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jvision
01-28-2014, 09:35 AM
Since seeing the bare produce section this winter, my wife and I have decided to be a little more self-sustained. When deciding on where we should put a few different AP systems, she asked me to set up a little system so she could grow some herbs and spices. I breed aquarium fish, so I have quite a few of the parts just kicking around - it's a little bush-league, but it should do the trick.

Here's what I started with - a 10gal tank with Hamburg Mat Filter powered by a MaxiJet 300 (I believe) powerhead. I'm not sure if you notice out the window, but those snow mounds are about 8' high... and that's after an unseasonal week of melting!
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/MillerJason/Fish/Message_1389824988346_zpshtmnblcr.jpg

I've only drilled the back pipe, so far - I have more pots on the way. The flow is pretty high for the system, so I didn't want the water just spilling out of the holes for the pots on the front pipe. I'll probably go pick up a throttle valve for the powerhead to slow down the flow a bit. Before the grow tubes were installed, the heater was behind the filter and kept the tank at 78F (what the fish like); however, it cools off significantly in the pipes and the tank is at 70F, so I moved the heater into the tank. This heater is only 50W, so I'll pick up a 100W and place it on the right side of the tank
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/MillerJason/Fish/CAM00027_zps8feghzbd.jpg

The fish are Lamprologus brevis. They live in empty snail shells. There are 9 in there - they're pretty small, but I'm hoping that they produce enough waste for some simple herbs. Seeds were planted a couple days ago - hoping to see sprouts by week's end.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/MillerJason/Fish/CAM00028_zpsigctipsj.jpg

foodchain
01-29-2014, 12:50 PM
Don't use a throttle valve. It dead heads the pump and it will wear it out faster. Create a Y split and recirculate one arm of the Y. Install a 1/4 turn valve on the pot side of the Y arm. And recirculate in a loop the other. Like this:

Left Y = Pot/bed Right Y = loop back into the tank.

This allows the pump to stay wide open without dead heading and allows you to control flow rate on the beds. I have burned up a lot of pumps before I figured this out.

jvision
01-29-2014, 03:21 PM
I know what you're saying about burning the pump out, but this little powerhead is mag-driven - those guys are supposed to be able to be throttled back w/o affecting the pump...
I have about 6 of these little pumps kicking around, so if this one burns out with the throttle on it, I'll go out and buy a few more connectors and do it the 'right way' then. :)

dead_sled
01-30-2014, 11:23 AM
Extra flow diverted back to the tank is a great way to oxygenate. Just something to consider.

SimonB
01-31-2014, 06:30 AM
Hi,
Throttling the flow should not be a problem for the pump as long as you keep it on the pump curve for the pump in question.
Too high flow (i.e no backpressure) can be as bad as too high back pressure for a pump..
br,
Simon

jvision
02-07-2014, 09:14 AM
I ended up putting a T between the 2 pipes, so water pumps into each one, instead of having a flow-through from one pipe to the next. I'll get some pics up tomorrow - have quite a few sprouts, already!

jvision
02-09-2014, 03:08 PM
Here's a little update. I re-did how water flows thru the pipes, and internally modified the drains so that the pipes are almost full. Once the roots are most established, I may take out those internal mods - they stay about 1/2 full w/o the mods.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/MillerJason/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00041_zpsh9r14vnt.jpg

Here, you can see some sprouts starting. My wife did all the planting, but I think that's Basil and Thyme that are producing the most. I think there's also Oregano, Parsley, Dill and Sage.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/MillerJason/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00040_zpsgjsxn56m.jpg


Next project is probably Turtleponics for leafy greens

jvision
03-15-2014, 04:11 PM
Here's a little update. Basil doing great; parsley seems to be doing OK, same with chives and dill. Sage and oregano seems to have stalled, and rosemary never did sprout.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/MillerJason/IMG_20140315_165958_zpsplzov871.jpg

JCO
08-29-2014, 06:27 AM
OK, your system has been up and running for quite some time, give us a photographic update as to it's health now. :mrgreen: