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  1. #1
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    All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    Hello, first time poster, short time lurker

    I'm up in MN looking to setup a system similar to wolfracers. I'll likely be going with a 150 gallon tank to raise tilapia and/or yellow perch. I'll probably end up going with about 5, 20 gallon grow beds, and i'm liking what i'm seeing with the loop syphons that wolfracer setup. Here are where my questions come in to play.

    1) I'd like to have the beds gravity fed, and only need to use a pump to take water from the sump back to the fish tank. Is this feasible?
    2) With a 150 gallon tank (probably filled with ~135 gallons), is it best to go with a round tank, or one of the rubbermaid stock tanks from somewhere like tractor supply?
    3) What should i be doing for a flood/drain schedule in a system this size? Do I need to have less grow beds, or a bigger tank to feed the number of grow beds I have?
    4) I'd like to go low-power on the pump, and am thinking of going with a DC EL-SID10B12 pump, which runs off of DC. The downside to this, is that with a 30" lift, I'd be limited to about 2.5GPM flow.

    After typing all of this out, I realized I'm really wishy-washy on all of this at the moment. I'd be open to any suggestions on what type of system to put in a 10x12 greenhouse.

    I'm excited to get my system put together, thanks for any help I can get.

  2. #2
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    The lady who runs the tilapia workshop in san diego, suggests FT's to be at least 35 inches in height. She says it makes a difference but lots of people have shallower tanks.

    I have a Rubbermaid Water Trough and they are excellent quality. My local Ace store was able to custom order it for me so i did not have to pay for shipping.

    Here is a diagram of a one pump flood and drain with sump system
    http://www.aquaponics.net.au/forum/atta ... 1245010520
    I'm considering this system for my next set up but i will definitely add an extra air pump.

  3. #3
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    It can be done with one pump, but not the way you describe. If you use a large stock tank for the fish, be sure to paint the interior white so you can see the fish. I have rubbermaid tanks and it is tough to see the fish.

    No reason to have a separate sump. You can put the fish in the bottom and the grow beds above. Flow rate should be about 1 turn over an hour minimum. That means if your tank is 300 gallons, you need a 300 gallon per hour flow rate. Design for double that as things don't always stay optimum. It doesn't hurt the fish to have the water level go up & down so long as they are left with enough water at the low point. If you have many beds, they won't cycle all at the same time, so the variation isn't likely to be all that much.

    Grow bed volume should be about 2 times the tank volume.

    Make all your plumbing easy to remove & clean. Do it now, or do it later. You'll do it, or give up.
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  4. #4
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    @urbanrunoff
    Thanks for the tips. I registered with the forum to see the link you sent, but I'm still in the "moderation queue".

    @badflash
    I got the idea of gravity fed beds here:

    http://www.aquaponics.net.au/Chops.html

    Basically using that setup except with loop syphons and no fingerling tank. Thank you for the time you took to post though, I am open to any and all suggestions, and since I haven't even purchased anything yet, I figured this is as good of a time to alter a half-cocked plan as any. I'm going to try and nail down more of the specifics of what I want to accomplish and then try and develop a strategy from there. I'll post back when I have more useful information.

  5. #5
    Moderator JCO's Avatar
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    Welcome to the show....pull up an easy chair, relax and stay awhile. New voices are always a welcome addition to our family..! Whatever questions you have on you mind, this is the place to get the answers.
    JCO
    Irish eyes are always smiling but
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  6. #6
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    Hi dwaller....

    Great idea planning ahead.
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  7. #7
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    All I'm saying is that if you make the sump bigger, you can put the fish in the sump and forget the separate fish tank and fingerling tank. The only difference is that the fish tank does not maintain a constant level. Saves $$$ on a beginner system. You can always expand it. Nice thing about these systems is that they are pretty modular.

    Quote Originally Posted by dwaller
    @urbanrunoff
    @badflash
    I got the idea of gravity fed beds here:

    http://www.aquaponics.net.au/Chops.html

    Basically using that setup except with loop syphons and no fingerling tank. Thank you for the time you took to post though, I am open to any and all suggestions, and since I haven't even purchased anything yet, I figured this is as good of a time to alter a half-cocked plan as any. I'm going to try and nail down more of the specifics of what I want to accomplish and then try and develop a strategy from there. I'll post back when I have more useful information.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  8. #8
    Moderator wolfracer's Avatar
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    Quote Originally Posted by dwaller
    Hello, first time poster, short time lurker

    1) I'd like to have the beds gravity fed, and only need to use a pump to take water from the sump back to the fish tank. Is this feasible?

    4) I'd like to go low-power on the pump, and am thinking of going with a DC EL-SID10B12 pump, which runs off of DC. The downside to this, is that with a 30" lift, I'd be limited to about 2.5GPM flow.

    After typing all of this out, I realized I'm really wishy-washy on all of this at the moment. I'd be open to any suggestions on what type of system to put in a 10x12 greenhouse.

    I'm excited to get my system put together, thanks for any help I can get.
    On number 1 this is exactly what I'm doing. Just make sure that you have the outlet of the fish tank high enough to feed to feed the growbeds and still have room for the sump under them. If I could go back and redesign mine, I would lift the fish tank another 4 " and use 3" feed line instead of 1 1/2".

    On number 4 this is probably not enough pump. I use a liitle giant pond pump 380 gph runs at 35 watts and provides enough lift and volume to get the job done. If you are going to do the CHIFT/PIST type of system you wilso need a good tank over flow from the fish tank to maintain the fish tank level. I was shooting for the ability to move the volume of the fish tank every hour.

    I fit all of what I am doing in a Harbor Frieght 10x 12 greenhouse. I have shutdown my riverbed system for a redisgn, current system is to susceptable to leaks and to hard to control flow. My original growbeds with loop siphons are still going strong!

    Good Luck with your system Hope this helps!

  9. #9
    Moderator jackalope's Avatar
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    dwaller, Welcome to the Forum, glad to have you on board!
    I use the Linux Operating System ...... Free as in beer!
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  10. #10
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    Re: All around questions (cycle times, sizing)

    In doing some more research, I think I like the idea that badflash suggested with eliminating the separate sump tank, and pumping from the fish tank up into the beds, then using bell siphons to feed back into the fish tank from the grow beds.

    I've been looking at this pump:

    Rule 25D Marine Rule 500 Marine Bilge Pump (500-GPH, 12-Volt)
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O8B7VO

    It runs 12VDC@1.9A, which is right around the 23W draw mark. I'd like to find a 12VDC powered aerator so that I can run these devices off of a battery, which is charged by the grid. Any suggestions on this, or should I just submit to needing an inverter and take the hit on efficiency? Also, how many GPH should the aerator be able to handle and how often should it run?

    I'll have more questions I'm sure, but this was on my mind at the moment.

    Thanks for the welcoming responses.

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