Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm finally taking the plunge.

I've bought two black IBCs which I plan to connect at their drain taps. I'll drain the FT above each tank into the other tank so that they form one system rather than two. The setup will be chop and flip with bell siphons on each GB.

I bought eight 16kg bags of scoria for around $10 each from a local hardware store that begins with a "B" and I plan to pick up a 25m roll of13mm poly pipe and cut it into 150mm lengths to mix in. This should allow me to reduce the overall density of my grow beds to keep the weight down. I figure that I'll still have greater surface area than if I'd gone the more expensive route of the clay balls as the scoria looks to be 10-15mm. This way will only cost me $90.

Hopefully the break from work at Christmas will see me get my system set up and I can post some piccies.

Cheers
Nigel

sounds like a plan Nigel, good luck.

post the pics and questions as you go and sure the members will chip in with inspired thoughts..

not sure on the pipe. You run the risk it creates anaerobic (low oxygen) zones.
Scoria is generally lighter than most rock - just go with that.
some people have mixed clay and scoria.

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Darren ( dlf_perth )

May the fish sh*t and the plants grow.....

Thanks for your response, Darren. Is your concern that one or both ends of the poly sections could be blocked by scoria, causing trapped water?

dead water = bad water in any system.
you need good DO throughout to maximise plant roots and worms etc.
The pipe offers no benefit.


I would just stay with the rock media.

p.s. make sure the scoria you brought is not coloured
(ie. natural)

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Darren ( dlf_perth )

May the fish sh*t and the plants grow.....

So, last time I posted, I was just in the planning phase. Things have moved a bit since then,

I now have two chop and flip IBCs with FTs connected via a 50mm PVC pipe below the low tide mark. I am using two Aquapro AP550s per FT with one pumping to each GB (FT1 sends water to GB1 and GB2, FT2 sends water to GB1 and GB2). I've included a diagram.

When a GB drains into the FT below, the rise in TF water level causes a flow of oxgenated water into the other FT via the connecting pipe.

I have just started to cycle the system. I added a couple of dried mussels and a small amount of raw chicken to one of the FTs and have had daily ammonia readings of 0.25ppm and 0.5ppm since.

I also have a third IBC which you can see in the pics. It was actually one of the first two IBCs I had delivered. I got cocky and sloppy and accidentally cut the GB from the bottom rather than the top. After ordering another IBC (and un unbelievably intense and prolonged bout of swearing) I decided to make a couple of GB sized FTs which I think I'm going to be using for duckweed and freshwater shrimp. I may end up using the top tank as another GB in the future when I've forgotten how much I've already spent on growing media.

Speaking of growing media, I have a layer of non-sinking (sigh) clay balls, sandwiched between layers of scoria. I started with scoria, got concerned about the weight and so continued filling with clay balls, got frustrated by their indefatigable bouyancy and so switched back to scoria to finish off. I think I might need another 15L back of scoria split between the two GBs to finish off.

Once the cycling is done I plan to stock with jades and redclaw.

Not sure why the photos in my last post are upside down, but I guess it is an Australian system

Neat trick keeping scoria in upsidedown growbeds

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My System
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=12070

Yeah, had to get the stuff from a place called Pandorum. Tall guy with really bad cyanosis sold it to me. I think he said he was ex navy. Anyway, did the trick and the the clay pebbles were no problem on account of them being so freakishly bouyant.

he did say it was a chop and FLIP system.

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Rob
My greenhouse / aquaponics adventure
My DIY PVC Hoop House

Could grow those Tomatoes that hang upside down in buckets

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My System
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=12070

First some backstory - Due to some carelessness on my part cutting my IBC for a chop and flip system, I ended up with two growbed-sized tanks, one above the other. I've started off some duckweed in these, but I wanted to make more use of them than that, so I figured I'd try making some free-standing strawberry towers for the top tank.

Pictures below probably tell the full story. Just 90mm downpipe, some pvc cement, and a few polypipe watering system fittings and tubing.

I've also included a couple of photos at the end showing the chop 'n flip systems and a view into one of the tanks showing my redclaw apartment blocks.