PDA

View Full Version : Started building my system



MRowsh
02-27-2012, 10:23 AM
I started building my system. First step is the fish tank. It will be about 1400 gallons. And in order to get a good head start, I have plans to fill it up with my pond's water.

I have read a lot about grew beds. The one I think I build is fill and drain, I do not know exactly what it is called, but I have plans to build the grew beds about 3 X 8 X 2 ft, and fill with river rocks for about 18 inches.
We do love all sorts of vegetables and greens, but I do like to know what grews best with fill and drain system.

Thanks for all the good comments.

commander
02-27-2012, 10:32 AM
Man, that is an ambitious start. 1400 gallons. My start is only about a 30 gallon tank and two small grow beds.

bsfman
02-27-2012, 10:36 AM
We do love all sorts of vegetables and greens, but I do like to know what grews best with fill and drain system.


You can pretty much grow anything in a flood and drain system.

MRowsh
02-27-2012, 10:48 AM
Why start small, then break it apart and buuild a bigger one when we know it is going to work. According to what I have read so far, it is a sure shot. Some people seams to have problem to get the algae going in order to breakdown the ammonia. I got the head start because I am not using the city water.

MRowsh
02-27-2012, 10:50 AM
That is good that everything can be grown in FD.
I do love greens, and all sorts of roots like, beets, turnips, carrots, radishes.
Also I like to grow eggplants , tomatos, and okras. Oh of course some cucs too.

urbanfarmer
02-27-2012, 01:04 PM
Why start small, then break it apart and buuild a bigger one when we know it is going to work. According to what I have read so far, it is a sure shot. Some people seams to have problem to get the algae going in order to breakdown the ammonia. I got the head start because I am not using the city water.
I'm struggling with that exact line of thinking right now... turn my entire backyard into an aquaponic system or just a portion of it... the only problem so far with going big is I don't think I could afford the fish feed every month (about 4000 pounds of feed a month)! :lol:

MRowsh
02-27-2012, 01:32 PM
Get some of that money you have hide under your mattress UF.

How many fish do you got in there?

MRowsh
02-28-2012, 10:24 AM
What is the difference in the water pumps like

reeflo
dart
Barracuda
hammerhead

are these just labels, or has something to do with their design?

If there is a difference, which one is better for aquaponics usage?

Oliver
02-28-2012, 11:38 AM
Why start small, then break it apart and buuild a bigger one when we know it is going to work. According to what I have read so far, it is a sure shot. Some people seams to have problem to get the algae going in order to breakdown the ammonia. I got the head start because I am not using the city water.
The main reason you start small as a beginning Aquaponics farmer is that you kill fewer fish by doing so.

As far as "we know it is going to work", I'm not so sure that you do. All I can say at this point is to invite you to read "Aquaponics 101" located here: viewforum.php?f=112 (http://diyaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=112)

And then take a look at what you are proposing.

Oliver

MRowsh
02-29-2012, 07:50 AM
Oliver,
Thanks for the input.
I have a friend who has been building pounds for side business and have helped him with his first one at his own house. You are correct, starting the system if one does not know about the bio filter, or the grew beds, one might kill a lot of fish. Just preparing the water can be a challange.

I have a pond at my place about 1/2 acre, and I have minnows in there for the last 14 years. To start the system by filling my fish tank with my pond's water. Then I will put some minnows in the fish tank and get the system going for a couple of weeks before I place my order for 300 Tilapias.
At least this is my plan.
So far, I have build the FT and placed a 20X20 EPDM in it. From this coming weekend , I have to work on my support platform for my grew beds.

keith_r
03-01-2012, 06:54 AM
one thing to be aware of if you are using pond water (especially in a pond that is 14years old) would be that you could introduce parasites into your system that are not beneficial..
the point isn't to get the algae growing, but most folks do go through a "pea soup" phase in the early stages of the system, but covering the ft, and making sure that plenty of oxygen is being added will get you through that phase to when you can actually start feeding your fish
while an AP system is similar to a pond, there are some major differences... read lots before you start running water

MRowsh
03-01-2012, 09:06 AM
Yes, I have worn myself out reading and reading! Reading time has gotten too old now. It is time to put up or shut up for me.

The pond I am talking about had 5 over flow pipes, one 16 inch diameter, and the others are 8 inch diameters. As we speak , water is flowing through all of them. So, it is stream fed pond, also there is one spring about 10 feet below surface that fed the pond. But during some very dry summers, most of the water evaporate, except the 7 deep holes I made in it with a full size backhoe.
The minnows survive in the holes.

foodchain
03-02-2012, 06:03 AM
1400 gallons is a good start, I have found the larger systems are more stable. But if you need to make adjustments with a parameter it does take a lot more, and usually costs more to do with larger systems. Big systems cost big money.
BUT they are much more stable. One concern I have for you, is temp. I spent a few years in NC, and I don't recall it being warm enough in the fall, winter, spring to support Tilapia.
1400 gallon + as you have to account for heat loss in the grow beds, etc is one hell of a heater.

IF you greenhouse it, you are now limiting yourself on growable square footage. And increasing setup costs.

Why not use the 1/2 acre pond you already have? That's already cycled, and has fish in it....Build your growbeds off of that and run climate appropriate crops.

IF you don't like the minnows, introduce other fish. It's not your pond size that's limiting your options here.

foodchain
03-02-2012, 06:08 AM
Different pump manufactures are sometimes label, sometimes design. There's piston pumps, centrifical pumps, etc.
Which one is best for you depends on how much head pressure you need, flow rate, what electrical supply you have, and budget.

Make your FT, if you go that route shallow, with huge surface area. This will allow for greater gas exchange. IF you go deep and small surface area you may have to supplement DO. Escpecially if your putting 300 tilapia in there and intend for them to reach maturity.

1400/300= 4.6 gallons per fish. Now, my tilapia are pushing 12-15 inches. Let's assume for round numbers 10". 4.6/10 = 0.46
You are going to get into trouble here. Tilapia make babies fast.

MRowsh
03-04-2012, 04:25 PM
Well, my fish tank is done now. I insulated it real good. Also I have a water heater for winter time.
Here are few pictures.[attachment=2:qxns6hyx]EPDM for FT.JPG[/attachment:qxns6hyx]

[attachment=1:qxns6hyx]EPDM is inside 1.JPG[/attachment:qxns6hyx]

ZRight side platform is done for grew beds.
[attachment=0:qxns6hyx]Right Platform 2.JPG[/attachment:qxns6hyx]

MRowsh
03-13-2012, 10:32 AM
Fish tank is finished. Platforms to hold the grew beds are done. Now I got to build the grew beds.[attachment=0:1myjsfi4]AP_Platform_Progress__5.jpg[/attachment:1myjsfi4]

MRowsh
03-20-2012, 10:36 AM
A little more progress.

[attachment=0:367ig7ne]Grew Beds build 15.jpg[/attachment:367ig7ne]

MRowsh
03-27-2012, 06:02 AM
A little more progress made.

[attachment=1:2eflp2zj]AP GB Progress 5.jpg[/attachment:2eflp2zj]

[attachment=0:2eflp2zj]Grew Beds build 15.jpg[/attachment:2eflp2zj]

CruelSun
04-03-2012, 07:35 AM
Great looking project!

Will the grow beds get any direct sunlight?

Will you be adding lighting?

MRowsh
04-04-2012, 08:51 AM
They will get direct sun light mornings and afternoons. I have 12 LED lights, 2 per grew beds. I have red that LED grew lights (red and blue LEDs) works real good.
So, I will light them for about 6 hours per day. Each light is 8 watts, for total of 96 watts for all 12 of them.
Here is some more progress.

[attachment=0:2vhl79eg]GB No 2.jpg[/attachment:2vhl79eg]

Bioritize
04-04-2012, 10:42 AM
Looking good

Jeff
04-04-2012, 11:13 AM
They will get direct sun light mornings and afternoons. I have 12 LED lights, 2 per grew beds. I have red that LED grew lights (red and blue LEDs) works real good.
So, I will light them for about 6 hours per day. Each light is 8 watts, for total of 96 watts for all 12 of them.


Looking good! For the LED lights, did you make them yourself or were they bought online? I am looking to get a few grow lights for my outside system (when I cover it, of course)......and I am tempted to try my hand at making my own fixtures. I'm just curious what you did and what you use.

MRowsh
04-06-2012, 01:03 PM
I am an old Electrical Engineer. I looked at the parts prices to put them together, it would have costed me few times more than buying them.
So, I went the cheap route and bought 12 of them. They are PPA48 blue and red only LEDs. I have no clue how long the driver last, but will find out.

I made more progress, grew beds 1 and 2 are filled with river rocks.

MRowsh
04-18-2012, 06:15 AM
All right, I have had water in my fish tank for the last 3.5 weeks. Got bunch of minnows from my pond and put them in there to get the system going.
Planted some seeds and they are doing okay.
Had some minor problems with GB#1, so I had to redo the syphone.
So, God willing, I am in my way to some good stuff.

[attachment=3:1wx9nlfh]GB 1 and 2 filled 3.jpg[/attachment:1wx9nlfh]

Made fish food too. Grounded soy beans, corns, and mixed with HW flour and dry milk, chia powder. Then mixed all up with eggs, to include the skins. Dryed it in the oven at 190F. So, it is ready.
[attachment=1:1wx9nlfh]S FF 1.jpg[/attachment:1wx9nlfh]
[attachment=2:1wx9nlfh]Fish Food 1.jpg[/attachment:1wx9nlfh]

[attachment=0:1wx9nlfh]Growing.jpg[/attachment:1wx9nlfh]

MRowsh
04-20-2012, 10:17 AM
[attachment=0:1115dyrl]Tilapia in the arrival box.jpg[/attachment:1115dyrl]