A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Help!! Help !!! with new filtration and set-up.

Hi,

I have a set up of 2 55 gal blue barrel with Tilapia and guppies separate. I have young ones and they are growing well. Issue of overcrowding and feeding.

1. I would like to use a water storage container a 250 gal tank with top cut off. he black ones.

2. I have a bio filter in place. I bought a little giant submersible pump. to use with the water 250 gal tank I am looking to use a pre-filter set up like mentioned here

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/clearpond.html

and a post filter like this

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/gfdiypondfi...

where I am from we only have limestone readily available. After a moderate discussion with a local pet store owner he recommended the use of carbon & if unable to get inert stone material to use bio balls,or home made bio balls made from plastic scouring pads or old plastic bottle caps after sterilising them ( this was also recommended by a local koi breeder (The bio ball bottle cap aspect in place of gravel). he does pond set-ups with success.

I am looking to use a floating raft system. Instead of using poly (white board) looking at using 1/4 " ply to top

Looking to change set-up asap. I feed them koi sticks but will give them Tilapia feed asap. tries cabbage but they didn't eat it raised them from fry from march on koi stick till now.

Found 3 dead this am not a good feeling at all.

Please for help and direction needed.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Harold Sukhbir on August 6, 2013 at 3:46pm

Hi Henrique,

Is it that you're expanding your system with other components including a Floating Raft? If so you will need a mechanical filter to remove the fish waste buildup. You would need to cycle the new system before transferring the fish. You can design a simple swirl or net filter for the purpose. You can run the FT directly to the filter. A drawing or some pics will be helpful.

Permalink Reply by Wayne Mcbryde on May 14, 2015 at 8:08pm

In answer to your question about media for your bio filter. Forget the bottle caps and bio balls. I'm new to aquaponics but have had water gardens for 20 years. I have a 600 gal pond with goldfish and an 80 gal bio filter with scrubber pads for media. My pond has been crystal clear for years. Get the scrubber pads used on commercial floor scrubbers. Purchase new ones and rinse then. Cut them into peace’s about the size of your hand or smaller. They have a LOT of surface area and that is what you need.