Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey guys, this is the start of My third system. Initially it is going to be very different, you could say "wrong" compared to all the other systems out there, but if it doesn't work well setup how i am planning, its going to be pretty flexible, and easily changed.

The first MAJOR difference is that my growbed to tank volume ratio is going to be extremely low compared to most systems. It will initially prob be something like 0.2 to 1. My biological filtration will be a fluidbed sand filter, and i will mechanically filter out the solids. System water and the waste solids will be used to water 3 fruit trees (going where my current ap system is). I am not having the fruit trees grown aquaponically as i believe i will loose ALOT more water through transpiration than if do weekly water changes to the trees (with expected simmilar growth, etc)


Quotes From http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_4_2_18t.htm
"As with human respiration, trees tend to transpire more with increased temperatures, sunlight intensity, water supply, and size. "

"Plants transpire vast quantities of water - only one percent of all water a plant absorbs is used in photosynthesis; the rest is lost through transpiration. In one growing season, one corn plant transpires over 200 liters"

The system will consist of 2 tanks approx 2000l each (1.5m by 3m by .5m) And are ex abalone tanks. The Tanks had a 100 mm hole, which i used a 80mm flange and a threepack of funnels ($1) to convert into a drain

The growbeds, will be whatever i can find cheap

the pics are abit blurry but you get the idea

dan the tanks have straightened out nicely, any clues on how you managed that?

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www.thefishfarm.com.au

They were sitting in the rain/weather, and as they filled up abit, and maybe the sun heating them up abit...they straightened out....

in other words i did nothing it just sorta happened......will definately need to reinforce them if i dont want them to bow out though

Oh, forgot to mention will have some aquatic plants (substrate free...eg floating plants) for the fish to hide in/play so that will use up some nutes too

I have Kang Kong and Water Chestnut in pots filled with gravel in my large system. Haven't tasted the KK yet but the chestnuts tasted ok.

will post something witty and helpful when i get back, but for the mean time can you light that metho up and make an old man happy?

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The only tool you need is a paperclip

Why do you think the bottle is already half empty?

nice work

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The only tool you need is a paperclip

Moved one of the tanks into position yesterday......It was fun making sure the drain didn't hit anything and break it, while dragging it up a hill, and pushing it up a cliff face.

Then today i discovered my pump didn't have nearly enough power to pump water up from the other tank (and rainwater tank), so in my eagerness to test my drains integrity, i carried some water up in buckets.... Tank has 5cm of water, and the drains working good.....

Really want rain so it can fill it up some more

chucked in a handfull of duckweed, wont multiply much with the cold weather, but hopefully a bit by the time i add fish (dumping in water change water from indoor tanks to give the duckweed some food)

Added fish today......

What sort Dan?

Just two lil fantail goldies (one albino, one norm), had a few mosquito larvae in there, so they serve two purposes eat the wrigglers and test the water.....