Aquaponics

Postby **SCUMBAG** » Mon May 13, 2013 7:58 am

nice mate
not as healthy as the nandos we had but

Postby **Sho_OterMcGavin** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:54 am

looks awesome! such a good idea

I really want to grow my own veggies and herb plants and such, im just so lazy. when work is done thats it lol

Postby **Saratoga** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:36 am

Yeah JT ... that can be a problem ehh. The only real solution is a larger sump.
I know what you mean, my sump is 1500ltrs - total grow bed capacity is 2400ltrs. In my case I have 4 large grow beds that drain randomly enough the sump always has water in it, sometimes 2 feet deep other times is 5inch's deep. I need a larger sump.

I have had some drama though scummy, I cant get the damn chooks to eat the sinking pellets off the bottom... ive even tried weight belts

Postby **JToombsy** » Mon May 13, 2013 10:11 am

yeah lucky this system aint as complex as yours! i was thinking of maybe using throttle valves to regulate the flow but i will still have to time it right!!!

Postby **SCUMBAG** » Mon May 13, 2013 2:14 pm

Postby **cug** » Mon May 13, 2013 11:59 pm

Nice setup toga, impressive but no surprise with your background.
I was unaware of that forum. I haven't tried a setup yet, but i've been interested in this for years and lurk a bit on http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum and http://www.aquaponics.net.au/forum/forum.php.

I reckon this hobby will become big in the near future as fish stocks dwindle and fresh fish becomes more expensive to buy/harder to catch. Also ties in well with backyard beekeeping (which i've done a little of).

Bring on more permacultre/sustainablility threads - convert PiT into a hippie forum :lol:

Postby **Saratoga** » Tue May 14, 2013 8:37 am

Heya cug,

BYAP is a good forum (and is for sale including the manufacturing & retail side), the owners are great people honest and dte.

While I respect his contributions to aquaponics, Murray Hallam on the other hand is total dickhead. He has nothing more than very basic aquaculture skills and is an arrogant rude prick & I have told him so in person several times now. His video's are designed more to get you interested in paying for one of his courses based on potential commercial principals. Yet his attempt at a semi commercial system have failed on numerous occasions. I was an admin on his forum for several years until he questioned my identity & creds in a very public, scathing & attacking manner. OK, enough about MH, I think you gather where im coming from - lols

Aahh Bees ! - am in the middle of building 2 top bar hives atm ... cant wait for some home grown honey & comb.

Fish - I estimate I have about 130-150kgs ready for the table. I will be doing a small harvest this weekend and hope to transfer approx 30-40 kgs of silver perch into purging tanks. I have the next round of 300 fingerlings arriving thurs / friday. Maximum capacity for my system is approx 500 kgs per year.... @ $20/kilo thats a lot of fish fingers....

Speaking of permaculture, I am currently doing the PDC with Geoff Lawton, Zaytuna Farm is amazing.

enemesis · Postby **enemesis** » Tue May 14, 2013 3:23 pm

This is a pretty cool thread, I don't have the kind of property to be able to do this. If I did I would definitely be thinking about doing this kind of thing.

Postby **teek** » Tue May 14, 2013 11:36 pm

cool stuff. do a blog toga

Postby **frodo** » Wed May 15, 2013 8:11 am

Re your sump.... No experience in aqua farms but is the problem that it pumps dry and needs to be reprimed? If so couldn't you install a float switch so the pump turns off when the water level gets down to a certain level ?

Postby **Saratoga** » Wed May 15, 2013 12:05 pm

I do have a teek

Being a recirculating system frodo, the pump should never be turned off. Water circulation is the number one priority, maintains maximum oxygen levels for the fish, removes their shit into filters for processing then pumps that 'nutrient' on to the plants. Also, because most AP systems use a flood and drain method, as soon as you stop pumping - everything stops, the grow bed siphons require water to overflow before they kick into siphon... its a catch 22... the only real solution is a larger sump ... or completely different design, of which their are many.

Postby **JToombsy** » Wed May 15, 2013 12:44 pm

yeah i know my mate bought a diy instruction set from hallam and the measurements and shit differ from instructions on the pdf and the dvd!!!! what a smackhead!!!

Postby **frodo** » Wed May 15, 2013 3:41 pm

How about a tank or mains supply into the sump with a float valve at the level you want the water to stay at. If you used a small tank like a heating system head tank or a toilet cistern you could pipe an over flow to dump back into it in the case it introduced too much water into your system. You would situate your overflow to come from where you want your highest level to go to

Postby **teek** » Wed May 15, 2013 6:14 pm

wow toga - i had no idea u were into all that stuff; amazing! your place is inspiring.

also, your chickens are cuuuuute.

Postby **Saratoga** » Wed May 15, 2013 8:07 pm

Thanks teek... though my pedal powered internet needs some attention

Yes frodo, there are many solutions, many of which add another consideration.
As mentioned, I will be upgrading the sump & filter layout at some point because I have much more planned expansion for veggie growing .. it poses no problems as I have mega water easy on tap, inc bore, spring, dam & rain water tanks.

JT ... hows your m8's system ? ... you got things sorted yet ?
Happy to offer any advice if needed ... if he / you on f/b - https://www.facebook.com/groups/455401954523441/ or APHQ (my first link) ... or just bash it here

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