Rickles first system

Rickle

OK, so I have been on here for about a month and have been posting comments. So I reckon it is about time I man up and actually put some information about my system up.

As usual with me, when I decided to have a go at Aquaponics I spent a a week or two researching it then just jumped right in and started a system. Went of to the local hardware (yes all the Aussies can guess which one) found some things I thought I could use and went home and put it together.

Purchased a couple of pumps as I was not sure what I would need. Ended up the small one may have been very slightly to small 1100L/H (but is doing the job). The other was a sump pump and was way to big (it will be kept for a larger system later) :twisted:

At least being a handy man I can claim all the parts as an expense, ssssh :whistle:

The plan was for bottom sump
top FT
below Raft
below that flood and drain

Rickle

So then I got impatient and as soon as I got it put together I put plants in it and went of and purchased 6 goldfish. The colourless type as they are only $1ea at the pet shop.

I used Seasol and as I have 2 worm farms I dropped some wrigglers in also.

Photo taken 18/9/13

Rickle

I want to put yabbies under the raft. I know it is early in the season for catching them but went out to a mates dam and managed to get one.

Anyway I made him a little playground and in he went.

mantis

Very nice. Expansions will come, you do realise this yes

Rickle · **File comment:** Pics taken 22/9/13

Thanks Mantis, you jump the gun. It took less than a week.

More Pics soon.

Rickle

OK so more pics to keep the timeline and try and catch up.

These were after around three weeks. Have only been testing PH. but I think it was around now that it began to cycle. Up until now I think it was the worms and Seasol keeping everything going.

I noticed that when I added the new plants the original ones started to struggle a bit.

Nanniode Aquaponics

Cute little set up. So, you pump the water from the sump to FT and then gravity flow, right?

Rickle

Mostly, as I have put this together mostly just to do my own research every tank is a different style.

One raft, one syphone, one constant flood and one drip feed with only the bottom 2cm remaining flooded. The last two being the ones in the round tubs.
The drip feed one needed drippers to be place right where the plants were to be planted. I noticed that sometimes there was not enough water pressure to make them run. So I added a 7W 500l/H pump to the top FT. You can see the hose for it in the photos. So that tub gets a little extra flow now.

Also both the sump and the top FT have fish in them, they are both the same kind of fish at the moment. But I hope to use the top tank as a fingerling tank when I make my next system.

This system will have to be moved in a few weeks as I am moving out of my townhouse and into the country. I will have a lot more space to become even more obsessed with AP.

Charlie

Looks great Ricky

Is that a male or female yabbie? If you take a pic of the underside I can tell you

Rickle

Thanks Charlie,
But I already sexed him.

That's why he got called Boris.

Although once I move the system I hope to go catch another 15 to 20 to put in the tank. They are so easy to get around here. I want to see how I go breeding them under rafts, that is why I have a thin layer of gravel in the bottom. I understand that helps them breed.
If I can't get them to breed I may at least be able to grow them out.

Nanniode Aquaponics

Rickle wrote:

Mostly, as I have put this together mostly just to do my own research every tank is a different style.

One raft, one syphone, one constant flood and one drip feed with only the bottom 2cm remaining flooded. The last two being the ones in the round tubs.
The drip feed one needed drippers to be place right where the plants were to be planted. I noticed that sometimes there was not enough water pressure to make them run. So I added a 7W 500l/H pump to the top FT. You can see the hose for it in the photos. So that tub gets a little extra flow now.

Also both the sump and the top FT have fish in them, they are both the same kind of fish at the moment. But I hope to use the top tank as a fingerling tank when I make my next system.

This system will have to be moved in a few weeks as I am moving out of my townhouse and into the country. I will have a lot more space to become even more obsessed with AP.

Okay, got it. I think if it is made a bit more larger, your FT can act as a sump too and reduce the cost on power slightly.

Good luck with your move to rural. May I ask... why are you moving to country side? Less crimes? No pollution? To work in the farm or in a forest? Or, you feel more safe there? :lol:

Charlie

I wouldn't put any more than 2 in a tub that size mate, otherwise they will just destroy each other. Gravel isn't required to assist breeding, it's all seasonal and temp change.

Rickle

Nanniode: I originally grew up in country Vic and am now at a point that I want to get out of the city and have a work and lifestyle change. I have recently left my office job and started a handyman business and there is plenty of work for me out there.
Also it will give me room to play around with AP, hope one day it can supplement my income.

Before anybody jumps on me, no expectation of it replacing my income.

Charlie: I here you about the stocking numbers. My plan is to slowly introduce them to test stocking numbers. I have some ideas on design options to increase stocking numbers.
It may work or it may not but as this is really only a research system that is what the purpose is.

I have seen the commercial Yabbie systems that are basically cage farming and there must be a better way that is somewhere between that and dam farming.

Charlie

As far as I know the EDU systems never took off, which is a good thing. I've tried a range of experiments over the last 15 odd years, mainly in aquariums before I found AP so I'd like to hear of your ideas. My conclusion after all these years is yabbies are a good addition to AP but you just can't beat an earthen pond for various reasons.

Rickle

Nothing to scientific. Just basically supplying as many cavities as possible under surface as I can. As the tubs are much higher than you need for a raft I would maximize the depth with an extra layer.
When I do put more yabbies in I would have more pipes on the bottom and then a bunch more on top of the divider.

If I can manage to raise stocking levels I would take the time to knock up something a lot better constructed.

Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics