2013: The Dream of Aquaponics

I had read about raising fish in my dad's copy of Reader's Digest "Back to Basics" while growing up and thought it was neat. In 2010, I later read about backyard pool farming and aquaponics (combining fish aquaculture with hydroponics). I thought it was cool and saved some of the links.

In 2013, my family moved into a house. Shortly after that time, I was faced with the possibility of a layoff because work slowed down. I knew that if I had to work at a part-time job; I would probably earn a Fed labor standard act job @ $7.25. The math would be 39 hours a week (because businesses are cheapskates) x $7.25 an hour x 4 weeks = $1131 per month. Exactly the amount for a house payment or rent. Gas bill not included, electricity not included, gasoline not included, water bill not included, insurance not included, food not included, phone not included. Essentially, NOONE CAN LIVE ON THAT. If this happened to my family in which I had to take a part time job or two part time jobs, I might not be paid enough to keep up with living expenses and forced into compromises in the form of credit or moving back in with relatives until I find a permanent job.

Luckily, work picked back up, but I was definitely worried. I thought aquaponics was a partial answer to all my fears (fish meat and fresh food all year long) which will save on my food bill. Plus, I was able to keep my son's goldfish alive for a whole year (a record for me). I was on a roll. So with a little funds, I tried setting up a barrelponics aquaponics system or at least a variation.

I purchased the following spending roughly $400-500 (mistakes included):
trash cans (for fish tanks)
cement mixing pans (for grow beds)
pipe fittings
washing machine hoses
PVC piping
five gallon buckets
several different buckets for a biofilter
rocks
water fountain pumps
garden hose and attachments

Again luckily, my wife convinced me not to buy any fish.

This design explained.

1. The fish tank was going to be a 55 gallon trash can (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-Brute-55-Gal-Grey-Round-Trash-Can-FG265500GRAY/100644100) with a hole drilled near the bottom. Two rosettes with nut (http://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-Faucet-Rosette-and-Nut-88652/203193994), a faucet extender (http://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-Faucet-Shank-Extender-89477/203194000), adapter (shown below that fits a water hose), and y-valve/splitter. (NOTE: Although not illustrated here, I used the Y-valve connected to an extra hose to siphon water and test waste capability of the swirl filter.) Water from the fish tank will drain into a closed swirl filter.
2. Washing machine hose will drain water into a connected y-valve to brass adapter inserted into side of plastic lidded jar.  Plastic lidded jar will serve as swirl filter. As water passes into swirl filter, heavy solid debris was supposed to be separated out as the water is slowed down. Debris is supposed to remain in the swirl filter until cleaned.
3. Output of separated water (without waste) was supposed to go to a garden hose connected to a second faucet shank extender inserted on the side of plastic lidded jar and output sent to the bio-filter.
4. A 5 gallon bucket (Orange lines) served as the bio-filter. The bio-filter was supposed to perform the nitrification process of converting nitrites to nitrates. This requires lots of air, water, and surface area for microbes. This particular design was going to rely on the bell siphon to allow water to reach height and then drain. This cycle of flush and fill was supposed to allow the microbes the capability of performing their functions.  
5. The bell siphon was also going to control the speed of the water by adjusting the drain tube to just below the average height of the water in the fish tank similar to draining one lock to another lock used in canals. The water output would then flush and flow into the grow bed.
6. The grow bed would contain the plants in some sort of media like gravel. If output water from bio-filter is flushed frequently enough, then the plants get watered and can filter their nutrients out of the water. Since the water always drains out, the plants should never get water logged.
7. A collection bucket for the water then takes it to a sump.
8. The sump pump delivers the water back into the fish tank. Since using a fountain pump, pump shuts off when water has not reached level yet.
9. Water returns to fish. The fish never run out of water because it will never drain past the water line or equilibrium as set by the height of the bell siphon drain in the bio-filter.

Problems encountered with this design.

1. The swirl filter leaked. The first attempt was a 2 gallon bucket with a closed snap-on lid. This leaked at the seams even with caulking used as a seal. The second attempt was a 5 gallon bucket and its seal also leaked. The third attempt was a water jug with plastic screw lid (shown above). The water pressure caused the lid to bulge and leak.
2. Even with the leak, the swirl filter was tested. As a test, I used 2 cups of rice dumped into the water and allowed the swirl filter to drain into the bio-filter. I used water supplied from the house through a garden hose to create a constant flow. As water drained, I reviewed how much rice was left in the trash can, the swirl filter, and bio-filter. The results were: roughly over 1 cup remained in tank; Less than 1/2 cup remained in swirl filter; With the leftover rice inside the bio-filter. Analysis: The placement of the drain collected less than 50% of the rice which means that the fish will drown in their own poo rather quickly; The swirl filter design separated debris less than 25% of the time due to the speed of the water did not slow down enough. If not slowed, debris will rush up into the bio-filter. The unwanted result is the bio-filter may get clogged rather quickly, stopping the nitrification cycle, and the bio-filter would stop functioning as a drain.
3. To further test the capability of the swirl filter, I connected a hose to the y-valve and used the hose as a solid-lifting siphon to vacuum up the remaining rice (like devices used to clean fish tanks). Result: The rice collected in both the swirl filter and the bio-filter. Analysis: Water pressure and speed was greater than expected and unwanted debris was deposited in the bio- filter. Conclusion: The swirl filter needed a redesign and a real filter with media should be used, but I did not want to invest the funds since it was leaking.
4. Next was trying to get the bell siphon to work. The test that I did was based on a normal draining cycle as it was planned. I will vary the height of the bio-filter to below equilibrium but never below half the height of the trash can/ fish tank and let the water drain through the swirl filter to the bio-filter and adjust the bio-filter height or the bell siphon as needed until the bell siphon works. The result was I could not tune the bell siphon to work without interference. Analysis: As water nears equilibrium, it slows. If the water slows too much, it will never exceed the draining speed of the stand pipe in the bell siphon meaning water doesn't fill the pipe to create a temporary vacuum that sucks air to create a water bell. Also, the bell siphon was made out of PVC which allowed the bell to float which again meant that the bell siphon never forces air to seal in the drain. The result was the water kept draining until the water level equaled the height of the drain tube. Variations in tube diameter was used. Changing height. Placing a U-bend in the drain. Ultimately, the speed of the water was not enough to close the deal. (NOTE: Maybe a float drain would work better which is popular now, but it was not available then and I had already lost a month and alot of patience at this time.) Conclusion: A redesign is needed preferably without a bell siphon. 
5. Unable to test the rate of flow needed for the grow beds. I could not determine the frequency of flush needed for growing plants. 

Dissatisfied and frustrated, this project was abandoned.

Eventually, I recycled the trash cans as part of my rain barrels.

I would like to revisit aquaponics but only after I ensure that I can grow hydroponics first which is why I determined that Zipgrow towers would get me there faster and easier which I will elaborate on in a later post.