Help the new guy :-)

[davidstcldfl]

What type and size pump do you use ?

Submersible or in-line ?
If you use a submersible,are you using one designed for 'dirty' water use?

What size....GPM / horsepower....for how many gallon system ?

Is there a desired water change (GPM) per hour for an aquaponic system ?


I know there isn't a 'set' answer....but I'm looking for some sugestions. Dont want to go too big (too much electric $)....dont want to be too small, not enough circulation

Thanks in advance

[jackalope]

I use a pond pump I got from Lowes ..... 355GPM .... worked good for me ...... I'm shut down on the aquaponics for the winter .... can't keep this old saloon warm enough during the winter .... we had 26 degrees in here last winter ..... hopefully, we'll be in the mobile this winter

[davidstcldfl]

Thanks for the in-put on the pump Jackalope.

Now about this ''winter stuff'' I'm pretty sure, the inside of my fridge is warmer then your house was last year. :P

Why just last week, I had to turn on the 'heat'....it had gotten all the way down to 58


However, I understand that "Brrrrr" Montana is a beautful place !

[badflash]

Pick a pump size that will give you 4 water changes an hour. I like submersible pumps for smaller systems, but in my largest system I use a small pool pump.

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Badflash, The 4 water changes per hour......does that apply to 'just' the volume of water in the fish tank.....or 'all' the water in the entire system ?

I'm thinking you ment 'all' the water in the system (?)

Thanks for the help

[badflash]

Just the fish. The idea is to not allow any ammonia to build up with the fish. Longer delays in the bed just makes the water cleaner.

[stucco]

Hey dave, the little pump that came with the system turned the bed over every 12 minutes. I used a second 450 gph pump circulating water from sump to tank. I also had that air pump I showed you. All three ran off one wall outlet with a three way extension cord. So not that much power used. jon

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Jon, The pump you gave me......you used it to pump water from the sump to the grow bed ?

[stucco]

yes