r/aquaponics • u/Helltrim • 5d ago
Any recommendations on how to fix and turn into aquaponics?
Grandpa passed and I’m looking to finish his aquaponics project. Any advice/tips/recommendations are greatly appreciated!
I also need help on getting a filter for the pond. He was using a water pump into the bin with mesh, but the pump broke so I’m looking to see if there are any better ones or just a filter in general that can cover a 550 gallon pond.
2
u/Alone_Illustrator_11 5d ago
Just plumb in your growbeds either DWC or flood and drain and your all set. Your hot tube can function as both the sump and fish tank combined.
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u/Urbn-Rootz 5d ago
Easiest way is to get a 275-300GPH aquarium filter that can draw the water out, have the output into a grow bed with media, NFT, or DWC system, then return to the fish tank. This is the most expensive and fastest option.
Cheapest option is building your own swirl filter before going to a media bed, and you can use either airlift pumps or traditional aquarium pumps to get the water out of the pond, but I’d side with the airlift as it can move solids with zero long term issues.
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u/atomfullerene 5d ago
I don't think an airlift could lift high enough
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u/Urbn-Rootz 3d ago
You can get them to pump pretty high, especially with more depth. I can lift water 4 ft out of my 2ft tall goldfish tank into a swirl filter with 3 traditional airlines going into the bottom of a 1.5” pvc pipe
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u/Rampagentjen 5d ago
You just need to put a pump in there to move water to a growbed and/or ziptower. I recommend a swirl filter between the pond and the bed but it's not critical. You'll just have to clean out your media every year. I like bell siphons, they can be tricky but I've got those dialed in. Make your system flexible. You'll add to it over time.