New setup design, feedback?

[HillSider]

I'd like to get an system set up in the next few months. My house has a small area where I can convert an existing planter bed into a grow bed area, and utilize some extra space in my pool equipment area (nice access to power and water) for the fish tank and sump. It will take some tricky plumbing but I think it is possible.

The system will consists of a 50-100 gal fish tank (size tbd), a sump (size tbd), strawberry towers, and a small grow bed (10-14" deep).

I'd like to raise talapia, strawberries, lettuce, cilantro, carrots, etc.

Would this system make an effective aquaponics set up? What can I do better that will improve my system?

I have 10 years of saltwater reef tank experience, so I'm leaning on this experience in designing an aquaponic system.

As part of the sump I have planned a bio balls area, which is similar to a wet dry salt tank filter. Since my grow bed area is somewhat limited I was hoping to use the bio balls area to hold additional beneficial bacteria to help balance the system. Does this work in the practice of aquaponics?

Check out the plan and let me know what you think. Ideally I'd like this to be an aquaponics learning experiment, and eventually take my learnings to a 1/4 acre south facing hillside that I have access too.

Thanks in advance with the project advise.

General system plan
[attachment=1:d83hfyzy]aq set up.JPG[/attachment:d83hfyzy]

Location and equipment placement
[attachment=0:d83hfyzy]aq location.JPG[/attachment:d83hfyzy]

[JCO]

If possible, the sump (that's where solids are collected) should be between the F/T and the bio-filter (you could eliminate the sump and use filtering material in the bio-filter to collect the solids) and then the water is pumped to the grow beds and then back to the fish.

Try to keep your grow bed higher than the F/T, thus the water can flow back to the fish from the grow beds via gravity and if you eliminate the sump, the water could then be pumped to the grow beds from the bio-filter eliminating one pump (the one in the sump.

[grimsteph]

I suggest googling "aquaponics CHOP". It's a good system design that uses one pump.

[HillSider]

seems like the CHOP system is a constant flow. based on my limited research it seems i should go with a flood and drain system.

is there a sprinkler part that can change my water flow from the fish tank to the grow bed every hour (something with a programmable timer)

[Oliver]

Hillsider,

Unless you already own the tall tank you have shown in your diagram, or unless you are insisting on going with a chop system (which is flood and drain) then I would suggest going the more conventional route and use a low fish tank with a submersible pump in it, elevated media filled flood and drain grow beds/bio-filters and enough extra water pump pressure to feed your towers and let everything drain back into your fish tank.

It would simplify your system design, thereby reducing the number of components.

You will want to flood and drain your grow beds via auto syphons about four times per hour in order to properly aerate the bacteria residing on the grow bed media and plant roots. This will also add aeration to the water returning to you fish tank. The water is always continuous flow into the grow beds at a rate that fills them four times per hour but is syphoned out quickly.

You will need about 3 to 4 gallons of bio-filter for every pound of fish you plan on growing at their maximum grow-out size.

In any event, regardless which system you decide on, you should never start and stop pumps using a timer; for it really shortens the life of your pump and one or the other will fail and fish may die.

You will need to add aeration to your fish tank, recommended 7.5 GPH of air for each gallon of water in your fish tank. This should keep your DO up to around 6 to 7 ppm, which is required for optimum fish growth and system health.

If you would like to talk more about this on the phone this weekend then feel free to give me a call the the number I gave you in a previous post. Ok, I'll give it again 760-228-3201

Oliver

[HillSider]

Thanks for the feedback Oliver and the phone number. I'm in the planning stages right now and I hope to have my system live in 1-2 months. I'll look at simplifying the system design and getting down to one pump for the whole system.