http://www.aquaponiclynx.

com/
Aquaponic Plumbing
TCLynx (Aleece B. Landis) Aquaponic Lynx LLC
Decomplexing Plumbing
Hooking it all togete! "!om simple Aquaponics systems to mixed type
aquaponics systems
http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/
This Is NOT a Siphon Class

I have a demo we can play with if there is

time.

Siphons can work anywhere you have

enough fall and can adjust the flow rate in
constant pumping but you do have to get
the balance right.
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Overview

igure out your general layout

!et an idea of flow rates and needed pipe

si"es

!et tools and materials on hand

#o the ground work

$ook up drain plumbing first

%hen run supply plumbing

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Figure out your general layout

Space you have to work with

%ape measure

#rawing

!row beds

ish tank

&alkways

#raw a picture or lay it out on site

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http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/
Important design tips

'ump bypass( note that you can % off the

pump line and add a ball valve to spray
water back into the fish tank or sump tank(
this is a better way to reduce flow to grow
beds than simply adding ball valves at the
grow beds.
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http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/
Important design tips

S)* drain. %hat stands for solids lifting

overflow. %his is a way to draw water
from the bottom of a fish tank while still
keeping the water level in the fish tank
fairly constant.

+$I% 'IS% as in last slide provides clean

water sump.
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http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/
Important design tips

%he +$*' ,ark - method doesn.t provide

a clean water sump but it does provide
more control and flexibility over layout.

/ou can control the flow to individual beds

easier and not worry about the fish tank
overflowing since it overflows to the sump
tank. %his makes siphon operation easier.
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et an idea o! !low rates and

needed pipe si"es

I often start with the pump( what si"e plumb0

ing does it take1 !onna upsi"e it1

%hen make drain plumbing bigger( much

bigger.

Siphons are a bit different( they require a

balance
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et tools and materials on hand

2se your layout and pipe si"e figures to

help you estimate the amount of pipe and
what fittings you will need to hook it all to0
gether.

%ools and safety glasses for cutting.

Sandpaper

'3+ primer/cement

!loves unless you like purple stained

hands
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Tools
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Or Power Tools
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#on$t %e a!raid o! P&C pipe

,any people seem to want to use irrigation

pipe or something because they feel it is
more flexible and temporary but regular
'3+ pipe is not difficult to get( cut( or glue
and the fittings are not that costly. /ou
get far more flow through the '3+ than
you do irrigation pipe hooked together with
barb fittings.
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P&C Cement or Silicone
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Temporary P&C Options

%here are flexible couplers for '3+.

Some plumbing with no chance of getting

knocked apart can be left dry fitted.

4nd if you need to secure plumbing tem0

porarily a stainless steel screw can keep it
from being knocked apart and some silic0
one can keep it from dripping.
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#o the ground wor'

'lace tanks and beds in correct location.

#o any digging and leveling.

'rep trenches for pipes.

)ook at everything and visuali"e the plumb0

ing runs to make sure it will all work out.

#rain plumbing outlet into sump or fish tank

needs to be lower than the beds or water
won.t drain.

3ents may be needed if gravity plumbing

does much up and down.
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http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/

(oo' up drain plumbing !irst

#rill holes for grow bed drains and install.

,ake sure stand pipes are removable.

it gravel guards.

If running siphons add extra overflow

)ay out drain piping and fittings.

$ook it all up without glue first.

5un some water to make sure drains work.

!lue or secure once satisfied.

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Then )un supply plumbing

rom pump to beds

*r from fish tank to beds for +$I% 6con0

stant height in fish tank7 system

If +$I% plumb supply from pump to fish

tank. ,ake sure the !ravity drain from
fish tank is plenty large enough that the
fish tank won.t overflow.

)ayout and dry fit first and make sure it all

looks good before securing.
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Test

*nce it.s all hooked up( test it out.

%his is a good time to rinse everything off

&ithout media in you may not be able to

really test flood and drain.

5un water around to let it air out and do a

good test for leaks.

4fter a day of circulating you can check

your source water.s 8real9 p$ and also get
a good baseline on other water tests.
'repare for gravel washing 6test likely
media for p$ compatibility.7
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So that was %asic

&hat about hooking up...

5afts

:%

%owers

etc
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Clean *ater Sump

If you want a combo system a clean water

sump +$I% 'IS% 6+onstant $eight in fish
tank pump in sump tank7 is a good way to
go.

*n the other had( if you do +$*' ,ark -

you can add additional filtration before the
:%( 54%S or %owers if you add them.
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#iagram
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Towers

%here are different kinds of towers.

,ost require solids filtration and bio0filters.

;ipgrow towers are the exception.

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http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/
http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/
(ow much +edia grow bed do
you need For a +i,ed System-

%hat is still being determined.

It will depend on many things.

%here are only a couple of commercial

scale aquaponics systems experimenting
with media bed filtration instead of settling
thanks and bio0filters.
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*hat about Sequencing-

4quaponics Indexing 3alves allow for more

grow beds with less water level fluctuation
for flood and drain situations.

%hink of them as a %imed flood and drain

system but the pump only stays off for
short periods.

Sequencing with 4quaponics Indexing

3alves is most appropriate to simple and
+hop ,ark - systems.

'ump si"ing for flow and pressure is im0

portant or the 3alve function.
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It$s Only a . (our Class

I would love to give tons more tips but I

don.t have time for everything right now.

+atch me online with some specifics of your

proposed layout and I can help you out.

*n the &eb www.aquaponiclynx.com

%+)ynx on 4quaponic !ardening *r the

</4' orum.