Aquaponics in Japan - Feedback on design for Community Group?

[Japan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本]

Hi there everyone,

Recently we have been working with a small community group that was seriously affected by last year's earthquake here in Japan. We have been talking about helping them to build a backyard-sized aquaponics system into their community garden to provide an activity for both children and elderly people.

Some of these individuals are still facing mental and emotional difficulties after last year's events and so the hope is that a community garden will be therapeutic, as well as providing a great activity for everyone, and finally they can either eat their own produce or run a small market garden or something like that.

We are trying to put the system together as simply as possible so there is nothing fancy or clever here. It would be great if you could take a look at the plans that we have posted and let me know your thoughts and/or suggestions. Anything would be most welcome.

http://www.japan-aquaponics.com/ANZCCJ-Tohoku

Here is a screen grab of the design, but please check out the link for the accompanying details of the design and tell me what you think.

Thank you,

Aragon

[Japan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本]

Sounds good Averan.  I decided to go with a straight constant flood design as it would certainly simply matters somewhat and would eliminate the need for the sump.  I am not sure that the siphon draining directly into the DWC is going to be effective, and does mean that you will need to have the DWC below the media beds by some margin to allow for the siphon piping.

BYAP did an experiment with the three main systems, Flood and Drain (Siphon), Constant Flood and Flood and Drain (Timer and 'leak' holes - 15mins on - 45mins off).  The planted three beds exactly the same and then monitored each system for a year and every couple of weeks or so posted up all the results and photos.  There really was not very much in it at all to be perfectly honest - I was quite surprised.

I saw your original design and it looked good... looking forward to the new one.  My own design for the new system being built in my yard is in some ways similar to yours... instead of NFT though I will have the water return to the tank via towers.  I am in Japan and so space is at at premium... so the towers may be a little more 'fitting'