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  1. #21
    Members
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    Dec 2011
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    Dubuque, Iowa
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Hi, how do you keep the fish from going in the pump inlet? Are the scrubbies or bio balls just in a pipe with the water flowing around them on it's way to the plants? I have a hydroponics setup with 21 dutch buckets with tomatoes and cucumbers and an NFT system with Brussels sprouts, spinach, string beans,cabbage, and broccoli and I would like to add a fish tank with tilapia in it. Do I need a place in the tank with gravel for the fish to lay eggs in? Jay

  2. #22
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Sep 2010
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    Zone 9b
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    2,294

    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Quote Originally Posted by jay
    Hi, how do you keep the fish from going in the pump inlet? Are the scrubbies or bio balls just in a pipe with the water flowing around them on it's way to the plants? I have a hydroponics setup with 21 dutch buckets with tomatoes and cucumbers and an NFT system with Brussels sprouts, spinach, string beans,cabbage, and broccoli and I would like to add a fish tank with tilapia in it. Do I need a place in the tank with gravel for the fish to lay eggs in? Jay
    Are you going to add the fish to the hydroponic solution or will you change out the water completely and then run off the fish waste as your plant nutrients?

    Please read through Oliver's posts to get an idea on how everything works. It will answer most of the questions you have before you have them!

  3. #23
    Members
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Dubuque, Iowa
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    4

    Re: Biofilter setup question

    I was going to build a new tank with a sloping bottom, I would hate to put the fish in all that fertilizer, than i would just run the water up to the NFT beds first until the fish get bigger. I read all 6 of Oliver's posts about setting up flood and drain beds- they were Great! I need to study everything 10 more times i think. Jay

  4. #24
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    Jun 2010
    Location
    Fairport Harbor, Ohio
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    1,073

    Re: Biofilter setup question

    you'll need to filter the water prior to it going to nft or you'll have all kinds of problems with clogging/root rot/solids buildup..

    a "SLO" -soliids lifting overflow- can be set up to remove water from your tank to a sump, which then can be pumped up to growbeds.. or a filter of some kind.. if doing just nft..
    i've seen plenty of systems with the pump in the ft though.. and it usually is not a problem.. if you have a pump with a pre-filter, i'd recommend removing it (the filter)

  5. #25
    Members
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Dubuque, Iowa
    Posts
    4

    Re: Biofilter setup question

    I really like Oliver's tower, I would like to incorporate bio balls into it, kind of like a skippy filter setup with the screen partway up holding about 5 gallons of balls or cut up floor scubber pads. I hope to have a drain at the bottom of the fish tank to drain off poo. jay

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