Introduction

[Imhotep]

Hi guys : ]

I'm Imhotep, music producer, designer from the Netherlands. Currently working as Dj.

I've come across Aquaponics a few weeks ago and I really loved the idea. I made a simple design in Maya and I was hoping you guys could provide some feedback. Feel free to use this design yourself (if you think it could work that is haha).

This design provides the system to use less electricity, because the aquarium is lifted by a hand crank (w series of pullies/weights).

When the aquarium reaches the top, a small hatch opens. The water in the aquarium slowly (partially) flows out over the vegetables. The leftover water is storaged in the storage tank, where it's filtered by carbon filters etc. Another hatch is opened and with help of gravity the clean water flows back in the aquarium.

I will still be needing some power for heating/lighting. So some solar panels on top would be cool.

Any feedback greatly appreciated : ]

c ya

Imhotep

[JCO]

You are forgetting the "KISS" method. You are complicating a simple technology. Don't move the aquarium up and down, use a pump to pump the fish water to the top grow bed and let it flow back down to your tank. However with the grow beds situated over each other, you will need a light under each grow bed. Also, your carbon filter won't be necessary as the water will be filtered as it flows through the grow beds back to the tank.

Other than than...GREAT DESIGN.. :mrgreen:

[Imhotep]

thanks for your feedback JCO :]

Yeah I agree simplicity is important. But it should be carefully balanced with efficiency. I wanted to make it even less energy dependend by removing the pump from the design.

The light problem could maybe be fixed with the use of mirrors? And I could make a gap in the veggie tables (separating them into two grow tables) so the light could travel trough.

btw: isn't it a problem thatthe plants and fish cannot exchange co2 and o2 continuously?

thanks!

[Imhotep]

any more suggestions?

[JCO]

Sorry, That's all I have so far. :mrgreen:

[Lordshandyman]

First off, welcome to the forum and to the obsession!

What a creative idea, have to say I haven't heard of this type of system before.... It kind of makes me think that you might be turning "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" into some huge orchestra symphony. With the complexity of your design, there is a huge amount of hurdels to overcome.

Would you be cranking the fishtank up and down 4 times an hour? That seems to be the current recommended cycle time for a flood and drain system. As far as using less electricity, a small water pump uses way less energy than having to use electric lighting. Water pumps can be setup to run off solar very easily. Way more easy than the pulley system.

Keeping the small water release hatch from leaking would be a constant chore and battle as well.

The fishtank would be extremely heavy and would fluctuate greatly with water going out and coming back in... would be difficult if not impossible to get counter weights set up correctly. Perhaps you would be better off getting an old fashion hand pump and just hand pump the water to the top, this can even be implemented using a pulley and bicycle as the motor. Great exercise as well!

Usually the water flowing from the pump into the tank, into the grow beds, into the sump tank provides good aeration and the growbeds provide great filtration. Using carbon filters just adds to the operational cost and complexity.

What kind of grow median would you use? Your growbeds are sloped quite a bit, and hydroton would all roll to the bottom. Gravel is heavy, and would slide downhill as well. Perhaps level your beds and have drain pipes to the next lower bed. Then you could use whatever median you would like, or even raft systems.

I like how you have your system compact, but in real life, it might be 18 feet tall by the time you get enough space between each growbed to make room for the plants and median. Oh, and don't forget to make room for the lights too if you have the beds to close together. Remember, unless you are making a fiberglass growbed system, you have to account for extra thickness for each growbed plus the median root zone.

Hope I haven't discouraged you in any way.... I love the creative thinking.

[Imhotep]

Thanks for you very useful answer Lordshandyman : }


I agree, the tank would be very heavy and it'll be way more relaxed with a small pump powered by solar panels. This will also eliminate the need for a hatch.

The grow beds will be leveled prob indeed. I like the raft systems the most.

No, you just inspire me to make it real, because of your realistic approach. Currently I'm a student so my funds are very limited. I'll start my aquaponic adventure with building some solar panels myself. I've a project with some friends where we inform people about self and co sufficiency, so we can do something good and still make a small buck.

thanks again

bye!

[Lordshandyman]

glad I could help, definitely post pics of your progress as you grow.

[Imhotep]

I'll do : ]