Aquaponics system. Need people to critique my system

[helomech]

I am about to break ground on my aquaponics system. I plan on digging into the ground about 6 feet into a hill side in my front yard (but will build up at least 2 feet of gravel) so about 4 feet below ground. Going to build cinder block retaining walls, and have a gravel floor for drainage. Fish tank is going to be inside of the structure. The top is going to be made out of hog panels, to support any vines, and to be a support for the cover (mesh in summer, and platic in winter). Going to use a wind turbine, and solar panels for power to the pumps, and some lighting (probably LED). The structure will be either 10 or 14 feet wide and 30 feet long, and will have a north south orientation. Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Here are some quick images of what I am planning. will be making my own grow beds out of wood with a platic liner. The system will be the drain and fill type with the pumps running all the time, using bell siphons to empty.

Please excuse my sorry images.

This is a image looking from the side.



One from above.

[bacpacker]

Looks like a good project Helo. The wife and I have discussed hydroponics and aquaponics for a couple if years now. I'm still not sure what route we'll end up going, probably a hydro set up in our basement to start. But long term I can see a aqua system being a great thing to have.

Have you worked on one of these before? Where have you been researching to get your info at? Keep the details coming. I'm subscribing to this thread to keep up with where you go with it.

[helomech]

Never even seen one in person before. Just reading every link I can on the subject, and coming up with ideas as I go along. I never seen one in the ground before, that is just something I came up with. And using the hog panels as the roof is something I came up with. It is going to allow cucumbers and such a place to grow, and make picking them very easy since they will hang straight down. I am going to post some pics as I progress.

[bacpacker]

Send wolfracer a pm. I know he has been running a sucsessful operation for 1-2 years. He'd be the one to pick his brains.

[helomech]

Caught him on another site.

[bacpacker]

He has the most extensive aqua system I've read about. I'd say he'll do you right.

[helomech]

He has the most extensive aqua system I've read about. I'd say he'll do you right.

Yeah, he said I was on the right track. Just that I needed twice as my grow beds as fish tank. I am planning on a 1500 gallon fish tank, so that would mean 3000 gallons of grow beds.

[helomech]

Made up some slightly different plans. Tractor won't start, so they are coming to pick it up tomorrow for warranty work. So won't get started for a bit longer. Anyways here are my plans.

This is a side view.



This is a change I am thinking of. During the summer I figure the fish will be eating more and more active so more grow beds will be necessary than in the winter time. So I am going to add nine 55 gallon drums cut in half, so nine 25 gallon tanks on each side. They will not be in the structure, but will be right next to it. I can grow corn and such in it, and turn it off in the winter. Still kicking this idea around. With the drums on the outside and the center bed 26 feet long I would have almost 2170 gallons of grow beds.



For the winter time, when the fish are less active I am hoping the inside grow beds are enough. They total 1495 gallons if I make the center bed 20 feet long, and 1675 gallons if I make the center bed 26 feet long.

[bacpacker]

Sounds good Helo. How deep is the North end going to be? How about the sides? I assume the south end will come out at grade? I'm curious if your using the earth for heat, or just a windblock?

[helomech]

Sounds good Helo. How deep is the North end going to be? How about the sides? I assume the south end will come out at grade? I'm curious if your using the earth for heat, or just a windblock?

The north side will be 8 feet below ground level at the bottom of the fish tank. The entire green house (for lack of better words) will be 4 foot below ground level, except the south end, it will be at ground level. I am going to fill the sides in all the way. Kind of using the earth for both. The north side will be compeletly blocked from the wind, the hill is higher near my house than it is at the site, and my house is about 50 yards north of where I am going to build it. I figure the fish tank being at it's highest point 4 feet below ground it will keep the water at a very constant temp, and in the winter the warmth from the fish tank will help to warm the green house, since in winter it will be covered up.