# New stand with aquaponics filter



## Tiwaz

Time for a stand for my new to me 60g.








Can you believe the tank and sump for $50. Thanks April.








the main structure.The base of the side supports for the aquaponics tubs are there too. 








the back after adding the rest of the side supports for the aquaponics tubs.








The front the side are skinned and its all trimmed just waiting for the top and doors. Those should go on tonight.


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## 2wheelsx2

Wow, that WAS a great deal. Plus the stand is looking great. Just curious why you are calling it an Aquaponics filter. Are you going to grow plants in the sump and not have plants in the main tank? For organic processing?


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## Tiwaz

I ran out of time this morning to explain it.








The plants in the grow beds with the gravel they are planted in will provide most of the bio filtration the sump will only serve polish the water before it returns to the tank.
Well that's the plan anyway. I will probably only keep some house plants in the beds for now but I would like to have Mint and Basil once its established.


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## Foxtail

Wow, thats a cool idea. What inhabitants? I'm beginning to think it was a bad move to join this site... You guys are giving me way too many ideas lol

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## 2wheelsx2

Ah...thus the pods on the sides in the stand. Thanks for explaining that. Cool concept. I think many people on this site grow veggies with their fish...but only the water. I pump my water out into the garden in the summer. Reduces my water usage significantly. In the winter and spring and fall, I use what I can for all the house plants. My African Violets have not stopped blooming in over 3 years.


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## Tiwaz

Right now I am working towards a South American Biotope. Angels, Geos and some tetras Cardinals or Lemons.


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## 2wheelsx2

I wouldn't do the cardinals with Geos of Angels. You'll end up with Angels and Geos only. Lemons should make it if they are larger.


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## Tiwaz

Yeah, I wasn't sure about that. Lemons are fine I know I want some angels and 4-5 orange head Tapajos everything else is open. As it is this entire project is just proof of concept for the grow bed fiilter.
I want to incorporate that into next years big tank build.


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## Foxtail

I really like rummy nose they are bigger and faster and I think would be fine with the geos and angels... Mine remind me of the snowbirds at the airshow the way they swim all over the tank in a school.

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## Tiwaz

Finally got the doors hung.








and holes filled








Who know's maybe I'll get some paint on this tonight.


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## Claudia

The stand looks really nice, after been painted is gonna look awesome  Love it


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## DR1V3N

Dang that's a sweet setup! Would like to try your mint/basil down the road


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## dssv

looking great so far.Can't wait to see the satnd pianted an the tanks all hooked up.


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## vicz24

Your stand looks great & is similar to the one I have planned for my 135G I'm going to be setting up. I plan on using Cedar 2x4 & 1x6 for the legs,supports & the tops of the shelves. What kind of wood did you use for your stand?


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## Tiwaz

Hemlock and birch plywood over a 2x4 frame, its all going to be painted so nice grain wasn't a concern.


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## Tiwaz

Claudia said:


> The stand looks really nice, after been painted is gonna look awesome  Love it


Thanks, 


martialid10t said:


> Dang that's a sweet setup! Would like to try your mint/basil down the road


Can you say Mojito?


dssv said:


> looking great so far.Can't wait to see the satnd pianted an the tanks all hooked up.


Thanks,


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## Tiwaz

So I got the first coat on Friday night









Finally finished off the paint and got the Oak trim for the top on.









Just have to stain the oak and start the plumbing.


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## 2wheelsx2

Wow, it's really looking good.


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## jay_leask

that is a very nice looking stand, good job


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## April

Wow cool...I want to do an aquaponics but with koi and veggies. Where do I get the valves etc?. 
Here's a pic of an aquaponics setup I saw. Simplified. 
For house plants pothos and philodendrons take up nitrates etc the fastest. 
Herbs would be cool.









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## Tiwaz

April, you can get the valves at Home Depot or Rona. You could make the system you show even simpler if you get rid of the top tank and change the grow beds to a drain and fill set up. What Iam doing is just a small scale grow bed to test how well it works while still maintaining a display tank. I would like to incorporate this into a pond setup, next year (maybe) for a veggie garden. Pothos does work great , I already have it growing from my 55g tank. The only down fall is that they do such a great job of sucking out nutrients that other plants struggle.


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## jakesebastin

Very good new stand for the aquaponics system there. This kind of home made system will decrease the cost of the new setup greatly and will be beneficial to the owner.


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## Tiwaz

I am still trying shake out a few leaks and balance the flow through the grow beds and sump. this proving to be some what frustrating.


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## Tiwaz

OK the updates have been a little lacking lately.








You can sort of make out the plants in the side tubs.
I picked up some Angels from er201 thanks Errol.








Everybody is settled in nicely and the grow beds seem to be doing there job.


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## 2wheelsx2

I really like that mangrove look. A few slightly thicker branches would make it look more random and natural, but otherwise very cool.


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## jay_leask

very nice! what kind of branches are you using?


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## Tiwaz

2wheelsx2 said:


> I really like that mangrove look. A few slightly thicker branches would make it look more random and natural, but otherwise very cool.


Thanks, I used up all the thick branches that I found. I just need to find some Almond leaves help finish off the look.


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## Tiwaz

jay_leask said:


> very nice! what kind of branches are you using?


I believe they are Alder, found a bunch that somebody had dumped. So I pressure washed them and boiled them before put them in the tank.


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## Sidius

This project is amazing! It's officially on my "to do one day" list, for sure. Would you even need to do water changes when you have the plants feeding on all the nitrates like that?


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## Tiwaz

Sidius said:


> This project is amazing! It's officially on my "to do one day" list, for sure. Would you even need to do water changes when you have the plants feeding on all the nitrates like that?


Thanks,
I have been reading that all that is needed is to top off the water in an established system. However I will still do WC for now and keep monitoring it.


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## Sidius

Are you limited with the types of plants you can use? I will be the first to admit that I don't know much about plants but can all plants handle having their roots constantly submerged in water? I'm guessing no?


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## Tiwaz

That's actually the beauty of this system, the roots aren't constantly submerged. the grow tubs take 2-3 mins to fill and then 30 secs or so to drain and then it just starts over again. With the roots only in the last 2 inches of the fill cycle they are only submerged 60% or so of the time, and getting oxygenated the rest. The Lava rock (6.5 gal per tub) serves as the Bio filter media.


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## macframalama

this whole set up is awesome, good job...


1 question though where did you get those "branches" your using and are they just random stuff off land or water logged or bought them? they look awesome and the whole set up is great

good job


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## sarcastickitten

This system is absolutely gorgeous!


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## Tiwaz

macframalama said:


> this whole set up is awesome, good job...
> 
> 1 question though where did you get those "branches" your using and are they just random stuff off land or water logged or bought them? they look awesome and the whole set up is great
> 
> good job


Thanks,the branches are Alder I think. I went to go on hike to look for some branches to use and somebody had dumped a pile beside the parking area of a local hiking trail. So I picked through the pile of branches to find what I wanted. They are most definitely not water logged, rather they are being held in place by the rim of the tank and the sand.



sarcastickitten said:


> This system is absolutely gorgeous!


Thanks,


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## er201

Hey Nathan any updates on the angels? Would love to see how they turned out.


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## Tiwaz

They are growing quite well and have spawned 5-6 times now. Unfortunately one of the breeders jumped last Saturday night and I found him? dried to the floor in the morning. I have also added some tank mates 2 spotted cories, 3 ottos and a rubberlipped pleco. As for the tank and stand I have had nothing but problems with the grow bed on the right hand side. It leaks as such I have had to shut it down and only run the bed on the left. Also the sump is just the wrong design for this setup its made for Salt water and I had to run the water through it backwards if that makes any sense. I have a price for glass to build a new sump so that will be a fall project. Otherwise all is well.


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