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Elizabeth's Aquaponic Garden Design
Hello fellow aquaponic gardeners,
I am new at aquaponics. Can anyone tell me if there is any problem with this design. I want to start with just one tank and one media grow bed, but I want to use an intrinsically expandable design that will enable me to add media and raft beds, and additional fish tanks, but with only one sump tank and one pump. This looks like it should work, but I want to be sure that I'm not missing something obvious.
Thanks in advance to anyone who looks at this design critically.
Elizabeth
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Comment by David Schwinghamer on March 1, 2012 at 6:23pm
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Hey Elizabeth, what type of containers are you going to be using? Did you say you were an engineer, if so wrap your head around this- I have always been trying to think of some way to give my fish aeration even if the power goes out? I have been thinking of some sort of fan system that would blow in the wind (hope there is some) that would make something else react that would finally do some splash effect in the water to make air because breaking up the surface is the best way to make oxygen.
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Comment by Chris Schup on March 1, 2012 at 4:06pm
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Expanded shale or hydroton is likely what I will use. The system is in development and will be built this summer.
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Comment by Elizabeth on March 1, 2012 at 3:29pm
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Chris,
Thanks so much for this. What an amazing resource.
By the way, what media are you using?
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David/Elizabeth, do you know of the IBC of Aquaponics manual? It’s a free, interactive PDF packed with many growers’ IBC system designs, plus several informative reference sections. Whether or not totes are a major component of your system, I suggest giving this manual a once or twice through (David, it may answer your question about what to do with the spare). It taught me plenty about how to configure and connect the dots. Find it here: http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/component/content/article/180.html ... Elizabeth, hopefully those grow beds on the deck will get more than 4 hours of direct sun. They will need it. If you haven’t already, start observing how the low winter and high summer sun moves across your property... before you make a final decision on the site, be sure your trees don’t shade too much of it. As you’ll read around here, metal can harm aquatic creatures, which is why we always see non-toxic components used in AP systems (and aquariums, etc.). If you’ve never kept fish before, read up on toxicity. This forum has all the info you need to get a system designed, built and running. Keep going!
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David,
You could use it for another fish tank and grow fish that thrive at a different temperature. That way you can kind of buffer the ambient temperature swings that drive your fish waste production rates. Here in CA the air temp can swing much faster than I can adjust the temp of a large tank of water. - Just a thought. I am thinking about doing this myself. Plus it gives you some variety at dinner time.
Elizabeth
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But wasn't it pretty?
I saw some comments pointing out the potential problems of copper dripping into the tank but he said that he had not had any problems with it - yet. I also noticed that there weren't very many pants growing in the grow bed - wondered about this too.
Check out the following:
Rob Torcellini
Greenhouse and in-home AP systems
Has water weighted flapper valves for draining
Complete computer controlled system
Great set up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBspR2p0YYM
Bigelow Brook Farm: www.bigelowbrook.com
I was really impressed with all the automation. And I loved those water weighted valves. This guy is pretty clever. I would love to go to work and monitor my system remotely. Though I probably wouldn't get much work done. I'm actually thinking of starting my first system at work, since I spend most of my time here anyway.
Elizabeth
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I do have three ibc totes to which one is the fish tank, one is the sump and the last is a spare and not sure what to do with it, any suggestions?
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The size of my sump is probably too large although I do have a tank leveler between my fish tank and sump tank. It will work because will be alternating filling up the beds so it doesnt lose too much water. Im not sure how to get this done but with my new friends it may be possible. I do have ball valves on all my beds so like Elizabeth said I can control the input.
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Comment by RupertofOZ on March 1, 2012 at 1:31pm
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Amazing beautiful copper and stonework AP system on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDyDyt77Mwc&NR=1&feature=end...
Dr David Epstein, D.O., founder of Earth Solutions developed the Farm in a Box aquaponic gardens for homes and schools.
The above system, and even the "Farm in a Box" systems.... aren't very amazing at all IMO....
And the system in the youtube video (not sure about the "farm in a box" systems...... is a hydroponic "ebb & flow" system, not a "flood & drain" system... and has some inherent flaws... like "iron" legs.... in a fish tank... which by nature will trend towards acidicy...
I'd be looking to other member systems here, and on other AP forums for inspiration Elizabeth...
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Oh, and I'm going to nix the sequencing valve and replace it with ball valves on the input to each bed. This way I can control the flow rate into each tank. A number of folks suggested this and I also saw lots of systems on YouTube that worked well this way.
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