GK Daddio - My 300 gal Raft System

[GK Daddio]

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.