Help, I caught the aquaponics bug...

[Lordshandyman]

There are many way to set up an AP system however the ideal AP system is ideally pumped from the fish tank to a sump for settelment of the particulates (poo/uneaten food) then to a bio-filter for nitrification (bacterial action) then to the grow beds and then back to the fish tank.

The sump can be replaced with the bio-filter providing you clean it regularily and have low density of fish in the tank. Pumping your particlulates to the grow beds will eventually clog the media and it will have to be removed and washed again usually in about one year if you have a high density of fish in your tank.

JCO,
Thank you for you input. If I went with the ideal AP system and tried to use only one pump, it would appear that in order to have growbeds at a convenient level, my fishtank would have to be really low, and my sump tank would have to be really high, and my bio filter fairly high.

My current location does not allow for me to bury my FT. So the top of my FT will be 4 feet min. That means the top of my grow beds need to be @6 feet. Then, the bio filter's bottom has to be at least @6.5 - 7 feet, and the sump tank higher than the biofilter top. My eves of my house are around 8.5 feet. I suppose the ideal AP system uses multiple pumps to achieve a decent height for the system. I prefer to use only one pump for this small system. When I build the larger system, perhaps I can incorporate your ideal AP system design then.

My current system will have 3 separate GB's. I plan on cleaning them in stages perhaps even 3-4 months apart, not all at once... so no need to recycle the system. Also, I am trying to work in the space that I have, so please keep in mind that I am trying to achieve as much success as I possibly can in such a small space that I have allotted. I realize that it requires a little sacrifice (and extra work) and it will not be a 100% perfect AP system.

As I said in my original post, there are many ways to set up an AP system, however there is only one correct way and I can attest to it for I had been doing Aquaponics for more than 15 years before I started this web site in 2007,. Please don't think me rude or a smart-ass as that is not my purpose. It's your show, do as you like.

All I can say to this is: I am extremely grateful that you did set up this web site. It has been a most valuable tool for me.

[Lordshandyman]

Quick question,
I am going shopping today and was wonder if 1/2" pvc pipe is big enough for the overflow pipe from FT to GB's. I have a lot of 1/2 around the house, but if it needs to be bigger, then I will need to buy it.

I plan on making my Bell siphon drain pipes to my ST at least 1" or more.

[bsfman]

Quick question,
I am going shopping today and was wonder if 1/2" pvc pipe is big enough for the overflow pipe from FT to GB's. I have a lot of 1/2 around the house, but if it needs to be bigger, then I will need to buy it.

I plan on making my Bell siphon drain pipes to my ST at least 1" or more.

Your overflow needs to be bigger! I'd use 1 1/2" or 2". Going 1/2", your drainage won't keep up with your fill rate.

For the size growbeds you are planning, I would think 1" would be minimum size for your standpipe. I might even go to 1 1/2".

[Lordshandyman]

I had my FT gravity drain into my media beds....I added red wigglers and they loved the fish pooh. The only thing they liked better, was when I buried banana peels in the media ...and the plants liked the banana peels too.

Something else that can help to keep a sysytem clean is 'scuds'.
The bio filters where I work, are full of scuds. I was amazed when I cleaned one that had been up and running for about 2 years...it was full of the little buggers and the filter was actually pretty clean.
The bio filters are on the raft systems..... when we lift up a raft, we normally see them on the roots and the bottom of the raft.

Do the worms mind if it's a gravel GB (maybe quarry gravel)? What are scuds? What kind of biofilter was it?

[Lordshandyman]

Quick question,
I am going shopping today and was wonder if 1/2" pvc pipe is big enough for the overflow pipe from FT to GB's. I have a lot of 1/2 around the house, but if it needs to be bigger, then I will need to buy it.

I plan on making my Bell siphon drain pipes to my ST at least 1" or more.

Your overflow needs to be bigger! I'd use 1 1/2" or 2". Going 1/2", your drainage won't keep up with your fill rate.

For the size growbeds you are planning, I would think 1" would be minimum size for your standpipe. I might even go to 1 1/2".

Thanks bfsman,
I will plan on 2" for my overflow then, and 1 1/2" for GB drains.

[Lordshandyman]

Well, I just about got the FT IBC cleaned out... Managed to pick up some concrete blocks yesterday, and just waiting for the gift card for Lowe's to arrive so we can go get the rest of the supplies (plastic jungle sells them for around 7% off)... It looks like we will have around $1500 into the system by the time we have plants growing and fish on the table. Small price to pay when we have a baby on the way.

[Lordshandyman]

Check out my Google Sketchup model here: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...47&prevstart=0

Let me know if anyone foresees a problem with my design. I have got the plywood for GB #2 and GB #3 done, just getting ready to head out side and see what else I can do. Will try to upload pics later.

[bsfman]

Check out my Google Sketchup model here: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...47&prevstart=0

Let me know if anyone foresees a problem with my design. I have got the plywood for GB #2 and GB #3 done, just getting ready to head out side and see what else I can do. Will try to upload pics later.

Nice sketch! Looks great!

I think you overestimated the capacity in gallons of your 1X3X5 GB's. 1X3X5=15 cu ft X 7.48 gal/cu ft = 112 gallons. Given this size, you can get by with 1" standpipes rather than the larger ones I previously suggested.

How big a pump are you planning to use?

[Lordshandyman]

Nice sketch! Looks great!

I think you overestimated the capacity in gallons of your 1X3X5 GB's. 1X3X5=15 cu ft X 7.48 gal/cu ft = 112 gallons. Given this size, you can get by with 1" standpipes rather than the larger ones I previously suggested.

How big a pump are you planning to use?

Good catch, I had a typo on the size of the 2 grow beds, they are in fact 8 ft... not 5 ft... I have the model updated now. Here is a new link: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...fef6ef82f11b47

I bought a Smartpond 2000-GPH Waterfall Pump
Item #: 81350 | Model #: WPR2000
http://www.lowes.com/pd_81350-48650-...7C1&facetInfo=

[Lance_Green]

What is a scud? Do we have them in the North?