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  1. #1
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    GK Daddio - My 300 gal Raft System

    Being new to aquaponics and not wanting to deal with bed media I decided on building a small raft system in my basement. I though about setting up a small greenhouse to go with a larger system but knowing winter was around the corner at the time, I felt the basement would be a much better first step and cheaper all the way around. I was able to round up the bed frame from crates that came from my job, cinder block that was remaining from an old compost pile and a pump that I had left from my past business.
    I was leaning to stocking with hybrid bass or trout as I didn't want fingerlings but couldn't get a supply at this time of year. I reached out to White Brook Tilapia in the mid west and they are shipping me 3" fish which is Awesome . I have had the system running for several weeks so the chlorine won't be an issue and have added some vitamin C just in case for chloramine. PH is running at about 7.6 and everything else barely on the scale. Hopefully in a few days me system will start its cycling process with the new fish being introduced.

    Below is a picture of my system which I based on simplicity and some room to add on to. The beds are around 2.75" x 3.75" x 8" deep and lined with PEVA shower curtains are non toxic or so its said and cheap. The FT is the same as the beds but 20" deep as has a 1200 gph pump feeding into a 16" round 24" high homemade biofilter which uses bio balls and cut up filter on the bottom half for bacteria buildup and a washable filter pad above that catching the water feeding in from the top. 3/4" hose feeds the filter and 1 1/2" feeds the beds which turns to 1" after the valves. The returns to the FT are 1" with one pulling water from the bottom of the bed and the other from the waters surface (2nd bed still needs them). At some point I'm going to have to put in a bypass and coupler in case I have to do major filter cleaning and I should have set the FT on a foam pad for insulation now that I think about it.

    I just dropped a 800 watt heater in to bring the water up to 78 degrees for the new fish but that will slowly be reduced down to around 72 degrees for less energy use. The water without the heater was maintaining a 62 degree temp, boo . So it looks like I going to have some more daily rituals shortly but if everything goes well at least I'll know where my greens are coming from.

    Still have lighting to put in but I have sometime for that which helps for getting the cash together as well, using LED. Other than that I should be in good shape to start and hopefully by spring I will be adding in a few flood and drain beds, vertical towers or possibly an NFT addition.
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    Visits to my cousins farm made me want to become a farmer. Life wanted me to be more mainstream but now is the time I come full circle and attempt my childhood dream.

  2. #2
    Members topz's Avatar
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    Sep 2013
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    Omaha, Nebraska
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    Re: GK Daddio - My 300 gal Raft System

    Man that looks pretty d*mn good I like the simplicity and the use of things just laying around. Good idea on the curtains.

  3. #3
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    Re: GK Daddio - My 300 gal Raft System

    Thanks Topz. This had to be on the cheap for the first round or at least until I free up a little more cash. As for the curtains, I got the idea searching the internet and a little more digging to find that PEVA was the way to go.
    Visits to my cousins farm made me want to become a farmer. Life wanted me to be more mainstream but now is the time I come full circle and attempt my childhood dream.

  4. #4
    Moderator JCO's Avatar
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    Re: GK Daddio - My 300 gal Raft System

    Looks very ingenious...and it also looks like you have a huge basement so there's plenty of room for expansion. Keep the photos coming along with progress reports.
    JCO
    Irish eyes are always smiling but
    • "In the eyes of the world, you are only as good as your last success"
    so never forget
    • "MAN IS ONLY LIMITED BY HIS IMAGINATION"

  5. #5
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    Re: GK Daddio - My 300 gal Raft System

    Well I have added a safety net to the system. Since I designed it with the system pump pulling from the fish tank I thought it best to add in a float safety switch and wound up getting a Watchdog Dual Float Sump Pump Switch with Controller in case a pipe or hose blew out not that I expect that. better safe than sorry!
    Highly recommend it on any system not working off of gravity alone.
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    Visits to my cousins farm made me want to become a farmer. Life wanted me to be more mainstream but now is the time I come full circle and attempt my childhood dream.

  6. #6
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    Re: GK Daddio - My 300 gal Raft System

    Lost three fish in the past week with the biggest one in the tank (4") today. Have been checking the water every few days and since Xmas I have gone from zero ammonia to 2.4 and back to 0 - 0.1 today, nitrites from zero to an explosive 3 or close to it today and nitrate from zero to 50 ppm. The high nitrites is kind of through ink me for a loop since I went from 1.2 to 3 within five days
    I have gone through two 15% water changes in the past two days and will check levels again in the AM.
    I know the higher ph can be an issue getting the system to cycle but I have now seen the level drop from 7.8-8 down to 7.5 which is at least on the right track. I added some bacteria two days ago and will have to add some more I think but with possibly more water changes and wondering if I should wait.
    At this point I am pretty confident the the high nitrite levels are what did the fish in but anyone have any other thoughts?
    Visits to my cousins farm made me want to become a farmer. Life wanted me to be more mainstream but now is the time I come full circle and attempt my childhood dream.

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