BuildinganAquaponics
System
• Buildinganaquaponicssystemisveryeasyonceyou
haveasounddesign.
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,including
supplierandcost,isfoundinahandout.
• Theentiresystemwillcostabout$2,000
andisveryeasytodo.
• We built it in 4‐5 hours
DualLoopSystem
• Oneoftheprimarybenefitsofadualloop
systemisthatitenablesyoutoseparate,if
needbe,thehydroponicsfromthe
aquaculturesystems.Thisisimportantfor
thefollowingreasons:
1. Ifyouneedtosprayorotherwisetreatthe
plantsyoucandosowithoutkillingthefish.
2. Ifyouneedtotreatthefishorthefishdie,
thenyoucansupplementthenutrientneeds
oftheplantswhileyouarebringingthefish
backonline.
Hydroponics
Grow bed 4’ x 20’ Aquaculture
Sump 1 Bio Filter Fish tanks (100 gal ea) Sump 2 Radial Filter DualLoopSystem
• Theaquacultureloopiscomprisedofthe
twofishtanks,theradialfilter,thebio
filterandSump1.
• ThehydroponicssystemisSump2andthe
growbed.
• Thedualloopsystemrequiresthe
additionofasecondwaterpumpaswell
asvariousvalvestocontrolthedirection
ofthewaterflow.
Dual Loop Aquaculture
• 2 fish tank
• Radial filter
• Biofilter
• Sump tank 1
Hydroponics
• Sump tank 2
• Grow Bed DescriptionofComponents,
OrderofConstructionand
SystemFlow
FishTanks
• Twofood‐grade100‐gallonRubbermaidstock
watertanksweresetuponcinderblockstobe
atthehighestpointoftheentiresystem.
• Tankswerelaidoutandareaforthegrowbeds
measuredtomakesureeverythingisspaced
properlyandwouldfit.
Close up
3 layers high : tank 1
2 layers high: tank 2
1 layer: sump tanks
Cascading effect
FishTanks
• Oneitemnotincludedinthissystem,butis
necessary,isthecoverforthefishtanks.
• Coversareimportantforatleasttwo
reasons:
– First,youdonotwantyourwaterexposedtothe
sunbecauseitwillproducealgae.
– Second,youdonotwantfishjumpingfromone
tanktoanothernordoyouwantthemgetting
intoyourraftsystemwheretheywilleatthe
plantroots.
GrowBedorTroughConstruction
• Theinsidedimensionsofthegrowbedsare49.25
incheswidebyalittleover20ft long.
– Thefloatingboardsare4ft wide.
– Theextra1.25“widthallowsforsomemovementof
theboards.Totalwidth(outside tooutside)is52.25”.
– Thissingletroughwasconstructedusing2x12
pressuretreatedlumber.
– Treatedlumberisokaytousebecausethefoodgrade
linerusedinthetroughprotectstheplantsfromany
chemicalleachingfromthetreatedlumber.
– The2x12sectionswerejoinedtogetheronthe
interiorcornersusinggalvanizedbracketsandonthe
exteriorbysplicingwith1x4treatedwood.
– Thecornerswerereinforcedusinggalvanizedcorner
piecesand11/4"deckscrews.
Hole for return water pipe
1x4 wood splice
bracket
GrowBedorTroughConstruction
• Oncethelumberisassembled,laydownthe
linerandcutittolength.
GrowBedorTroughConstruction
• TheUltraScrimR20WWlinercomesasarollof
6.167ft x100ft andisFDAapprovedasfood
safe.
• Pondlinerworksjustaswellandischeaper,
butisnotcertifiedasfoodgradesoitcannotbe
usedifyouaresellingyourproduct.
– TheUltraScrimonlycomesintwowidths,6.167ft
and12ft sothattendstodeterminethewidthof
thegrowbeds.
– The6.167ft widthisperfectfor4ft widebeds
withsidesthatareunderafoothighwith2x12
woodboards.
GrowBedorTroughConstruction
• Oncelaidoutandcuttolength,thelinerwas
stapledtothetopofthe2x12frame.
GrowBedorTroughConstruction
• Afterthelinerisinstalled,1x2treatedlumber
wasnailedontoptofurthersecuretheliner
andfinishthetroughs.
• Predrillthe
holessothat
thestrips
don’tsplit.
Tipsonfoldingtheliner
• Thecornerswerefoldedoveroneanother(think
hospitalbed)insidethetankandthenthecornerlips
werecutalonga45degreediagonaltofacilitate
staplingtothetopoftheframe.
BulkHeadFitting
• Thebulkheadfittingisinstalledthroughthe
linerbycuttinganXinthelinerandfittingit
throughthelinerandthetroughwall.
BulkHeadFitting
• Tightendownasmuchaspossibletoavoid
leaksandfitthePVCpipeintoitusinga
hammerandscrewdrivertotighten.
WaterReturnPipe
• Thepipeisconstructedoftwo10ft long,2inch
Schedule40PVCpipe,cuttosizeusingasawzall blade
andjoinedtogetherwitha2inchslipcoupling.
WaterReturnPipe
• Theintakeisattheendofthegrowingbedand
hasafiltertokeepsolidsfromrecirculating.
• Thefilterisconstructedofhardwarenetand
blackpetscreen,2”PVCendcap,and2clamps.
WaterReturnPipe
• Thecompletedreturnpipeisleveledusinga
coupleofscrappiecesofPVCpipe.
• Note:plumbingfixturesinthewaterneednot
begluedtogetherbecauseleakingisnota
concern.
GrowBedorTroughConstruction
• Thefinalstepistodrivesixteen3/4“x36"
roundsteelstakesinwithasledgehammer
andsecuredtotheoutsideallofthegrowbed
byscrewstokeepthewallsofthegrowbed
frombulgingwhenfilledwithwater.
EndFilter
• Allfiltersareconstructedinthesamefashion.
• LaydownaPVCpipeandanendcap,spaced
about6"apart,androllthehardwarenetto
gettheappropriatesizeandcutit.
• Dothesamewiththeblackpetscreen
• Jointhepiecestogetherwithclamps.
• Trimexcessnetfromend.
PlumbingofFishTanks
• Thetwofishtanksareplumbedtocreate
acascadingwaterflow.
• Holeswerecutthroughthesidesusinga
holesaw.
RadialFilter
• Aholethatisthesamesizeasthepail
(excludingthelip)isthencutinthetopofthe
30galloncontainerusingajigsaw.
• Thepailisthenfittedintothehole,thelipof
theedgecatchingonthecoverofthe30gallon
container.
RadialFilter
• Usingaholesaw, twoholesarecutinthe
barrelmakingcertaintoavoidseams.
• InstallanelbowandapieceofPVCtotheinlet
pipeatthebottom.
Theholecloserto
thetopisthe
outletleadingto
thebiofilter.
Theholeatthe
bottomistheinlet
wherethewater
entersfromthe
fishtank.
RadialFilter
• ThetopofthePVCpipeshouldbeatalevel
littlebelowtheoutletline.
RadialFilter
• ThePVCpipefromtheinletpipeshouldalso
comeupinthemiddleofthepail.
• Theoutletpipeisoutsideofthepailsothat
solidsareforceddownbygravity.
Inlet Pipe
RadialFilter
• Thisshouldpreventmostsolidsfromexiting
theradialfilterintothebiofilter.
Overviewofplumbingfromtheoutside.
Out to bio‐filter
In from the fish tank
RadialFilter
• Athirdholeiscutinthebottomofthetankto
drainoutaccumulatedfishwastesolids.
• Solids canbeputintowormbinsfor
compostingorwickingbedsorinthevegetable
garden.
Parts consist of:
¾” Bulkhead fitting
¾” ball valve
Bio-filter
• Next,waterflowstothebio‐filter.
• Itissimplya30galloncontainerwithalidthat
containstwotothreepackagesofbirdnetting
scrunchedupintothecontainer.
Bio‐filter
• Thepurposeofthenettingistoprovidealarge
surfaceareaforthebacteriatocolonizeand
transformammonia(toxictofish)intonitrite
thennitratewhichisnutritioustoplants.
• Youdon’tneedtodoanythingtoaddthe
bacteriaastheyareallaroundus.
• Ifyouwanttospeeduptheprocess,youcan
spikeyourbio‐filterwithstore‐bought
bacteria.
Bio‐filter
• The30galloncontainerisplumbedwithtwo2"
holes,sawedwithaholesaw.
• Theinletbringswaterfromtheradialfilter
andtheoutletistosump#1.
IN from Radial Filter
Bio‐filter
OUT to Sump #1
Bio‐filter
• Theoutletisatalevelthatisessentiallylevel
withthetopofSump#1.
• Thispreventsbackflowfromthesumpintothe
radialfilter.
Sump #1
Bio‐filter
• Similarly,topreventbackflowfromthebio
filtertotheradialfilter,theintakefromthe
radialfilterneedstobealittlehigherthanthe
outlettothesump.
Inside View
Outside View
Bio‐filter
• Theintaketotheradialfilterhasanelbow
downsothatthewaterisforcedtopercolate
throughthebirdnetting.
Elbow
SumpTanks
• Twosumpsareonlynecessaryifyouuseadual
loopsystem.
• Otherwiseyoucanrundirectlyfromthebio
filterintothegrowbeds.
• Itisrecommendedyouhave1sumptankafter
thebiofilterwhichservesadualpurpose:an
additionalsettlingtankandadegassingtank.
SumpTanks
• Innormaloperation,thevalveleadingtosump
#2andthepumpthatfeedsitareclosedand
thevalvethatleadsbacktothepumpthatre‐
circulatesthewatertothefirstfishtankis
open
FloatingRafts
• Thefinalstageofconstructionisthe
constructionofthefloatingrafts.
FloatingRafts
• Atemplateforholespacingforthefloating
raftsisa2ft x4ft with21/8"holesinitona
patternwithholes4"apart.
• Thisdesigngives
122holeswith
the2ft x4ft template.
FloatingRafts
• ItisrecommendedtocuttheStyrofoamboard
inhalftomake2ft x2ft piecestomakeit
easiertoworkwith.
FloatingRafts
• Anothertemplate(2.5ft x4ft)hasholesof
similardiameter(21/8”)butarespaced8"
apartandthereforeresultin24holes.
FloatingRafts
• Holesspaced8"apartareperfectformature
greens(lettuce).
• Theholesspaced4"apartareperfectfor
seedlings.
• Boththe2ft x4ft withholesspaced4"apart
andthe2.5ft x4ft raftwithholesspaced8"
apartweighabout30lb whenfull,whichis
workableformostpeople.
FloatingRafts
• Somepeoplecreateanintermediatespacing(6"apart)
forplantsthatarebetweenseedlingandfullmaturity.
• Alternatively,youcanusethesame4"spacing,butnot
fillupalloftheholes.
• Ifyouchoosethislattercourseyoudowantsomeplug
toputintheemptyholesasanyexposureofthewater
tolightwillproducealgae,whichyouwanttoavoid.
• Alsonotethatwhilethetemplatehasholesthatare2
1/8"indiameter,usea2"holesawbladetocutthe
rafts.
• Theextra1/8"inthetemplateistomakeitsothatthe
2"sawbladewillfitinsidethetemplatewalls,makingit
mucheasiertoworkwith.
Conclusion
• Fromacommercialstandpoint,aquaponicsworks
ifyoucansellthefishtocoveryourcostsandyou
canminimizeyoursupplementalinputsand
maximizeyourincomebygrowinggreens
(lettuces,microgreens,kale,etc.)andsellto
restaurantsandfarmersmarkets.
• Plantsharvestedarestillalivesinceyouharvest
themrootsandallsotheirshelf‐lifeismuch
longer.
• Forexample,youcanharvestlettuce,keepingthe
rootballinabag,andreplantitaweeklaterand
itwillcontinuetogrow.
Conclusion
• Generallyspeaking,youwillnotfindit
profitabletoproducetomatoesandother
fruitingplantsinafloating raftbed because
theytakeuptoomuchspaceinyoursystem
(e.g.onetomatoplanttakesup2sq.ft.vs.2
lettucesin1sq.ft.)relativetotheirpriceand
youcannotsupplytheadditionalnutrients
(potassiumandphosphorous)efficientlyin
comparisontoothermethods.
Conclusion
• Separatetheaquaculturesystemfromthe
greenhousehydroponicssystemsothatyou
don’tusevaluablegreenhousespacetoraise
fishthatpreferadarkenvironment.
• Thebiggestcosttothesystemwillbethe
greenhouseandtheheating/coolingthereof.
Conclusion
• Youneedtodecide,upfront,whetheryouneed
certificationofoursystemforthesaleoffish
and/orvegetablesandbuildaccordinglyasit
willnotbeprofitabletotakethesystemapart
andoutfititwithfoodsafematerialslater.
• Thefishsideoftheaquaponicssystemisnot
veryprofitablesoyouneedtodetermine
whetherthecostofthefishharvestedfor
personaluseisatasatisfactorycost.