Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I decided it was time to upgrade my system. I have been running a small system based on a 200 Ltr fish tank and one strawberry tower.
My little Darling and I have had a couple of very nice Strawberry and Cream desserts from the strawberry tower. The fruit was very sweet, not at all like the slightly tart strawberries one usually gets in the supermarket.
However the strawberry tower was becoming increasingly blocked. Frequent tapping with a hammer to clear the blockages was not the way to go for a long term project.
I had obtained some poly rectangular tanks that I thought would be good to sell.
but on testing one tank before sending it out, it proved to be a fizzer.
I figured I would use some old 1" SHS I had lying in the paddock to make a support frame for the 600 ltr tub, and presto, a new Fish Tank.

It was a very quick job to transfer the 60 Jades into the new tank and initally left it hooked up to the Strawberry tower while I set up the grow bed.

Nice frame Murray. Have fun!

nice looking (and neat) tank there muzza... still using the same pump setup?

Hi AM,
This pix below shows the new China Stainless submersible pump all plumed in to the tank and the end of the water return from the sump can be seen...
I am using two of the China Stainless pumps and they are going well. One has been in service for a month now without a hickup.

Every once in a while I can see some of the bigger fish swimming hard into the water that is coming back into the tank from the sump. They appear to be enjoying themselves holding station in the fast flowing water.

Muzza

My barra seem to enjoy a good hard swim too - I put a small pump in just so that they can swim against a decient current...

Muzza, just saw the picture of the blue tank, must say you are a bit slow - why didn't you advertise it as a new hexagonal tank??

Les

Good one Murray. Flow on those pumps is massive. Are you pumping all through the grow-bed, or are you diverting some of the pressure straight back into the tank?

I have the flow to the grow bed throttled back by the use of a stainless ball valve. I have this throttled back just enough so that when the water in the grow bed reaches the top of the inner overflow pipe the outflow to the sump is greater than the inflow from the fish tank pump.

One problem I have found with using this type of ball valve is that almost everyone that comes to have a look at the system thinks that they have to play with it....try it or something. I am looking for a valve that I can put a lock on the handle.

VB, All the water from the fish tank pump goes to the grow bed.
I have had a bit of fiddling to do in adjusting the pump float switch using some zip ties to hold the float switch in just the right position.

The stainless steel china pumps have a tell tail in the top of them, a bit like an outboard motor has, to allow a small part of the water to pump through the body of the pump to cool the pump motor and lubricate the bearings, trouble is, it squirts a fine jet up in the air once the water level drops below the top of the pump, hence the bit of carpet underlay sitting on top of the pump.

The return line from the sump can be seen and this is throttled back using a plastic ball valve. This is better than the stainless one on the grow bed side as it is very difficut/stiff and the grand kids and others that try to fiddle with it soon give up and leave it alone.

Here is another view of the water returning from the sump pump

THanks for sharing those Murray! always keen to see details of other people's systems.

The stainless valve is sooo inviting... Must.. resist...

looking good Murray.

Hey Muzz, It looks like that stainless valve has a removable handle on it......

Nice one Muzza, wow, that pump looks really tall.