Aquaponic radial flow filter for solids removal..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Shall go & have a look now Rod.. It looks like Mr Van der Werf has set you right... He's a very helpful chap & has set me straight on a few points I didn't understand properly.. Like the look of your system too.. Interested in how your going to paint up the new tanks.. Cheers & have a great one Rod..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Micheal. I like to use the waste from the filter straight in the garden & have also been adding it to comfrey green manure fertiliser tea brewing as well.The bacteria in there that convert the ammonia in the water can be found nature & some suggest adding a handful of soil to a new aquaponic system to set up a bacteria colony or get it "cycling" quicker. TBC

[@RobsAquaponics]

Don't think there is really a right or wrong Mick, just what works best for you.. I'm still new to all this so am just learning as I go.. Would be great to see a clip of your build.. Have a good one..

[@TheOutbackLap]

Excellent video, you’ve done a great job. Excellent facts and proven experience, anyone building their own system would do well to watch this.🤠👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks. I have some much better videos on the radial flow settlers that will help as well. They're all in this playlist if you wanted to suss them out, kzbin.info/aero/PLBcWprMIwYYg0pN4Y79-eZQMXkvFSX8pJ Hope that helps.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Hamish.. Filter is running well for what it does still.. A nice cone shape bottom would be good to make cleaning easier is about all I would change on this design.. Will be making one out of a 200L/55gal drum for the new set up & not sure how I will work the base yet..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Joel. Have had a few people give me heads up on bending pipe. Haven't seen the sand method & it sounds the easiest way to go so far, cheers :) Bending pipe was something I didn't even considered before others let me know. I have most of the 2x45° sections already glued up & ready to go for when this all changes around in the near future so am all set for now but will be trying it in the future.. Thanks again & have a great one..

[@DaleCalderCampobello]

Relatively simple system with very rewarding results, that worked very well. I bet the garden will appreciate the fish muck as much as the worm castings.

[@brianoleary2182]

definitely helps! I emailed Paul and he recommended using at least 50 gallons (US) for 1500 gallons per hour flow, so I'll be doing this with an EDPM pond liner in a pit. It's interesting how this type of system is used in aquaponics, but not for koi pond building. really a great concept...

[@jamesringgold7675]

Rob,Thanks for the reply ref radial flow filter. Since I only had gold fish in the IBC I think when I transition to tilapia the increase in solids will cause the system to work efficiently. I used the gold fish to get the system going with greens planted in the growing beds James.

[@Z223I]

Just finished my build. Thank you! Took your advice and put a funnel at the bottom of the bucket. Found a 3 gallon water container that I use for the funnel. I used the bottom of that container were you would used the planter. Discovered that I had to punch a hole into the inverted water bottle to let air escape when the unit is filling up. Also, I configured the incoming water to flow like a swirl filter. I guess I now have a highbred filter.

[@RobsAquaponics]

+Z223I Hi there. Sounds like an interesting build mate 👍 Do you have any pic's of it up on line I can suss out? No problem if you don't though. Cheers & have a great one. Rob.

[@Z223I]

+RobBobs Backyard Farming I have temporarily posted pictures and notes on my Facebook page "Kratky Method of Hydroponics".

[@RobsAquaponics]

+Z223I Cheers mate.

[@zachd9433]

You have made an awesome set up here, I like how it flows so easily with only one pump in system and gets the job done nicely.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Zach.. The system has changed quite a bit since this clip was posted.. Hope to do a walk through showing the water flow before the weekend on the new system as I've had a few folks ask since the last clip was posted.. Cheers mate..

[@zachd9433]

Look forward to seeing it

[@windsorje]

Thanks for the videos Rob. I put a RFC into my system built on your lead. It is doing a great job of removing the solids. I fashioned a conical bottom, but solids found their way under it and were causing some problems so I took it out. Also the drain at the center of the bottom was not cleaning out all the solids. Now I use a 5 gallon shop vac to remove the muck from the bottom every 2-3 days. Works great. My RFC video can be seen at HOWponics on KZbin. Keep the vids coming mate.

[@tadsligar]

OK, now I understand it I believe after re-watching it. The water would only come down to the slots *if* you didn't do the T and *if* a siphon occurred. Otherwise, the water will stay at a height somewhere approximately at the height of the pipe coming out of the fish tank. Thanks Rob Bob for this setup... exactly what I was wanting.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Paul is a very helpful chap I have found.. Will be using one that size on the fish farm here as I think there will be a lot more solids involved.. Have fun on the build :)

[@mangofever4681]

Wow, this is the best swirl filter I have seen on KZbin.. Thank you for sharing this idea.

[@RobsAquaponics]

You're very welcome MF. Have you seen the larger builds I've done more recently to this one? They're the first two videos in this playlist, kzbin.info/aero/PLBcWprMIwYYjjZIXxx8GZxm_55Fjs0mOF Hope that helps some.

[@padrebrook4596]

I watched this video and went out to the shop and built one just like this one. Great video.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Nice one mate. Hope it's working well for you.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I haven't had an issue with them.. I like them in the filter as they let me move the drum around a bit when I clean it out which is something couldn't do with a bulkhead.. Most of the large commercial systems I have seen use them as well.. Hope that helps Hamish & have a great weekend..

[@amessman]

I am new to aquaponics and now I will use the filter in the video. It made perfect sence! thanks and keep up the good work!

[@RobsAquaponics]

The solids outlet from the fish tank relies on the fish disturbing any solids, this suspends them in the water ready to be taken out of the tank.. It works very well & only on a few occasions have we had a build up of solids on the floor due to operator error.. Hope that helps explain it, if not let me know :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Am adding most of them to our hay bale garden out the front to give them an extra feed at the moment.. Hope to have a larger compost tea "brewer" soon so they can go into there with other bits from the yard... Will use it to brew up some nutrient rich liquid fertiliser for the soil garden.. Cheers David..

[@ppac300]

Man, you have a ton of information when it comes to DIY filtration systems! Thank you. Liked and Subscribed!!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Philip.. Hope the clips give you a few ideas.. Cheers & have fun with the builds mate, Rob.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I think square would work & don't think there would be a huge reduction in the circulation of the water.. The corners would be a bit harder to clean some solids out but other than that I think it would work ok.. Hope that helps Brian & have a good one :)

[@dragoneye73184]

I really like that design, nice and easy to make, and easy to use.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Steven... Have a clip showing a newer build if your interested.. New radial flow filter for aquaponic system.. Hope that helps some, Cheers..

[@dragoneye73184]

I like it. Nice and easy to use and easy to construct. Any reason for not making it actually swirl to collect in the tube at the bottom?

[@RobsAquaponics]

They just work better when the solids are left to precipitate out Steven Kroiss.. I have had some folks suggest that you could add another inlet down the bottom to swirl the solids into the middle but that would just re suspend the solids as I see it as well as add in extra pipe work to be clean & maintain.. Cheers :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Jerry.. As the water level rises with the inflow from the sump it pushes water out to the grow beds & radial flow filter.. All done by natural force so only one pump is needed in the system& that is located i the sump tank.. Also means that there will always be water in the fish tank if the pump fails.. Hope that helps some & have a great one Jerry..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Yep, think you have it sorted tadsligar.. :) The slots in the base of the outlet pipe in the FT are just to stop small fish from getting sucked through to the filter.. Not necessary for fish the size of ours at the moment but at some point fingerlings will be going back into the system.. Fave fun with the build & enjoy your system.. Rob.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I really think it is something that should be considered for DIY IBC/Tote systems especially as the low points really do accumulate solids which can lead to anaerobic environments. Something to think about & would encourage you to look & ask around what others have done in their set ups.. Worms are said to look after the waste too but will only break it down so far leaving more solid waste to accumulate as plants will not take it all up.. I have worms in the beds that caused me issues too.TBC

[@RobsAquaponics]

It's all a learning curve Mark.. Should be able to salvage parts from the swirl filter as they are very similar plumbing wise..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Jason.. If the other fix doesn't work I may go with that.. Just had a possible fix posted on the face book page that sounds promising.. Going to try a 45 off of the bulk head down to the RFF where there will be another making the total turn 90° not 180°.. That should alleviate the problem I think... If not a "T" will go straight in.. Cheers mate & thanks for the help :)

[@J.Smith-rc6wh]

love your videos rob bob , really good common sense stuff and your casual way of explaining things is easy to follow, keep up the good work and keep posting

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Jennifer & thanks. Hope they help you out with a few useful ideas 👍 All the best. Rob 😊

[@miks976]

great job Rob, I agree Paul from Earthan Group has some helpful information and a credit to him, hope that works well for you, I,m trying a similar but different style, whether its right or wrong I,ll give it a go and will post a vid on it when I get some more parts, once again great vid keep up the excellent work, Ciao.

[@kiwiwriter]

I've run a small (80 litre tank) system 17ish years without cleaning but I'd still put a solids filter in if I was to do it again. I get 'seasonal cycling' where nutrients build over winter,. locked up as microbial biomass, and they're released over summer via protist/food web predators and hungry plants eg tomatoes. I monitored for five years then stopped. Provided I have plants: present in winter and booming in summer - tanks clean. If growing out fish for food - harvest some (fish) before winter hits to be safe in larger systems. Nice filter btw. Your garlic patch (and many other plants) will love the byproduct.

[@jeffoooooooo]

Hey Rob thanks for the tip. I made a radial flow filter out of 100mm pvc pipe with a ball valve at the bottom so i can dump all the solids every few days, its works great with no cleaning necessary. Im on the north side of Brisbane would love to check out your system one day. Cheers mate.

[@RobsAquaponics]

+Jeffrey Husoy Hi Jeffrey. Have had a few folks come through the yard but don't hold open days as such. If you're on FB PM me through our page there & will see if we can work something out. Cheers mate.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I have looked at a few different designs & this looked to be the easiest to build & maintain.. Did look for some water jugs here over the past month or so but couldn't find any going for nix.. I liked the simplicity of this build but might revisit filters down the line if the load increases.. have a good one :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

That was the problem with the smaller sumps I see some people have.. I went with the 600+L/158+gal sump so it could handle all the water from all the grow beds & run as a small stand alone system if need be.. Would be good to have a look once it's all up & running.. Have fun on the build :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

I would still go with the larger volume pump so you get the water turnover in the fish tank.. That way the total volume of water gets a chance at running through the grow beds (filters) if that makes sense.. That's my take on it & hope it helps...

[@RobsAquaponics]

I haven't seen any cocoons floating around the system at all so think the chances would be fairly slim.. I doubt many if any would get by the goldfish in the sump at the moment ;) Shall definitely keep it in mind so any trial I do doesn't get ruined with a stray cocoon.. Thanks for pointing that out :)

[@timothywillis800]

i saw Pauls filter and it seems youve simplified the construction. makes it look a little more like an option now to a swirl filter. thanks

[@ScreminFlea]

Yet another excellent video. I don't know that I'll need to incorporate one of these just yet, as my nitrates appear to be dropping bit by bit on their own, but it's good to know this is an option. Thanks for posting!

[@RobsAquaponics]

With the ST levels what you can do is take say 2 gal of media in a container & then see how much water it takes to fill the voids. You can then drain the water from the media, measure its volume so you can calculate how much water you will need to keep 3 GBs filled at once + have enough to keep the pump covered as well as some extra to allow for transpiration & evaporation. I didn't do it this way as I just over estimated 200l/52gal for each bed & came up with 600l/160gal sump.

[@murzobrisbane1528]

Really like your videos mate. A colleague and I are trying to start some Aquaponics at our school. We have a Quaquaponics setup at present and are looking to employ some of your tips as the system develops. Thanks.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey there... Let us know if there is any info or local suppliers you're chasing & will see if I can help you out.. Cheers & have a great one.. Rob..

[@baconsoda]

Simple, elegant, solution. Good job.

[@purematossan]

Hey mate ..thank you so much for all these very easy diy tips ..you rock ! Big hug from New York! Cheers

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks mate. Cheers & happy growing.

[@RobsAquaponics]

The larger uniseal grommets came from Paul at Earthan group & the smaller one for the tap came from a Hydroponic store.. The drum came from a local produce retailer... They have a few different styles... I'm in the Ipswich area if that helps..

[@lifeisbeautiful4382]

getting addicted to your videos and love the way you simplify complex connections/ plumbings. the Earthan's Group link is not working sadly. will keep following u though. Did a small DIY bell siphon video, very very basic, pls do watch. ( the bottle has been made smaller after the video was made ). thanks for loads of info and inspiration

[@RobsAquaponics]

Asked around in a few different places & have come up with this.. Placing a 45° off of the bulk head on the FT down to the RFF where there will be another 45° making the total turn 90° not 180° & there will also be no hard bends for air to get locked in causing a back up of water.. Will be having a crack at that later & shall see how it goes.. Another suggestion was to move the "T" from the top of the SLO outside the tank or just to add another. Will come back & let you know how it went.. Rob

[@RobsAquaponics]

The 2x45° is to help the water flow with less restriction as the curve is gentler on the water flow than 90°. I will be replacing more of the elbows as soon as I get the chance as they are all glued up & ready now. The reason the pipe turns up is that the water changes direction under the bucket, it slows down & the solids settle out.. If it flowed in at the base at that velocity it would be constantly stirring up the solids. Hope that helps explain the plumbing a bit better. Rob

[@petam4753]

Sweep 90's such as used in sink drains or use a pipe bender for PVC to get some of the sweep fittings. I have used a heat gun or gas stove very successfully on PVC pipe. Tight 90's restrict the flow be it gravity feed or pressurized. The difference in pump flow rates can even be measured with an amp meter if you want to go that far. I discovered that when working with my pool pump rated at 120 GPM.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It has worked out fairly well so far Jim but time will tell how effective it will be.. Take it easy :)

[@oby-1607]

I need something like this to pre-filter my irrigation water before it goes to by disc filters. The disc filters at times have to be cleaned 4 times a day or more. I have a gravity feed system from a creek. It gets up to 80psi so the vessel would have to be robust enough to handle the pressure. Because the water is from a creek, there can be a ton of organic sediment that comes with it. Only in the late summer is the water relatively clear.

[@RobsAquaponics]

These work best with very long retention times. It's the retention time that allows the solids to fall out of suspension & gather on the base of the filter. Cheers.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Excluding the light from the area your pumping from might be a good start to reducing the algae issue Paul.. I used to use a fine home made mesh filter for algae on the pump inlet when I was growing hydro inside & it was a twice a day job to clean that as it clogged really easily... Will be interested to see what you come up with & how you go Paul if you can let me know....

[@frosty992001]

I really enjoy your videos, thanks for taking the time to make them. I have found them all very interesting.

[@RobsAquaponics]

The pipe I have connected to the pump is on there nice & tight so all the water is making it to the fish tank.. There really should be no slowing of the flow but a small increase in the head hight of your fish tank... That's what happened here anyway.. Any chance of a clip showing the system & how you have it all connected ?? Cheers, Rob.

[@andykrein3378]

Hi Rob Bob, I have read quite a few of comments to see of can find heights to use for the piping as using a 1000 slimline tank to make radial flow filtration, does it need to be lower than the outlet coming from fish tank. I will be running it back into the sump system. Fish water really clear, although experience lot of solid buildup in DWC. Concerned that filter may not be low enough for water to come to top of internal pipe in the filter.

[@andykrein3378]

Great video and love your dedication to happy fish

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Andy & thanks mate. The inlet & outlet pipe of the settler need to be lower than the outlet from the fish tank 👍 Otherwise the water will back up into the fish tank. Hope the build is progressing well mate.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Andy.. I chose one that would be double the internal flowerpot/ring in length so there would be ample room for the water to change direction to allow the solids to fall if that makes sense.. I think a taller drum might work better but I really didn't want a 200L drum getting in the way there.. & yes, your cheques have been absent.. I do except direct deposit ;) Cheers to you both :)

[@Foxco29]

So grateful that you give us the pipe dimensions in inches, also.

[@VaughnBerger]

+Foxco29 he's using 2" schedule 40 PVC

[@timcent7199]

Brilliant! I lost some beautiful fish because I didn't have a setup like this. Thanks again.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad I could help Tim. I have a few more recent clips on filters that explain how they work & how you can design your own that are better than this one. How RFS work - How to Size Your RFS kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXOmdGyqgtifm7s & How to Build Radial Flow Settler for Aquaponics System | Components & Tips kzbin.info/www/bejne/maOum6R5f9J8jJI Hope your build goes smoothly.

[@murzobrisbane1528]

Students in my class today were asking where you are based. They loved the living feed idea for our school's chickens and ducks. We are building one next week in class. If you're in Brisbane, we might have to get you in for a demo...

[@RobsAquaponics]

Our girls are pen bound at the moment while the neighbours put up a new fence.. As soon as they can get back out into their day pen we will be putting another lot of wheat in for them :) We are west of Brisbane here but am not free during the week unfortunately :/ Cheers :)

[@alfredoalamo9795]

Rob I want to thank you on behalf of all the people that read and see your videos and who haven't thank you yet; what a class act person you are. That form my heart and nothing to do with my intention of asking this my first question ever. I have a small 100 gallon fish tank I am going to make a new radial flow solid filter is a 5 gallons bucket enough or I should go bigger? Thank you

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Alfredo. 👍 It all comes down to the flow rate you're looking at putting through the filter bucket as that will affect the retention time. There is a formula in the description of this clip that will help you to work out if you need to up scale the drum so you have a long enough retention time for the solids to collect at the base.. Hope that helps & have fun with the build, Cheers.

[@alfredoalamo9795]

👍👍👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks.. They have been fun to work with can't wait to get some more to play with :)

[@daxblinks6183]

Great set up! Would it better to try to make a conical bottom to your axial flow solids remover. So that all the waste accumulates neatly on top of the discharge opening. Open the valve and all settled waste is removed, into your worm bins, with as little water as possible....Thank you for all your videos!!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey Dax.. Sorry I missed the comment mate.. A conical base would be a great addition if you can source or make one.. This unit was a first attempt & worked OK for what it was.. The new larger filters we're using now have a flanged drain fitting sitting on the flat base that helps draw more solids out.. Still not as good as a conical base but easier to fit into the build.. Cheers mate..

[@RobsAquaponics]

They should be alright in there for a few days but would be better to get them into a larger tank ASAP I think.. What type did you get ? I fed our 30 Jade perch fingerlings about tablespoon of feed over a day when we first got them.. Did the supplier give you any feeding information ?

[@ratinam32]

Hello Rob, Thank you, I have been seeing a lot of your video. I have learned a lot from your video. Very good information. thank you. I am not an aquaponics, but looking forward to start very soon. Thanks.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi there. It's great to know the clips have given you a few ideas to play with. Hope the build goes well for you. All the best, Rob.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Same here & this one works well from what I have seen..

[@RobsAquaponics]

The water goes straight from the ST to the FT then splits for the time being. Some goes to the filter with the rest going to the grow beds & it isn't a desirable situation to be in. Like systems that pump from the ST to the GBs & FT it means that not all the water gets a chance to circulate through the whole system to get cleaned as I see it.. I think a single loop from FT to GB to ST is the best way to go as all the water gets a chance to flow through the GBs to be cleaned.. TBC

[@RobsAquaponics]

The water is just flowing out via gravity through a solids lifting overflow Ken.. The only pump in the system is in the sump just to keep it all nice & simple :) I have only used the radial but have been told by people that have tried both that the radial works just as good if not better in their opinion.. Hope that helps a bit & have a great one, Rob.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Is working really well at the moment Matthew.. Most impressed at the amount of solids it is drawing out of the system :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Its called a top hat seal Chris & found it at a hydroponic store.. I think they are a fairly common seal & can be found world wide.. Hope that helps..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi there... I hope to do a clip this week on the set up as a cycle.. Just have some other bits to catch up on first.. Have a good one :)

[@TheVillageByTheRiver]

Hey + RobBobs Backyard Farming great work their my friend.Came across your channel and have to admit av been missing a lot.Quet experinced in Aquaponics myself reallylike your presentation .Keep up the good work.

[@RobsAquaponics]

+UniTan Aquafarms Glad your liking the clips mate. Don't claim to be an expert, just sharing what others have been kind enough to teach me & passing it on. Cheers & have a great one, Rob.

[@RobsAquaponics]

A few smaller ones might be the way to go..That way you could have a radial or swirl filter as well as bio filter depending on if you are going to keep them as ornamental or grow food with the water.. You could also pump up to a filter that is hidden in the landscaping around the pond if it's just an ornamental one..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Was really easy & fast to build... So far it has been doing its job really well too.. Have a good one..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks for delivering the Uniseals & letting me pick your brains Paul.. Have a good one :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad it was of some help to you Adam.. Cheers..

[@RobsAquaponics]

There are 3 closed off pipes along the wall you see there.. The SLO with the red tap is the only operational one & runs to the radial flow filter.... The others were part of the original design that got changed & have been capped off.. The white pipe behind it is the pipe that runs water to the grow beds.. Ideally all water to the grow beds should run through the filter first... That will be part of the reworking of the system in about a months time.. TBC

[@RobsAquaponics]

Is a neat little unit, very easy to build :)

[@markallen200]

Nice Rob! I think a retro fit is in the near future. My first attempt swirl filter has failed dramatically.

[@RobsAquaponics]

1) The filter is actually lower that the surface of the Fish Tank but as there is an open "T" piece inside the FT the water will never be able to create a siphon & drain the tank. 2) Not to sure on the larger debris & I take it a much larger flow rate required to pump the water... What size pump will you be using ??

[@RobsAquaponics]

Most of the nutrients come from the ammonia that is excreted from the gills of the fish Don but some does come through with the other waste as well.. There are other nutrients that come out with the solids that get suspended in the water & will travel through to the grow beds.. The larger solids particles can build up in grow beds or on the bottom of the tanks & can, not always, cause problems with the fish as they breakdown..TBC

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hope it can help.. Most use the filter for the solids removal & would plant out more beds to take up the nitrate but we are pushed for room at the moment.. Shouldn't be a real problem once we expand a bit more.. Have a good one Terry...

[@RobsAquaponics]

I think the leafy greens will love it Dale.. Not sure it will produce as much fertiliser as the worms so their safe from becoming fish food for now ;)

[@KeithSalisbury]

Hey Rob, thanks for your video - I dont understand how the water flows up the solids lifting pipe - is it being sucked up because it forms a siphon as the water flows out?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Keith & sorry for the time it took to get back to you. The water entering the fish tank forces the water to leave via the lowest opening, which is the top of the outlet of the solids lifting pipe. The only way to get to the top of the outlet is through the base of the pipe & as it enters, it take the solids along with it. Hope that helps some mate. Cheers.

[@giannivizcarraviteri2693]

Greetings Mr Rob Bob, this system is still in operation? how efficient is?, i saw another of you´re videos and you have another system, so what system is better? radial or swirl filter?.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi there. Still have a radial flow filter in the system here just made from a larger drum. 👍 Have never run a swirl filter but from what I've read they do settle out the solids a bit more efficiently than the swirl filters. Hope that helps some.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I had seen that advice given out on forums my novice & professionals alike at the time.. Some say that worms will break the solids down & alleviate the problem. Only problem is that the solids will only break down so far & not all can be taken up by the plants. This is where the problem arises as I see it.. Have you salted the system to help prevent brown blood disease in the fish yet? Might be an idea to look into that just to give you a safety net. Wont reduce NO2 but will safeguard the fish.

[@RobsAquaponics]

As long as they work Richard, that's all that matters :D

[@Cosirius]

Hey Rob another great video. I am building an indoor system, and I would love your input. The fish tank is an IBC tote with just the top side cut. A second IBC tote is cut to accommodate the grow media bed and the sump tank. I want to grow plants in the media bed and use the sump tank to have a DWC floating raft with leafy greens. Regarding the plumbing, should I have it set up for the water to flow from the fish tank -> radial flow settler -> sump tank then pumped up to the fish tank and grown bed? Or fish tank -> radial flow settler -> grow bed -> sump tank and pumped back to the fish tank? Any input or idea will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[@Cosirius]

I forgot to mention that I'll be using worms in the grow bed and tilapia fish.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'd go with the second option to make the plumbing easy to set up. The split flow really comes into it's own when you have multiple beds with some being at different heights as the others. Hope that helps some mate.

[@peterrei280]

Good job. Not sure have understand. The water flows out from Ibc tank with 2 different tubes, one is connected directly to the grow bed and another tubes go to radial filter. Is correct? In my system only one tube go from Ibc tank to grow bed ( without any filter)...

[@RobsAquaponics]

That's right David. Mucky water from the base of the tank to the filter & cleaner water from the top to the beds. 👍Cheers mate & happy growing.

[@JimTcarver]

Nice filter.... its fun watching a project come together. Even better when its a success. ;-)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hope it is helpful.. I saw Paul posted a pic of his DIY jobbie yesterday on Face Book, just waiting for his clip to see how well I did ;D Might change the design a tiny bit yet...

[@RobsAquaponics]

BTW, I don't think the accumulation would be as bad in flat bottom beds.. Backyard Aquaponics forum is a good forum to get info from but there are many more out there now with members that will give you their opinions for free, just try to get a few o both sides of the fence before making up your own mind.. Hope that helps some & have fun with the build :)

[@pierre5325]

Dear Mr. Rob Bob sir, this is great I shall make it. Thanks for shoeing us this. pierre from New Mexico

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hope the build goes well Pierre. Cheers.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Really need to make sure the hole isn't stretched & also that there is no swarf left around the hole from when you cut it. The swarf can prevent the seal from forming causing it to leak.. This clip might help a bit better than I can watch?v=E54mYii7VWo Hope that does help some..

[@brianoleary2182]

Rob, 2 additional questions - 1) Is your water level in the radial flow filter the same as the tank or below? 2) I will be pulling from a bottom drain from a 1500 gallon pond to feed this system. The bottom drain will be 4" wide (much larger than your pipe to pull debris like leaves, etc). I've also decided my tanks will be more like 20 or 30 gallons. Do you think this will be a problem?

[@RobsAquaponics]

The water is pumped into the fish tank from the sump then it is gravity fed into the grow beds & radial flow filter.. The Solid lifting outlets (SLOs) take water from the bottom of the fish tank to the outlets that feed into the grow beds & filter.. Might do a clip to show how the water flows through the system over the next few days if that helps :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi there... Actually having the same issue at the moment after moving the pipe work around.. Think it has to do with air locks forming in the pipe work.. Will be doing a post on it on our Google+ & Face book pages in a few hours for you.. Is just easier with pictures I think.. Links to both on our You Tube channel home page at the top in the picture.. Cheers, Rob.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It is just gravity that feeds the filter as the water is fed into the fish tank fro the sump.. The long pipe is there to collect & remove the water/solids from the base of the tank to try &help it stay clean.. Will try to remember to point it out next walk around clip... Cheers...

[@tadsligar]

I did some more research and think I have this figured out, but please correct me if I'm wrong. The pipe coming out of the fish tank is essentially the height you want to keep the water in the tank. It is basically just an overfill. and that pipe fills up with water and overfills into the filter because the water level in the tank is that high. I'm still confused on the slots in the bottom, though. How would the water continue to come out once the tank water level is below outlet pipe?

[@Artoliva]

Great Job Rob, thanks for the attention to detail ; man this is a great vid love the work youve done with the totes (big tanks)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Haven't seen that pump before sorry... They do get a few mentions on some aquarium forums when I did a quick google though if that helps.. Only just started to look at a larger one for the new system & am going with one Earthan group sells.. Just waiting for the pennies to save up first.. Sussed out that vacuum & might have a go at one of them myself soon.. With the cooler weather I have noticed a few pellets sinking to waste in the system so am going to have to try & remove them soon.. Thanks

[@RobsAquaponics]

This is being fed from a 1000L/270gal tank... There is about 1600L/422gal all up in the system when it is full.. The pump running this is a 4200lph/1110gph magnetic drive pump.. It is only taking about ½ the flow at the moment.. I hope to have it plumbed in to take the whole flow to the grow beds in the next week or so.. Just need a few parts.. Depending on the flow I might go up to a 200L/50gal drum..

[@jeremys5217]

We are looking at building our first small aquaponics system. I have an old 200 lb sand filter that I replaced years ago from our swimming pool. Do you see any issues with using this as a clarifier/ filter? I only replaced it as many of the screening pipes had failed and was letting sand into the pool.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey Jeremy.. Have read that others have tried using sand filters but had issues with the fish solids clogging them or going manky. I have seen others take the sand out & use the shell to make solids filters.. The rounded base make solids collection a lot easier than the flat bottom unit's like we have.. My father has an old pool filter put aside for me to play which will be fun.. Hope that helps some mate & would like to know how you go if you have a crack at one.. Cheers..

[@RobsAquaponics]

Feeding the bacteria with a sugar or a carbohydrate & oxygen will help to feed the bacteria & boost their numbers so they can process the material into plant friendly elements faster as I understand it.. The bacteria in the water would definitely help boost the available nutrients in any compost tea they were added to I think.. Not to sure on how long the resulting tea would last for on the shelf for though sorry.. TBC