BuildinganAquaponicsSystem

• Buildinganaquaponicssystemisveryeasyonceyouhaveasounddesign.Grow bed 4’ x 20’                 Sump 1          Bio Filter              Fish tanks (100 gal ea) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                     Sump 2             Radial Filter 

Key:  valve   

Water pump 

Air pump  

2” pvc  

1 ½” pvc 

Air line 

SystemOverview

• Thisisadualloopsystemwith:– 2100‐gallonfishtanks– aradialfilter– abiofilter– twosumptanks– 2waterpumps– 2airpumpswith8airstones– 4ft x20ft growbed.

SystemOverview

• Thecompletematerialslist,includingsupplierandcost,isfoundinahandout.

• Theentiresystemwillcostabout$2,000andisveryeasytodo.

• We built it in 4‐5 hours

DualLoopSystem

• Oneoftheprimarybenefitsofadualloopsystemisthatitenablesyoutoseparate,ifneedbe,thehydroponicsfromtheaquaculturesystems.Thisisimportantforthefollowingreasons:1. Ifyouneedtosprayorotherwisetreatthe

plantsyoucandosowithoutkillingthefish.2. Ifyouneedtotreatthefishorthefishdie,

thenyoucansupplementthenutrientneedsoftheplantswhileyouarebringingthefishbackonline.

Hydroponics Aquaculture

Grow bed 4’ x 20’                 Sump 1          Bio Filter               Fish tanks (100 gal ea) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                     Sump 2             Radial Filter 

DualLoopSystem

• Theaquacultureloopiscomprisedofthetwofishtanks,theradialfilter,thebiofilterandSump1.

• ThehydroponicssystemisSump2andthegrowbed.

• Thedualloopsystemrequirestheadditionofasecondwaterpumpaswellasvariousvalvestocontrolthedirectionofthewaterflow.

Dual Loop 

Aquaculture• 2 fish tank• Radial filter• Biofilter• Sump tank 1

Hydroponics• Sump tank 2• Grow Bed 

DescriptionofComponents,OrderofConstructionand

SystemFlow

FishTanks• Twofood‐grade100‐gallonRubbermaidstockwatertanksweresetuponcinderblockstobeatthehighestpointoftheentiresystem.

• Tankswerelaidoutandareaforthegrowbedsmeasuredtomakesureeverythingisspacedproperlyandwouldfit.

Close up3 layers high : tank 1

2 layers high: tank 2

1 layer: sump tanks

Cascading effect

FishTanks• Oneitemnotincludedinthissystem,butisnecessary,isthecoverforthefishtanks.

• Coversareimportantforatleasttworeasons:– First,youdonotwantyourwaterexposedtothesunbecauseitwillproducealgae.

– Second,youdonotwantfishjumpingfromonetanktoanothernordoyouwantthemgettingintoyourraftsystemwheretheywilleattheplantroots.

GrowBedorTroughConstruction• Theinsidedimensionsofthegrowbedsare49.25incheswidebyalittleover20ft long.– Thefloatingboardsare4ft wide.– Theextra1.25“widthallowsforsomemovementoftheboards.Totalwidth(outside tooutside)is52.25”.

– Thissingletroughwasconstructedusing2x12pressuretreatedlumber.

– Treatedlumberisokaytousebecausethefoodgradelinerusedinthetroughprotectstheplantsfromanychemicalleachingfromthetreatedlumber.

– The2x12sectionswerejoinedtogetherontheinteriorcornersusinggalvanizedbracketsandontheexteriorbysplicingwith1x4treatedwood.

– Thecornerswerereinforcedusinggalvanizedcornerpiecesand11/4"deckscrews.

Hole for return water pipe

1x4 wood splice bracket

GrowBedorTroughConstruction• Oncethelumberisassembled,laydownthelinerandcutittolength.

GrowBedorTroughConstruction• TheUltraScrimR20WWlinercomesasarollof6.167ft x100ft andisFDAapprovedasfoodsafe.

• Pondlinerworksjustaswellandischeaper,butisnotcertifiedasfoodgradesoitcannotbeusedifyouaresellingyourproduct.– TheUltraScrimonlycomesintwowidths,6.167ftand12ft sothattendstodeterminethewidthofthegrowbeds.

– The6.167ft widthisperfectfor4ft widebedswithsidesthatareunderafoothighwith2x12woodboards.

GrowBedorTroughConstruction• Oncelaidoutandcuttolength,thelinerwasstapledtothetopofthe2x12frame.

GrowBedorTroughConstruction• Afterthelinerisinstalled,1x2treatedlumberwasnailedontoptofurthersecurethelinerandfinishthetroughs.

• Predrilltheholessothatthestripsdon’tsplit.

Tipsonfoldingtheliner• Thecornerswerefoldedoveroneanother(thinkhospitalbed)insidethetankandthenthecornerlipswerecutalonga45degreediagonaltofacilitatestaplingtothetopoftheframe.

BulkHeadFitting

• ThebulkheadfittingisinstalledthroughthelinerbycuttinganXinthelinerandfittingitthroughthelinerandthetroughwall.

BulkHeadFitting• TightendownasmuchaspossibletoavoidleaksandfitthePVCpipeintoitusingahammerandscrewdrivertotighten.

WaterReturnPipe• Thepipeisconstructedoftwo10ft long,2inchSchedule40PVCpipe,cuttosizeusingasawzall bladeandjoinedtogetherwitha2inchslipcoupling.

WaterReturnPipe• Theintakeisattheendofthegrowingbedandhasafiltertokeepsolidsfromrecirculating.

• Thefilterisconstructedofhardwarenetandblackpetscreen,2”PVCendcap,and2clamps.

WaterReturnPipe• ThecompletedreturnpipeisleveledusingacoupleofscrappiecesofPVCpipe.

• Note:plumbingfixturesinthewaterneednotbegluedtogetherbecauseleakingisnotaconcern.

GrowBedorTroughConstruction• Thefinalstepistodrivesixteen3/4“x36"roundsteelstakesinwithasledgehammerandsecuredtotheoutsideallofthegrowbedbyscrewstokeepthewallsofthegrowbedfrombulgingwhenfilledwithwater.

EndFilter• Allfiltersareconstructedinthesamefashion.

• LaydownaPVCpipeandanendcap,spacedabout6"apart,androllthehardwarenettogettheappropriatesizeandcutit.

• Dothesamewiththeblackpetscreen• Jointhepiecestogetherwithclamps.• Trimexcessnetfromend.

PlumbingofFishTanks

• Thetwofishtanksareplumbedtocreateacascadingwaterflow.

• Holeswerecutthroughthesidesusingaholesaw.

RadialFilter• Aholethatisthesamesizeasthepail(excludingthelip)isthencutinthetopofthe30galloncontainerusingajigsaw.

• Thepailisthenfittedintothehole,thelipoftheedgecatchingonthecoverofthe30galloncontainer.

RadialFilter• Usingaholesaw, twoholesarecutinthebarrelmakingcertaintoavoidseams.

• InstallanelbowandapieceofPVCtotheinletpipeatthebottom.

Theholeatthebottomistheinletwherethewaterentersfromthefishtank.

Theholeclosertothetopistheoutletleadingtothebiofilter.

RadialFilter• ThetopofthePVCpipeshouldbeatalevellittlebelowtheoutletline.

RadialFilter• ThePVCpipefromtheinletpipeshouldalsocomeupinthemiddleofthepail.

• Theoutletpipeisoutsideofthepailsothatsolidsareforceddownbygravity.

Inlet Pipe

RadialFilter• Thisshouldpreventmostsolidsfromexitingtheradialfilterintothebiofilter.

Overviewofplumbingfromtheoutside.

In from the fish tank

Out to bio‐filter

RadialFilter• Athirdholeiscutinthebottomofthetanktodrainoutaccumulatedfishwastesolids.

• Solids canbeputintowormbinsforcompostingorwickingbedsorinthevegetablegarden.

Parts consist of:¾” Bulkhead fitting¾” ball valve

Bio-filter• Next,waterflowstothebio‐filter.• Itissimplya30galloncontainerwithalidthatcontainstwotothreepackagesofbirdnettingscrunchedupintothecontainer.

Bio‐filter• Thepurposeofthenettingistoprovidealargesurfaceareaforthebacteriatocolonizeandtransformammonia(toxictofish)intonitritethennitratewhichisnutritioustoplants.

• Youdon’tneedtodoanythingtoaddthebacteriaastheyareallaroundus.

• Ifyouwanttospeeduptheprocess,youcanspikeyourbio‐filterwithstore‐boughtbacteria.

Bio‐filter• The30galloncontainerisplumbedwithtwo2"holes,sawedwithaholesaw.

• Theinletbringswaterfromtheradialfilterandtheoutletistosump#1.

IN from Radial Filter

OUT to Sump #1

Bio‐filter

Bio‐filter• TheoutletisatalevelthatisessentiallylevelwiththetopofSump#1.

• Thispreventsbackflowfromthesumpintotheradialfilter.

Sump #1

Bio‐filter• Similarly,topreventbackflowfromthebiofiltertotheradialfilter,theintakefromtheradialfilterneedstobealittlehigherthantheoutlettothesump.

Inside View Outside View

Bio‐filter• Theintaketotheradialfilterhasanelbowdownsothatthewaterisforcedtopercolatethroughthebirdnetting.

Elbow

SumpTanks• Twosumpsareonlynecessaryifyouuseadualloopsystem.

• Otherwiseyoucanrundirectlyfromthebiofilterintothegrowbeds.

• Itisrecommendedyouhave1sumptankafterthebiofilterwhichservesadualpurpose:anadditionalsettlingtankandadegassingtank.

SumpTanks• Innormaloperation,thevalveleadingtosump#2andthepumpthatfeedsitareclosedandthevalvethatleadsbacktothepumpthatre‐circulatesthewatertothefirstfishtankisopen

FloatingRafts

• Thefinalstageofconstructionistheconstructionofthefloatingrafts.

FloatingRafts• Atemplateforholespacingforthefloatingraftsisa2ft x4ft with21/8"holesinitonapatternwithholes4"apart.

• Thisdesigngives122holeswiththe2ft x4ft template.

FloatingRafts• ItisrecommendedtocuttheStyrofoamboardinhalftomake2ft x2ft piecestomakeiteasiertoworkwith.

FloatingRafts• Anothertemplate(2.5ft x4ft)hasholesofsimilardiameter(21/8”)butarespaced8"apartandthereforeresultin24holes.

FloatingRafts• Holesspaced8"apartareperfectformaturegreens(lettuce).

• Theholesspaced4"apartareperfectforseedlings.

• Boththe2ft x4ft withholesspaced4"apartandthe2.5ft x4ft raftwithholesspaced8"apartweighabout30lb whenfull,whichisworkableformostpeople.

FloatingRafts• Somepeoplecreateanintermediatespacing(6"apart)forplantsthatarebetweenseedlingandfullmaturity.

• Alternatively,youcanusethesame4"spacing,butnotfillupalloftheholes.

• Ifyouchoosethislattercourseyoudowantsomeplugtoputintheemptyholesasanyexposureofthewatertolightwillproducealgae,whichyouwanttoavoid.

• Alsonotethatwhilethetemplatehasholesthatare21/8"indiameter,usea2"holesawbladetocuttherafts.

• Theextra1/8"inthetemplateistomakeitsothatthe2"sawbladewillfitinsidethetemplatewalls,makingitmucheasiertoworkwith.

Conclusion• Fromacommercialstandpoint,aquaponicsworksifyoucansellthefishtocoveryourcostsandyoucanminimizeyoursupplementalinputsandmaximizeyourincomebygrowinggreens(lettuces,microgreens,kale,etc.)andselltorestaurantsandfarmersmarkets.

• Plantsharvestedarestillalivesinceyouharvestthemrootsandallsotheirshelf‐lifeismuchlonger.

• Forexample,youcanharvestlettuce,keepingtherootballinabag,andreplantitaweeklateranditwillcontinuetogrow.

Conclusion• Generallyspeaking,youwillnotfinditprofitabletoproducetomatoesandotherfruitingplantsinafloating raftbed becausetheytakeuptoomuchspaceinyoursystem(e.g.onetomatoplanttakesup2sq.ft.vs.2lettucesin1sq.ft.)relativetotheirpriceandyoucannotsupplytheadditionalnutrients(potassiumandphosphorous)efficientlyincomparisontoothermethods.

Conclusion• Separatetheaquaculturesystemfromthegreenhousehydroponicssystemsothatyoudon’tusevaluablegreenhousespacetoraisefishthatpreferadarkenvironment.

• Thebiggestcosttothesystemwillbethegreenhouseandtheheating/coolingthereof.

Conclusion• Youneedtodecide,upfront,whetheryouneedcertificationofoursystemforthesaleoffishand/orvegetablesandbuildaccordinglyasitwillnotbeprofitabletotakethesystemapartandoutfititwithfoodsafematerialslater.

• Thefishsideoftheaquaponicssystemisnotveryprofitablesoyouneedtodeterminewhetherthecostofthefishharvestedforpersonaluseisatasatisfactorycost.