Hi everyone. I had an idea, and I dont know if it would work or even be possible, or worth doing. But would it be possible to have all my tanks filtration run into the basement to be used trough a hydroponics set-up before going through the wet/dry to be filtered and pumped back into the tanks??? I know I would have to have valves to bypass the hydro set up incase I had to add medication or something to the tanks. But is this possible to do, and would you even want to do it?? I know I wouldnt be able to add the fertilizers ect., but there is plenty fertilizer in the water. I have it pritty much figuired out how I could do it. And I have almost everything I would need to do it. I just wanted to get everyones opinion to see if it would be worth doing and everyones thoughts on doing it. Pros vs cons ect...... I have been thinking of setting up a hydroponics set up, and I also have been thinking of running all my tanks filtration into the basement. Thats when I thought off combining the two. What do you think????
Crazy thought about filtration runnng into hydroponic set up
- Thread starter daveolejnik
- Start date
I've designed and built a bunch of these for clients, done right they're great.
Check out Aquaponics.
If you have to bypass plants for med.s in tanks, you need an alternate source of food and water for the plants.
Basement? Lots of light. Duh.
Pick and choose your plants carefully. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, can all be raised this way.
Type if you have questions.
Dr Joe
.
Check out Aquaponics.
If you have to bypass plants for med.s in tanks, you need an alternate source of food and water for the plants.
Basement? Lots of light. Duh.
Pick and choose your plants carefully. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, can all be raised this way.
Type if you have questions.
Dr Joe
.
For sure it is possible. Pretty much all LFS run one sump for a large bank of tanks, so running them for your house is definatly doable. I would go for it especially if you were planning on doing the two things anyways. Combine and it will work. Just not sure about the med bypass thing.. are you thinking of bypassing all tanks when medicating or are you going to issolate the individual tank and medicate off system?
Aerate the water before it gets to the plants and again before it goes back to the tanks.
You can use rain gutters (cheap) for the plants, set at off level 1" @ 12', place a single layer of pea gravel in the bottom to cause turbulence and slow down water flow.Use gutter covers with holes cut in them to hold plants up.
Keep roots 1/3 out of water to prevent root rot, and too many mangled roots can cause anaerobic problems without this air space.
If you don't want to go the produce style plants, which need periodic replacement, get cattails... the best bio-filtration plant that doesn't live completely under water. If you can offer enough light, Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce, are next.
Submerged plants are great too, still need lots of light but you don't see them (not a big 'cool factor'), Anacharis cacadensis is a biggie here.
Cheaper shop (fluorescent) lights are good, you may need to experiment with the bulbs (try to stay with a sunlght type). Any windows that you can reflect daylight from will help too.
Is the basement finished off? Paint walls white for better light reflection too.
Now try to convince other people that your just filtering you aquariums
.
Dr Joe
.
You can use rain gutters (cheap) for the plants, set at off level 1" @ 12', place a single layer of pea gravel in the bottom to cause turbulence and slow down water flow.Use gutter covers with holes cut in them to hold plants up.
Keep roots 1/3 out of water to prevent root rot, and too many mangled roots can cause anaerobic problems without this air space.
If you don't want to go the produce style plants, which need periodic replacement, get cattails... the best bio-filtration plant that doesn't live completely under water. If you can offer enough light, Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce, are next.
Submerged plants are great too, still need lots of light but you don't see them (not a big 'cool factor'), Anacharis cacadensis is a biggie here.
Cheaper shop (fluorescent) lights are good, you may need to experiment with the bulbs (try to stay with a sunlght type). Any windows that you can reflect daylight from will help too.
Is the basement finished off? Paint walls white for better light reflection too.
Now try to convince other people that your just filtering you aquariums
.Dr Joe
.
Actually rain gutters were exactly what I was thinking of using. I was going to have a 55 gal. plastic barrel that the water runs into. Then have the water running from that to the rain gutters. I will have the gutters at about waist height, running at a slight angle into a large sump-wet/dry have it filtered and pumped back into the tanks. I have a 600 watt mh. But that gets pritty expensive to run. I think I would be better off with floresents. Everything might not grow as fast, but it will cost alot less. I would like to be able to control every tank and be able to bypass each one if needed. I just have to put a little more thought into it. Im going to have a hard time running the pvc pipes through the floor. I have hydronic heating in my house with the plastic tubes running through the floor. If I were to hit one of them it would be a nightmeire. I was thinking of having like 4 rows 10-12 ft. long. How well would this filter the water? Im still going to have a large wet/dry to completely filter the water before going back to the tanks. I have a hot tub pump that I think I could use. Or I could just buy a pond pump. Do you think I will have any type of problem with condensation in the basement?
bukster;1138187; said:
Thanks forgot about that one, condensate water is clean except for air pollution.
The floor heating shouldn't be right next to the wall (now that I've said that it will be
) Perhaps by using a stethoscope you can hear the water running. New or old house? (new maybe you can find the heating contractor and ask, old house ...divining (dowsing) rod? 
)Oh, the 55g barrel will act as a settling tank if you put the drain on the side about one foot up. It's a good idea for use as a manifold to distribute water to each trough but that does take a lot of nutrients out of the system and have to be cleaned regularly.
Dr Joe
.
Its a newer house. I did the heating with a friend. Its almost impossible to no were the water lines are. They are about 6" apart throuout the house. Then theres gypcreet one top to cover the lines and hardwood flooring on that. So relly there is know wayto know were the line are. I was thinking of repositioning my tanks so they are along the wall were the stairs go into the basement and drill through the wall and just run them into the basement down the stairway. Actually Im thinking that would be the only way to do it safely without chancing a major flood. Do you think shoploghts with te right bulbs would be enough to grow tomatoes, and cucumbers? Or would I be better off updating the lighting or using my 600 MH grow light? It just cost a fortion when you start running that light for long periods of time. If I were to run the line out of the bottom of the 55 gal drum woudnt I get all the nutriants in the water? I could run it out and then have it brach off and run into two gutters. I think if I do it I will start of small and just try it with 2 maybee 4 gutters 10' long. Thanks for all the help. I think I found my new project.