Matt's IBC system in Raleigh, NC

[muerte69]

(Copied from my intro post... Mostly!)
Hello all,

I am just getting started with my aquaponics build so I thought I would post what I have done to this point and what I plan to do in the future.

So far I have 2 IBCs that I will be using as my fish tank and sump tank.
I have cut the tops off of both and painted them.
Will probably use the tops I cut off as covers that I sit on the metal supports from the top after I replace them. Use bungee cords to hold them down.

I am in the process of finding 3 to 4 more IBCs to use as my grow beds.
I will cut them so I have a little over 12 inches of space for grow media per top and bottom.
That will give me 6-8 containers for grow beds and 275 Gallons for sump and FT which I may add 1 more tank for FT if need be.

I was also thinking of adding strawberry towers going back into the FT from the sump but haven't looked into what I need to do to fully set them up.

I plan to use hydroton for my grow media unless there is a better/more cost effective alternative. I believe the 50L bags are $40usd at the local store.

I was thinking of laying my system out with the FT sitting on a few blocks about 1 to 2 ft off the ground so it can gravity feed into the beds.
Then all the beds will be connected with tubing at the bottom and top so they fill evenly.
Will probably have 2 rows of 3 grow beds so the system isn't too long with a 3-4ft path between them.
The beds will sit a little higher than the sump so that they can feed into it easier through gravity/bell siphons.

Then I will have the pump in the sump tank to send water to the towers then back into the FT.

I will probably put the FT and Sump at the same end and may just run the siphons to a pipe that has the strawberries in it and back to the sump that way.

Looking into a few different pumps but have no settled on anything yet.

How does this sound and what changes would you recommend.

Here is the plan I have in mind:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/muerte69/Aquaponics/AQ_Plans.jpg

May add a second FT and sump if capacity needs it.

*** From the reply's I received from my hello post I believe I will take the advice of putting a siphon on each grow bed and feed each separately. Still debating how I may do the strawberries but only time will tell.
I also picked up 4 more IBCs yesterday. Not in new condition but for $30 I can't complain. May use one as another sump or water storage to top off the system if it runs low. ***

Matt

[rfeiller]

I have strawberries growing in red lava with a bell siphon, they seem to be doing well. Actually better then the plants in the ground. The fruit has a more intense flavor, not as sweet but stronger. I plant only everbearing varieties. They produce almost year around.

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Matt, maybe you could have a samll pump in the sump, just to pump to your strawberries.
Have you thought about doing towers instead of the nft tubes. I saw a DIY video of someone making them out of 4 inch (thin wall) pvc. He was using a heat gun to bend the pvc to make pockets. I think he was using lava rocks in them, or some other type of lite media. Looked kind of easy to make and it seemed like a great idea.

[muerte69]

I have thought about either doing towers on the backside or doing a pipe that starts at the tank side and goes to the end of the beds then has a U and comes back to the tanks and into the FT. Have a small downhill grade to both so I can divert a portion of the pump to that and the rest to the pumped water to the FT. Then 2 long 4in pipes and 2 elbows will work and I can put it above the beds trussed up with whatever I am going to use as support for tomatoes and such.

I did wash out the main FT and Sump tanks earlier but I need to go out and look at how and where I plan to cut the growbeds out of the remaining IBCs. I figure it will be easier to transport and clean them when they are in sections so I am only cleaning 12-13 inches deep instead of the whole tank.

I want to use all hydroton for the beds but the cheapest I have found it locally is $35 for the 50L bags. Not sure how many of those I will need but I know for a fact it ain't gonna be cheap. I think I will have more in media by the end of this than anything else, maybe everything combined... But when we move it will be alot easier to pack up and transport than rock...

[muerte69]

I was just looking at pumps and wanted to know what the consensus was.

I will be pumping from the sump to the FT and will have 275 Gallons of water in each roughly when full.

I was looking at Northern Tool and see they have a few pond pumps.

The 1250 GPH w/ 19ft head for $79.99 http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200420888_200420888
or
The 850 16.5ft head for $69.99 http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200420887_200420887
Sunterra website: http://www.sunterrausa.com/pumps


Are either of these pumps worth the money and would it be over kill to go with the 1250 GPH?
I know more flow is better and I could use the excess water for aeration and water circulation in the tanks.

Just need the pros and cons from the professionals. Any better pumps that use less power in the same $ range?

Thanks,
Matt

[kneedeepinwater]

Looks like it's going to be a nice system. Both of the pumps look good to me. I would probably go with the 1250gph one, it's only $10 more for the extra flow and head. I picked up some IBC totes from the same place as you I think "Piedmont Biofuels", they were a great price!

[muerte69]

Yep got mine from "Piedmont Biofuels" as well. Any clue as to the best cleaner to use to remove the oil residue?

I would go with the higher rated pump just to give me more options.
On another forum someone commented on it not being able to handle solids.
I would think that a pond pump should be able to handle anything that should be in the sump but is this something I should look into?

[muerte69]

Also I am thinking of maybe setting up a few 5 gallon buckets with different filter media as extra water cleaning.

Bucket 1 I would use green scrubby pads or something of the like for extra bio-filtration.

Bucket 2 I would put activated charcoal in to help clean anything bad out of the water.

Bucket 3 I was thinking of doing a biowheel type filter like these: http://www.petco.com/product/2402/Marineland-Penguin-BIO-Wheel-Power-Filters.aspx - I like the bio-wheel I have on my indoor tank and when I was walking around the store yesterday I saw a pool filter http://www.walmart.com/ip/My-Sunshine-A-Filter-Cartridge-2-Pack/15522808 that I could use and pack it with cotton or another media then place it inside a bucket sitting sideways to allow it to spin. This one is just a thought but seeing the amount of bacteria and cleaning they give was wondering if it would be worth it.

[JCO]

I like the bio-wheel I have on my indoor tank and when I was walking around the store yesterday I saw a pool filter http://www.walmart.com/ip/My-Sunshine-A ... k/15522808 (http://www.walmart.com/ip/My-Sunshine-A-Filter-Cartridge-2-Pack/15522808) that I could use and pack it with cotton or another media then place it inside a bucket sitting sideways to allow it to spin.

Very ingenious idea...imagine the area of one of the big pool filter cartridges that stands 2 - 3 ft tall and almost as big around as a basket ball. :mrgreen:

[muerte69]

I was thinking of adding the extra filtration so that in the event of the SLO drain from the FT clogging I can continue to filter enough out of the water to keep it at a safe level.

I was thinking of either having a pipe from the pump running into the filters or the return from the strawberry tubes emptying into them.

I did get around to doing some work on the IBCs today. I got 1 of the 3 I need to chop cut for 2 grow beds. I will be using the metal cage for my sump as it will be the closest to the ground and may only sit on a paver or 2 for leveling issues.
I am still deciding on the best and most cost effective way to hold up the GBs. I can either make stands out of 4x4 treated lumber or Lowe's sells a 2 pack of sawhorses for $25 each that have a 1000lb rating.

I am looking into a local source for expanded shale as I don't feel like paying $1600 for hydroton. I may get a few bags for the tops of the GBs but that may be it.


So here is what I accomplished today. Got the 1 IBC cut into a top and bottom. Moved the steel frame and the IBC liner that will be the sump down to the back. Started working on cleaning the IBC in the middle that was full of crud, very heavy crud...
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/muerte69/Aquaponics/CIMG0138.jpg

Here is the remaining 2 IBCs which 1 will be cut for GBs and the other may wind up as a water holding tank that tops off the sump when needed.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/muerte69/Aquaponics/CIMG0139.jpg

The ones painted green are the FT and Sump. May not even paint the GBs but we shall see.

I did learn that if you have already cut off the top of and IBC trying to cut it lower is a PITA. I figured out that if you cut it from the inside you can push out with the sawsall and get the job done in a hurry. Live and learn I guess..

[keith_r]

if they're going to be in the sun, paint them.. i found out how brittle they can get... a friend said a couple were in his shop yard for a year, i gave one a good rap, and it cracked about 18"!
that being said, i'm still looking for totes, mine will be indoors so i'm not worried about painting, but if they're in the sun, i would for sure

[muerte69]

I have been told that they will get painted by the boss. But she wants the in many different colors...

So I may have blue and red and purple grow beds for all I know but as long as she's happy we are good.

Due to the high price of hydroton I am hoping I can find expanded shale locally. I think I found a place that has 5/16in and can order the 3/4in but I don't know what the minimum order would be.

I did find a place that has expanded slate but from the way it reads it is a ph of 8.5 and even with our acidic well water would be pushing it.

Other than hydroton and expanded shale are there any lighter options for media?

[keith_r]

maybe check with some landscaping places.. river gravel (without limestone) works well

[muerte69]

I have a few places to call when I get the time to. But I will look into a few other nurseries and see if there are any other landscaping places I can call. Thanks for reminding me.

[mrwillie]

@Matt - Im new to all of this and live in your area. What is your greenhouse setup like and what veggies and fish will you have?