine) sea shells and one bag of really LARGE shells.

The outlet of the barrel may look a tad big (50mm) but it will be T'ed off into a total of 3 6M lengths of pvc when the system is completed.

any Q's just ask.

Nice Steve.... But come on now, full explanations please..

Whats the bypass valve above the fish pond? How much flow have you got going through the system? Is the plank for standing on so that you can pick and plant?

I see you managed to incorporate burning into it....

sorry guys, you remember what it was like when mum called 'dinner'

i'll elaborate in an hour or so

What a good son

Yea his mommy loves him

Ok, pump is submercible and pumps water up the vertical 25mm pvc and then to the left approx 12 meters.

It then goes through the side of the blue barrel with the ingenious T piece which saved $10 in endcaps by heating and then crimping the pipe ends in a vice (don't mind the scorch marks)

6 1/4" holes are drilled at various angles to get good water coverage over the scoria.

Water drains from the bottom of the barrel via a 50mm drain plug (like in the bath) and to the open elbow on the NFT pipe.

This will later be adaped with T's to service 3 NFT pipes.

The T juction just above the pond with the ball valve on it a bypass to reduce the flow to the barrel until the other NFT pipes are brought online. Its currently set to 50% open but is probably bypassing 75% water due to head differential.

Drain on theright of the NFT pipe is simply male and female threaded PVC fittings on the endcap coming down to a "spray bar" that is angled ever so slightly back on itself. water will first drip down from the holes then out the elbow to the left if flow is sufficient.

"NFT" pipe is simply 100mm DWV PVC with net pots filled with gravel screenings

Flows have been set so the system can be run 24/7 with out over flow from the plant sites but it will probably be run on a timer 15min on 30min off (or maybe cont. after i drop dads fish + Savage G's fish in there.

Oh, the blue barrel has a capped piece of 100mm pipe with slits cut around it sitting in the inside over the drain to stop gravel going places where it shouldn't, its held in place by the weight of the gravel.
Total head from pond surface to top of blue drum is approx 2.5M

All high pressure side pipes (pump to top of blue barrel) glued with PVC cement certified to AS 4020 for potable water

All low pressure side fittings (bottom of barrel to pond) either push fit only or push fit with a AS4020 certified roof and gutter silicone.

Pump used was a PondMaster MKII MP7500
7600 L/hr zero head
5.3 MAX head
cost: $145 shipped
Best price a hydro store could do was $250

TADA!

Thanks for that Steve..... might be handy for people to know what the pump is you're using and what its ratings are.... with the photos and distances quoted would help other when it comes to selecting a pump....

Know that was the major headache for me when I was trying to design things and figure the pump and plumbing.

Another question ... is the nft pipe just nft... ie water /nutrient flow only.... or is it partially filled with gravel?

already ahead of you rupe

cheater, edited after the question eh .... lol

actually did the bit of the pump as an after thought before i read your message

great minds

Oh, and Steve, if it's a new pump, stick it in here...

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1409

will do boss

somebody wants a dvd pack.

OK, so if you've been following the trout thread you'll know that i picked up around 30 (BK might have three of these ) trout yesterday. Got them in the pond last night at about 7:30pm.

Went back to mum and dads at around 9am this morning to find two had "jumped ship" one was a big one at about 9". as i was picking up the smaller one all covered in dirt i noticed that his gills moved.

I opened his mouth and held him in the bypass flow for around a minute (thats all my hand could tank, Brrrr cold) and repeated this a few times.

He is still sitting on the bottom looking rater dead, but his gills have resumed a natrual rythm and are getting quicker.

I don't hold out much hope for him, but i thought i should give him a chance. Will check later this arvo, and if there is not change i will put him out of his misery.

They are F U N to feed, i have already fed two good handfuls over about an hour!

I'm just about to organise some netting so we don't loose more.