Hello from California!

[Jeff]

Hi everyone! I LOVE the forum!

My name is Jeff, and I am a self employed business owner. I was born and raised in San Jose, California......but I have lived in Tracy, CA for the last 10 years. I'm 36 and married with two little girls.

So why am I here? I have literally been dreaming...DREAMING.....of aquaponics every night for the past couple of weeks. I knew NOTHING about it two weeks ago, but I've been hungrily reading up like a madman day and night ever since!

My goal is start a backyard system - 110 Gallon fish tank, and probably three 40 gallon grow beds. I still am one of those guys you see wandering around a hardware store, looking like a lost boy in a big city. I don't even know how to cut PVC for heaven's sake, but this is something I am determined to do on my own and prove my wife wrong!

She laughed at me when I tried to explain how AWESOME aquaponics was. Of course, she's seen me get excited about things before, so she knows that I get real gung-ho on completely random things!

But anyway, I look forward to your help and support as I design my own backyard system, with literally no prior experience even in gardening. So if I can do this, it will prove that ANYONE can do this!

I am hoping in the next week, I can purchase my stock tanks, and that's about all I have planned out so far! Next would be PVC plumbing, but I honestly don't even know the names of the parts I need (bulk head fitting? gaskets? LOL). I do know that I want to make a flood drain system with Affnan's bell siphon in all three of them. I just don't know if I should also add a separate BIOFILTER to this setup, or if the hydroton will be enough filtering on it's own.

Looking forward to feedback and warm welcomes. HUGS ALL AROUND! :)

[keith_r]

welcome aboard jeff.. sounds like you're headed in the right direction, starting out with what you outlined, you don't need to add filtration as long as you don't overstock.. add some compost (red wiggle) worms to the growbeds and you'll soon be cycling your system and planning your upgrade!

[alex281]

Welcome !!!

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Jeff....welcome to the forum, AKA as the 'addiction'... :D

'Hi', my name is 'Jeff' and I'm an aquaponics addict..... :P

Jeff, here's a place to get a 'fix'....search for Aquatic-eco systems. They have all kinds of air and water pumps, special fittings like uni-seals and bulkheads...test kits ...all kinds of stuff... ;)

[Jeff]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I think I found a source for the tanks and grow beds. There is a large store I plan to visit called the Tractor Supply Co., and they have some really inexpensive things like this:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tuff-stuff-products-heavy-duty-oval-tank-110-gal--2229862

I was going to get that for the tank, and then a few 40 gallon things for the grow bed (unless I see something better when I get there).

I first went to a local Hydroponics store, but as I feared, no one was in there except for a group of about 6 guys, huddled around the counter, and they all smelled like POT. There was a pit bull just guarding the area, and NOTHING had prices on them. It's a shame too, because the place looks like it had some decent stuff, but with the bad vibe I was feeling there, and the lack of pricing, it felt like I would be getting scammed.

Anyway, I will make a separate thread when I actually start my project. Before I do, let me end with a question:

Since the first thing I plan to do is drill a hole in the grow bed to make the siphon, could you tell me the official NAME of the parts I need? Is the plastic part that screws into the hole (on both outside and inside), is that called a CUPLING (or is it a bulkhead fitting)? I just want to make sure I know the NAMES of the actual parts so that when I go to the PVC section of my hardware store, I actually have some kind of checklist!

So if that's called the CUPLING, then I think all I need is the stand pipe (1"), a restrictor (1" - 1.5"), the outer bell pipe (2"), the bell top, and then finally a 3" GUARD to go around the hole thing.

Does that sound about right for starters?

[davidstcldfl]

Jeff, your right, a bulkhead goes through the tank wall....you can also use an 'electical' pvc 'male' and female' coupling to do the same. Electric threads are straight...plunbing threads are tapered.
The couplings have a very small lip to work with, so the hole has to be perfect, so that the coupling has a place to contact and make a seal on the tank.
A real bulkhead is easier to work with, especially if your not using a hole saw to make the hole.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories ... gs-Economy (http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/4972/Bulkhead-Fittings-Economy)


If your growbeds are 40 gallons...a 1 inch stand pipe may be a little big.
If you use a 1 inch bulkhead in the bottom of the bed....you could add a 1 x 3/4 or a 1 x 1/2 'bushing' to the bottom of the stand pipe and experminte with your fill and drain times.
A 'reducing coupling' is what goes on top of the stand pipe, if your doing the 'Affnan' style bell siphon.

[Jeff]

David - Thanks for the response and the link! I really appreciate it.

I am not sure the exact size of the grow bed tanks yet. There is a brand called "Tuff Stuff" at this store (Tractor Supply Co). I looked at this store online for the Rubbermaid tanks, and they were priced cheaper than any place I have seen. However, some of the reviews I've seen on the Rubbermaids was that they were leaking after a few years and needed to be replaced. Well then I saw this Tuff Stuff brand that offered 110 gallon tubs, and 40 gallon tubs. So I assumed that if I got the 110 size for the the fish, then I would want about three of the 40 gallon size for the grow beds.

The reason why I was thinking to have a 1" stand pipe is because that seemed to be the standard size that most systems seemed to have online. I will DEFINITELY be doing the Affnan Bell Siphon, with a reducer on top to help create the suction.

So if I am reading what you're saying correctly, I could still move forward with that plan......and if I find that it drains too quickly, then I could simply add something called a bushing to the bottom of the standpipe which will control the flow of the water even more?

[commander]

Jeff
We use the Tractor Supply tuff stuff products at our ranch all the time. They stand up to heat, cold, sun and cows very well. Wen I upsize my system I am planning on using the same products. Tractor Supply also has trough feeders that come with a galvanized stand. We are looking at using them for grow beds, perhaps even a raft system. I know there was some chatter on hear at one time about using the same troughs for flow tanks to raise trout. When you really get the bug, you will start seeing products like this in a whole new light.

[Jeff]

Thanks for the comment, Commander. I have heard nothing but great things about those Tuff Stuff products, and you are further proving that for me! I may take a ride over there today (it's about 30 miles away from me) to see what they have. I will keep you all posted on what I get.

That trough feeder looks like it may be awesome! Here is a link for it:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/galvanized ... -l-2172497 (http://www.tractorsupply.com/galvanized-bunk-feeder-10-ft-l-2172497)

The only thing is that it's 18 inches deep, where as the 40 gallon ones are only 13" deep. I had planned to keep only about 11" of grow media in the beds, and if I went with the trough, that would leave a lot of space in there. I guess the advantage to the trough is that I would only need to make one bell siphon instead of three......but since it's so deep, I may have too much space in there since it would only be filled 3/4" of the way up.

[davidstcldfl]

The only thing is that it's 18 inches deep

Jeff, the overall height of the tub and the stand is 18 inches. The tub is maybe 10 inches 'deep'

[urbanfarmer]

Greetings Earthling, and welcome to the addiction! :mrgreen:

[davidstcldfl]

Jeff....I just measured my trough feeder, it is 10 inches deep.


I will DEFINITELY be doing the Affnan Bell Siphon, with a reducer on top to help create the suction.
Here's a link to what Affnan uses on top of the stand pipe....these are tuff to find...
http://flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?cart_ ... s-Reducing (http://flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=7682460.25806&product=PVC-Couples-Reducing)

You can make them yourself too.....buy a 'reducing bushing' that will fit on top of your stand pipe and add a coupling to the bushing. (see drawing below)



The reason why I was thinking to have a 1" stand pipe is because that seemed to be the standard size that most systems seemed to have online

So if I am reading what you're saying correctly, I could still move forward with that plan......and if I find that it drains too quickly, then I could simply add something called a bushing to the bottom of the standpipe which will control the flow of the water even more?

Yes the reducing coupling helps to start the siphon. However, the bigger the stand pipe, the faster/more volume of water you need to have going into 'each' bed to start the siphon.
Jeff, it's sort of a 'balance' of 'how big to go'. On the plus side. More flow does help add 02 to the water ( even use a tee with water 'spraying' into the fish tank). On the neg side...This would require a bigger pump/more cost and more electric/more cost.

If you do use a 40 gal tub...50 to 60% of that will be displaced by your media. At most, you'll have 20 gals of water to drain. Just my 2 cents...I'd try a 3/4 stand pipe or even a 1/2 inch.
If you use the slip x slip bulkheads, yes, you can add a 'slip x slip bushing' to the bottom of the stand pipe. This will let you try a few sizes of stand pipe. The 'size of the stand pipe' effects the speed of the draining.....not the bushing on the bottom of the stand pipe.
You can even add a bushing to the 'bottom' of the bulkhead, to change the size of the drain.
Just don't use cement till your happy... :)

Here's a drawing, hope this helps....

http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad157/davidstcldfl/standpipe.jpg

[bsfman]

Yes the reducing coupling helps to start the siphon. However, the bigger the stand pipe, the faster/more volume of water you need to have going into 'each' bed to start the siphon.
Jeff, it's sort of a 'balance' of 'how big to go'. On the plus side. More flow does help add 02 to the water ( even use a tee with water 'spraying' into the fish tank). On the neg side...This would require a bigger pump/more cost and more electric/more cost.

If you do use a 40 gal tub...50 to 60% of that will be displaced by your media. At most, you'll have 20 gals of water to drain. Just my 2 cents...I'd try a 3/4 stand pipe or even a 1/2 inch.


Very good advice you're giving here, David. I used 1" standpipes and 2" bells in my bell siphons on my smallest system. I'm using 30 gallon 2'X3' mortar tubs as growbeds. I really have to pump some water fast to get the siphons to start. This means the beds fill quicker too which results in short cycle times - something like every 4 1/2 minutes, which is much quicker than the 15 - 20 minute times usually recommended. That being said, the short cycle time has had no apparent ill effect on my cukes, broccoli, peas, radishes, carrots or tomatos that I can discern. All are doing well. And yes, the water stays very oxygenated.

I recently revised my largest system to flood and drain from a floating raft model. This time I used 1/2" stand pipes in the mortar tubs with 1" bells. Cycle times are much longer and the siphons are not nearly as finnicky about input flow rates. Another advantage of using smaller siphons is ease of construction and component cost. I think 1/2" stand pipes would be perfectly adequate for Jeff's 40 gallon grow beds.

[davidstcldfl]

good advice you're giving here, David. I used 1" standpipes and 2" bells in my bell siphons on my smallest system. I'm using 30 gallon 2'X3' mortar tubs as growbeds. I really have to pump some water fast to get the siphons to start. This means the beds fill quicker too which results in short cycle times - something like every 4 1/2 minutes, which is much quicker than the 15 - 20 minute times usually recommended.
Thanks bsfman... :D
I used the same tubs at Sahib's research farm...
New work @ Sahib Aquaponics (http://www.diyaquaponics.com/forum/showthread.php?1333-New-work-Sahib-Aquaponics&p=15088&viewfull=1#post15088)
I installed 3/4 bulkheads and ended up using a 1/2 inch stand pipe with a 1 x 3/4 reducing coupling on top ( and a 3/4 x 1/2 bushing on the bottom of the stand pipe). The drains going to the fish tank, are 3/4 inch.....the tubs drain pretty quick.

Pushing the limits of a 1 inch stand pipe... I installed 1 inch stand pipes on grow beds that measured 4 feet x 8 feet and were 1 foot deep. ( see 'The Farm' in commercial systems) I added 1 x 2 inch reducing bell couplings to the tops. The drain time was actually pretty good... :)

@ Jeff....Note: On my drawing, I showed a 1 1/2 reducing coupling on top of the stand pipe. That won't fit/work inside of a 2 inch bell. A 1 x 3/4 reducing coupling will fit.

[Jeff]

Thanks for all the help and information. I am taking notes like crazy over here! Once I actually get all the hardware, I will start a separate thread in the Aquaponics System forum to document my project.

Today I actually purchased a new pump (500gph, mag drive, about 50 watts). Now I am just waiting on finding a friend with a vehicle large enough for me to drive 30 minutes out of town to pick up my tank and grow beds!