The IBC of aquaponics

Backyard Aquaponics
Edition 1.0
THE IBC OF
AQUAPONICS

2 www.backyardaquaponics.com
© COPYRIGHT 2011 Backyard Aquaponics
Edition One 2011
Published and Distributed by Backyard Aquaponics
PO Box 3350 Success Western Australia 6964
www.backyardaquaponics.com enquiries@backyardaquaponics.com
This document is free and no part of this publication can be reproduced or distributed including electronic or mechanical,
through photocopying, recording or otherwise for personal or commercial profit without direct permission from Backyard
Aquaponics. This publication cannot be amended, re-interpreted, or rewritten without direct permission from Backyard
Aquaponics.
Editors: Joel Malcolm & Faye Arcaro
Graphic Design: Sarah Upravan
Thanks & Acknowledgements
Thanks go out to the members of the Backyard Aquaponics forum, whose inventive minds have provided most of the content
for this manual. Without all these members who are so willing to share and take time out to contribute to the forum and help
others, this wouldn’t have been possible.
If this manual is of some use to you please come and join the forum. Join in and help contribute to help others set up their own
aquaponics systems.
The IBC of Aquaponics
Click here to ensure you have the latest edition of the manual
We will be constantly modifying and updating this document so to make it simple for you to know whether you have the most
up to date version we will update it in the following way. If you have version 1.X then you will have all the latest information,
if for example you have 1.0 and you see that we are up to 1.3, the changes will only be cosmetic changes or perhaps very
small changes. We will only change to 2.0 when there is a major update of content, then as very minor modifications happen
we will change it to 2.1, 2.2, etc. But it’s not really worth updating from 2.0 up to 2.2 as the changes will only be slight. Best
to wait till version 3.0 is release with major changes. If you would like to know when further releases will be coming out then
please sign up to our newsletters and forum, we will be informing people via our newsletters and the forum as new releases
become available. Subscribe here.
Updating and revisions

O
k, so you’ve downloaded, borrowed, been given or
stolen this electronic manual from somewhere. Only
joking, it’s free. So pass it on, email it, send it to your
friends, put it on your thumb drive and take it home to show
others, do what you like with it. This is a free document, and
yes you can pretty much pass it on to whoever you like. If you
are involved with aquaponics at some sort of a commercial
level and you’d like to share this document with people then
please check our copyright details, we are happy for this to be
distributed through forums, workshops, as parts of information
packages etc, just so long as the document isn’t changed in
any way, and it’s redistributed in its entirety giving full credits
where credits due.
Now we have that stuff out of the way the first thing you
really should do is check that it’s the most up to date version
available. Well, you don’t have to, but perhaps this is just
the first edition (actually it is), and perhaps there’s a much
later edition available with twice as much information, new
pictures and all the latest bells and whistles. We will be
adding to this document and releasing new editions as more
and more people are building new systems incorporating
IBC’s into new designs of their aquaponic systems. You don’t
want just half the information available, and seeing it’s free
anyway, you may as well just Click Here, it will take you to our
online discussion forum where you will find links to the latest
version of this document.
While we are on the subject of the discussion forum.... The
forum is where all of the pictures and information within this
document has come from. Well it either comes from us directly
here at Backyard Aquaponics, or it comes from the crazy,
inventive, informative, generous members of the BYAP forum.
If you’ve never been to the BYAP forum you can just Click Here,
come and have a look, join up, it’s free and there are lots of
like minded members who can help you with questions about
aquaponics and building different systems. Better to ask and
learn from someone who has already made the mistakes
before, so that you don’t make the same ones, plus as you read
through this document I’m sure you’ll come to appreciate the
wealth of information from the combined knowledge contained
both in this document and also within the forum.
I should probably give you a little bit of information about
some of the features within this document, it’s not just a
straight pdf, it’s an interactive pdf, this means that there are
a few added features to make this document both easier to
read and navigate through, and also to make links outside the
document a lot easier as well.
Introduction

Howtouse&read
thisdocument
At the bottom of each page you will see this icon, clicking on this icon will take you back to the contents page
from where ever you are within the document.
Firstly there’s an interactive menu on the contents page which will take you directly to a particular system
later in the document, you may also find a few links within text like in the paragraphs above where we have
some links directly to the forum where you will find the latest version of this document.
At the beginning of each system you will find this icon. Clicking on this icon will take you directly to the BYAP
forum thread for that members system. If you like a particular system and want to read more about it, find
the latest information about whether the system has been modified or changed, then by clicking and visiting
the forum you will learn a lot more about that particular system.
Click on this link to view the Youtube video of the system.
Just to make things even more interesting and useful for people, we have selected over 20 of the systems
within this manual and we’ve constructed 3 dimensional Google Sketchup models of these systems. If you don’t
know what Google Sketchup is, it’s a free 3D modeling design tool, you can download it. In no time you can start
creating your own 3 dimensional aquaponic models to be sure they fit within the space you have available. So
if you see this icon anywhere in the document, click on this, and it will take you to the Sketchup 3D warehouse
website where you can view the model in further detail and download it to play around with it and make your
own changes so that you can adapt systems to suit your own situation. Once you’re at the 3D warehouse
website you can scan through all of the 3D models we have created. If you are having any issues with how to
use Google sketchup, there are some simple informative tutorials that will have you creating like a pro in no
time. So if you see this icon within the document, why not give it a go.
WATCH
the Video
Stuisje
74

W
we expect that this manual will spread fairly widely
among people who may or may not know about
aquaponics. We have created a Glossary towards the
end of the manual, so if you read a word or find an acronym
you are unsure of, you can quickly click at the base of the
page to return to the index, then click on glossary within the
index, look up the words definition, then back to the index and
back to the system you were reading.
There’s also the issue of units within the manual. We
wondered about whether we should use imperial units or
both imperial and metric units of measure everywhere that
length and volume are mentioned, but after a little thought
it was decided that no we’d go with metric. The rest of you
are just going to have to catch up with those of us in the
world that have already switched to the only logical system,
the metric system. Ok, that may be a fairly contentious
statement. Although I was born and brought up with metric
I still find myself using imperial measurements all the time,
it’s a lot easier to say and to think of “2 feet” rather than “60
centimetres”. Still the decision was made, so to those of you
still using imperial measurements my apologies, however
we have provided a conversion table towards the back of the
manual. Once again, it’s a simple case of a few clicks, back
to the index, check to the conversion table, back to the index,
back to the page you were reading.
The adverts within the documents are all for Backyard
Aquaponics products and services, they are all interactive
and will link you to our websites where you can purchase our
goods and services, as well as learn more about aquaponics
in general. Yes that’s right, interactive adverts I’m afraid.
But take a little look at the information contained within this
document, we have put an enormous amount of time, effort
and money into producing this 100% free information package
to help people get into aquaponics as cheaply as possible.
If we manage to make some sales of products through links
within this document then it will encourage us to produce
more of these free informational products, a win-win situation
for everyone.
We have also started working on a similar document
to this one which is based on aquaponic systems built
predominantly from plastic barrels. Once again another
recycled material that people have been using to great effect
in making aquaponic systems.
We hope that you enjoy using this manual, we hope that it’s
useful and helps people build their own aquaponic systems or
at least motivates someone with ideas and possibilities. Hey,
if it stimulated your grey matter in any way then at least it’s
done some good. If it encourages you to use some recycled
materials you can find around your local area to build an
aquaponic system and start growing your own fresh fish and
vegetables in your own backyard then it’s succeeded beyond
my wildest dreams.
As a last reminder before diving in, please if this is useful to
you, go and join the Backyard Aquaponics forum and help
contribute or ask questions, it’s through having a wide and
diverse mix of ideas and cultures that the forum has become
a community able to help thousands of people over the years.

Steveiscrazy
26
Fishfodder
28
Aquamad
32
Ian
36
Andywhite
44
Tristrin
46
Lungy
52
Arkantex
56
Bonsaibelly
57
Hillsy
62
Freoboy
66
Outbackozzie 1
68
Stuisje
74
Markcaso
76
Boris
78
Snakes
82
Chainsaw
60
Mattyry
86
Lord Viykor
89
Zman
92
Blissy
94
Guide to Aquaponics
10
Introduction to IBCs
15
Building an IBC
19
What is Aquaponics
8

Nitrogen Cycle
178
Zsazsa
99
Gone Fishin
122
Edroe
137
Siphonphobia
154
Jet
171
Outbackozzie 2
104
Ivansng
126
Edwood
140
Wal
158
Netab
174
Mantis
110
Skygazer
130
The Native
142
Charlie
164
Joey
113
Alosthippy
132
Scottie & Shelley
146
Bigdaddy
168
Further Reading
187
Jaymie & Axl
96
Quachy
116
Seemore
135
Curnow
150
FAQ & For Your
Reference
181

What is
Aquaponics?
“research has shown that an aquaponic system uses
about 1/10th of the water used to grow vegetables
in the ground.”
A
quaponics is essentially the
combination of Aquaculture
and Hydroponics. Both
aquaculture and hydroponics have
some down sides, hydroponics
requires expensive nutrients to feed
the plants, and also requires periodic
flushing of the systems which can lead
to waste disposal issues.
Re-circulating aquaculture needs to
have excess nutrients removed from
the system, normally this means that
a percentage of the water is removed,
generally on a daily basis. This
nutrient rich water then needs to be
disposed of and replaced with clean
fresh water.
While re-circulating aquaculture
and hydroponics are both very
efficient methods of producing fish
and vegetables, when we look at
combining the two, these negative
aspects are turned into positives. The
positive aspects of both aquaculture
and hydroponics are retained and the
negative aspects no longer exist.
Aquaponics can be as simple or as
complex as you’d like to make it,
the simple system pictured above
is made from one IBC (Intermediate
Bulk Container). The top was cut off
and turned upside down to become a
growbed for the plants.
Water is pumped up from the fish tank
into the growbed. The water trickles
down through the media, past the
roots of the plants before draining
back into the fish tank. The plants
extract the water and nutrients they
need to grow, cleaning the water for
the fish. There are bacteria that live
on the surface of the growbed media.
These bacteria convert ammonia
wastes from the fish into nitrates
that can be used by the plants. TThe
conversion of ammonia into nitrates is
often termed “the nitrogen cycle”. This
will be dealt with in more detail in the
next chapter.
Growbeds filled with a media such
as gravel or expanded clay pebbles
are a common method of growing
plants in an aquaponic system, but
there are many different methods that
can be used. In fact any method of
hydroponic growing can be adapted
to aquaponics. Plants can be grown
in floating foam rafts that sit on the
water surface.
Vegetables can also be grown using NFT
(Nutrient Film Technique), or through

various other methods using a “run to
waste” style of growing. This is done
by removing a percentage of the fish
water each day and watering vegetables
planted in different media such as coir
peat, vermiculite, perlite etc.
Many different species of fish can be
grown in an aquaponic system, and
your species selection will depend on a
number of factors including your local
government regulations.
Quite high stocking densities of fish
can be grown in an aquaponic system,
and because of the recirculating
nature of the systems very little water
is used. Research has shown that an
aquaponic system uses about 1/10th
of the water used to grow vegetables
in the ground.
An aquaponic system can be incredibly
productive. I’ve produced 50kg of
fish, and hundreds of kilograms of
vegetables within 6 months in an
area about the size of your average
carport, 8m x 4m. This is a system
that requires no bending, no weeding,
no fertilizers, and only uses about the
same power it takes to run a couple of
light globes.

Running of the system
There are a few common methods of running a media bed
aquaponic system. You can flood and drain it by using a
timer on the pump to switch the pump off and on, and a
standpipe in the grow bed. You can flood and drain it using
an auto siphon within the growbed and running your pump
continuously. You can also run the system with a continuously
flooded grow bed using a standpipe in the bed.
We have been running some trials of these three different
methods here at Backyard Aquaponics and you can follow
the results on our forum if you’d like to compare the different
systems. Click here to visit forum
At the time of writing this our trials have been running for
over 6 months and in reality there’s been little difference
at the end of the day between the three different systems.
There were some differences in the early period but after 6
months there really is very little difference between them. This
being the case I would recommend running your IBC system
continuously flooded as we have set up our IBC system in this
manual.
There are possibly a few other advantages to running your
system as a constantly flooded system depending on your
system design. In a CHIFT PIST style of system your sump tank
doesn’t need to be as big as it has to be if you are flooding
and draining. When you flood and drain by either timed
pumping cycles or using autosiphons, you must have enough
sump volume to hold large amounts of water. There will be
times when the growbeds are flooded and then times when
they have all drained into the sump tank all at once.
When designing and building a flood and drain CHIFT PIST
system, the general rule of thumb is that your sump should be
about the same volume as your growbeds. If you are running
a CHIFT PIST system constantly flooded your sump tank can be
much smaller, because there won’t be such large fluctuations
of water volumes.
Startling a system
If you ask 10 people how to start an aquaponic system you’ll
get about 9 or perhaps 10 different answers, with each
person insisting that their method is best. The idea is that
you need to get a system ‘cycled’ which means establishing
your beneficial bacteria populations within the system so that
they can they can convert the ammonia wastes into nitrates
so the plants can use them. Anyway, there are a number of
different ways you can get your system started. It’s always
good if you can ‘seed’ your system from an existing system or
from someone who has an aquarium or pond. Aquarium filters
will be filled with the beneficial bacteria you want growing in
your aquaponics system, so will pond filters or even just the
pond or aquarium water. So if you can collect some of this, it
will help your system to establish even quicker. If you can’t find
any, or don’t know anyone you can source some bacteria from,
don’t worry, they will establish themselves naturally, it will just
take a little longer.
You may want to get yourself a test kit so that you can follow
the cycling of your system, especially when using fishless
methods requiring addition of different sources of ammonia. A
test kit which tests pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate is best.
Guide to
aquaponics
Peeponics.
Yes, it is as it sounds, some people get their system started
and cycled by adding urine to the system. Urine contains
urea and urea breaks down to ammonia, once you have
ammonia this can be a useful source of food for beneficial
bacteria populations. It’s a good idea to age your urine
for a few days to a week in an open well ventilated area
before adding it to the system, but not totally necessary,
you can just add straight from the source if you wish. If you
are taking any type of medication it’s not recommended
that you try this method.
Urea Fertilizers
Another method to add an ammonia source to help
establish the beneficial bacteria is to use Urea fertilizer,
generally available from agricultural suppliers, hardware
stores and nurseries. This is a fairly straightforward
method of cycling a system, however you must be careful
of your dosing, regular water testing is recommended.
Ammonia
Household ammonia can be sourced from many different
places. As with urea, care is required to ensure you don’t
overdose the system. Also when sourcing your ammonia
make sure that you only use food grade ammonia, there
are plenty of cleaning and industrial ammonia sources
but they often have perfumes and other additives.
The dead prawn or fish
Yep a method of cycling practiced a fair bit within some
aquarium circles over the years. By placing some rotting
fish or crustacean in the system you are inducing a source
of ammonia for the bacteria to feed on.
Fish feed
You can start cycling a system by introducing the fish
feed you will be using to feed the fish into the system, as
the feed starts to break down on the bottom of the fish
tank and in the growbeds it will release ammonia for the
bacteria to feed on.
Feeder fish and/or fingerling
Possibly the simplest method of starting a system and
the method we recommend so long as you follow a few
simple golden rules. Your system can be cycled by adding
feeder fish, usually cheap bronze comets or goldfish to
start the system before adding your final fish species. You
can also stock the system with fingerling of whatever
type of fish you plan on growing in the system and this
is the way we start our systems and the method we
recommend people start theirs.
But feeding the fish must be kept to a strict minimum for
the first 2 months. No more than one tablespoon of feed,
per day, per 500L of media. If you get an algal bloom, stop
feeding until the algae clears. After 2 months you can
start increasing feed levels slowly because your bacteria
would have been established. You can easily monitor this
with a basic freshwater master test kit.
Methods of Cycling

Locating your system
There are a few things you may want to keep in mind when it
comes to locating your system. For some this may not be an
issue, you might only have one place it can go. But, if you have
some choices as to location, one of the first things to consider
is sunlight. You need at least 4-6 hours of good sunlight a day
for your plants to grow well, however, your fish do not need
sunlight, and in fact you’re better off not having any sun on
your fish tank at all if possible. Sun on your fish tank leads to
algae growing. If you can’t help but have your fish tank in the
direct sun, you might like to think about having some floating
plants on the surface of your fish tank. Floating plants in your
fish tank offer shelter and hiding places for your fish and fish
are far happier when they feel protected.
The water’s surface can be a food production area as well as
a good place to grow invasive plants like mint and water cress
which will take over your media filled growbeds if you plant
them in there.
Growing Media
There are many different types of growing media you can use
in your aquaponic system, though there are a couple of things
to watch out for. Firstly there’s the rock or particle size, we
prefer to use a media that is between 8mm and 16mm, there
are some disadvantages if you go very far out of this range. If
the media is a lot smaller then there’s not a much air space
between the media when it’s in your bed. If the media is a lot
larger, your surface area is markedly reduced, plus planting
becomes a lot harder. Your choices are to go for a hydroponic
expanded clay or alternatively you can use a local crushed
rock media. You want to be a little careful with the rock you
choose as some can have high levels of limestone and other
high pH minerals within them which can lead to nutrient lock
out.
Some people have found that their local crushed rock or gravel
media can have a high ph level. High pH can be a bit of a
problem in an aquaponic system so if you are unsure, a quick
way to check any rock you are thinking of using is to do the
vinegar test. Get a handful of the media you want to use, drop
it into a jug of normal household vinegar, if the rocks appear
to be visibly bubbling, releasing bubbles from the rock, then
chances are it has a high pH and best if you can look at an
alternative.
Rock media or gravel is also very heavy so you need to plan to
have enough support for it when building your growbeds and
their stands and supports. The advantages of rock media is
that it’s readily available and usually very cheap.
Expanded clay is extremely light, pH neutral, comes in handy
bags, it’s easy to plant in, easy to clean and sterile. However
it’s downside, usually very expensive. You will need to weigh
up the pros and cons yourself, if you want quick and money is
Access to power. You will need to pump water and
possibly have an air pump as well, these need power to
run so you need to be able to run your power lead to a
power point.
Access for planting, harvesting and maintenance. I’ve
seen many systems that people have set up where
there’s been little to no allowance for access to the
whole system. Keep in mind that although you may think
you can get to most of it, once your growbeds are full
of plants, getting to that back corner of the growbed
might not be as easy as it was when everything was
new and empty. Also plants hang out over the edge of
the growbeds, we normally allow at least 70cm between
growbeds. Even this isn’t enough sometimes when plants
are growing really well. Access to the fish tank is also
important. I’ve seen many system built from IBC’s where
there is only a very small access point into the fish tank,
not really big enough for a fish net to catch your fish.
Seasonal differences. If you are building your system in
summer, there’s a good chance the sun will actually track
a different course in the sky come winter time. What
may have been good sunshine during the summer could
perhaps be no sunlight at all during winter, and vice versa.
Surrounding vegetation. It’s not great to have a system
directly under a deciduous plant of any type, or any
plant with heavy blossom drop. I’ve known of plants
contamination from some shrubs and trees which has
caused fish deaths. This can sometimes be one of the
harder fish death causes to pin point as it may only take
a few leaves or flower of a plant to affect fish if the plant
happens to be highly toxic. Fish deaths from this is not
a regular problem we hear of, but keeping the tank and
growbeds clean can be difficult with large quantities of
leaves or flowers dropping from above.
Pets and Children. You may have one or you may
have both; you need to be sure when planning and
constructing your system, that your system is child
friendly and pet friendly.
Locating your system

not the most limiting factor, then expanded clay is the go, if
you are more concerned about cost and you’re willing to spend
a lot more time on constructing stronger supports and moving
and cleaning your media, then go for the rock.
Some people like to take the middle road, you can fill the
bottom of your bed with gravel/rock then fill the top half with
expanded clay, this cuts the costs significantly, also cuts
the weight, and makes sure that you have a nice media for
planting and harvesting in.
Plants
In any and all of the above methods of cycling a system
we recommend that people plant their beds as quickly as
possible with plants. Personally I like to use a combination of
seedlings and seeds. You can sprinkle seeds over the top of
your growbed media then plant seedlings throughout the bed.
As you are digging in the seedlings to plant them, the assorted
seeds will get buried in the media and before long they will
germinate and fill your growbed.
When planting seedlings we strongly recommend washing the
soil or potting mix off the roots of the seedling before planting.
I know some people don’t do this, but it’s adding unnecessary
contaminants to your system in the form of organic matter,
sand and slow release fertilizers. You can very simply get a
bucket and put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of it,
you may also like to add some seaweed extract to this or worm
juice, these will aid the new seedlings in establishing well.
Now simply remove the seedling from the punnet, swish it in
the water and the soil should easily wash off the roots. You
don’t have to be too careful to get it all off, just the majority of
the soil.
When planting in your growbeds, plant everything very
densely, you can plant things a lot closer together than
you would in the soil because these plants with have as
much water as they can want. Try and make use of areas
where plant growth can expand and extend, if your system
is located near a shed or wall or fence, erect something for
the plants to grow up, and plant climbers like beans peas,
tomatoes, cucumbers etc so that they can grow up things.
Other plants you may want to let ramble, you can plant a
pumpkin in one corner of your growbed, then let it spill over
the side and ramble over things. Vacant unproductive land
with poor or no soil is fine because the pumpkin plant gets
all of its nutrient and water from the system, yet collects
sunshine from where ever its long tendrils grow.
What plants can I grow in my system?
I know people who have grown just about everything, from
trees through to potatoes. You can pretty much grow anything,
though a few things to keep in mind when deciding what
you will plant. Firstly, you want to grow things that you will
eat, there’s not much sense in growing lots of cabbages if
you don’t really like them or eat them. You also want to be
sure that you always have things growing in your system. Say
perhaps you only have a simple system made from the one
IBC like our sample system in this manual, one growbed above
the IBC fish tank. You never want to pull out all of the plants
at once, otherwise there is nothing left to extract the nutrients
from the system. It’s always best if you can have a broad
mix in the system at any one time, mature plants, half grown
plants and seedlings all at once, that way you are able to cycle
through plants, removing the mature ones and planting new
ones to replace them, while leaving many plants in there using
up the nutrient.
Fish Stocking
Every system is different and peoples environmental
conditions can vary quite a lot, but there’s has to be some
guidelines as to what will work well for the majority of people.
We recommend stocking around 20-25 fish for every 500L
of growbed media in your system, this is assuming you have
growbeds that are around 25-30cm deep. Ultimately the
amount of fish you can safely keep in your system depends on
many factors, feed rates, water flows, oxygen levels, number of
plants, pumping rates, fish species and water temperature, to
name a few of the major factors.
So let’s say perhaps that you are looking at making a very
simple system like the example system we have built in this
manual, made from the one IBC cut into two pieces to make
the growbed and fish tank. This growbed has 250L of media
in it, perfect for around 10-12 fish. This is allowing for them to
grow from fingerling up to a plate size of around 400-500g. If
you double the growbed by adding another one the same, then
you can pretty much double the amount of fish you have to 20-
25 fish in the system.
We’ve found with experimenting that you can grow a lot of
plants with only a fairly lightly stocked system, and a lightly
stocked system is more resilient if things happen to go wrong.
Getting my fish home.
You should speak to your fish supplier first, fish transporting
can often depend on the size of the fish and the distance
you are travelling with them, or the amount of time they
will be spending in transport. Often suppliers will bag small
fingerlings in clear plastic bags with oxygen added to the bag,
this can allow them to be transported for long periods of time
with only a slight chance of losses. Sometimes you may be
required to take an esky or similar to the fish supplier, this is
good so long as you take along a battery aerator with you to
supply them with air for the trip.
Feeding the fish
We recommend that you use a quality aquaculture pellet to
feed your fish, you can supplement this with alternate feeds
like worms, maggots, black soldier fly larvae and plenty of
other different types of alternative feed, however it’s always
good to have the basis of a pellet feed there as an essential
component of the fish diet. People often ask about keeping
a system completely closed loop, producing all the feed you

need within the system and from system rubbish and scraps.
This works to a minor extent, however you must have external
input into the system if you are removing nutrient from the
system in the form of food to eat.
Backup
Having a backup system is very handy, bordering on essential.
If and when the power goes out, you want to be sure that your
fish are not going to die. A well stocked system filled with fish
will not last long as they consume the available dissolved
oxygen within the water, so you need a way to get oxygen into
the water that doesn’t rely on mains power. There are a few
ways you can go about this, you can keep battery operated
aerators or a generator handy for when the power goes out
so that you can implement your contingency plan when things
go wrong. But, generally as Murphy’s law would have it, if the
power is going to go out, it will be when you are not home, so
you will be unable to react to the power failure.
This means you will need to have your backup system already
thought out before hand, and it will need to be automatic.
There are a couple of simple ways you can do this. We like
to use AC/DC aerators, these are air pumps with internal
rechargeable batteries in them. Normally they run while
plugged into the power, pumping air through air lines and air
stones in the fish tank. When the power goes out they switch
automatically over to their internal batteries and continue to
pump air into the water keeping the fish alive for the life of the
battery within the unit, often up to 10 hours. When the power
comes back on, the internal battery is recharged.
Another method used by some is to make their own back
up using either water pumps or air pumps, using batteries,
something like a car battery, an inverter, a trickle battery
charger and a power fail switch. Essentially this does the
same thing as the AC/DC air pump above, but it’s larger and
in an individual components form. This type of system can be
chopped and changed, you can leave out the inverter and use
12/24V DC components if they are readily available. There’s
a lot more information about backup systems on the Backyard
Aquaponics forum.
Monitoring the system
It’s good if you can keep a daily check on your system most
of the time, a very quick visual check that the water level in
the fish tank looks right, the fish are acting as they normally
do, and the plants look healthy and happy will be enough.
As you become used to your system, you can tell quite a bit
from a quick look at the system, fish behaviour can change
markedly when there are issues and it’s worth doing a little
more research into unusual fish behaviour to watch out for. A
typical example of this is when fish are “flashing”. Flashing is
when fish rub their sides of their bodies on the base of your
tank, this is generally because they are trying to dislodge
something, often it’s can be a parasitic problem and one of
the most typical causes of flashing can be Ich, a quick search
for Ich on the BYAP forum will help you with further information
on this.
Some people like to test their water regularly, this is a
good idea however you must be careful not to over react to
readings. Most people who have trouble with their systems
tend to be having troubles because they are often over
reacting to test results. Extreme changes to a system can
cause a lot of stress to the fish. For example, if you have a
low pH, don’t react quickly by adding lime or other alkaline
buffering agents. Firstly before adjusting anything you
might want to be sure of your other levels in the water, high
ammonia levels are not as toxic to fish when the pH is low and
the temperature is low. So if you raise your pH you may be
putting your fish at risk of toxic ammonia levels.
CLICK HERE TO SEE AMMONIA CHART
Over time and dealing with many beginners in aquaponics,
here at BYAP we have found a minimalist approach works best
for the majority of people in the majority of situations. Next
Power supplies. Ensure that power safety is a priority
at all times. Any pond pump you are using must have its
power supply protected by an RCD for safety. Whenever
dipping hands into the water that contains the pump,
you should turn the pump off at the power supply first.
Keep all leads well protected and out of the way of
general access. Keep any electrical items like air pumps
out of rain and away from water, never have an air pump
sitting above your fish tank where it may get knocked
into the water.
Water risk. Be sure to have any open water protected in
some way so that small children and pets cannot get into
the water. Generally IBC’s are easy to protect because the
IBC tank is square so it can be as simple as some heavy
mesh covering your fish tank.
Fill up water supply. It’s a great idea to have a timer on
the tap where you fill your system, there have been many
stories on the forum of people putting the hose in the
tank and turning on the tap to top up the system, then
forgetting about it. Often this can lead to fish deaths
because of the extremely low oxygen levels in the water
from the tap, very large amounts of chlorinated tap water
can also lead to killing off the bacteria populations which
have built up in your growbeds. Tap timers are cheap and
readily available and they can save a lot of heart ache.
Keep things safe. If you have a test kit, keep it up out of
the way, this also goes for any other associated things
including fish feed, keep it locked up, vermin and child
safe. Not just because of the safety of the children, I’ve
heard of some people that have lost their fish though
small children tipping all the fish feed into the system.
Just helping of course, but if you don’t spot it straight
away it can lead to trouble.
General safety around your aquaponic system

we will deal with some of the most common problems people
may come across and how we recommend you deal with these
problems if they arise for you.
Dealing with pests and diseases
There are a few different methods of dealing with any
pests and/or diseases in your system, of course most of
these require no petrochemical based sprays as these are
generally very toxic to fish and also possibly the beneficial
bacteria within the system. Caterpillars are easily controlled
by applications of Bacillus thuringiensis, this is a natural soil
borne bacteria which is available around the world under a
number of different brand names. Often organically certified
the spray is safe for aquaponic systems. For sap sucking
insects you can use chilli and garlic sprays, these are often
available commercially now a days, however they should
always be used in moderation, as excess and overspray is
never good. For moulds and fungus on plants you can use
potassium bicarbonate sprayed onto the effected plants.
Potassium bicarbonate is available under a number of
different brand names around the world. It also can help
a system by adding potassium, something often lacking in
a system and the bicarbonate helps to keep the pH up, as
most of the time pH goes down in mature systems. If slugs
are a problem, a small saucer filled with beer will attract
them and they easily drown, making disposal simple and
effective. Coloured sticky traps work well for thrips, aphids
and whiteflies and are a good way to monitor visitors to your
aquaponic system.
Dealing with deficiencies
We have found that generally supplementing for plant
deficiencies is not necessary when using good quality
aquaculture feeds, our systems here at our display centre
rarely receive any supplements, perhaps once or twice a year
we might dose our systems with seaweed extract if we see
some deficiencies. Deficiencies can be difficult to diagnose,
thankfully there are a number of sites online which can
help you diagnose particular deficiencies with images. One
of the simplest ways to deal with any deficiencies is by the
addition of seaweed extract. Seaweed extract is available
under a number of different brand names around the world
and seaweed has very high levels of a lot of micronutrients
and minerals. Some other things you may want to add if
the relevant deficiencies are showing in your plant growth.
Chelated Iron, readily available in powdered and liquid form.
Potassium bicarbonate for potassium deficiencies, so long as
your pH is not high already. Be sure your pH is not high before
you try and add elements to fix a micronutrient problem,

IBCs
an introduction
The humble IBC, disposable industrial packaging that’s become the
cornerstone of many aquaponic system designs, they are a multipurpose,
recycled, cheap, modular way to build an aquaponic system.

An aquaponic system can easily be built in an afternoon with
an IBC, a pump, a handful of fittings and a couple of regular
power tools. IBC’s along with blue 200L plastic barrels have
enabled thousands of aquaponic systems to be built where
normally people may not have the resources or the means to
build a system any other way.
IBC aquaponic systems have even proven themselves to
be a marketable product, with many different complete
aquaponic systems available for sale through classifieds.
No matter how you look at it, they have a crucial role to play
within aquaponics, the aquaponics community and the
growth of aquaponics worldwide.
What makes them so special? The ability to use them in
such a variety of ways, and their self supporting outer stand.
One IBC can be cut and turned into one aquaponic system,
or alternately, multiple IBC’s can be plumbed together and
incorporated into extremely large systems..
What is an IBC or tote.
IBC or Intermediate Bulk Container, also often termed as
an IBC tote, is a large industrial container used to carry,
store and transport liquid products. They range in sizes from
500 litres – 1200 litres, though other sizes can also be
found they are not as common. Without a doubt the most
commonly available IBC is 1000L litre. These 1000L IBC’s
are generally around 1.0m x 1.2m x 1.2m tall, this cubic
shape makes it ideal for efficient transporting of bulk liquids.
The basic construction of an IBC consists
of a steel, plastic or wooden base that
includes 4 way forklift lifting points
for ease of moving around. This base
provides a sturdy foundation to support
an outside cage made from steel. The
outer steel cage is generally constructed
from either a reasonably thin gauge
almost steel mesh cage, through to a
welded tubular steel grid, welded tubular
grids are probably the most commonly
found IBC construction types. These
cages are welded as one solid piece,
then screwed onto the base at a number
of points. The thin plastic liner is then
slid down into the into the cage, then
generally two tubular bars are bolted
across the top to hold down the inner
plastic container.
Because of the strength offered by the
outer welded frame and solid base the
inner plastic vessel that actually holds
the liquids is only quite thin. Screw
attachments on the base and butterfly
valves are common attachments and can
come in a range of size, D50, D80, D150
depending on manufacturer. The top contains a large screw
cap. generally between 6 inches and 12 inches across, these
lids contain an inner 2 inch NPT threaded bung.
IBC’s not only vary in size but they also vary in colour, most
of the inner plastic containers are white, however you can
find blue or black ones.
IBC’s are reasonably cheap to buy, even new here in
Australia you can buy brand new containers for about
$350 + GST, quite reasonable considering that many other
containers that might be used in aquaponics systems of
a similar size usually cost a lot more. Then of course they
are readily available second hand through drum recyclers,
salvage shops, through classifieds, by knowing the right
people, or if you’re lucky it can be as simple as driving past
an industrial area where companies might put them out with
“for sale” signs on them.
Second hand IBC’s generally come in a couple of different
ways, “single use” are often a little more expensive, $100-
$150 each. These containers have been used once to
transport a liquid from one place to another, and then
discarded. Usually these are in very good physical condition
because they’ve had such little use. Then there’s “used”
IBC’s, these may have been used many times over by
numerous companies over time.
Using an IBC
It’s highly preferable to know the history of your IBC when
buying for your aquaponic system, this is for a two fold
IBC distributed by SCHÜTZ DSL Group Pty Ltd

Advantages
Cheap
Readily available worldwide
Extensive design possibilities
Stackable
Modular
Disadvantages
Square
Most not UV stabilized
Not designed for a long life
Very industrial looking
Thin plastic
Screw Cap
Philips screw
reason. Firstly, fish are sensitive creatures and there are
many liquid products that can leave residues, residues
that might be harmful to your fish. Secondly, there may be
residues that could be harmful to yourself or your family, so
it pays to know what’s been in your IBC, or in knowing that
it’s been professionally or properly cleaned.
Often IBC’s will contain information on the name plate on
the side of the cage, from this information you can use the
internet to find out about the substance that’s been stored
in the IBC. Generally if you type in the name of the product
and “MSDS” you should get a “Material Safety Data Sheet”
on the product, this will let you know if it is dangerous. This
should also help you understand the best way approaching
cleaning the IBC.
It’s almost impossible to know the complete history of
these containers and what liquids they may have stored
over that time. Used IBC’s may often have physical damage
especially to the bases, they can sometimes have corrosion
and missing taps or lids. They are usually reasonably cheap
costing between $50 and $120 depending on their quality.
Lastly refurbished IBC’s are often available through drum
recyclers. These IBC’s are cleaned and pressure tested and
often have had maintenance or repairs made as required.
One of the best ways to find used IBC’s it to keep your
eyes open around industrial area or in your local paper,
often businesses consider them to be a waste product,
just packaging to be discarded after they are finished with
their contents. Ask friends, you might be surprised at the
various industries that use IBC’s as part of their day to day
operations.
Another advantage of the IBC is their stacking ability and the
fact that they are very modular and their square form saves
space when space is at a premium. On the downside square
tanks are not the optimum shape for higher stocking levels
of fish.
Washing an IBC
Often if you’ve bought your IBC in used condition then you
will need to give it a good wash. A handy point to remember
if you are going to cut your IBC, is to cut it first so that you
can clean it more easily. Because there’s such a small
opening in the top cleaning can be quite difficult while it’s
still whole. Best if you can at least remove the inner plastic
container from the frame, this is an easy thing to do as most
IBC’s have only two bars across the top, these are easily
removed, then the inner plastic can be slid out.
Washing your IBC can often be a two step process depending
on how dirty it is. I highly recommend initial rinsing to
remove any larger amounts of material before washing out
with a dilute mix of bleach and water. Then a further rinsing
before leaving the IBC in the sun for a couple of days. UV

Check the BYAP forum for further ideas of cleaning
methods relating to different types of contents.
Tap Fitting
helps to break down residues and remove any
lingering odours that may remain.
Cutting an IBC
Without a doubt the simplest means of cutting an IBC is
by using power tools. Possibly the best way of cutting the
outer metal cage is with an angle grinder, if you don’t have
an angle grinder a sabre saw with metal cutting blade will
also do a great job. Be sure to use all personal protective
equipment when using power tools. The inner plastic
liner can be cut with almost anything including a manual
handsaw. I’ve found hand held circular saws and jigsaws to
be the most useful for this job. Be sure to mark where you
want to cut before hand with a marking pen.
Plumbing an IBC
Ultimately it’s great to be able to use the existing external
fitting that all IBC’s generally have on the base. This is not
always feasible depending on your design and on what
the purpose is that you have for the IBC or part there of.
When plumbing through the side of the IBC plastic wall, it is
advisable to use a tank fitting. Tank fittings ensure that there
is a large surface area clamping onto the plastic, so this is
by far the safest means of plumbing through. There are other
ways people use to plumb through a system that work quite
well. This method works sufficiently well for many people,
but personally I prefer the added safety of a larger flange,
just in case, the few extra dollars is worth the peace of mind.

Building an
IBC system
The following pages contain step by step instruction for building a
simple aquaponic system made from a single IBC. The basic idea
of this system is to cut a section off the IBC and to use this for a
growbed, while the other larger section becomes the fish tank. Fairly
simple and straight forward, but with a twist here and there...
Watch our step-by-step video on YouTube

Parts
Tools
Protective Equipment
• Pump
• 1.5m flexible pipe
• barbed threaded elbow
• threaded 25mm T piece
• 4 x 25mm elbows
• 4.5m of 25mm pipe
• 20cm of 40mm pipe
• 40-25mm reducing coupling
• 50mm valve socket
• 30cm piece of 90 storm pipe
• 200L of media
• Angle grinder with cutting
disk & grinding disk
• Drill
• Ruler
• Pipe cutter or hacksaw
• Marking pen
• Spray Paint
• Ear muffs
• Gloves
• Safety glasses
What you’ll need to build
theIBCsystem
WATCH
the Video

The beginning
To begin with you should be sure your IBC has been thoroughly
drained and had an initial rinse. Have you checked what was
in the IBC before hand? Have you looked up the contents
MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) to ensure that the previous
contents aren’t going to cause your fish or yourself any
issues? This is extremely important, some IBC’s may have had
contents which make them unusable. The IBC we are using
used to contain clean new heavy motor oil. Not the nicest of
substances but at least we know that it will be reasonably
straight forward to clean and the contents weren’t toxic.
One other aspect to this, there are many different IBC’s made
by different manufacturers and not all of them are the same.
Some have wire mesh cages, some have wooden or plastic
pallet bases they are many and varied, however this IBC we
are using is one of the most commonly found IBC’s a fairly
standard design, the one we used is made by Schuts, one of
the biggest worldwide manufacturers of IBC’s.
First step to making your system is to remove the top two bars
which hold down the inner liner. These generally require an
unusual star shaped driver called a Torx head. Not everyone
has these available as part of their standard
tool set, however a flat head screwdriver can fit
into it, you just need to have the right size which
should be reasonably easy.
Remove the two top bars holding the liner in the frame
T
his is a simple step by step guide to building an aquaponic system using an IBC. There are about as many different ways
this can be done as there are different types of bread. Everyone seems to have their own preference as to how they build
their system, this is how we built ours. It’s not necessarily the best way depending on your requirements, but this was a
way to build a system very simply, using the IBC as best as we could and a minimum of tools. The only tools you will need are a
grinder and a drill. Thats right, just a grinder and a cordless drill and you can build your own aquaponic system, you don’t need
any fancy tools, this is about simplicity.
How to build the
IBCsystem

Working on the liner
Once you have unscrewed the two top supports and removed
them, you can now remove the inner liner from the outer frame.
It’s time to cut the frame to size for the growbed.
For this system we are going to use the base of the IBC frame
as the growbed support, here we will be cutting the frame off
just above the first horizontal support. Be sure to use a thin
cut off disk on your grinder for this, also be sure that you have
all of your personal protective gear on when using power tools
like grinders, accidents happen when you least expect them.
Be sure to cut these all at the same level, just above the
horizontal as the top section of frame will ultimately become
the fish tank surround and the stand which the growbed sits
on. Once you have cut off the bottom section of frame you may
want to clean up the edges of the cuts, you can either do this
with a file, or you can swap your cutting disk to a grinding disk
and take off any sharp bits with your grinder.
Now you may want to cut the IBC into the fish tank and the
growbed sections. For this you will need to mark out where your
cut will be first. With this system we will be using the top of the
liner as the growbed. We will be making the growbed about an
inch taller than the growbed frame, this makes it around 23cm
deep, anywhere between 20 and 30cn will give you a nice
growbed which will grow most plants. Our life was made easy
by the fact that there is a mark on the IBC liner from the frame,
at exactly the point where we want to cut. If you don’t have any
mark on your IBC, then you can measure up from the base to
where you want the top of your growbed. Probably the easiest
way to do this is to put the IBC liner top down into the frame, as
it will be ultimately set up. Then you can see how high you want
your bed to be, this is where we recommend about an inch
above the horizontal
frame support.
Use a straight edge to
mark out your cut off
point, once marked,
use your angle
grinder to carefully
cut the top growbed
section off the liner.
Be sure to use a thin
cutting blade for this.
Remove the liner from the frame Cut the frame at the required height for your growbed

Now we want to cut the hole in the base of the IBC frame
for the growbed drain. Remove the 50mm central plug from
the lid of the IBC, place the growbed liner into the frame,
now use a pen to mark the cot out hole that is needed in the
base. Using the grinder with cutting disk again, cut out a large
square that will allow enough space for a 50mm fitting to poke
through the hole, you may need to begin by cutting from the
top, and then turn the base over to cut from the other side.
When you think you have a large enough hole cut in the base,
screw your 50mm fitting into the lid, turn the bed upside down
and drop it into frame to be sure it fits through your new hole.
Once the IBC liner has been cut, you can now give it a good
clean easily because you can access the whole inside surface,
since ours contained oil we needed to give it a good wash out
with a strong detergent and hot water. We ended up giving it 2
good washes with detergent to remove all the oil residue, after
the second rinse it was nice and clean.
Now we place what was the upper section of IBC frame
on the ground in the place where we want the system to
be finally located. We then used two pieces of wood 30 x
50 timber from an old timber pallet to provide supports
for the growbed frame. You can use a variety of different
timbers for this purpose depending on what you have locally
available in your area. You could just place the growbed
onto the top of the metal frame, but by using timbers we
are able to push the growbed back a bit further to allow for
more access into the fish tank.
Once your timbers are in position, place the growbed on top
as you can see in our photographs Notice that the growbed
has been twisted sideways 90 degrees, this also helps
provide more access to the fish tank.
Place the growbed frame on top and insert the growbed
Cut the hole in the steel base large enough for the drain
fittings
Cleaning the IBC sections is easier once you have cut it
open

So now your growbed is on top of the fish tank, you will need
a standpipe surround, we use 90mm storm water pipe with
many 6mm holes drilled in it, this keeps the media away
from the stand pipe and drain, and allows an access point for
you to check the drain is free of plant roots. The 90mm pipe
section sits nicely in the red cap of the IBC.
Once you sit your stand pipe surround in the cap you can
now fill the bed with media. We are using expanded clay for
our media because it’s simple and light. Pour your bags of
expanded clay media into the growbed, be careful that the
standpipe surround sits still as you pour the bags in, now you
need to wash the red dust out of the media.
You can attach a hose to the 50mm fitting in the base of your
growbed so that the dirty water is run off into a garden, or
alternatively you can just open the tap in the bottom of your
fish tank and let the water run away. Hose down the media in
your growbed for about 5-10 minutes, until the water starts to
run fairly clear. Once the water is running clear you can stop
washing the clay and fill up your fish tank.
Now we just need to install the pump and pipe work then the
system is done. First let’s look at installing a standpipe, a
standpipe like this will allow you to run the system in a couple
of ways, you can run it as a constantly flooded system, using
the stand pipe to set the height of the flooding water in the
growbed. Or alternatively you can use a timer on the pump to
make your flood and drain as often as you like. The standpipe
is made from a 32-25 reducing coupling with some 32mm
pipe and a couple of 6mm holes drilled near the bottom. The
6mm holes allow the bed to drain if you set it up as flood and
drain, they also allow the water to drain out of the bed if you
have it set up as a constant flood system and the power goes
out.
It’s a good idea to keep your stand pipe a bit longer to begin
with, once you start pumping you can cut some off the stand
pipe and fine tune the height.
Making the standpipe which controls the water level in
the growbed
Drill 6mm holes in the standpipe and the irrigation grid pipes
Fill the growbed with media

We are using a submersible pump, and a flexible anti-kink
hose to run water up to the growbed. We start by sitting the
pump on the ground next to the system, this allows us to
measure the length of flexible hose we will need to reach up
to the growbed. Be sure to allow a little extra length in the
pipe so that you can access it and move it around with ease. I
won’t go into too much detail about how to attach your pipe to
your pump because every pump is different, here you will have
to find the right fittings for your pump and pipe. Your pump
size may vary depending on what you have available locally or
also depending on your long term plans. If you are thinking of
expanding your system at some stage it’s probably better to
get a slightly larger pump now rather than having to replace
it down the track. The pump we are using in this system is
3000L/h probably a little over kill, but this will allow some
expansion. You want to have at least 1000L/h for a system of
this size.
The pipe then comes up to the growbed, on the growbed we
like to irrigate the water around the edge of the bed, this
allows any solids to be distributed around the beds. So we
have 4 pieces of pipe cut to size to fit around the bed, along
with a T piece and barbed fitting that will fit the anti kink hose.
The pipe work around the top edge of the growbed has 6mm
holes drilled in the underside of it, spaced around 150-20cm
apart. This means that the water is sent straight down into the
media, you don’t want water splashing on the surface of the
media if you can help it, this will grow algae over the surface
of the media.
Pretty much done now. You can run this either as a constantly
flooded system, or you can put a timer on the pump and run it
as a flood and drain system.
If possible try to get some water from an established
aquaponic system, or perhaps from a friend with an aquarium
or a pond, this water will contain the beneficial bacteria to
help get your system cycled quickly.
Install the pipe work around the top of the growbed
Cable tie the pipe in place in case of accidents
Measure and cut the flexible anti kink pipe
Start planting seedlings into the bed

S
teve certainly isn’t crazy as his forum name might
suggest. He’s built a fantastic system incorporating
IBCs. His system is based on the CHIFT PIST style of
system, incorporating a large raised fish tank. He uses a Solids
Lift Overflow to draw water from the bottom of the tank out
into the first level of growbeds; this helps get the solid waste
out of the fish tank and into the beds where it gets broken
down. The growbeds are made from 3 IBC’s cut in half, the top
halves of the growbeds are set up as the top set of growbeds.
Water comes from the fish tank into these three growbeds, it
then drains from those three beds into the three lower half IBC
bases, the second row of growbeds. From this set of three beds
it then drains into an IBC sump, water is then pumped from the
IBC sump up to the fish tank to complete the water cycle.
Steve has used a rock media in the bottom section of the
growbeds with expanded clay on top of the rock to make it
easier when planting seedlings. After some early problems
with leaks out of the base of the top halves of the IBC
growbeds, Steve managed to fix this problem and now the
system is starting to take off. Seeds have been planted and
they are sprouting. Plans are already underway for the next
system and a second IBC sump has already been dug into the
ground; the plan is to use some other containers including
blue barrels for the next system.
Steveiscrazy’sIBC system
All the growbeds drain into the sump tank before the
water is pumped back into the fish tank
Early leaks in the systems plumbing needed fixing
Inflow from the sump into the fish tank
Download 3D
Google Sketchup

Steveiscrazy’s System
The fish tank with SLO (solids lift over flow)
AQUAPONICS
Backyard
Ph: 9414 9334
www.backyardaquaponics.com
B r i n g i n g f o o d p r o d u c t i o n h o m e
Display centre Cnr Jandakot Rd & Berrigan Dr,
Jandakot WA 6164
Aquaponics is the most water efficient
way to grow fresh, seasonal fruit and
vegetables without the use of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides.
Come and see us online, give us a call or pop
in and see our shop and display centre for the
largest range of aquaponic products available.
System laid out and filled with rock, just need to top up
the beds with expanded clay

F
ishfodders system is a basic CHIFT PIST (constant height
in fish tank, pump in sump tank), it uses 2 IBC’s in the
design, one IBC is buried in the ground and acts as a
sump tank, the other IBC is above ground and is used as the
fish tank. The system also uses two large BYAP 500L green
growbeds. Water is pumped from the sump tank up into the
IBC fish tank. From here it flows out into the growbeds, before
draining back into the sump tank.
The buried IBC that acts as a sump tank has had insulation
put around it to help keep the temperature constant, this
sump IBC has a large section cut out of the top for access
into the tank, however fishfodder has also installed a wooden
cover over the top of the IBC for safety. For the outlet coming
out of the fish tank to the growbeds, Fishfodder has used a
black bulkhead fitting. These bulkhead fittings are great when
plumbing into thin plastic like you find in an IBC. The growbeds
have auto siphons in them to control the flooding and draining
of the beds.
Once finished, the fish tank IBC was clad with timber. The
timber has two purposes, it makes the system more attractive
and also protects the IBC from degradation due to UV light.
The system also has an insulated roof added to the fish
tank to try and maintain a more constant temperature. More
constant temperatures maintains better fish health.
As a later addition to the system Fishfodder added a
couple of yabby tanks and small growbeds that sit on top of
the sump tank. He has a small pump in the sump tank, that
pumps water from the sump to these extra yabby tanks and
grow beds, a nice little extension added to the system to
increase productivity.
Fishfodder has created a very attractive and highly
productive system using 2 IBCs and green growbeds.
Fishfodder’sIBC system
Growbeds taking off and growing like crazy
This is what aquaponics is all about, fresh fish and
vegetables

Fishfodders System
Download 3D Google Sketchup
Bed filled with media

Fishfodders System
Insulated lids for the fish tank and the sump tank
Notice the buried and insulated IBC sump
The whole system neatly laid out

Fishfodders System
Yabbies ready to go into the yabby palace
This Armenian cucumber is 2.3kg
The Yabbie Palace
A great harvest of silver perch, ranging from 450g to 600g

A
quamad is far from mad, though perhaps he’s a little
bit mad about aquaponics. Aquamad is a teacher in far
north Queensland who has been very passionate about
aquaponics since he first heard about it and joined the BYAP
forum. The great thing is that his enthusiasm for aquaponics
has flowed to his students and a special area was set up at
the school for both Aquamad and his students to set up all
sorts of different aquaponic systems.
Of course being a school they didn’t have much in the
way of a budget for spending on equipment, however, where
there’s a will there’s a way and Aquamad kept his eyes
peeled when driving around, and asked at different places for
seconds as materials. This worked fantastically well, over time
he received pumps and pipe and second hand fittings, IBC’s,
barrels, cable, and old bathtubs from various sources.
Aquamads enthusiasm for aquaponics really sparked the
interests of many of the school students and the allotted
aquaponics area began filling with a range of aquaponics bits
and pieces, almost all of it recycled materials. Unfortunately
because of the complications of getting permission from
students parents we can’t include any pictures of the students
in and amongst their aquaponic systems. However, Aquamad
has taken numerous pictures of their different systems over
time. The systems here have changed so much over the past
few years and there were so many different systems set up
that I think it’s perhaps best if I just let the pictures do the
talking rather than trying to explain any of the individual
systems and how they are set up.
Aquamad’sIBC system
Aquamad holding an enormous elephant ear plant they
grew in their aquaponic systems

Tanks in amongst the jungle
IBC’s plumbed together to equalize water heights in the
two fish tanks

Aquamad’s System
Air lift in the IBC
Watercress
A small recycled growbed as part of a system
More barrels as part of a system
Redclaw bred well in the system, here’s one of the babies
Nice sized Barramundi ready for harvesting
Redclaw feeding in a tank

Aquamad’s System
Kangkong and watercress
Return to tank
Buried sump tank with air hose dropping down through
the lid
Barramundi were the fish of choice most of the time in
Queensland

I
an’s IBC system hardly needs any introduction, nor ongoing
commentary. I’ll leave his photographs and diagrams to
speak for themselves, needless to say, if you want to build
an IBC system that doesn’t look like an IBC system, but rather
a beautiful piece of modern equipment, then this could be the
way to go. Ian has further instructions and information about
his system on the Backyard Aquaponics forum; there was also
an article in edition ten of the Backyard Aquaponics Magazine.
Ian’s DIYIBC system

Ian’s DIY System

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Backyard
Farming
Ph: 9414 9334
www.backyardfarming.com.au
Jandakot Western Australia 6164
Get some dirt under
your nails

A
ndy lives in Brisbane and he wanted to keep things
very simple by building a system with a pump, an IBC
and a fiberglass growbed. He decided on a “flood
and drain” style setup to fill fast and drain slowly each
hour. After doing his homework each evening on the forum
he was able to formulate a simple and effective aquaponic
system without breaking the bank. Andy decided that he
would dig the IBC far enough into the ground so that the bed
would drain back into the fish tank. The growbed is about
a metre away from the fish tank ensuring that there is lots
of room around the bed for easy maintenance. Andy set up
the plumbing so that in the main pipeline from the fish tank
to the growbed, he’s included a T-piece with a side pipe and
valve going back into the fish tank, this helps provide extra
aeration by splashing water back into the fish tank, but if he
needs more water going to the growbed, he can easily shut
the valve off, pushing all the water to the growbed. He’s also
included a removable coupling (barrel union) which makes
for easy removal of the pump if required.
30 Silver perch were added to the system to provide a
source of nutrients for the plants. The growbed receives 6
hours a day of full sun followed by dappled shade throughout
the afternoon. Gravel media provides good support for a
range of lettuces and herbs planted in the bed. A nice simple
system utilizing an IBC as a fish tank.
IBC system
Fiberglass growbed filled with media provides growing
space for seasonal produce
The security screen hinges for easy access
Security screen stops unwanted visitors and debris
entering the container and can be opened to gain access
for fish harvest
Andywhite’s
In this picture the fiberglass growbed shows how it canbe positioned around a metre away from the fish tank,which has been dug in to the ground allowing a slowgravity drain

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Tristrin’sIBC system
T
ristrin and her husband have a number of aquaponic
systems. They have both off the shelf kit systems as
well as homemade IBC systems, obviously they’ve been
bitten quite badly by the aquaponics bug.
The first of Tristrins system was a reasonably straight
forward CHIFT PIST system using three IBC’s, though
it had a few modifications most IBC systems may not
have. They have used the frames in an ingenious way
for supporting the growbeds. Most people normally cut
their frames horizontally if you were looking at the IBC
standing normally, however Tristrin has cut hers vertically.
This vertical cutting of the IBC frame has allowed for
the construction of a far better growbed support, large
enough for three growbeds.
This growbed frame sits on the bottom half of an IBC
that is acting as a sump at one end, while the other end
is attached to the frame of the IBC that is the fish tank.
As with all CHIFT PIST systems, the water is pumped
from the sump tank up into the fish tank, from here it
overflows into the growbeds before draining into the
sump tank. Tristrin and her husband have used flanged
tank fittings for all protrusions into the main fish tank, a
great added safety measure. This particular system also
has two feeds from the fish tank out to the growbeds.

Tristrin’s System
This was the first of Tristrins aquaponic systems
System 1
Download all 3D
Google Sketchups

Tristrin’s System
The second system has a few further modifications and
tweaks. Using the same style of growbed frame structure,
this time they made it big enough for four growbeds. It’s the
same style of operation, running as a CHIFT PIST system
with the pump in the sump tank, pumping into the fish
tank which overflows into the growbeds before draining via
autosiphons into the sump. One major difference here is that
the system has 3 sumps, all bases of IBC’s. These sumps
are all joined together by pipe work, with the pump being
in one of the sumps. Originally the pipe work between the
sumps was 25mm but when two siphons from different beds
emptied at the same time it caused a sump to overflow. The
interconnectors between the sumps were changed to 50mm to
increase the flow between the tanks and vent mesh cowls are
placed on the end of the pipe to stop things getting into the
pipes and blocking the flow.
Plumbing between the two different tanks
Here you can clearly see the interconnected sumps under the growbed, all three are plumbed together with a pump only in
one of them, to pump the water back to the fish tank
System 2

Tristrin’s System
As if it wasn’t enough to have an off the shelf kit system
and two IBC systems, they had to build a third system that’s
even bigger. This next system was going to be a combination
of off the shelf fish tanks and IBC’s. This is an unusual style
of system with the two large fish tanks being lower than the
growbeds, while there’s also an IBC that acts as an additional
reservoir of water. All these tanks are joined together with
underground piping. Once again the same growbed support
system has been used in this system as the other systems,
with IBC 4 growbeds sitting in their frame, that sits on a
couple of other complete IBC frames. This system is running
on a timer with the pump pumping from the main fish tank
it runs for quarter of an hour and is then off for one hour as
the beds drain slowly. This system has enough water volume
that it can have some major expansion in the future by adding
more growbeds to it. The growbeds have been filled with rough
scoria rock media in the bottom half of the beds, then topped
up with smooth river pebbles.
Tristrin and her husband are obviously rather taken with
the whole concept of aquaponics, it’s great that they have
shared their trials and tribulations with everyone on the forum.
Once the beds are in place, the drain pipework can then
be plumbed in
Laying out the system
System 3
Rather than the conventional way most people cut and mount their IBC beds, Tristrin cuts them in a different way which
adds more support to the base of the growbed
A curve roofed structure was built to house this
aquaponics system

The beds are topped up with smooth river rock, much easier to work with
Tristrin’s System
The base of the beds are filled with rough scoria rock

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L
ungy spent a long time designing and working out the
plan for his system. The system had to pass scrutiny of
the wife and had to fit into the yard and match in without
seeming out of place. He had decided early on that he wanted
to use some of the premade Backyard Aquaponics growbeds,
but for fish tanks, IBC’s seemed like the ideal solution.
The plan was to put the IBC fish tanks into the garden shed,
this would work well in keeping the sunlight off the tanks to stop
degradation of the IBC and stop algal growth, as well as keeping
the fish happy in darkness rather than out in the sunlight. Also
the whole interior of the shed would be lined and insulated to
control the temperature a little better. Temperature fluctuations
in a metal shed can be quite extreme.
There was a garden bed along the back fence that just
happened to be the perfect width for the growbeds, the stand
were a little tall but that was fine, they could be sunk into the
ground to a more accessible height. Lungy wanted the system
to run as a CHIFT PIST style of system, this meant he would
have to increase the volume of his sump. With 4 growbeds
Lungy’sIBC system

Lungy’s System
filled with 500L of media in each, this would require a very
large sump but he didn’t really have the space for such a big
sump. The plan then evolved to not only have a 1000L main
sump at the end of the row of beds, but also to have a 200L
sump under each individual grow bed, then link all of them
together, almost doubling the sump volume.
Water was pumped from the main sump to the two IBC’s
in the shed where the fish were. From here the water flows out
the base of the IBC’s through a flexible hose into a manifold.
The pipe work then comes outside through the shed and along
the back of the growbeds where individual taps are set at
each bed to control the flow into the beds. The drains of the
beds have auto-siphons installed in them to flood and drain
the beds, the water then drops into the sump and ultimately
moves through the underground piping before being pumped
back into the IBC fish tanks in the shed.
The growbeds got quite hot during the day over the
summer so Lungy set up a simple shade cloth cover to keep
things a little cooler.
The system was set up and running beautifully but Lungy
wanted to add another aspect to his aquaponic system.
Although he had power in the shed for running the system,
why not put some solar panels on the shed roof and run the
system off the grid. With a couple of solar panels on the
roof, batteries and inverters inside the shed with the fish,
everything was looking good, the system was booming and it
was running on solar power as a bonus.
Here begins the warming. When setting up solar systems
yourself you must be very careful. Lungy left for work one day
but shortly after received a call from his wife, “The shed was
on fire!” By the time he got back home and started to hose
the shed, there wasn’t much left. It seems that an electrical
fault had started the fire, quite a strong fire too, even the IBC’s
melting and tipping their 2000L of water out into the shed
hadn’t put it out.
Apart from this unfortunate accident the aquaponic
system was a great success, and the destroyed shed was soon
replaced so that things could get back on track.
www.backyardaquaponics.com 53
Above: Early design stages drawn up in google sketchup

Lungy’s System
The main sump tank what contains the pump; Sumps all
set up, stands partially buried to a better height
This was a tricky bit of plumbing as the main sump was
just a rubber liner
The individual sumptanks for under each bed, buried and
plumbed together
Beds all set up with a layer of gravel around the area
Piping from the IBCs heading out to the growbeds

Lungy’s System
After effects of the fire
The shed and fish tanks were lined to provide insulation
Some shadecloth was set up to provide shelter for the
plants during the hot summer
Fantastic growth in the beds

A
rkantex has set up a beautiful IBC system that’s a
really good size as well. This is a perfect example of
how you can have a great aquaponic system for very
little money if you can find a cheap source of IBC’s.
The system consists of an IBC fish tank, 5 IBCs set up
as growbeds. These beds have been set up beautifully, they
have been cut in half, however the top section of the frame
has been set on the ground, with the bottom section of the
inner plastic liner placed in here on the ground. Then the
frame base mounts perfectly on top of this. This is a great
way of setting up a system because normally if you take the
top of an IBC and try to turn it upside down there’s only two
small bars supporting the growbed. But by placing the top
section of frame on the ground and slipping the bottom half
of the IBC liner in this, the liner is sitting on the ground so it’s
well supported. Then the normally poorly supported top liner
section goes upside down into the frame base which contains
a solid support.
The system is set up as CHIFT PIST, with a full IBC, half
buried in the ground acting as the sump. Water is pumped
from the sump up into the fish tank IBC, from here if flows
into the 5 half IBC growbeds. There are taps at each growbed
to control the water distribution on all the beds. The water
then drains into the half IBC sump tanks beneath the
growbeds. These are plumbed together externally and flow
into the drain tank. It’s surprising the system you can come
up with when you have a few fittings, a pump and some pipe,
with of course IBC’s.
You might have noticed that Arkantex is also building a
greenhouse around the system to help keep the temperatures
more stable.
Arkantex’sIBC system
Download 3D
Google Sketchup

B
onsaibelly wanted an expandable system that he
could add to later, so he decided 2 IBC’s would
be better than 1, as well as 2 blue barrels cut in
half lengthways. It didn’t take much effort to wash out
the barrels which had been used for storing glucose. The
available space is 4 metres x 3 metres wide narrowing down
to about 1 metre. He ended up using poly irrigation piping
which is more expensive than pvc, but easy to use. It screws
together and you can snip the pipe easily with secateurs.
Another brainwave he says “I thought that if I bury the IBCs,
I wouldn’t have to build racks for the 1/2 barrels, as they
could be supported across the top.” He now has 4 barrels
on top of 2 IBC tanks which means there is lot of water
capacity, though not many grow beds. After getting about
half a metre down, the dirt turned to rocks and then to super
thick clay which was impossible to dig . He says “Oh well I
figured that it is easier to build a step, than to dig deeper.
At present the scoria filled growbeds, are at a height of 1.2m.”
Bonsaibelly’sIBC system
Lettuce, silverbeet and broccoli
Shade cloth protects from heat and stress
Second Grow bed

Blue barrel grow beds filled with scoria
Bonsaibelly’s SystemThe IBC of Aquaponics

Bonsaibelly’s System
He has connected the tanks 50cm above the base with
a pipe and tap. The pipe sucks from the bottom of the back
of the non pump tank and runs via connection to the pump
tank. As the water drains from the pump tank it gravity
feeds from the other. The idea is the water is gravity forced
from the bottom of the non-pump tank helping cycle the
water from the bottom up. It is actually a pretty slow feed
but seems to keep up. He added a tap just in case there
was the need to isolate the tank later. The pump tank will
drain around 300 litres per cycle. If the system is to be
expanded later he can see there may be the need to add
a sump tank to maintain a more steady flow in the 2 tanks
but it will be fine initially. At 50cm if there is a pump blow
out when he is not around, it can only drain the non-pump
tank to that height. The pump in the fish tank comes with a
float switch which has been secured at a height maintaining
a minimum water level of 50cm, another form of backup in
the event that something does go wrong. Bonsaibelly like
many others does not want to come home to a dry tank and
dead fish . The 400 watt submersible pump has more than
enough power to get 3 more barrels going in the future. He
says “I am happier with the pump and timer system- it just
seemed a little less complicated and I was a little scared
of auto siphons. I saw pictures of drain and overflow by
Food&fish and ‘referenced’ that pretty heavily. Anyway the
water is pumping through, now with beds filling in 3 minutes
and draining in about 35. The pump runs once per hour, 15
minutes on, 45 minutes off, which has been pretty good. It
is great going out and hearing the timer kick on, on queue.”
Seedlings were planted in the media filled growbeds and
a little seasol was added to give them a boost. Trout were
then introduced and grown to plate size before they were
harvested and served to some special guests. Bonsaibelly
says “We had sushi with trout from the barbie. Yummo! That
led to a small success - my 12 year old niece was over, and
is usually pretty fussy with food –won’t try new things but
also suspicious on mass produced cow and chicken etc. I got
her to try some trout - promised it was super fresh and pretty
much organic. Great to see kids try new food.” A variety of
produce can be grown easily including fruiting crops such as
tomatoes, broccoli and peas. Leafy greens also do very well
including English spinach, silverbeet and lettuces.

C
hainsaw system started out as 3 IBCs and 24 half
blue barrels, which has been running for around 2
years now. The barrels were cut in half lengthways
and set up in a neat looking greenhouse. He really likes the
idea of using top hat grommets as they are very cheap and
ideal for use in the barrels, they provide a seal around take-off
adaptors and poly fitting when connecting in to PVC.
The three IBC s are all connected with a SLO. The sump
tank is one of the three IBC’s and it holds the sump pump with
float switch. This pump is on a timer which allows it to pump
water every second hour for 15 minutes. The water is pumped
up to the growbeds which then drain back to the first fish tank,
SLO to the second fish tank and SLO to the sump tank, which
is the third full sized IBC.
Chainsaw occasionally adds seasol, a seaweed
concentrate, to the system as it is safe for the fish and gives
the plants a range of nutrients and trace elements. It is
always a good idea to ensure that anything being added to an
aquaponic system is safe for fish. Chainsaw started a thread
on the Backyard Aquaponics forum titled “Beware the Pest
Control Man” after an annual routine spray turned in to any
Aquaponics enthusiasts worst nightmare. After losing all his
silver perch, Chainsaw has some Jade perch coming along
nicely. We look forward to seeing them reach harvest size.
Chainsaw’sIBC system
Fish tanksBell Syphons
IBC fish tank with pump and float switch. Jade perch
growing well
Hay surrounding fish tank keeps out the sunlight and
acts as insulation

Chainsaw’s System
Growbeds full of plants
Greenhouses offer protections from unwanted guests
Barra fingerlings

H
illsy’s system comprises of two IBCs and three
fibreglass bathtubs acting as growbeds. He has
created a very neat looking system at an affordable
price. The style of the system is based on a CHIFT PIST
method, a term coined in the early days of aquaponics,
standing for constant height in fish tank pump in sump tank.
The main fish tank is a complete IBC , this will hold around
1000 litres of water which will be maintained at this height.
He has cut out the top of the IBC, allowing easy access to the
fish, the sump tank is a second IBC positioned next to the
main fish tank in which another species of fish could be kept,
or ideal for use as a fingerling tank. The submersible 6000lph
pump sits in the sump tank and pumps constantly to the main
fish tank, then overflows to the three growbeds which are
operated by auto siphons. The standpipes are made using a
25-20mm reducing coupling which sits snugly in the existing
drain of the bath tubs. Hillsy used the standard bath tub
fitting before connecting in to a threaded adaptor and 40mm
plumbing pipe commonly known as DWV. A swirl filter has also
been added to the system as an additional solids filter.
The bathtubs have been installed on limestone blocks
which make for an ideal height for planting and harvesting the
vegetables. Gravel media has been used to grow the plants
Hillsy’sIBC system
Extra external filters have been added to the system over
time
System all laid out and ready for plumbing

Hillsy’s System
The rewards of Hillsy’s system
These are the bell siphons in the growbeds
Here we can see the bubbles from the venturi sucking air
into the water stream. Also the 90mm Solids lift overflow in
the background
and Hillsy advises others to make sure that they wash the pea
gravel very well, as he found that weeks later the fine clay was
still coming out of the growbeds. He planted up the beds and
planted some tomatoes, garlic chives, capsicum and tomatoes
which before long began to show some good results.

Hillsy’s System
Gravel growbeds are very neatly laid out Plants are just starting to take off
Swirl filter addition to the system
The drain pipe has a breather; Gravel growbeds are veryneatly laid out Fish tank and sump tank installed in place

Hillsy’s System

F
reoboys IBC system began as one of the simplest
systems you can make with an IBC- cut the top off and
turn it upside down, fill it with media and there you go.
This might be how it started, but it hasn’t been left there,
Freoboy has souped up the simple system with quite a few
“extras”. He’s added a 35L filter made from large diameter
pipe, the pipe is filled with expanded clay and water is pumped
through the filter continuously. This aids the filtration of the
system greatly. However it quickly became evident that the
200L growbed and filter was not adequate for the amount of
fish Freoboy wanted to grow.
Freoboy has since removed the 35L filter, and added an
additional 400L fiberglass pond as a growbed. Then an old
150L fiberglass live bait tank was added as a sump tank, and
later filled with hydroton to act as a constant flood growbed
for water loving plants (mint, watercress, celery etc.). There
have been a few more filter arrangements added to the system
signs of an active student mind.
The system now consists of an 800L IBC fish tank, 200L
IBC lid growbed, 400L pond growbed, 150L growbed/sump,
and 3 airlift bio-filters, to provide extra aeration and filtration
if the water pumps fail or there is a power loss. Freoboy
now manages to raise 30 fish at a time, plus plenty of fresh
vegetables for him and his family.
Freoboy’sIBC system
Download 3D
Google Sketchup

Freoboy’s System
IBC covered with bamboo

O
utbackozzie has been a member of the Backyard
Aquaponics Forum for many years and he’s created a
few classic aquaponic systems utilizing IBC’s. In fact,
I think that of the many systems he’s built only his very first
system didn’t have any IBC’s in them. Since that first bath tub
system, all of his systems have incorporated IBCs to some
extent, and more recently with his large commercial systems
he has included many IBC’s into the design of the system.
Firstly we’ll take a look at his IBC and Blue barrel system in
his backyard. This started as an IBC system, however the IBC’s
had to be removed and replaced after a while. Four IBC’s were
buried in the ground and a number of Blue 200L barrels were
cut in half across their middle to be used as growbeds.
The plan for this initial system was well thought out. 4
IBC’s were buried in the ground as fish tank, these were
all plumbed together underground so that the tanks could
equalize water heights between them. The IBC tanks on either
Outbackozzie’sIBC system
Lots of digging

Outbackozzie’s System
The growbed in full glory
end had 4500L/h pumps in them, these pumps pumped
up out of the IBC fish tanks and down the side of the row of
growbeds. The growbeds are 200L blue barrels cut in half
around their middle. At each growbed there’s a T in the main
line with a riser coming up to the bed with a small valve to
control the flow going to each bed.
The growbeds are sitting on bricks, with a main 90mm
drain line running down the centre that each growbed drains
into. Each growbed has a standpipe and a outer standpipe
surround to keep the media away from the standpipe, the
system works with the beds being constantly flooded with
water to the height of the standpipe.
All the main 25mm irrigation pipelines in the system are
joined together, and both pumps are actually hooked into the
same system, This means that should there ever be a pump
failure then the system will keep going, just at lower flow levels
to each bed.

To neaten the whole system up and hide the pipe work
OBO brought in a lot of dirt, piling it over all the pipe work
around the base of all the barrel growbeds. Not only was this
dirt going to act as a cover for the pipe work, but also it would
act as an insulator from the harsh extremes of heat often
experienced in Kalgoorlie.
After some time, a problem with the system became quite
apparent, the IBC buried fish tanks were starting to collapse.
They had been buried without their steel cages, and without
any additional support and the external pressure from the
ground especially after rains, was too much and they all began
collapsing.
Time for another plan. The IBC’s were removed, the
hole dug out a little more and used steel drill rods, a waste
product from the mining industry, were used to line the hole.
These were welded into place before a rubber pond liner was
installed. Now the system had just the one very substantial
fish pond, but no IBC’s in the system.
A second expansion of growbeds was under way. These
were being installed around the corner behind the shed, 4
complete IBC’s with the tops cut out, installed as growbeds.
This adds a huge amount of biofiltration to the system and
another 4sqm of growing area. These beds remain constantly
flooded just below the surface of the media, they are filled
with blue metal with a layer of expanded clay on top to make it
easier to work.
As you can see from all the photos of plant growth and fish
harvests, this system has been very productive over the past
couple of years in its various forms.
Mounding soil around the barrels

Common 90mm drainpipe runs under the growbeds

Harvesting some trout
Soil level raised around the growbeds by using old drill rods
A nice cabbage

String supports for climbing plants

Harvest fresh
food everyday
for your family
Backyard
Farming
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S
truisje has built a simple yet interesting robust system
here. Using 2 IBCs, a couple of heavy duty beams, a
pallet and some large bricks or cinder blocks.
The fish tank IBC has just had the very top cut off the thin
inner plastic container, leaving maximum depth for lots of water,
and the cage surrounding it was left intact. The growbeds were
another IBC that was cut in half and then trimmed down to be
about 35cm each in height for the two growbeds.
Struisje was hoping to bury the fish tank at least half way
into the ground but when digging the hole he ran into some
buried foundations, so it’s only about 1/3 buried.
A small cinderblock wall was then created just over 1
metre away from the fish tank, this was to act as growbed
support, while at the other end, the fish tank frame would act
as the support.
Two heavy planks have been placed across the fish tank
and onto the cinder blocks at the other end, a pallet has then
been placed on the planks, this pallet ensures that there’s
greater support covering the whole base of the growbed.
A three thousand litre pump has been placed into the fish
tank, from here water is pumped up to both growbeds, the
growbeds are filled with expanded clay and autosiphons have
been installed to flood and drain the individual beds with a
continuously running 3000L/h pump.
Struisje has built a nice little greenhouse to cover both of
the growbeds, very handy thing to have in the cold weather as
it helps to extent the growing season of many plants.
Struisje’sIBC system
Two weeks growth
Drainpipe and flexible irrigation pipe in background

Struisje’s System
A nice little greenhouse
A sturdy simple IBC system

M
arkcaso has built a nice simple CHIFT PIST system
here from a couple of different types of barrels and
an IBC. The IBC acts as a fish tank with only a very
small hole cut in the top of it for access to the fish. Out from
the side of the fish tank a 50mm main pipe line runs off to the
growbeds, Mark has combined a couple of different aquaponic
methods here, firstly he has 4 half barrels filled with media,
then a floating raft tank amongst the barrels. The main 50mm
irrigation line coming from the fish tank runs at the back of
the growbeds, each growbed has an outlet with a tap from the
main line to provide water.
The media filled barrels have autosiphons in them for
flooding and draining, and the drains all run back to a 1/3rd
buried black plastic drum. This black plastic drum acts as
the sump and as such houses the 4000L/h pump for the
system. There is also an overflow from the fish tank back into
the sump barrel in case of any problems with the water levels
in the tank.
Markcaso’sIBC system
The second type of siphon used in this system, an Affnan
siphon
Two different siphons were tried, one bell siphon with a
breather hose
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Google Sketchup
Biofilter added to the system once it was up and running

Markcaso’s System
As a later addition to the system Markcaso added a
separate biofilter off the side of his fish tank, once again this
is a black plastic barrel, the type with a removable lid as he
has used for the sump tank of the system. These black barrels
aren’t much good for cutting in half as a growbed, but having a
large removable lid makes them ideal for use as biofilters, and
sumps. One interesting feature that Markcaso has obviously
thought about with this system is a pump out point. In the
main pump line from the sump tank up into the fish tank he’s
included a T with a valve off to the side. This means that he
can attach a hose and open the valve, pumping water out of
the system into the garden if required.
The system was stocked with Tilapia and has been very
productive with both fish production and vegetables as you’ll
see from the pictures.
Tilapia are nearly always hungry, especially when the
water is nice and warm
Floating raft tank ready to go, planted with seedlings
Early on plant growth is rather impressive
Scoria is a media suitable for use in aquaponic systems
Early testing of the system before filling the beds with
media

B
oris started with a 1250 litre IBC and plans to expand,
which is most often the case when ones starts down
the aquaponics path. After designing a custom fish
tank that he built himself from bricks and mortar, he used cut
down IBCs as growbeds to provide a shelter over the rectangle
shaped brick fish tank. The growbeds provide some protection
for the fish as well as proving shelter for rabbit pens he
planned on adding later.
The system utilises the back wall of a courtyard and Boris
aims to clad the IBC’s with wood to give the system artistic
appeal.
Gravel was used as Boris’s grow media of choice in the
growbeds and he used square patio tube cut to length to
support the front of the growbeds as the weight of the media
is quite substantial, the back of the beds are supported by
bricks, built in to the fish tank structure. Water is pumped
from the 2000 litre brick fish tank up to the three growbeds,
water returning from each of these provides aeration to the
fish tank below.
Initially a wine barrel was designed to hold water or for a
future deep gravel growbed, however this failed to hold water
and was later replaced by a 200 litre blue barrel. There is
Boris’sIBC system
IBC growbed
The metal base for the IBC is just deep enough that it can
fit a 90 degree outflow pipeGravel media waiting to be placed in to first growbed

Boris’s System
IBC growbed supported at the back with bricks and at the
front steel legs were bolted on to provide the support
IBC growbeds supported over custom designed fish tank
Custom designed fish tank in progress
another blue barrel at the other end of the system which feeds
a 100 litre raised growbed, which drains back to the blue
barrel and overflows to the main fish tank.
The design is styled on the flood and drain media based
system which operates using a stand pipe. Operating on a
timed cycle, water is pumped up to the growbeds allowing
the water level to rise to about two cms below the surface of
the media, flooding for a short while, before draining back to
the fish tank below. Boris has been an active contributor to
the Backyard Aquaponics forum and hosted a get together to
showcase his system with other likeminded individuals.

Boris’s System
Design showing the IBC growbeds and
layout of the custom built fish tank.
Square patio tubing supports the front of the growbeds
The plates on the IBC cage are
the perfect size to use as lids for
the two ends of the pond
Timber cladding brings style to the humble IBC
Originally a wine barrel was used here to hold water but
leaked and had to be replaced
Water is pumped up the black growbed positioned
above, returns to the blue barrel as shown here and
overflows to the main fish tank.

Boris’s System
Rabbit hutches are shown here in the shade of the
growbed and are a great way to utilise the space
underneath
Rainbow trout on the barbecue. A very satisfying harvest
100 litre growbed filled with expanded clay fills from
pump in a blue barrel

T
wo stainless steel milk tanks had been given to
Snakes, which had been lying around doing nothing
for a couple of years, right up until the time she found
out about aquaponics. It wasn’t long before she decided
that these could come in very handy for keeping fish. So she
began collecting IBCs as well as blue barrels and she began
designing two systems, one at her dads place and one at her
own house. Snakes got the blue barrels from her work and
found the IBCs available for free, they had been previously
been used for fertiliser and just needed a good clean.
The first growbeds were made from a blue barrel cut in
half lengthways as well as the top of an IBC which was cut and
supported with extra bracing underneath. It wasn’t strong
enough and the bed began to sag under the weight of the
gravel, so Snakes decided that next time she would be using
lighter expanded clay media.
Snakes used the remainder of the base of the first IBC to
set up a sump tank. She estimates this will hold around 400
litres of water. The system is set up on a flood and drain cycle
using standpipes.
Snake’sIBC system
Framework for the barrels under construction
Rockmelon
Tomatoes are fruiting a bit early!

Snake’s System
Water is pumped to the growbeds using a 3600 litre per
hour pump through black poly pipe, with a tap at each of the
beds to regulate the flow The timer is set to pump fifteen
minutes on and thirty minutes off. Water drains through the
growbeds and PVC pipe back to the sump tank. When the
water level raises to a predetermined height the float switch
kicks in and returns water from the sump tank, back to the
main fish tank using a 6000lph pump. The system has since
had additional growbeds added, including a blue barrel cut
crossways another IBC made into a growbed with the frame
from the bottom acting as a stand, as well as more half blue
barrels.
The system was stocked with Barramundi and a couple of
water heaters were added to keep the water temperature up.
Snakes reports that their growth so far has been fantastic. Johnny looks on with interest at the stainless steel fish
tank
Blue drums have been in for 5 weeks, and big white one for 4 weeks
Tomatoes fruiting well

Snake’s System
Sump tank with 6000lph pump and float switch
Planted 3 beds today with tomatoes, spring onion, garlic,
raspberries, strawberries, parsley, lettuce, bok choy,
rhubarb, asparagus, snow peas
The IBC collective!
The Barramundi have definitely grown, and look very healthy
indeed
And so it begins
Stainless steel milk tank

Snake’s System
Learnt a few lessons so far - gravel is really, really heavy, and the beds need a LOT of support!
The tomatoes are still going nuts, and I’ve been eating
tomatoes, lettuce, bok choy, and strawberries for a few
weeks now. Picked my first beetroot yesterday
My dad- in awe!
Not enough support for this bed when the gravel went in And some new beds

M
att’s aquaponics adventures continued with the
development of his second system. He returned home
one afternoon with 4 IBCs loaded up and well strapped
to the trailer. This system was designed to go in to a hot house so
that he could gain some better growth during the cooler months
of the year. The original plan was to include a 1000 litre sump
tank, dug in to the ground. However those plans changed when it
was discovered that there was an easement in that location, and
digging would be almost impossible.
Matt liked the idea of a CHIFT PIST system, so planned that
a 1100 litre fish tank made from a single IBC would house the
fish and this could overflow to three growbeds, before draining
to the sump tank. The water level of the fish tank sits around
200-300mm above the top of the growbeds. An opening was
cut in to the top of the fish tank for feeding as well as allowing
access when it comes to harvest time. The IBCs that he had
purchased were originally clear/white ones but he wanted to
block out the sunlight so they were spray painted black. Three
of them were then cut into 350 mm deep growbeds and the
bottom of the IBC became the stand/sump. He wanted the
growbeds to all be the same height and he used two cypress
posts to support them on the bases. The bottom sections
were then linked together increasing the sump size to around
1500 litres of water volume.
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the Video
Mattyry’sIBC system
4 IBCs en route to their new destination
Bases were spray painted to reduce light and stop algae
growingBroccoli

Mattyry’s System
Water is pumped from the interconnected sump tanks to
the main fish tank from here it overflows through a SLO to the
growbeds .
Each of the growbeds has a ball valve inline which can
be adjusted or even turned off if required. Matt is very
happy with his system, it has produced an abundant variety
of vegetables including beetroot, broccoli, cucumbers and
lettuces. Matt has also grown silver perch as well as some
trout in the system.
Newly planted first growbed
Lettuces growing well in gravel media
Beetroot

Mattyry’s System
Silverbeet, cucumbers, broccoli and lettuce
Preparations begin by separating the IBC forming a sump tank and growbed

IBC cut in two the growbed is rotated 90 degrees to sit on
the base
Also put an edge around the grow bed on the IBC frame
L
ord Viykor found an IBC on Ebay for his first attempt at
an aquaponic system. He cut away the top part of the
cage and created a standard 300 mm deep growbed, to
which he added some strapping underneath for extra support.
This section was rotated 90 degrees and sits above the base
which is the fish tank, trimmed to hold around 600 litres and
allowing access from the front through an opening in the
framework. The cage bars pointing upwards were edged with
timber to stop any injuries from the sharp metal.
A 4800 litre per hour pump was placed at the back of the
fish tank, and water is pumped up to the growbeds for 15
minutes each hour. Some slight modifications were made
to the system, the pump was moved to the front area of the
fish tank. It will be much easier to access if there are any
problems.
20mm gravel was chosen and works very well as a
variety of different plants have grown easily in this system.
Jade perch as well as goldfish live in the fish tank providing
nutrients for plants growing in the growbed above. Shadecloth
was wrapped around the fish tank to minimise sunlight
causing algal growth. Vegetables grown in the growbed have
included tomatoes, habanero chillies, coriander, lettuce,
strawberries and basil.
Lord Viykor’sIBC system

Lord Viykor’s System
20mm washed river gravel for the grow bed
Filling the growbed with water as a test run
Standpipe surround ready to hold back media. Holes are
cut to allow water to flow through Fittings installed in the lid of the IBC
An inline tap allows for flow adjustment as water ispumped to growbed as well as to the surface of the fish tankproviding additional aeration.
The cap will have a 38mm hole cut into the centre, then itwill be enlarged for the 40mm pvc water pipe

Lord Viykor’s System
Habanero chili
Strapping has been added for extra strength
The IBC was purchased from Ebay and supposed to be
uv resistant hdpe

Z
man found an IBC that had previously been used
for storing window cleaner. He firstly cut it in to two
sections, one that would hold around 600 litres of
water and the remaining section would form the growbed of
around 400 litres. He began by cleaning the IBC with warm
soapy water before letting it dry out in the sun. He tested the
tank to see if it was fish safe by adding a couple of goldfish
that were easily available. Later silver perch and yabbies were
added to the system.
The water in the fish tank is pumped up to the growbed
using a 4000 litre per hour pump and was initially running
full time, maintaining a water level height just 2cm below the
surface of the media. The fish tank water runs through 25mm
pipe and elbows channel the flow directly over the surface of
the Hydroton. A ball valve and tee under the growbed divert
some of the water flow back to the main fish tank providing
aeration. Additional aeration is supplied by an airpump with 4
clear airlines attached to stones, these sit on the floor of the
fish tank and bubble up through the water.
The spinach was not growing well as the roots seemed
to be getting water logged so the standpipe was trimmed by
a further 1cm and this worked well, later some seeds were
added and began to germinate within a few days.
Zman’sIBC system
Growbeds must be well supported to save pain and
heartache later
Piping and fittings under the bedIBC and olive barrels
Shadecloth was wrapped around the fish tank to reduce the
light in the fish tank

Zman’s System
Seedlings are easy to plant in expanded clay
Seeds and seedlings doing well
I now regret setting up the GB on top of the FT. So hard
to look at the fish and yabbies!!!
This growbed holds around 300 - 350 litres of media
Plant growth is coming along nicely

B
lissy’s system consists of eight grow beds which are
made from 200 litre blue drums cut in half. Two bath
tubs were used as sumps and a 1000 litre IBC as a
fish tank. The system is CHIFT PIST, with water flowing through
25mm poly pipe to the growbeds. The beds then drain through
19mm poly into the bathtub sumps which have been stocked
with a few yabbies. Shade cloth has been used to cover the
entire system, to minimise evaporation as well as to keep
sunlight off the IBC and reduce the amount of algal growth.
The IBC originally had citrus based environmentally friendly
degreaser in it, but was thoroughly cleaned out for use. There
was a little algae growing in the fish tank which is a good sign
that it can harbour beneficial organisms. PVC pipes were cut
to lengths and placed in the sump bathtubs for yabbies to
hide in. Blissy later managed to get hold of an old rainwater
tank which held more than 3000 litres of water and this was
eventually added to the system. The materials were locally
sourced and show how resourceful and cheap a backyard
aquaponic system can be. Fresh fish and vegetables can be
easy to grow in your own backyard saving you the trouble of
getting to the shops and then storing the produce for later use.
Blissy’sIBC system
3000lph submersible pump
3000 litre rain water tank added to the systemPoly pipe is directed to each of the blue barrels to irrigate the
plants

Blissy’s System
Rainbow trout growing well in system
Shadecloth covering reduces evaporation
The system is now 1 year old.
Shadecloth covering was added as summer temperatures
reach 42 degrees
Trout harvest

W
hen Jaymie and Axl scored another free IBC they
decided that it was time to set up a system that
would house redclaw. They managed to get a couple
of bathtubs and set about building a rack on top of the IBC
to support them. The fish tank IBC has also been set up with
plastic bread crates stacked on top of each other to make
homes for the redclaw. Bricks have been placed above the
bread crates to weigh them down and stop them from floating.
A pond pump in the IBC pumps water straight up to the two
bath tubs, where it is diverted at a tee piece and dumped
directly on the surface of the gravel. Simple standpipes are
used in each bed and the water is run on a timed cycle of 15
minutes every hour. Water then drains back via gravity from
the beds to the redclaw tank below.
The beds are in the blazing sun with limited shade and
are producing sage, thyme, rosemary, welsh onions, fennel,
tomatoes and Ceylon spinach which are all doing very well.
The redclaw manage to keep out of sight and the tank is now
home to 8 large rainbow fish and 2 juvenile tandanus catfish
as well.
Jaymie and Axl’sIBC system
Bathtub growbeds filled with gravel
Bread crates must be weighted down as they will float Bread crates provide multi level living spaces for redclaw

Jaymie & Axl’s System
The rack on the sump will support the bathtub growbeds
Water returning from bath adding aerations as it breaks the
surface
Jaymie planting out the bed with little helper

Jaymie and Axl’s System
20 redclaw added to their new home Redclaw hides can be made from simple PVC pipes
Vines planted to shade the chookpen
Welsh onions, thyme, rosemary, sage, basil, fennel and
some feral cherry tomatoes
Redclaw
Redclaw haven

Zsazsa’s
3D model transposed over a winter picture
Z
sazsa is from Hungary, and Hungary has a continental
climate, where winter temperatures can get down to
minus 17C, however summer can also be fairly warm
reaching 35C. Because of these contrasting conditions a great
deal of thought would have to go into not only the system
design but also how the system is housed. When temperatures
are down to -15C, if your aquaponic system is this cold then
you’re not going to get any plant growth let alone fish growth.
So an intrinsic part of Zsazsa’s aquaponic system was
going to be the design and construction of his passive solar
greenhouse where the system would be located. As you will
see from the following photos showing the construction of
the system the solar passive greenhouse is quite a beautiful
construction. Luckily for Zsazsa he was a member of a
Hungarian folk dancing group and he invited friends from
the group around to help with the foundation works. The
greenhouse is partially sunk into the ground; this aspect of
the design will help retain heat throughout the winter. The
foundation wall has been constructed from recycled bricks
IBC system
Download 3D
Google Sketchup
WATCH
the Video

Zsazsa’s System
Foundations of the greenhouse finished Brick foundations starting to take shape
A team of happy workers laying the foundations
A busy worksite, it pays to have friends when there’s lots of digging to do

Zsazsa’s System
With the structure well on it’s way to completion, time to check how the system is going to fit
to a height of 60cm, while the whole greenhouse structure is
3.6m x 6m x 3.6m high. The south facing window is a 10mm
double layer polycarbonate and the rest of the structure is
well insulated. The back wall will eventually be a solid mass of
recycled 20litre plastic drums, this will add fantastic thermal
mass within the greenhouse that will be heated by the sun
during the day, then release heat into the greenhouse during
the cold evenings.
The actual aquaponics system will run as a CHIFT PIST
system, consisting of a 1000L IBC fish tank 9 x 300litre IBC
growbeds and 3 x 400L interconnected IBC sumps. The fish
tank will be stocked with Wells catfish, which should suit the
conditions in the greenhouse quite well.
The growbed supports are made from very large heavy
duty wooden beams with regular vertical supports, this heavy
duty support is going to be required with the total weight of
rock and water being supported. Zsazsa wanted the benefits
of planting in and working with expanded clay, but didn’t want
the costs associated with such a large volume of clay, so the
beds are filled with rock media in the bottom 2/3rds, then
topped up with expanded clay.
At the time of writing this manual Zsazsa was just finishing
his system and starting to cycle so unfortunately we can’t
show you any pictures of his actual fish or plant growth in
the system. By the time you are reading this, the system will
probably have been running for a while, so click the button
at the start of the article and check out his discussion on the
forum, there will be loads more pictures, videos and further
information about his system and how it’s been performing.

Zsazsa’s System
Heavy duty beams to support the growbed
Growbed frames and one sump frame
IBC’s a plenty
Greenhouse walls being constructed
Wels catfish should be ideal for this system

Zsazsa’s System
Polycarbonate window fitted and IBC bits ready to go in
Heavy rock media A proud Zsazsa in his greenhouse
Checking how everything is fitting

I
t’s hard to know where to begin with Obo’s second system,
it’s just going to be so huge. The plan is that this will be a
commercial system producing seasonal fish and vegetables
for the market in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia.
For those that don’t know the area well, Kalgoorlie is a mining
town that’s situated a long way from the coast. Most of their
fruit and vegetables are trucked in from hundreds of miles
away and the town’s water is pumped from over 500km away
near Perth in a large pipeline. What better idea than to set
up an aquaponic oasis in this mining town that only receives
about 250mm of rain each year.
Obo managed to source some 12,500L fish tanks and a
large number of IBC’s, now all that was required was a good
plan for a system that wasn’t going to cost too much to set
up, yet one day in the future could provide a return on the
investment.
He managed to find some land for lease in Kalgoorlie
which was going to suit the purpose of the large aquaponics
system well, while also leaving some space for his other diesel
fitting business on the side. Mixing the work that has to be
done to pay the bills, with the setting up of the aquaponic
dream systems.
Ultimately the system is planned to have 45 IBC growbeds
off each large fish tank. Obo decided to leave these growbeds
whole, so they are 1m deep, he had experimented with this
deep style of beds in his previous system and like the way they
worked and their simplicity, plus if you can fill the IBC’s with
media mechanically with some sort of digger or loader then
“why not”? The rock media is very cheap to buy.
The first task was to dig the fish tank into the ground. This
system was going to be running by simply pumping up to the
beds and having the water flow back down into the fish tank.
The hole for the fish tank was dug with a ride on mechanical
digger, then a crane was used to lower and position the fish
tank into the large hole.
Once the tank was buried it was time to lay out the IBC
growbeds heading in duel lines out away from the fish tank.
The first two IBC’s closest to the fish tank were going to be
used as additional 1000L fish tanks. This would allow fish of
different sizes or different species to be separated from the
main tank where required.
Pumping to so many growbeds was going to create some
issues with the water levels in the fish tank if all the beds
were filled at once so a sequencing valve would be included,
this would allow water to be pumped to sets of growbeds
one after the other, along with the extra IBC fish tanks. The
steel bases were removed from all of the IBC’s as they are
not required when the growbeds are going to be sitting on
the ground. Substantial fittings and piping were required for
this project, each IBC has a large tank fitting installed near
the base for the drain these 50mm and then plumbed into a
main 100mm drain.
Outbackozzie’ssecond IBC system

The supply irrigation lines are set up to pump from the
sequencing valve into 2 beds at a time. Each time the pump
is switched off, it swaps from one set of beds to the next,
then the next and so on. The two IBC’s that are acting as
extra fish tanks are also set up to with their own outlet of the
sequencing valve.
This is just the piping and set up for what will ultimately
only be half of the growbed on the fish tank. Phase 2 of the
system is to expand by repeating the same setup of growbeds
on the other side of the fish tank.
To date both 12,500L fish tanks have been buried into
the ground and the first phase of growbeds and plumbing
have been installed and completed and have been running
for some time now. The second pumps for the second phase
of the system, doubling the number of growbeds on each
tank are already plumbed into the tank and ready to go, it’s
just going to require a whole lot more work to double the
growing area.
Growbeds filled with plantsPlants all growing well
Mesh next to the IBC’s provides a trellis for the plants

Tank fittings are one of the safest ways to plumb an IBC Positioning the enormous fish tanks
AQUAPONICS
Backyard
Ph: 9414 9334
Jandakot WA 6164
Aquaponics is the most water efficient
way to grow fresh, seasonal fruit and
vegetables without the use of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides.
Come and see us online, give us a call or pop
in and see our shop and display centre for the
largest range of aquaponic products available.

A freshly planted grow bed
Freshly planted new system
IBC’s being filled with media while plumbing is being organized
Filling the whole IBC’s with media is easy when you have
the right tools
Fish tank IBC’s are part of the system

Covering the tanks for safety
Standpipe surround to keep media away from the
standpipe

Plants grow extremely well in the system
Sequencing valve

M
antis has set up a fairly straight forward CHIFT PIST
system here using 3 IBC’s. One IBC has had its top
section cut out of it for the fishtank, another has
also had its top cut out and it forms the sump of the system.
This second IBC had to be dug into the ground, not such an
easy task when your ground is very hard, but eventually a deep
enough hole was dug to get almost the complete IBC into the
ground low enough that the growbeds would be able to drain
into it under gravity.
There are two growbeds on the system, these are made
from half IBCs so they are a good deep growbed. Mantis has
used two bottom halves of the metal outer part of the IBC. This
is a great idea for growbeds because you have the additional
support for the media filled growbeds. The second metal base
came from the sump tank, the buried sump needs it’s outer
frame support but it doesn’t need the steel base, it only needs
a flat earth base to sit the inner plastic container of the IBC.
There’s a 9000L/h pump in the sump that pumps water up
to the fish tank IBC through the main 40mm pipe, the water
then flows out of the fish tank into the two beds before flowing
from the beds into the sump again. All of the IBC components
above ground have been painted green for the dual purpose
of looking a little nicer as well as making the plastic more
resistant to UV degradation. Mantis is adding to his system
and modifying quite a bit, when we first started this manual he
only had the one bed, now he has 3 growbeds. By the time you
read this, who knows how many beds he will have.
Mantis’sIBC system
Details of the standpipe and media guard in the growbed,
with the drain pipe coming out of the bottom into the
sump
Great flow rate coming from the pump
Download 3D
Google Sketchup

Mantis’s System
IBC’s are painted not only to look nice but also to stop UV
degradation of the plastic
The steel base of the IBC cage is not required when
burying
Second growbed being set up
Pump set up ready to go
Sump tank finally in it’s hole

AQUAPONICS
Not just for vegetables

J
oey’s IBC system has a 1000 litre IBC partially buried
under the fish tank and offset so that he can put a step
on top of it to gain easy access to the fish tank.
The growbed is 2.5‘ x 11’ which is just over 200 gallons
and made from ¾” ply and lined with black plastic liner. 2 x
4 timbers are used around the whole frame and then screwed
together with 4 1/2” strong tie tags, about 60 of them in total.
A 1hp pump was used initially to deliver water from the
bottom IBC to the top IBC which in turn overflows through a
4” pipe to the growbed. The bed fills in around 10 minutes
and the water then drains out of the growbed in around 10
minutes, through small holes and back to the sump tank. A
ball valve in the bottom of the growbed allows for adjustment
in the system. The system then had a greenhouse frame
constructed with clear plastic to protect against pests and
extreme weather conditions. Though Joey found that when
a storm blew the roof off and the plants became exposed
they started to grow much better. Some of the growth had
been quite leggy indicating they were not getting the sunlight
they needed for optimum growth. Additions are planned for
the system in the form of NFT channels as well as another
growbed. Aquaponic systems are often expanded or second
systems begin evolving, sometimes even before the first ones
are complete.
Joey’sIBC system
Simple standpipe with surround acting as a media guard
Design Layout
And so it begins

Joey’s System
Pumping from the sump tank into the bed with the giant
pump
When I was standing waist deep in the hole I was
beginning to wonder if I’d lost my mind. The wife
questioned my sanity when I was inside the IBC in my
swimming trunks with assorted scrub brushes and soaps
Testing the waters
Here is a new input pipe from the sump tank to the fishtank as we felt having just the 90 at the end didn’t stirthings up enough

Joey’s System
Looking down the growbed the basil has perked up a bit
Some rather spindly looking squash and zucchini
Carrots transplanted in to the growbeds
The biggest tomato plant, looking very viney with noblossoms or fruit

A
fter the success of Quachys first concept system
he decided that it was time to get serious with his
second system, now that he had seen for himself that
aquaponics really works. He set out with 4 IBCs and decided
on the popular CHIFT PIST method. This allows the water to
remain at a constant height in the 3 IBC’s that would serve as
fish tanks and the fourth IBC acts as a sump tank. The sump
tank is dug in to the ground and a hatched deck has been
created over the top and hinged for easy access to the tank
below. Drain pipes are covered making it a very neat system.
The fish tanks have been screened with bamboo fencing to
keep out the sunlight and stop algae growing.
The benefit of having separate tanks include having
different species of fish as well as being able to grade fish by
size, essential with some species. The original system can be
used as a nursery for fingerlings or as a hospital tank.
The growbeds were made from 500 litre stock troughs and
filled with gravel, donated by a friend. Quachy’s aim was to
have a ratio of one to one, so for every litre of water he would
have a litre of growbed medium as his biofilter. 3000 litres of
fish tank water and 3000 litres of growbed medium.
For Quachy the progression to Aquaponics from a
traditional dirt garden was very easy as both he and his
wife are keen organic gardeners. He joined the Backyard
Aquaponics forum after doing a quick search on the web
and spent hours upon hours of reading and designing before
posting pictures and sharing the progress of his successes
with other forum members. He says “being able to provide fish
for the family were added bonuses to the masses of fruit and
vegies aquaponics can and does produce.”
Quachy’sIBC system
Healthy crop of tomatoes
Beetroot
Garnished and ready for steaming

Quachy’s System
It is only the beginning

Quachy’s System
More IBCs and the in ground sump tank with child proof
cover
Pipework is hidden discretely under the decking and out
of sight
Decking is hinged and can be accessed when required

Quachy’s System
IBC screened with bamboo fencing
System overview
Fish tank IBCs shown at rear
Shadecloth provides shelter from the hot sun

Quachy’s System
Plant growth coming along nicely

Quachy’s System
Carrots and corn going crazy
Tilkey tubs and olives barrels awaiting their new position
IBC marked out for cuttingSystem laid out and ready to go

Quachy’s System
StrawberriesCucumber just developing
More tomatoes

G
one Fishin has managed to get a system up and
running using two standard 1000 litre IBC’s, three
bathtubs and an NFT style addition. The system
is run as CHIFT PIST but without having to bury any of the
components as the setup will be installed on an existing
concrete slab, making it an easy site to work with.
The second IBC was cut down to about half way, this forms
a sump tank of around 500 litre capacity. Water is pumped
from the sump tank to the main 1000 litre IBC using a 2400
litre per hour pump. When the fish tank water level rises, the
tank will overflow through a 50mm pvc pipe on to the growbed
via gravity feed and then from growbed to sump tank.
The bath tubs are metal and have been thoroughly
checked over for any signs of damage due to leaching and the
risk to fish. The volume that each bathtub can hold is around
600 litres of media, which in this case will be a course gravel.
The water level in the bed has been managed with a simple
standpipe and surround acting as a media guard. Water flow is
adjusted at each of the beds using ball valves.
The channels were originally plumbed with 19mm and
13mm poly pipe, but water flow was not sufficient as the pipe
would not lay flat and was eventually upgraded to 25mm
pvc to allow the water to flow more easily. The system has
performed well and barramundi were harvested and enjoyed
as well as a range of vegetables which included radish,
carrots, asparagus which was suggested by his wife and
appeared to b growing very well.
All in all a great little combination of aquaponic styles in a
neat system, thats performing well.
Gone Fishin’sIBC system
Download 3D
Google Sketchup
Celery stalks covered and growing wellGarlic and brassicas

Gone Fishin’s System
Media guard surrounded by onions
Overview bed 3 beans radishes and garlic
IBCs, bathtubs and NFT style channels
Plate size barramundi
Pipework plumbed and ready to check for leaks

Gone Fishin’s System
Asparagus spears
Radishes are quick and easy to grow
Original polypipe since upgraded to PVC

T
his is Ivan’s third system. Originally he bought an off
the shelf BYAP system, however this only encouraged
Ivan’s curiosity about aquaponics and started him down
a path of experimenting with ideas of his own, where a second
smaller prototype system was put together using components
obtained from local hardware stores. Eventually he had
sufficient confidence to embark on a major aquaponics design
using a combination of second hand IBCs, blue barrels, an
off the shelf tank and other components that would certainly
transform his boring backyard into a functional food-producing
one.
His third system is vast and fairly complex to get a grip on
at first, but it’s well designed and very carefully thought out,
in fact he went to great lengths in designing his system in 3D
using Google Sketchup before building it.
Ivansng’sIBC system
1st 2 IBC’s in place with tank fittings installed and
trenches dug ready for pipe work
Decided that the bamboo thing covering the IBCs was too crappy looking and seems to have weathered to a bad state. So I
got a handyman to clad up the IBCs with the corrugated sheets of the same colour to the wicking garden bed

Ivansng’s System
The whole IBC growbed is filled with crushed granite
media
At the heart of the system is a 2000L off the shelf tank.
Water is pumped from here to a few different areas through a
sequencing valve. If you’re not sure what a sequencing valve
is, try looking online for further information. It’s basically a
distribution valve that has one inlet port (from your pump)
and then a different number of outlet ports depending on the
one you buy. Say you have a 4 port valve, one inlet, and four
outlets. When you turn the pump on, water will flow out of port
1, then when you turn the pump off then on again it will stop
coming out of port 1 and come out of port 2, then when you
turn it off and on again water will flow out of port 3. Then port
4 and then back to port 1. This sort of device allows you to
have many growbeds and by switching the pump off and on
you can water different growbeds sequentially rather than all
at once. Of course, a timer or similar is used to continuously
cycle the pump off and on. But back to Ivan’s system.
In the first zone (port 1) water is pumped into two complete
IBC’s that act as very deep growbeds, filled with blue metal
rock media. These growbeds drain straight back into the
2000L fish tank. In the second zone (port 2), water is pumped
to 4 blue barrels filled with media (with fruit trees planted in
them) and a 500L BYAP growbed. These also drain back into
the fish tank. Another IBC acts as an additional raised fish
tank that is turned over with tank water every time the pump is
turned on. Water from this raised fish tank overflows back into
the 2000L fish tank.
As you can see from the plans, this system is still going to
be added to over time. At the moment, a third zone is planned
with 1 additional complete IBC and 4 blue barrels filled with
blue metal rock media. To get the latest updates, get online
and check out the latest posts on Ivan’s third system.
Peaches starting to ripen on the dwarf peach tree in half
barrel

Ivansng’s System
Tank cover over the 2000L fish tank
Super long standpipe and
standpipe surround

Ivansng’s System
Dwarf lime tree planted in half barrel
Dwarf peach tree producing a strong crop
PVC greenhouse frame in place

S
kygazer has created a classic recycled system here
using lots of different recycled materials. The IBC is the
fish tank, then there’s two bath tubs for growbeds, and
finally a recycled wheelie bin for a drain tank. Because of the
slope in the land and the way the system was laid out against
the house , there is one pump in the fish tank with a timer
on it pumping into the bathtub growbeds. The growbeds then
drain into a partially buried wheelie bin, under the house just
behind the steps. This wheelie bin sump has a sump pump in
it with a float switch, this allows the water to be pumped back
to the IBC automatically.
The pump in the fish tank is only 1000L/hour, while the
sump pump in the sump tank is about 7000L/hour. The pump
in the fish tank only runs for 30 minutes, then it’s off for 30
minutes giving time for the beds to drain. Then of course the
pump in the sump only turns on with its float switch, being
7000L/hour it doesn’t stay on for long when it pumps back to
the fish tank. Originally the system was only stocked with half
a dozen goldfish to cycle the system, once things were running
well, 20 Silver Perch were stocked into the IBC fish tank.
Use of bathtubs for growbeds was quite handy because
they have built in drain fittings. To make it a little more
aesthetically pleasing one of the growbeds has been
surrounded with timber. Ultimately the plan is to cover the
other growbed with timber as well so that it blends in with the
house. This system was a proof of concept for Skygazer to try
out aquaponics on a small cheap scale before advancing to a
much larger system.
Skygazer’sIBC system
Week two growth
Timber surround on the fish tankIBC fish tank

Skygazer’s System
Timber slats around the bathtub to help it blend in Netting placed around plants to protect them
Silver perch were added to the system once it was cycled
with goldfish
Great crop in second tub
Second bathtub grow bed has been added to the system

T
he lost hippy just goes to show how cheaply and easily
you can start an aquaponics system using readily
available items that others are throwing away. In his own
words “I went for a gleaning day through the local industrial
area and got more 44 gallon drums that I needed, some wheel
rims, 2 beds, pallets etc! The only thing getting in the way now
is work.”
To be able to work with the 24 degree slope of his land the
drums were dug in before being filled with water to keep them
in place. Pallets were placed above them to create a base for
the top third of an IBC that he was going to use as a growbed.
Other growbeds included 160 litre black plastic tubs from
Bunnings, the national hardware chain store, and preloved
bath tubs. Many of the plumbing components came from
demolition yards and the local hardware store. He confesses
that he has spent countless hours reading the Backyard
Aquaponics forum and asking numerous questions.
The growbeds are filled with a course gravel medium which
is irrigated from the fish tank along pvc pipes which then change
to a black poly pipe. An inline tap is fitted and water is then
diverted to each of the growbeds, where it drains with the help of
a siphon. A siphon system relies on a certain level of water being
in the system. Water levels must be kept up to allow the siphons
to run, if the level drops the siphons are unable to operate.
Fortunately he installed a diversion pipe back to the sump which
means if the siphons failed to trigger the pump would still be
moving water and wouldn’t pump dry. One bucket of water can
make all the difference and when added to the system is all that
was required to trigger the siphons and away it goes again. This
can become a problem in areas that are both hot and dry and
prone to high evaporation rates.
Alosthippy’sIBC system
Fish tank
View along the outflowIBC cut to make a growbed

Alosthippy’s System
The growbed
PVC offcuts form hidey holes for yabbies and redclaw.
Jim still standing guard
Crustaceans make great inhabitants of sump tanks as
they help keep the bottom clean
One month after planting

Alosthippy’s System
So...this is where all the beans went....and only one is
mine!!
Pesky empties are still breeding
Go little fellas....
Purple king climbing bean and they were yummy...

Greenhouse offers protections from the elements
S
eemores system was started in a greenhouse using
an IBC and two bathtubs, materials that were easy to
obtain and locally available. The greenhouse made of
plastic offers some protection during the cool winter months
and provides a cosy growing environment. Initially the pump
was set to run continuously, though the idea was to set it up
as flood and drain design and a timer was later installed after
reading many threads about the timing of flood and drain
systems . Once the timer was added the beds would actually
get a chance to drain, allowing more oxygen around the root
zone and allowing the plants a period of dry time.
Polystyrene was used to cover the outside of the fish tank
and stop the sunlight hitting the water. As the sun hits the
water it contributes to growing algae, although the goldfish
would be happy to nibble away, making them almost self
sufficient.
Frames were welded together using recycled steel and
keeps them raised above ground level, pipe work is free to
drain to a sump tank which is located at the junction of the
two bathub growbeds. Raised beds have the added advantage
of keeping the plants away from the ground dwelling pests.
A larger pump was installed which helped with getting the
solid waste out of the fish tank and in to the growbeds, where
it was better able to provide nutrients to the plants growing in
the bathtubs. This was an obvious advantage as the plants
were reported to have started booming once the larger pump
was added.
Seemore’sIBC system
A good idea to block sunlight from the IBC and reduce the
green water stage

Seemore’s System
Bathtub supported by metal frame
Goldfish are easily obtained and a great way to start out
in aquaponics
Gravel is locally available in many areas and makes a
cheap growbed media
Zucchini and cucumber, tasty and abundant
Inline taps are used to regulate the water distribution to
the bathtubs
Plants growing well in bathtub

E
d started out with a couple of IBCs and a few blue
barrels. One IBC will be home to the fish and the other
IBC will serve as a sump tank which is partly buried.
Eight barrels have been cut in half to make a total of eight
growbeds. After displacing a mountain of sand to bury the
second IBC the layout began to take shape, before it was on to
shovelling and washing a ton of pea gravel. A back breaking
job for sure, but part of the induction to Aquaponics as any
experienced aquaponics person will tell you.
A Pondmax 8000lph pump was used as a trial run. Water
is pumped from the sump tank to the fish tank through 25mm
pvc pipe, the water level then overflows to the growbeds and
fills them in around 20 – 30 minutes. Each bed has a stand
pipe with a 4.5mm hole allowing them to drain in around 35
minutes. The same 25mm pvc pipe returns water back to the
sump tank through two lengths of 13mm polypipe, this allows
for stage 2 of the overall plan.
Unfortunately the 25mm pipe caused the fish tank to
overflow so fittings were added to reduce the outlet to 20mm.
A short piece of pipe was then put in the overflow to prevent
water from running over the T piece.
Ed’s plan is to expand the system by slicing about
350mm off each side of an IBC, though it will initially cost
more than the equivalent of 4 blue barrels, it will be a lot
cheaper on the plumbing.
Edroe’sIBC system
Progress photos showing barrels and IBC fish and sump
tankBlue barrels filled with pea gravel

Edroe’s System
Fish tank showing water return elbowed to create current
Tank and polypipe returns Sump tank buried and supported in ground

Ph: 9414 9334
Backyard
FarmingB r i n g i n g f o o d p r o d u c t i o n h o m e
Plant some veggies
You owe it to your kids

Growbeds installed at ground level and all drain pipes
buried. Irrigation line runs along the fence behind
Hinged fish tank cover keeps out sun and protects fish
from predators
Buried IBC with childproof cover
E
dwood lives on the Mornington Peninsula, not far from
the coast and believes this is one of the reasons that
he has been able to keep trout in his system over the
summer months. Another factor that he attributes to keeping
the water cool is the fact that his fish tank is insulated and the
growbeds are buried in the ground. He has an IBC as a sump
tank and this is also buried, it provides a home to around 40
yabbies and a few mosquito fish. The fish tank is rectangle in
shape made from fiberglass, measuring 3 metres in length,
800mm wide and 800 mm deep. It has a V shape in the
bottom with flow holes for added water flow. When the tank
was set up it was surrounded with insulwool to help maintain
the temperature. The system is very neat with the majority
of the pipe work being out of sight, the irrigation pipes from
the fish tank run along the fence behind the growbeds and
screened behind a wall of foliage.
This fish tank and sump tank supports 4 growbeds which
have been dug in to the ground, four of these measuring 2.1
metres 700mm wide and around 300mm deep. These beds
drain in to the sump tank which is where the submersible
pump is located. Rock like white marble fills the beds and
provide a stable source to anchor the roots of the plants
as well as acting as the biofilter in the system. Two of the
beds are operated by auto siphons, while the other two are
constantly filled with water. A structure was erected to train
plants like tomatoes allowing for vertical growth. The tomato
plants are doing very well being constantly flooded, however
the capsicum plants seem to prefer better drainage.
Edwood’sIBC system
Structure supports climbing plants

Edwood’s System
Rainbow trout
Rainbow trout fingerlings
Summer fruits such as tomatoes make use of vertical spaces
View of growbeds and IBC sump tank
Vertical gardens hide an old shed

Drain from growbed to 4’ drainage pipe back to pondSolid timber stands are required to support the weight of
growbeds
T
he Native has created lined ponds in the ground to hold
a large volume of water for keeping his fish. There are
three in total, two hold 400 gallons each and the third
is around 350 gallons. Originally he had created a ledge and
one pond was higher, overflowing to the next. He realised that
he could almost double the size by removing the steps in the
pond and they could overflow between them if the ponds were
at the same height.
IBC s created ideal growbeds when they were cut in half,
each having a depth of around 500mm. He started off with
gravel but in time made some renovations, which included
changing over to ¾” black lava rock or scoria. The Native says
that it is has more benefits than the gravel as it is cheaper,
lightweight - therefore easier to shovel, it hasn’t affected
the pH and it has a high porosity making an idea surface for
beneficial bacteria.
An Affnan bell siphon controls the flood and drain in each
of the growbeds, the bell is 4” and the standpipe is 2.5” which
reduces to 1.25” as it exits the grow beds. All the growbeds
drain in to 4” drainage pipe which then returns water to the
pond. The standpipe is housed in a media guard made of pvc
pipe which is 6” in diameter allowing access in the event that
the siphon requires any attention. The other end of the bed
also has a 6” pipe that is a worm feeding station.
The pump used was a 800 GPH (3000lph) probably
requiring an upgrade at some point said the Native. A (SLO)
solids lifting overflow was installed using 4” pipe to help
with the build up of solids in the second fish pond. Water
is pumped to fill the growbeds which takes around 22
minutes and then drains in around 3 minutes. The system
has produced great harvests of vegetables such as carrots,
celery, onions and trout. Just take a look at the pictures of the
healthy plant growth.
The Native’sIBC system
SLO to interconnected ponds and return line from
growbeds
Renovation in progress

The Native’s System
You can grow carrots in an aquaponic system
Admiring the crops

Decking recently installed makes great access to fish ponds and growbeds
Growbeds fill in around 22 minutes. Worm feeding station
at one end and siphon at the other
Cabbage
Carrots planted in to net pots of vermiculite

Homegrown rainbow trout
Growbeds being added with black lava rock
Aquaponic fresh harvest

S
cottie & Shelley started out with 2 standard IBC
containers and a few 44 gallon drums. They cut them
in to two parts, the top portion became growbeds
and the bases became fish and sump tanks which were
connected through the side of the IBC, and the water flows
freely between them.
They set about purchasing the plumbing components and
used the 44 gallon drums to make the bases for the growbeds,
as they are sturdy and as long as you are not too short they will
serve the purpose well without breaking the bank. The media
chosen for this system is gravel which is locally available and
cheap on the pocket.
The system was set up and, irrigations lines were added
using 25mm PVC pipe. A barrel union was added to the pipe
above the submersible pump, this is a really good idea because
it makes the pump easy to access in the event that something
needs to be cleaned, or the pump has to be removed for any
reason. Ball valves were placed inline to adjust the flow to each
of the growbeds as well as returning water to the sump tank. A
spray bar was also designed to reduce flow from the pump and
provide additional aeration to the fish tank .
The pump was turned on and lines were tested, checked
for leaks and made sure that the drains were able to keep up
with the water flow. Water is pumped from the fish tank to the
growbeds and takes around 12 minutes to fill the beds. The
pump is operated on a timer, on for 15 minutes then off for 45
minutes. The cycle is repeated 24 hours per day as fish have a
high requirement for dissolved oxygen overnight.
Stand pipes were fine tuned and the system was then ready
for operation.
Scottie also made a shadecloth cover to reduce the direct
overhead sun as well as covers for the fish tanks which are
easy to remove when it comes to fish feeding. Fish were
added and it wasn’t long before the system started to show
some good results.
Scottie & Shelley’sIBC system

Scottie & Shelley’s System
Pump with float switch
Pump going, stand pipe in, just waiting for media
IBCs cut in to growbeds and fish tanks
Pipes are checked for leaks

Gravel is added to growbeds
Shadecloth cover protects fish tanks and shades from direct sun
Biofilm establishes naturally on the inside surface of a
fish tank

Screens protect the tank from sunlight helping it last
longer
Aquaponic system is neatly screened from the patio
Trellis made from bamboo helps support plant growth
Irrigation line using 25mm pipe and ball valves
Retractable shadecloth can be pulled across in the
hottest part of the day

C
urnow set up his first system with one IBC, though it
is like most other IBC systems, he has come up with
another innovative way of recycling using an old pump.
Curnow decided to try something a little different, when he
salvaged a couple of pumps from some old dishwashers.
The pumps have two outlets on them and he decided to use
one outlet for the growbed and the other to the tank to stir
up the sediment and move it towards the pump. The black
pipe delivers around 45 litres per minutes and the grey pipe
delivers 30 litres per minute, the small clear pipe delivers only
3 litres per minute. (As it is of little to no use, it was blanked
off.) He was very pleased with this trial and believes it has
the potential to pump to two growbeds simultaneously. The
pump sits outside of the fishtank at the bottom of the IBC and
was relatively easy to plumb. Because it sits out in the open a
weather proof cover was made to protect it from the elements.
The pump operates on a timer and water is pumped up
to the beds which are filled with expanded clay. Curnow
discovered the 2” thread came in very handy and fits easily to
a threaded PVC adaptor, making it easy to install a stand pipe
and media surround.
The system was stocked with yabbies from a mates
dam and Curnow found that they rather enjoyed the cherry
tomatoes that he had in abundance. They also regularly get
fed lupins and carrot. The system has come along in leaps
and bounds in a short space of time and Curnow is also
growing plants in hanging basket that filter the water back to
the fish tank, although the coir media has turned the water
brown. The fish tank was later wrapped in underfelt and a
tank cover was also made to reduce the amount of sunlight
and algal growth.
Curnow’sIBC system
2 inch thread on lid makes for easy adaption
Dishwasher pump
Threaded adaptor fits snugly in to position
Framework ads style to a humble IBC

Curnow’s System
Slope is handy for gravity flow systems
Finished
Water return lines to fish tank

Curnow’s System
Root growth from sweet corn
Seeds beginning to germinate in expanded clay
Corn is doing well and the bed is filling out very quickly
Dishwasher pump trial works well
Coarse filter for inlet made from gutter guard

Curnow’s System
The plants are growing at an astonishing rate
Cucumber trellis added
Test kits are handy to check water quality results
Water flows through the conconut fibre and coir turning
the water brown

S
iphonphobia has created a neat looking system using
3 interlinked IBCs, as he saw it as a cheap way to get
a 2000 litre fish tank. The IBCs were cut with the top
portion becoming the growbed and supported on the base
below. He used a couple of different ideas as supports such
as pine logs and metal rods, but quickly realised just how
much weight you have to support. He purchased the pipe
and fittings which were needed to link the tanks. Water was
able to move between the base of the fish tanks though it is a
good idea to protect the opening with filter mesh to stop fish
being caught in the tap area. The fish tanks were stocked
with sivler perch and some mussels were also added to the
system. Unfortunately the mussels found their way in to the
pump and stopped it from working. An 8000 lph submersible
pump with float switch was installed which is a little larger
than was required, but easily fixed by placing a tee in the line
and returning water to the fish tank, providing extra aeration at
the same time. The advantage of a float switch is that when
the water level drops to a certain point the pump will stop
pumping water rather than completely draining the fish tank.
The growbeds are filled with expanded clay which is
lightweight in comparison to other gravel media, though the
supports underneath need to be fairly sturdy as the IBC plastic
is not terribly strong in itself and will bow easily. As anybody
will tell you having an aquaponics system will take you on a
wonderful journey of discovery and there are many people
from all over the world who willingly share their experience on
the Backyard Aquaponics Forum.
Siphonphobia’sIBC system
A couple of different supports were used to determine
what would work best
Growbeds supported above fish tankOverflow from tank to tank

Siphonphobia’s System
What not to do
Shadecloth to reduce sunlight Water returning to the tank

The water level should be below the surface of the media. This was too high
Fish caught in tank outlet
Silver perch fingerlings
Submersible pump with float switch

First plant
IBCs connected
Azolla

Contemplating the design
W
al lives in the remote north west town of Tom Price
where conditions can be harsh. Extreme heat and
cool nights are one of the challenges that he faced
when venturing in to aquaponics. His two fish tanks are made
from the bases of the IBCs which he insulated with pink batts and
set up in a shed. The fish tanks are connected with a balance
pipe, which allows water to flow between the two tanks and
provides a total fish tank volume of around 1200 litres. The tops
are used to provide a total growbed volume of around 650 litres.
The system is fitted with two 3500 litre per hour
submersible pumps as well as two air pumps which maintain
oxygen levels during the warmer weather. A backup system has
also been included in the event of a power failure.
Old packing boxes have been used as stands as they are
sturdy and support the weight of the expanded clay media. The
growbeds are situated on the outside of the shed allowing them
plenty of sunlight while the fish tanks are on the inside where
day time temperatures are 3-5 degrees cooler.
The expanded clay was washed in the cool of the evening
and early morning to avoid the heat which climbed to 38
degrees. The beds were set up, filled with media, washed and
planted. A simple shade house was constructed to protect the
plants from the hot sun.
Barramundi fingerlings were flown in which went off
without a hitch and the system has been powering away as
you can see from the photographs. An NFT style system was
added and the results are fantastic, producing lush healthy
lettuce plants.
Wal’sIBC system

Wal’s System
Fresh colourful fruits are a delight
Growbeds filled with media ready for planting
Water entering growbed through filter pad

Wal’s System
Venturi adding air to the fish tank
As with most aquaponic systems, it’s hard not to keep from expanding
Acclimatising the new fingerlings

Wal’s System
Venturi, all made from reticulation parts
Wal took a quick pic of the basic ingredients
Fishtanks setup inside shed
Image shows spray bar directing jets of water back to the
fish tank

Wal’s System
Looks like Xmas
New expansion is progressing nicely
Wals harvest from the NFT

C
harlie had already started experimenting with
Aquaponics when he decided to build a second system
using an IBC. He has had some good results with his
first system and has come up with a very neat and workable
second system. The IBCs were available free from his work
place, and all he had to do was spend a bit of time and energy
sourcing some equipment to put it all together.
The pipes and fittings were all easily available at Bunnings,
the local hardware store. He also got pipe glue and ball vales
as well as a 2400lph fountain pump which cost all up $190-00.
He purchased an airpump off eBay which set him back another
$120.00 and then spent $20.00 on airline and stones at the
local pet store. He visited a local soil yard and found some
20mm blue metal/gravel which would do the job for another
$60.00. For under $400.00 he had everything he needed.
Charlie removed the IBC base, by simply removing the screws.
This is the part that allows the IBC to be moved with a forklift,
which left the thin metal base plate and no supporting beams,
but that was okay as it will sit flat on the ground.
There is a section of the bottom plate that is moulded to
cater for the drain tap and spout, he used a grinder with a
cutting disc to chop it out so that he had flat bottoms on both
to aid with sitting the whole set up flat.
Charlie’sIBC system
Auto syphon
Plants growing in 20mm gravel
Cage trimmed to sit flat

Charlie’s System
Timber supports must be heavy duty to support the weight
of heavy media beds
Water flows to the growbed and tee returns water to the
fish tank
Floating basket provides a safe haven for new fingerlings
The fish tanks was cut off at the 900 litre mark, washed
out with chlorine, placed in its desired location, filled with
water and then aerated for a few days to disperse the chlorine.
He then cut a piece of the remaining framework to make
a stand at the back of the growbed, this allowed a greater
opening over the fish tank allowing him to access the fish.
The growbed was cut off at the 400 litre mark, this was
stamped on the side of the IBC. He marked the spot for the
drain hole (double nut fitting as he calls it), making sure the
space was flat and without seams. Once the magic spot was
marked, it was cut out with a hole saw, followed by an opening
in the base plate. Three timber supports were used to sit
the growbed on, although Charlie would recommend steel
box tube as the timber is already starting to bow and needs
replacing, not a job he is looking forward to as the gravel
probably weighs around 500 kilos. Charlie decided on an auto
syphon, which he says took a fair bit of mucking around and
after 6 prototypes he has one that works a treat.
The pump is connected with 25mm pipe and two ball
valves allow for flow adjustments. One goes to the growbed
and the other returns water back to the fish tank.
Charlie admits that although he is relatively new to
Aquaponics he is absolutely addicted. Everyone that visits his
house is very intrigued and wants to get their own thing going,
because everyone loves fish and everyone loves food. It is a
winning combo! His only wish is that he had started years ago.
Underside of growbed showing frame

Charlie’s System
25mm pipe and ball valves
Electrical rack made from IBC frame
Compact system fits neatly in to a small space

Backyard
Aquaponics
Bringing Food Production Home
Magazine
www.byapmagazine.com
For all your aquaponics information !

B
iddaddy has a challenge working with a tiered backyard
and it means that every time he brings materials in,
there are steps to climb. He has used two IBC’s for his
fish tanks which are set on a higher level. The ground level
drops away about a metre to the growbeds, which are built
in behind the brick wall, retaining the patio area. The bed is
lined with plastic and then filled with riverstones.
The fish tanks are connected with a 50mm PVC pipe at the
1000 litre mark. Rubber couplings with jubilee clips supplied
from Bunnings were fitted to the ball valves at the base of the
IBC and then attached to a 50-90mm reducer to the coupling.
Tees in to the 90mm drain allow for what Bigdaddy describes
as the emergency dump valves. There is a 200 litre sump tank,
a 9000lph pump with float switch and a washing basket full
of clay balls providing extra filtration. Ball valves have been
installed to the 25mm irrigation line so that when the pump
pumps, all the fish tanks and growbeds are balanced out and
you can allow as much water as you want to flow through them.
The system works in a very simple fashion with just one
pump. Water is delivered to the fish tank and then flows to the
growbeds, the flows are adjusted by the ball valves, they all
drain back to the solids filter and then to the sump tank, when
the float switch rises the pump is activated and pumps to all
the growbeds and fish tanks.
Bigdaddy’sIBC system
Older grow bed in distanceLooking from the filter and sump module
Drain from the barra grow bed ready to be hooked into
the new IBC drain
IBC’s on the right showing the drain to the filtration on
the left

Bigdaddy’s System
Shows top view of IBC and skimmer box
The peas and the other plants have taken off just three
weeks old
Other side of barbie, second bay of grow bed
Side view showing where they are situated in the
backyard. Home made level control skimmer boxes. 90
mm storm water PVC with removable ends for cleaning

Bigdaddy’s System
Solids filter
The fish tanks and barra bed drains tee into the trout bed
drain and go into the filter

Pipework from the fish tank
Dual IBC fish tanks
One of the biofilters in action
J
et has created a very neat system from IBC’s with three
blue barrels incorporated into the system. This neat
system is based on the CHIFT PIST principle with two
1000L IBC’s acting as fish tanks. The water leaves the IBC’s via
a fairly modified solids lift overflow, from here the water flows
into a swirl separator made from a blue barrel. In the separator
the heavy solid particles of fish waste and uneaten food drop
to the base where they can be removed when required via
a drain with a tap in the base. The cleaner water leaves this
drum via a pipe near the surface in the middle of the barrel,
then flows through two different types of biofilters. The first
biofilter is a fixed media filter, while the second is a moving bed
biofilter, both of these have about 50L of Kaldnes K1 media in
them. Once the water has passed through the biofilters, it then
continues to flow through to the growbeds where there is a tap
on each bed to control how much water enters individual beds.
The growbeds are filled with a course rock media , each
growbed is the base section of an IBC, there are five growbeds
in total, that sit on some large timber beams supported off
the ground by cinder blocks or large cement building blocks.
Under the growbeds are three IBC tops which have been
inverted and plumbed together to act as the sump for the
system. The growbeds have been fitted with autosiphons to
control their flooding and draining cycles. From the sumps,
the water is pumped back to the fish tank where the process
starts all over again.
A few things that Jet has changed, modified or added
since building his system are a battery backup pump in case
of power outages. The return to the fish tank is now inside
the tank, he has added a second pump in the bottom of the
moving bed biofilter which means he can bypass the growbeds
at night when it’s cold, helping to keep up the heat in the fish
tank. There are also a few more changes or planned changes,
hopefully we might be able to cover these in the next edition.
Jet’sIBC system
Download 3D
Google Sketchup

Jet’s System
The swirl separator and two biofilter barrels
The complete system in operation
Swirl separator

Jet’s System
Plants starting to take off in the growbeds
Plants growing well

N
etabs system is one of the biggest systems we
have seen to date. An enormous amount of effort
has been put into this system, both in the planning
and construction. In total there are 21 IBC halves used
as growbeds and filled with river stone, as well as 16 IBC
yabby/duckweed 2 tier tanks. These top tiers will eventually
be converted to gravel growbeds. Two 2000 litre and five
500 litre fish tanks are housed in an adjoining shadecloth
structure. The growbed layout was designed to best utilise
the greenhouse which measures 8 x 13 metres with a solar
weave roof and shadecloth sides which can also be covered
in solar weave creating a warmer growing environment for
the colder winter months. The system began to evolve after
some second-hand goods became available and the plan
was hatched.
When they started looking in to Aquaponics they had
initially planned to use blue barrels as growbeds. After
coming across an auction and other sales they were able
to collect around 40 IBCs in total, this seemed like a better
option as there was no need to create specialised stands.
Because they had so many IBCs they had the opportunity
to have a play and try a few different ideas. The twenty one
growbeds are positioned in three rows of seven. At the end of
the middle row another IBC has been buried in to the ground
Netab’sIBC system
Tiered yabby tanks
2 rows of growbeds in centre and tiered yabby tanks behind First Row
The beginning of the project.

Float switch
Cucumbers growing
to operate as a sump tank.
An 18000lph submersible pump with a float switch pumps
water to the fish tanks, while a second pump of the same
size operates on a timer and delivers water to the growbeds
through a sequencing valve. All the fish tanks have cone
shaped bases with centre drainage, and are connected using
pvc irrigation pipe and have inline ball valves to either adjust
the flow or isolate a tank. A float switch will be eventually fitted
to prevent the fishtanks accidentally emptying.
Each growbed also has a ball valve which can be used
to adjust the water flow and regulate the amount of water
to the individual bed. Drainage pipes have all been hidden
underground and return to the sump tank which you would
hardly know was there. A trap door with a hinged wooden lid
hides the sump from view but allows easy access through the
top of the IBC. A barrel union was placed in the pipe near the
pump which makes life easy if the pump has to be removed
for any reason. All the pipework has been buried and the
system is certainly one of the neatest and well thought out
and has to be one whose progress is well worth following.
The yabby system is quite extensive being sixteen IBCs in
total. As IBCs are made to stack easily on top of each other
they took advantage of this by cutting at the second square
from the bottom, then the bottom became the top level and
the top became the base frame as it is reinforced to support
the weight.
The water level is maintained in the base around 40cm
and water is allowed to flow through a stormwater filter
elbow where the 90mm pipe is interconnected joining all
the IBCs together. The bottom 16 yabby growing beds have
had openings cut out of the front to allow easy access to the
water below. The tops are filled with water to grow duckweed
and water is maintained at the height determined by a
standpipe, made from a tank fitting and 90mm stormwater
pipe. This can be easily converted to flood and drain once
these tanks are ready to be turned into growbeds. Recently a
gas pool and spa heater has been installed which draws and
returns water to the sump tank and is working well.
All in all quite an amazing system that Netab and her
Husband have built, we look forward to following their
progress and updating this manual with further information
over time as the system has run for a while.
Gravel shovelling was just too much
Netab’s SystemThe IBC of Aquaponics

Netab’s System

Netab’s System
Yabbies Irrigation and drain lines set out
Standpipe using tank fitting, coupling and pvc pipe Duckweed
Seedlings planted

For Your Reference
O
ne of the most important yet least understood aspects of Aquaponics is
the bacteria that we rely on and its function in the nitrogen cycle. I know
what you’re thinking, bacteria (or “GERMS” if you watch a lot of disinfectant
commercials) are meant to be bad, aren’t they?
The fact is that there is good and bad in everything, even down to bacteria. Life
wouldn’t be possible without them.
Fish excrete ammonia. In a lake or ocean it’s all good because the vast volume
of water dilutes this ammonia. When you’re keeping fish at home it needs to be
managed as it is very toxic to the fish.
Decomposing food also creates ammonia. Some of the effects of excessive
ammonia include:
Extensive damage to tissues, especially the gills and kidney
Impaired growth
Decreased resistance to disease
Death
Luckily natures got it all sorted! Enter Nitrosomonas sp. This good little bacterium
eats ammonia and converts it to nitrite.
Now, nitrite is much less poisonous to the fish than ammonia, but it’s by no means
a good thing. It stops the fish from taking up oxygen. Natures got it under control
again, with Nitrobacter sp. This good bacterium eats nitrite and converts it to
nitrate.
Luckily nitrate happens to be the favourite food of plants. Also the fish will tolerate
a much higher level of nitrate than they will ammonia or nitrite. What you’ve just
read is pretty much the nitrogen cycle. When an aquaponics system has sufficient
numbers of these bacteria to completely process the ammonia and nitrites it is said
to have “cycled”.
Your goal should be to establish the nitrogen cycle quickly and with minimal stress
on any aquatic life you may already have.
Without their respective “foods” these bacteria will not exist in useful numbers.
This is why you will see an ammonia “spike” when setting up a new tank. The
bacteria will increase their numbers (reproduce) in response to an increasing
ammonia load, so it makes sense that we would see a “spike” before they respond.
Shortly after you have ammonia the bacteria will start reproducing and working
away for you.
The same goes for Nitrobacter sp., they’ll only want to start reproducing and
working once Nitrosomonas sp. is comfortable and producing lots of nitrite.
Now, while one point you’ve just read indicates that Nitrosomonas sp. won’t
process ammonia at pH 6.0 or below, this was determined in a sterile lab
culture. Similar research has shown that species of Nitrosomonas sp. in a natural
environment such as soil will still process ammonia even at pH 4.0! This goes
The Nitrogen
Cycle
The optimum pH range for
Nitrosomonas sp. is 7.8 - 8.0.
The optimum pH range for
Nitrobacter sp. is 7.3 - 7.5
At pH below 7.0, Nitrosomonas
sp. growth will slow and increases
in ammonia may become evident.
Nitrosomonas sp. growth is inhibited
at pH 6.5. All nitrification is inhibited
if the pH drops to 6.0 or less.
They must colonize a surface
(gravel, sand, synthetic biomedia,
etc.) for optimum growth.
They need oxygen in the water
to live and work.
Nitrifying bacteria have long
reproduction times.
Under optimal conditions,
Nitrosomonas sp. may double every
7 hours and Nitrobacter sp. every 13
hours. More realistically, they will
double every 15 - 20 hours.
To put that into perspective.
In the time that it takes a single
Nitrosomonas sp. cell to double
in population, a single E. coli
bacterium would have produced a
population exceeding 35 trillion
cells.
As a general rule a brand new
system will require about 4 weeks
to cycle at around 20˚C. It will take
longer in colder water.
Nitrifying bacteria cannot survive
in dry conditions or at sustained
temperatures higher than 49° C .
There are several species of
Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter
sp. bacteria and many strains
among those species. Most of this
information can be applied to species
of Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter
sp. in general, however, each strain
may have specific tolerances to
environmental factors and nutrient
preferences not shared by other very
closely related strains.Temperature
and pH seem to be common.
pH
Facts

For Your Reference
The temperature for optimum
growth of nitrifying bacteria is
between 25° – 30° C
(77° – 86° F).
Growth rate is decreased by 50%
at 18° C (64° F).
Growth rate is decreased by 75%
at 8° C – 15.5° C
(46° – 50° F).
No activity will occur at 4° C
(39° F).
Nitrifying bacteria will die at 0°
C (32° F).
Nitrifying bacteria will die at
49° C (120° F)
Nitrobacter sp. is less tolerant
of low temperatures than
Nitrosomonas sp. In cold water
systems, care must be taken to
monitor the accumulation of nitrites.
Temperature
some way to explain why some of us
have systems that are YEARS old with
a pH of 6.0, no ammonia and happy
fish. Once a system has a compliment
of micro flora and fauna at work there
seems to be an inherent synergy that
allows wider environmental ranges to
be accommodated.
I would definitely recommend
that people strive for the above
environmental tolerance ranges on
initial system set up and the early life of
their systems.
Many people with aquaponics systems
try to maintain their pH at around 7.0
to 7.2 because this range satisfies the
plants, fish and bacteria. The nitrogen
cycle itself has a tendency to reduce
pH, however it is pretty easy to keep pH
at around 7.4 through the addition of
calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate
increases pH, but will stop dissolving
at pH around 7.4, meaning pH will stay
pretty stable until all of the available
calcium carbonate is depleted.
Readily available forms of calcium
carbonate include:
shell grit (available at many produce
stores)
sea shells
calcium carbonate powder (available
at many produce stores)
limestone
egg shells
As mentioned there are many strains
of nitrifying bacteria, each having their
own water parameter preferences, so
when cycling a new system its best to
keep your water chemistry as stable as
possible in relation to factors such as salt
concentration. The number of fish used
to cycle your system should be much less
than your system is intended to hold. If
too many fish are used the ammonia and
nitrite will reach very high levels, which
are likely to kill or cause permanent
damage to your fish and will require you
to undertake more frequent and larger
water changes. Also, be sure not to
overfeed the fish as this will also result
in the production of more ammonia.
Many people choose to use cheap
goldfish for the cycling process, due to
the minimal cost and their high tolerance
to poor water conditions. The best advice
you can take when cycling your system
is to be patient and let nature take its
course. Do frequent tests (at least daily)
during this period and perform water
changes as required.
Don’t forget, fish will still excrete
ammonia even when not eating, just not
as much!

AQUAPONICS
Not just for vegetables

For Your Reference
My fish appear unwell, gasping at the surface or showing labouring breathing, or erratic behaviour, perhaps flashing?
My water has gone green. What should I do?
The sides and bottom of my tank is covered with green slime, should I clean it off?
I have long strands of algae growing in my tank, what should I do?
How long can I leave my fish without feeding them?
My fish are off their feed, what should I do?
How much should I feed my fish?
What sized pump do I need for my system?
What fish can I grow in my system?
My pH is high or low what should I do?
My ammonia/nitrites/nitrate levels are high, what should I do?
My ammonia/nitrites/nitrate levels are low or nonexistent, what should I do?
Do fish need sunlight?
Can I put plants and other features into my fish tank?
Do I need an air pump for my system?
I have algae on my growbed media, what should I do?
frequentlyasked
questions

For Your Reference
My fish appear unwell, gasping at the surface or showing labouring breathing, or erratic behaviour, perhaps flashing?
If your system is pumping on a timed cycle increase the pumping to 100% of the time, if your system has not been salted before,
salt your system water. Using pool salt, salt your system to 3ppt, this means in 1000L of water you would add 3kg of salt. Salt
aids fish health and at these levels most plants will remain unaffected, however some plants like strawberries may suffer.
My water has gone green. What should I do?
Normally a problem in the first weeks of setting up a new system. This is suspended algae we are talking about, if you were to
dip a glass into your fish tank and fill it with water then hold it up, the water looks very green and is hard to see through it. This
is a natural phase your system will go through as cycling happens. Pump full time if you aren’t already. Stop all feeding, any
nutrient going into the system will only feed the algal bloom. If possible cover the top of your fish tank to keep light away from
the water.
The sides and bottom of my tank is covered with green slime, should I clean it off?
No, this is biofilm and we don’t recommend that you take this off, generally it only grows as a thin layer on the surface of your
tank, it causes no harm to the fish or the system in any way and it helps by harbouring the beneficial bacteria. Many species of
fish may peck at the biofilm on the sides of the tank, eating it.
I have long strands of algae growing in my tank, what should I do?
Stringy or filamentous algae, not very nice and it can start to take over your fish tank with its long strands of algae. Try to keep
the light off the water if you can by covering the tank. Remove what you can from the sides of the tank manually. Perhaps add
some known algae eaters to the tank if you can. We added a few yabbies to one of our tanks which had filamentous algae, they
have cleaned it up nicely.
How long can I leave my fish without feeding them?
Almost all species of fish will live happily for weeks without feeding. If you are going away on holiday for a week or two, we would
recommend that you get a friend family member or neighbour to come around once or twice a week to check your system and
feed your fish. If this is not possible, then leaving the fish without feed for a week or two will not cause any major problems. I
would rather leave them without feed than have an automated feeding method because if they are off the feed for some reason,
the automated feeder will keep dumping it into the system and it may foul the water.
My fish are off their feed, what should I do?
If it’s only been a day or two, don’t panic. Think about things: what sort of fish do you have? What are their ideal conditions and
what are your water temperatures? How long have they been in the system? Fish can often take a few weeks to settle into a new
home. Stand back and throw just a few pellets at a time, they might be shy, then come back in a while and check if they have
eaten them.
How much should I feed my fish?
As much as they want to eat if your system is cycled and all is well. You will find that different species have different
personalities. Some fish, like trout are eating machines, throw a handful of feed into your fish tank and they will go crazy leaping
out of the water. They seem to have an almost insatiable appetite. Other species are shyer and will eat more cautiously. Once
your system is established, the simple rule of thumb is to feed them as much as they want to eat within a few minutes. Throw a
small handful of feed in, if they eat it all, throw some more in, and so on. When they start slowing down and don’t appear to be
so hungry, stop feeding them. Some fish are happy to eat all day long, others may prefer to eat at certain times of the day. You
can tend to train the fish, if you have been feeding them every day when you get home from work, then don’t be surprised if they
don’t eat when you decide to feed them in the morning for a change.
What sized pump do I need for my system?
A question often asked! A general rule of thumb that can be applied is that you want to turn over the fish tank volume once an
hour. So, say you have designed a system using a couple of IBC’s, you have a 1000L IBC fish tank and two growbeds above the
fish tank made from the other IBC. Firstly you need to know roughly what head your pump will be pumping to, this is the height
from the surface of the water where the pump is, up to the highest point it will be pushing the water. Say for this example it
might be about 70cm from water surface in the fish tank to the top of the growbeds where the water inlet is. So you will want a
pump that can pump at least 1000L litres/hour at a head of 70cm. If you check out pump boxes then you will notice that most
of them have a graph comparing pumping rates at different heads. Personally I tend to go a little more because this allows for
future expansion and changes, or extra plumbing if required at some stage. Remember that if a pump says it’s flow rate is say
2000L/h, that is at 0 head, with no restrictions from pipes and fittings.
What fish can I grow in my system?
That’s going to depend totally on your location. Major factors are, relevant government agencies or bodies and what they allow
in your area, you might have a fishing and gaming or agricultural department you can check with. The next factor is climate,
I really recommend growing a fish which will be happy at the natural temperatures of your system without requiring external
heating and or cooling. I have seen some elaborate attempts over the years at heating and cooling water to keep a particular
species of fish, in reality they don’t tend to last long term because of the expense or effort in maintaining optimum temperatures
for the particular species. If you live in England, don’t try and grow Tilapia, you can grow them, but you need to keep the water
temperatures elevated year round. Grow trout, they will grow year round without any heating.
My pH is high or low what should I do?
There are a few things you can do, however always remember little and often rather than large changes. After running
aquaponic systems for well over 10 years, I have never adjusted my pH in any of my systems. Here at the display centre we
recently tested some of our systems and found that a few of them had a pH down around 5.5 which is considered to be very

For Your Reference
low. In fact in a lot of literature may tell you that nitrification will stop at levels below 6, we’ve found this to not be true. Some
fish species don’t like low pH, other species are quite happy at a low pH, it might be worth checking your own fish species to find
out if they are ok. The plants are certainly happy at a lower pH and more elements are available at low pH. High pH is generally
more of a problem than low, high pH means that ammonia is more toxic to fish and that many micronutrients are locked up and
not available to plants. pH naturally comes down in an aquaponic system and generally people are trying to find ways of keeping
the pH up. If your pH is high you need to look at a few things, check the water you are using to top up your system. If it has a high
pH find another water source for a while. If it’s not your top up water perhaps it’s your media in the growbeds, test your media
with the vinegar test. Whatever your pH reading is, remember “don’t panic”. This is especially true during the early stages of an
aquaponic system, during cycling and for a while after, perhaps the first 6 months of operation, you can experience some swings
in pH, just let the system settle and mature, if you have checked your media and top up water and they are fine, just leave your
system to do its thing.
My ammonia/nitrites/nitrate levels are high, what should I do?
Firstly, if it’s your nitrates, don’t panic these aren’t highly toxic to fish, you need to think about planting some more plants to use
up the nitrates. If it’s Ammonia or nitrites, there are a few things you should do. Number one thing, STOP FEEDING. Secondly
look for uneaten feed on the bottom of your tank and remove any that you find. If you aren’t already pumping full time, turn the
water pump on 24/7 for at least a few days, salt the system (to 1ppt), this will aid your fish if the nitrite levels are high.
My ammonia/nitrites/nitrate levels are low or nonexistent, what should I do?
Be happy! :o) Many of the systems we run at the display centre here show levels of 0 for all of the above, the systems are
producing well, all nutrients are being converted, and also the plants aren’t being force fed to any extent by having constant
levels of nitrates in the water.
Do fish need sunlight?
No not at all, or at least only in very small amounts, ultimately it’s great if you can keep the sun off your fish tank, fish are happy
when they feel protected and in the shadows, there aren’t many fish that like sitting in the sunshine. This has come about
through many generations of breeding, those sitting out in the sun would be picked off quickly by predators from in the water
or the sky. Happy fish are fish that aren’t stressed so they will be less susceptible to disease and they will eat more and put on
weight quicker.
Can I put plants and other features into my fish tank?
It’s recommended that you keep your tank as free as possible of objects if you want to keep maximum numbers of fish. The
more things in your fish tank, the more places there are for solids to catch and build up. We sometimes put in a couple of short
sections of pipe in the bottom of the fish tank for crustaceans to hide in to give them protection from the fish. Pot plants like
water lilies, lotus plants, Chinese water chestnuts etc may be attacked by either fish or any crustaceans in your tank. If you have
low stocking levels or the right species of fish you may be ok. Floating plants can work very well in a system and they have been
talked about previously in the plant section of this manual.
Do I need an air pump for my system?
Probably not, this will depend on a number of aspects of your system. We have found that in all of our systems the water
splashing back into the fish tank creates enough dissolved oxygen in the water for the fish of a fully stocked system at the
recommended stocking levels. A little extra air certainly doesn’t go astray, but there is no reason to get a huge air pump with lots
of air stones for your IBC system.
I have algae on my growbed media, what should I do?
You need to look at a couple of things, do you have water going out over the top of your media where the sun can hit it? This
will cause algae to grow. Best if you can try and make sure the water goes straight down into the media away from the sunlight.
Another way to help this problem is to put some worms into your growbed, composting worms help consume uneaten food, algae
and old dead root matter within the growbed.

For Your Reference
glossaryAcidic Having a pH of less than 7
Aerobic Requiring, or having abundant air
Aggregate Course material including crushed rock or
gravel
Alkaline Having a pH above 7
Ammonia Produced by the fish in their waste and
through the gills, can build up becoming
toxic if not diluted or converted in the system
Anaerobic Dead zones caused by lack of oxygen,
harbour bacteria and release harmful
toxins
Aphid Soft bodied sap sucking insects may be
white, yellow, black or green
Aquaculture The cultivation of aquatic animals and
plants in a controlled environment
Aquaponics Symbiotic relationship of plants and fish
growing together in a system
Autosiphon Useful mechanism for controlling flood and
drain cycles of a grow bed
Bacillus thuringensis
Naturally occurring micro-organism
effective as a treatment against
caterpillars. Certified organic and not
harmful to beneficial organisms
Bacteria Naturally occurring microscopic organisms
both good and bad
Biological filter Place that supports the colonisation of
nitrifying bacteria eg. growbed
Blue metal Greyish coloured crushed rock or
aggregate, usually granite
Broodstock Mature fish used for spawning and the
production of young
Buffer Additive which resists changes in pH when
small quantities of an acid or alkali are added
BYAP Backyard Aquaponics
Calcium Silver/white soft alkaline earth metal.
Necessary for plant growth
Calcium carbonate
Found naturally in chalk, limestone
and marble, used to buffer pH
Carnivore An organism that feeds mainly or
exclusively on animal tissue
CHIFT PIST Constant height in fish tank - pump in
sump tank
Chloramine Combination of ammonia and chlorine
usually used as a disinfectant and
water treatment
Chlorine Powerful bleaching, disinfecting agent.
Used for producing safe drinking water
Clay Naturally occurring consisting of fine-
grained minerals which hardens when fired
or dried
Coir Natural fibre extracted from coconut husks
Cycled When a system has established populations of
beneficial bacteria
Cycling The process of establishing bacteria
populations in a system
Dechlorinate To remove chlorine
DWC Deep water culture: hydroponic
method of growing plants suspended
in nutrient rich water
Deficiency A lack or shortage of
Detritus Waste or rotting matter in the bottom of a
fish tank
Dissolved oxygen
A measure of oxygen dissolved in or carried
in a given media
DWV Drain waste vent: type of pipe and fittings
used for drain waste and vent plumbing
Ebb and flow The process of flooding and draining a
media filled growbed
Expanded Clay Clay pellets fired in a kiln which expands
into porous “balls”
FCR Feed conversion ratio: amount of feed fed
to an animal, compared to weight it puts on
Fingerling Young fish that have developed to about
the size of a finger
Flood and drain Flooding and draining fish water in a media
filled grow bed.
Food grade Components made to a standard for
coming into contact with food stuff
Fry Young or very small fish
Fungicide Chemical compounds used to kill or inhibit
fungal spores or fungi
Gravel Rock particles
Growbed Where the plants grow in an aquaponic
system
Growing media Substrate for bacteria habitat and plant
root anchoring
Hybrid The offspring of two animals or plants of
different breeds, varieties, species, or genera
Hydroponics Growing of plants without soil
Hydroton Type of expanded clay/clay balls with high
water storage capacity
IBC Intermediate bulk container to store and
transport liquids
Irrigation Artificial application of water to land or soils
LECA Light expanded clay aggregate
Lime Calcium oxide. Extracted by heating
limestone, coral, seashells or chalk. Used
for buffering pH
Limestone Sedimentary used for buffering pH
NFT Nutrient film technique where plants are
suspended in a small enclosed gutter and
thin film of water is passed through the
roots to deliver nutrients.

For Your Reference
Nitrate Naturally occurring nitrogen available for
plant use
Nitrite Produced as part of the nitrogen cycle,
highly toxic to fish
Nitrogen cycle Process which nitrogen is converted
between various chemical forms
Nitrobacter Bacteria which oxidises nitrite into nitrate
Nitrosomonas Bacteria which oxidises ammonia into nitrite
PPM Parts per million
PPT Parts per thousand
Purge Removal of impurities by cleansing
PVC Polyvinyl chloride- plastic polymer
Salt Mineral mainly composed of sodium chloride
Species Biological classification for a group of
organisms capable of interbreeding and
producing fertile offspring
Stand pipe Stand pipes set the maximum water level
in a grow bed, and excess water that is
pumped into the bed goes straight over the
top of the stand pipe and down the drain
Stand pipe surround
Casing for the stand pipe which allows
water to flow through pre-drilled holes
Stormwater Water that is derived during rain events
UV stabilised Substance/object protected from long-term
effects of light and ultra violet exposure
Metric length imperial
1 millimetre [mm] 0.03937 in
1 centimetre [cm] 10 mm 0.3937 in
1 metre [m] 100 cm 1.0936 yd
1 kilometre [km] 1000 m 0.6214 mile
Imperial length metric
1 inch [in] 2.54 cm
1 foot [ft] 12 in 0.3048 m
1 yard [yd] 3 ft 0.9144 m
Metric volume imperial
1 cu cm [cm3] 0.0610 in3
1 cu decimetre [dm3] 1,000 cm3 0.0353 ft3
1 cu metre [m3] 1,000 dm3 1.3080 yd3
1 litre [l] 1 dm3 1.76 pt
1 hectolitre [hl] 100 l 21.997 gal
Imperial volume metric
1 cu inch [in3] 16.387 cm3
1 cu foot [ft3] 1,728 in3 0.0283 m3
1 fluid ounce [fl oz] 28.413 ml
1 pint [pt] 20 fl oz 0.5683 l
1 gallon [gal] 8 pt 4.5461 l
USA volume metric
fluid ounce 1.0408 UK fl oz 29.574 ml
1 pint (16 fl oz) 0.8327 UK pt 0.4731 l
1 gallon 0.8327 UK gal 3.7854 l
Metric Mass imperial
1 milligram [mg] 0.0154 grain
1 gram [g] 1,000 mg 0.0353 oz
1 kilogram [kg] 1,000 g 2.2046 lb
1 tonne [t] 1,000 kg 0.9842 ton
Imperial Mass metric
ounce [oz] 437.5 grain 28.35 g
1 pound [lb] 16 oz 0.4536 kg
1 stone 14 lb 6.3503 kg
1 hundredweight [cwt] 112 lb 50.802 kg
1 long ton (UK) 20 cwt 1.016 t
Temperature Celcius Fahrenheit
0 ºC 32 ºF
5 ºC 41 ºF
10 ºC 50 ºF
15 ºC 59 ºF
20 ºC 68 ºF
25 ºC 77 ºF
conversion
table
phv.nutrientscale

For Your Reference
fruit & vegetable planting guide

For Your Reference
furtherreading
ammonia toxicity scale
Integrated Agri-Aquaculture Systems
Rural Industries Research &
Development Corporation
Aquaponics - Integrating Fish and
Plant Culture
Dr James Rakocy
Barrel-Ponics manual
Travis Hughey
Aquaponics - Common Sense Guide
Michael Tezel
Master Aquaponics Report
Margot Bishop et al
Evaluation and Development of
Aquaponics...
Dr Nick Savidov
Backyard Aquaponics Magazine
Edition 1
ATTRA Aquaponics
Steve Diver
Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) - ppm
Temp
(°C)
pH
6.0 6.4 6.8 7.0 7.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 8.0 8.2 8.4
4 200 67 29 18 11 7.1 4.4 2.8 1.8 1.1 0.68
8 100 50 20 13 8.0 5.1 3.2 2.0 1.3 0.83 0.5
12 100 40 14 9.5 5.9 3.7 2.4 1.5 0.95 .61 0.36
16 67 29 11 6.9 4.4 2.7 1.8 1.1 0.71 0.45 0.27
20 50 20 8.0 5.1 3.2 2.1 1.3 0.83 0.53 0.34 0.21
24 40 15 6.1 3.9 2.4 1.5 0.98 0.63 0.4 0.26 0.16
28 29 12 4.7 2.9 1.8 1.2 0.75 0.48 0.31 0.2 0.12
32 22 8.7 3.5 2.2 1.4 0.89 0.57 0.37 0.24 0.16 0.1
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