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Pumps employed are usually 2. Water gradually drains from the grow beds back Grow Beds are on raised
240 volt submersibles. to the sump. stands to
3. The sump pump returns the water from the grow facilitate drainage and
External pumps can also be
beds back to the fish tank. This pump is controlled ease of gardening.
used if desired.
by a float switch.
Sump.
The main float switch with piggy-back plug is seen in the photo at
left. This float switch is attached to the water pipe coming up from
the submersed 15,000lph pump by using a cable or zip tie. The float switch will
turn on and cause the pump to move water when the water in the tank is at its’
uppermost level. As the water is pumped out of the tank, the water level drops
and so does the float switch head, until it reaches the bottom extent of the lead,
and then switches off the pump. The length lead determines the upward and
downward swing arc of the float switch head.
As can be seen in the two photos on the right, the length of lead is determined by
the position of the cable tie on the pipe, higher or lower, and also by the length
of the chord from where it is held by the cable tie to the float head of the float
switch.
Small adjustments need to be made to the length of the chord from the cable tie anchor point by pulling it through
the cable tie to either lengthen it, thereby increasing the time of the pump cycle, or shortening the chord and thereby
shortening the pumping time.
It requires a bit of patience when setting up the tank pumps, adjusting the float switch to get just the right amount of
water pumping into the grow beds, but it does not take all that long really.
Watch the pump cycle and see when the beds are filled to just the right amount, then carefully pull the chord back
through the cable tie to cause the float switch to switch off. Only very small movements of the chord are necessary.
You will very soon get it right
The float switch with piggy-back plug is very good and can
be used to control any type of mains power pump, either a
submersible or external pump.
The same adjustment method can be seen on the smaller
8000lph pump employed in the sump. Here the float switch
that comes as part of this pump is held to the handle of the
pump by a cable tie and adjusted in the same manner as
the other float switch for the fish tank.
This is important to ensure that the pump switches on be-
fore the sump overfills, and switches off at a point that still
leaves about 25mm of water in the bottom of the sump. It
is possible to have the float switch too low, and thereby
coming in contact with the bot-
tom of the sump, and not hav-
ing enough down angle to
It pays to
cause the ball inside the head
of the float switch to fall to the purchase good
end of the chamber, and turn the pump off. In this case the pump will run continuously quality pumps and
and there not being enough water to pump. float switches for
It is possible that the pump could overheat and become damaged. With some careful reliable long term
observation and some small adjustments the sump pump will perform flawlessly…. work.
Page 6 Practical Aquaponics for Everyone….. Volume 1, Issue 1
At Practical Aquaponics we are about to trial Potatoes and Carrots to see just how well root crops will grow. We
are going to grow them in Coco Peat and modify the flood cycle to that Grow Bed, so it will be very interesting to
see how that works out. We will keep you posted on the progress in the next issue of Practical Aquaponics…..
Left:
Mini Sweet Chocolate
Capsicum . Each
capsicum is 40mm
across and is a delightful
addition to any salad.
Extreme effectiveness with triple filtering action: This bio-filter is freight free in Australia !
1. Mechanical action: water passes readily through the sponge to eliminate the particles in
suspension.
2. Biological action: water passes the plastic biological supports at low speed and the high-
porosity substrate where the beneficial bacteria eliminate waste organic substances.
3. Anti-algae action: the passage with the maximum exposure to the ultra-violet light makes the
algae clump together allowing their subsequent elimination.
Three sizes available - 2500 lph. Price = 396.00 Member Price = 355.00 Order Code 554/060
Float Switch - Pump Control Switch. For controlling 240 volt pumps.
This float switch is round in shape which helps to avoiding fouling in the tank.
Float Switch switches ON when the float is in the UP position.... The switch switches the pump
ON when the tank is full. Then the pump being switched on will pump to empty the tank or to
level as set by the length of the cord. Comes fitted with 5 mtrs of PVC. Cable and
piggy-back plug ready to just plug into the wall socket and the pump lead plugs into
the piggy-back socket. No need for an Electrician.
Price = 74.80 Member Price = 65.00 Order Code 553/001
Fibre Glass Fish Tank . 2300 litres capacity.- approx 2100 litre useable capacity (filled to within 100mm of
the top.) This tank is flat bottomed and can be placed directly on concrete, or a bedding sand base, or other similar
smooth soil base.
The inside of the tank is finished with Marine Grade White Gel Coat.
The outside is coated with polyester resin flow coat which is UV stabilised.
Fibre glass is a very resilient material, will withstand flexing, will not crack or break
with normal use, and is inert.
Internal measurements = 2100 x 1150 x 975 high Pricing on all products includes GST.
External measurements = 2320 x 1390 x 975 high
Order Code
White Gelcoat Finish. Price = 990.00 Member Price = 890.00 559/001
Natural Industrial Green finish. Price = 890.00 Member Price = 815.00 550/002
Practical Aquaponics for Everyone….. Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 9
The Model 400 Submersible has a filter grid, great to keep those small fish
from getting sucked into the pump. The filter grid can be removed for mainte-
nance and cleaning. Made from ABS Marine grade plastics.
This pump has ceramic shaft bearings for long life.
Vortex impeller making it capable of handling soft solids.
Very low operating cost. Will cost approx A$72.00 per year if run continuously
24/365
Pump comes with some plumbing outlets as shown in the image.
Order Code
Price = 145.20 Member Price = 135.00 551/400
This pump is ideal for a medium size backyard Aquaponic system or pond. This pump is freight free in Australia !
…....Power = 240 volts x 75 watts ...Max head = 2.6 mtrs...Outlet = 3/4 BSP
Max flow = 3750 lph (66 lpm)...Warranty = 3 years….Has 10 mtrs lead with 3 pin 240 volt plug.
225mm long (including filter screen) x 90mm high x 110mm wide...Compact pump...Salt or fresh water use.
Knowledge Base….
Have you looked through the new The two most viewed questions in the website, we will soon move it into
Knowledge Base that has been each Topic Division are displayed for the Members Only area of our web-
added to www.aquaponics.net.au ease of use. site. This will make it more mean-
website? There is a search facility that will ingful and a privilege of membership.
The Knowledge Base is in the form enable you to search using ordinary In the first four weeks of operation
of questions and answers. A visitor language. There is also a print but- the Knowledge Base has had 2500
to the Knowledge Base can submit ton at the top which will allow you to visitors. Just amazing.
a question and have it answered, print out the particular question and So please submit your questions no
usually within 24 hours. If the ques- answer that is useful to you. matter how simple and elementary
tion and answer is considered to be Due to the amount of work involved you may think they are.
of interest to others then the ques- in establishing and servicing the Your particular question and answer
tion and the answer will be made Knowledge Base, and the immense may be of great assistance to some-
available on the Knowledge Base. value it is proving to be for visitors to one else.
Fish hatcheries ….
Listed are Fish hatcheries located in South East Queensland.
We are on the Web at on equipment purchases , repaying your membership investment many
times over.
Practical Aquaponics for • Membership gives you access to more practical and rele-
vant information than expensive academic style books.
Everyone. I have been building and running websites for a number of years,
Editor’s Introduction. so it was just natural for me to create a website to share my Aq-
uaponic experiences and to gather up the experiences of others, to
provide a Knowledge Base on Aquaponics.
What is Practical Aquaponics for Everyone, Hence the creation of www.aquaponics.net.au and the running Jour-
and who is Murray Hallam . nal of my Aquaponic adventure (and the adventures of others)
This Magazine is about my experiences and the experi- I would love to hear from anyone who has started down the road of
ences of others in Aquaponics from a very practical view- Aquaponics, even if you have a mini system in the corner of your
point. front porch, or are setting up a commercial size system, we can all
learn from each other by sharing information.
I am just an ordinary bloke who loves garden-
ing, fishing and the like. I do not have a de- As I've already explained, I'm no big time ex-
gree in Aquaculture, I haven't even completed pert, just an Aquaponist (if there is such a word)
a TAFE course in Aquaculture or Hydropon- who has found out lots of “do’s and don’ts by
ics, but I do have a degree in the School of giving it a go.. There has been a load of fun,
“Hard Knocks” . and some pretty frustrating moments when I
I have been intensely passionate and involved have managed to kill a lot of my fish, but what I
in Aquaponics since I first heard about the lack in formal qualifications, hopefully I make
concept. up for in experience.
I feel that Aquaponics provides an intensely
Well here goes for the first “in print” episode of
interesting hobby that is satisfying in all sorts
My Practical Aquaponics for Everyone.
of ways that I have not found before.
Enjoy !!