Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Well finally I have moved my first system to tie at the top of my list of priorities (don't tell my wife)
I have a couple of blue barrels, and finally bought an IBC for $100.
Contents was Sodium Lactate, sound dodgy but it's just a food preservative.




I'm planning on cutting the top third of the IBC to make a grow bed at the expense of FT volume.
I'm going to turn it upside down and place it on the FT like the BYAP vid shows, except I will be using the base as the base and reinforcing the top to hold the growbed. My base is plastic and cannot easily make a hole in the center.

First question, should I place the system under the balcony there? I was concerned about treatment etc from the wooden balcony falling into the FT/GB and affecting the fishes.. ?

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My System

Also just wanted some feedback on my standpipe in lid set up. I'm using 40mm pressure PVC fittings.
Does this look OK ?
I guess I will need some sort of rubber seal, as that is probably better than just silicone ?

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My System

I would opt for an open location with as little shade as possible. Its always easy to add shade but hard to increase sunlight. In short I would not put it under the balcony.

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Cheers
Rob

Remember. If you have never failed, you have never tried.

You didn't manage to get the fitting that screws straight into the lid? you may not have the one that screw in like that perhaps.. Seems every 3rd IBC is slightly different.

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www.havehomewilltravel.com
Life on the road

Yeah, my lid was just a blank one so I cut a hole in it with a holesaw.
You think a flat rubber seal of some sort will work well ?

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My System

All my tank fittings are those peices with a rubber ring on each side cut from an old tyre inner tube.. works for me..

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Inactive outside IBC mixed system
5 Yabbies in indoor aquarium herb system

Ok, thanks for the post
I would have thought tube rubber a little too thin, but you prove otherwise !
I will try it with bicycle tube

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My System

Washing 1/4 of a cubic meter of gravel is not really all that its cracked up to be. I would really hate to do a lot of it, especially the way I did it.
Pretty dirty stuff too. Dumped the load on my front driveway and spread it out and hosed it all. Then carried half a bucket (with holes in the bottom) through under the house to the back where I washed it some more then dumped it beside the IBC site.
Repeat...

Question: The gravel is supposed to be 20mm but its not graded so there is everything from 0.01mm to 40mm. I think the average is about 20mm though...
Do you think this might be a problem ??

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My System

I read on a post somewhere that the really tiny stuff could be a problem for the pump.
I got around that by washing it in a laundry basket that just let the smallest bits fall through.
I then just chucked that on the ground around the GB's to make a safer walking area.

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I am the sum of all I have Googled.
2010-2011-2012

hmmm, good idea about putting it on the ground, it is all fine rock dust and seems to set pretty hard !

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My System

So this is the site of the system.
In the foreground is my 1/4m3 of "Gold Coast" gravel that I spent half a day and several hundred liters of water washing. Its ungraded 20mm gravel, not sure what that is supposed to mean but it seems to be random sizes from about 40mm down to a couple of mm. Washing did not remove the really small stuff but I guess as long as it drains well its ok ?

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My System

The gravel.
You can see the range of sizes...
Any opinions ?

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My System

It's an aquaponics rite of passage, to wash your gravel. Good to see you have a system started.

By the way, "grading" of stone means sorting by size.

I don't see anything wrong with what you have there. Do you know what type of stone that you have there, as in limestone, granite, etc...?

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Mr Bill

The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan. You just have to be able to modify the plan.

Mr Bill's System
Mr Bill's Future System
Mr Bill's Dirt Garden

I am just about to get my first load of river pebble, I was thinking of going 8-10mm but will depend on what's available. I think with your stuff as long as the small bits are not going to get sucked through your siphon etc I imagine it would be fine.

Cheers
I think it is all types of different rock actually.

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My System