Jobney's system log

[Bioritize]

Where do you get Uniseals?

This system looks great. Though I think you can have a lot more growing area. I like to use a 2:1 or 1:1 grow bed to fish tank ratio.

If I were you I would change the brush filter bed to be a gravel or media bed that could double as another growing area or duckweed tank. I like to make each part of the system double purpose.

[jobney]

I'll get a link for you of where I plan to buy Uniseals tomorrow when I'm at my home computer. (with the bookmarks)

My grow area is based on my planned fish density to my fish tank volume. According to Dr Wilson's calculator, at my planed feed rate, at my planned density, at my planned fish tank size... the leafy green plant area to make my system nutrient neutral is about 21 square feet of grow area. My grow area is 24 square feet. If I want to grow a fruiting crop my planted grow area would be 1/3 to 1/2 my planned available area. Plant area is based on how much food your fish eat and that is calculated by how many lbs of fish are in the system. I could change the total fish tank size larger, have a lower fish density, but still the same total lbs of fish and the same plant growing area. Even if it were scientifically possible to use a simple ratio to determine fish tank volume vs grow bed volume I'm not using a grow bed, I'm using NFT gullies that have only a very thin film of water in them. A ratio is great for getting you into the ball park for a gravel bed system where everyone using the ratio agrees on X gravel bed depth. That set depth over an area can give you a volume number for your ratio calculation but try to change your bed depth and the ratio goes out the window. The ratio was only used in the first place so people would not have to learn the math involved with the complex formula summarized above. Dr Wilson has created a spreadsheet that does the math for you. Here is a link. The good news is that any system design can be brought into proper balance just by lowering or raising the fish density.

Brush filter vs gravel bed:
My planed system is a super micro model of a commercial style system so no gravel bed. I would have used a 70 - 100 micron screen for suspended solids removal but it is too complex to DIY. If the primary use of my system was to only grow food I would have used a gravel or DWC style grow bed. The goal of my system is to test the feasibility of operating an industry stock hydroponic NFT system in aquaponics. Dr Wilson has done it but his data has not been shared with the public. Others have done NFT on the home level but I've only seen it as a secondary grow area or badly as a primary grow area. By badly I mean in PVC pipes that don't have flat bottoms where the water was too deep or in systems with no filtering of solids (and black dead roots).

It would have been easy for me to just build a sure thing but I figured if I was going to do it anyway I might as well attempt to push backyard DIY aquaponics forward. It also helps that NFT gullies are easier and cheaper then building DWC tanks or gravel beds. ...and I can put them on my roof if I wanted.

Where do you get Uniseals?

This system looks great. Though I think you can have a lot more growing area. I like to use a 2:1 or 1:1 grow bed to fish tank ratio.

If I were you I would change the brush filter bed to be a gravel or media bed that could double as another growing area or duckweed tank. I like to make each part of the system double purpose.

[Pugo]

I am getting all excited can't wait to see what the built version looks like. Go go go !!

[vihalvor]

really envious of you guys and your larger scale system... why oh why didnt i get a house with a garden here.. ohright... i live in Makati, manila, and a house here costs per month what i have in annual income... knew there was a reason :P

[jobney]

It's going to be a little while Pugo. I'm going on vacation next Monday for two weeks.

[vihalvor]

I'll get a link for you of where I plan to buy Uniseals tomorrow when I'm at my home computer. (with the bookmarks)

My grow area is based on my planned fish density to my fish tank volume. According to Dr Wilson's calculator, at my planed feed rate, at my planned density, at my planned fish tank size... the leafy green plant area to make my system nutrient neutral is about 21 square feet of grow area. My grow area is 24 square feet. If I want to grow a fruiting crop my planted grow area would be 1/3 to 1/2 my planned available area. Plant area is based on how much food your fish eat and that is calculated by how many lbs of fish are in the system. I could change the total fish tank size larger, have a lower fish density, but still the same total lbs of fish and the same plant growing area. Even if it were scientifically possible to use a simple ratio to determine fish tank volume vs grow bed volume I'm not using a grow bed, I'm using NFT gullies that have only a very thin film of water in them. A ratio is great for getting you into the ball park for a gravel bed system where everyone using the ratio agrees on X gravel bed depth. That set depth over an area can give you a volume number for your ratio calculation but try to change your bed depth and the ratio goes out the window. The ratio was only used in the first place so people would not have to learn the math involved with the complex formula summarized above. Dr Wilson has created a spreadsheet that does the math for you. Here is a link. The good news is that any system design can be brought into proper balance just by lowering or raising the fish density.

Brush filter vs gravel bed:
My planed system is a super micro model of a commercial style system so no gravel bed. I would have used a 70 - 100 micron screen for suspended solids removal but it is too complex to DIY. If the primary use of my system was to only grow food I would have used a gravel or DWC style grow bed. The goal of my system is to test the feasibility of operating an industry stock hydroponic NFT system in aquaponics. Dr Wilson has done it but his data has not been shared with the public. Others have done NFT on the home level but I've only seen it as a secondary grow area or badly as a primary grow area. By badly I mean in PVC pipes that don't have flat bottoms where the water was too deep or in systems with no filtering of solids (and black dead roots).

It would have been easy for me to just build a sure thing but I figured if I was going to do it anyway I might as well attempt to push backyard DIY aquaponics forward. It also helps that NFT gullies are easier and cheaper then building DWC tanks or gravel beds. ...and I can put them on my roof if I wanted.

sounds very interesting... but .. the weakness of nft is temperature inconsitencies... the temperature of the water going OUT, is seldom the same as the one going IN, provided your system is not inside a house and under temperature control.. for outside systems, especially in varmer areas of our gorgeous planet... a lot of outdoor commercial growers experience a difference in the quality of - especially lettuce and leaf produce- their harvests....

how do you plan to circumvent this issue ?

[Just Don]

It's going to be a little while Pugo. I'm going on vacation next Monday for two weeks.

Disapproved. We need to see the new system...

[jobney]

I know that there are some NFT hydroponics grown in FL but they do stop growing for the two hottest months in the summer. They use a shade house as well as some chillers for the water. The ones that do grow in the summer use greenhouses with cooling pads.

The good news for me is that my system location is going to be on the north, northeast side of the house. It allows for direct sun in the cooler mornings and shade for most of the day. If you look at the photo of my side yard area along with my sketchup model you can see the corner where my 150 gallon Stock Tank (fish tank) will be located. The depth of the corner with the eaves on two sides provides shade in this corner for a majority of the day. The location of the swirl filter is also well shaded. The totes under the NFT system are shaded by the NFT component and a white box could be build around them. The NFT gullies are only 12 feet (3.65 meters) long so I'm hoping they don't get too warm on the far end. With shade cloth as well as the other features mentioned I'm crossing my fingers that the water going in is cool enough to mitigate the heating in the gullies. I'm willing to build a sand filled box around the swirl filter and totes if needed. A chiller would be a last resort. My area of Florida has very mild winters... almost a perpetual spring during that time. It's only silly hot for a few months. With a low feed rate and a crop to just clean the water I should be able to coast through the summer if it is too hot.

sounds very interesting... but .. the weakness of nft is temperature inconsitencies... the temperature of the water going OUT, is seldom the same as the one going IN, provided your system is not inside a house and under temperature control.. for outside systems, especially in varmer areas of our gorgeous planet... a lot of outdoor commercial growers experience a difference in the quality of - especially lettuce and leaf produce- their harvests....

how do you plan to circumvent this issue ?

[jobney]

http://www.aussieglobe.com/

Where do you get Uniseals?

[EdwardHill]

http://www.aussieglobe.com/

I've just got my second order comming through from these guys, as i'm buying from the UK the process is slower than it will be for you lot, but the guy i have dealt with, bill, is very helpful. My order is at the UK customs check at the moment, just waiting to see if i get stung for import duty on them at the moment.