Constructing a vertical aquaponics system by yourself can provide a fulfilling weekend project. Although incorporating fish into the system may consume more time as it requires the establishment of needed biology, you can create hydroponic grow tubes cheaply, which would properly nurture the plants grown in the aquaponics system. This DIY system is adaptable to accommodate any size aquaponics project, whether it is vast or small. The system’s design is highly versatile, enabling it to be adjusted for use in different environments such as backyards, patios, greenhouses, or even indoors where grow lights can be utilized to replace sunlight. Moreover, with minimal adjustments, the system could also function as an aeroponics system if you want to cultivate plants vertically but without raising fish.
Vertical Growing System Advantages:
- Many more plants can be stacked up in vertical rows in the same square area, and lots more yield potential in the same space
- Plants tend to finish compact and of very high quality, uniform plants can be harvested more frequently
- Vertical systems keep plants off the ground, and no bending over to garden
- Easy to automate and move vertical tubes to different areas or straight to market
- Minimal materials and complications in system construction, inexpensive and reliable construction
- Easy to customize for your preferred cropping style and layout
- Very flexible, and can operate outdoors, indoors with lights, or in greenhouses. Great for Urban Farming.
How To Build A DIY Aquaponics System, Step By Step
Make sure you have completed all other necessary tasks before starting to construct your plant growing system as it is one of the final stages in establishing a thriving Aquaponics system. However, if you opt to utilize the vertical system outlines to solely grow plants through Hydroponics, that is also an excellent choice.
Materials & Tools:
- measuring tape
- permanent marker or pencil
- a support system to hold up tubes (we used cedar)
- actively circulating aquaponics tank or hydroponic reservoir (pump, tubing, tank, etc)
- 3″ diameter or larger plastic pipe, we used PVC here, about $15 for a ten-foot length locally
- end caps for your choice in plastic pipe diameter (one per tube)
- hack saw
- torch (a small butane type is best) or a heat gun
- wooden dowel, the diameter will be your planting hole size-we used a shovel handle
- bucket, cold water, cloth
- 1/2″ diameter PVC pipe (conduit) in 3-1/2 inch lengths, two per tube
- 1/2″ X 5″ carriage bolt, washer, and nut-two per tube
- adjustable wrench
- drill, 1/2″ bit, 7/8″ bit
- 2 adjustable clamps
- saw horses or workbench
- safety goggles, gloves
- sandpaper (optional)
- silicone sealant or appropriate adhesive
- biofilter media (hydroton, grow rocks, LECA, shale gravel, etc.
The initial step is:
To create your grow tubes, cut the pipe to the length you desire. We recommend using five-foot lengths as they are efficient with material and manageable when filled with growing media like expanded clay. A grinder wheel on a circular saw is ideal, but a hack saw will suffice. After cutting, determine the mounting location for the tubes on the vertical support system and mark where you will attach them with bolts. Additionally, mark the number of planting sites you want per tube, keeping in mind the 360-degree potential for vertical growing and space maximization.
The next step is:
Securely fasten the pipe to your work area at both ends. Employ a hacksaw to make a single incision in the pipe’s wall at every spot where you want to establish a planting site. The length of the incision should match the desired final diameter of the planting hole. Take note of the locations that require drilling for bolt guides to attach the tubes to the supporting framework later. Before proceeding, review and verify your setup and placements against the support system one last time.
The third step:
Ensure that you have a pail of cold water nearby along with your cloth and dowel. The dowel is crucial for creating the planting hole in the tube, and you must work swiftly once you have heated up the material. Heat the area where you made the cut with a hack saw earlier, being cautious with a torch or heat gun, making sure to keep it moving to avoid scorching the plastic. Do not keep the torch in one position for more than a second, and heat the region a little beyond the edge of the cut; stretching is necessary here. When the plastic begins to soften (you’ll be able to see it with practice), carefully insert the dowel or handle at the intended angle and evenly pry open the planting hole with a rim on the tube’s exterior. Cover the insertion with the cold, wet cloth while the dowel is still in place. Apply pressure evenly with the cold cloth. The hole will set quickly.
The fourth step:
After creating all the planting sites around the tube, make sure to drill out 7/8″ diameter holes where the pipes will attach to the vertical support system. We found that a hole saw of this size made a snug fit for our scrap PVC conduit lengths, which we secured with adhesive. Another option would be to use rubber grommets, but since four would be needed per tube, this could significantly increase the cost. Ensuring a proper seal at these connections is crucial to prevent leaks in the system. It’s also important to avoid galvanized metals in contact with aquaponics water or hydroponic nutrient solution, as these materials can corrode and potentially release harmful substances into the system.
The fifth step:
Create several holes with a diameter of 1/2″ or smaller on each of your end caps, ensuring one cap per system. The larger the opening, the better, as long as it can effectively contain the growing medium size you utilize. Affix the end cap to the lower end of your vertical growth tube using two or more stainless steel screws.
The sixth step:
Pack the vertical aquaponics system tubes with the medium of your choice. In case you have an existing system that you are transforming into a vertical system, you can use seasoned (biologically active) growing media and start planting immediately. However, if you don’t have seasoned growing media, you may need to run aquaponics water through the system for several weeks before it becomes suitable for growing plants. For hydroponics techniques, it is recommended to use sterile media, which allows planting without delay.
The seventh step:
Using your previously marked and drilled attachment locations, affix the vertical grow tubes to your support system. You will run carriage bolts through the couplers you have fashioned, ensuring that the bolt head is situated in the wood or metal framing member, with a washer placed before the nut on the opposite side of the vertical growing tube. Using a wrench, firmly tighten the bolts but avoid over-tightening to avoid damaging the coupler.
The eighth step:
Set up the watering system that transports water from the aquaponics tank to the growing tubes using 3/8″ tubing and connections arranged in a “ring” that links all the tubes. The tubes drain independently straight into the Tilapia fish tank located below the DIY vertical aquaponics system. All components are positioned directly above the tank, thus allowing any potential leaks to drain into it. Avoiding a substantial leak that drains the system while left unattended is critical to basic aquaponics system construction. With the aquaponics water or nutrient solution (vertical hydroponics) running continuously, the system is now ready for cultivation.
5 Quick And Easy DIY Aquaponic Systems
The utilization of DIY aquaponics systems is growing increasingly popular among farmers and gardeners, including those with limited space.
Despite sounding very complex, it is comparatively simple to assemble it by yourself.
Below are five distinct kinds of aquaponics systems that you can attempt to construct yourself.
- The PVC Aquaponics System
A highly advanced do-it-yourself system is favored by aquaponics enthusiasts who farm at home. It proves effective for cultivating different species of fish and plants.
What materials are needed?
- 20 feet of 4” PVC piping
- ?4” diameter elbow piece
- ?4” diameter cap piece
- ?20 feet of aquarium tubing
- ?2 aquarium water pumps
- ?Scrap wood
- ?2 40-gallon drums
- ?28 red plastic cups
- ?Clay pebbles
Instructions for Achieving It
- Drill large holes at 7” apart from each other in the PVC piping. You should have 28 total holes for planting in the PVC piping.
- ?Assemble pipes so that one is raised above the other, and they are attached to each other with an elbow piece. You can use scrap wood to raise one end of your pipes.
- ?Cap off the higher end of the pipes and drill a hole through the cap.
- ?Lay rocks on the bottom of the 40-gallon drums. This will be where your fish live.
- ?Drill holes into the bottom of your plastic cups for draining, then place plants into clay pebbles in each cup.
- ?Put each cup into a hole in the PVC piping.
- ?Assemble the water pump so that it moves water from the 40-gallon drums to the PVC piping, through the hole in the cap.
- ?Fill drums and add fish.
- Bucket Aquaponics System
If you want to experiment with aquaponics gardening, you may opt for the easy-to-follow 5-gallon bucket method that yields fruits and vegetables instead of fish fit for consumption.
What materials do we need?
- ?5-gallon bucket
- ?Plastic basket
- ?Aquarium tubing
- ?Self-enclosed aquarium pump
- ?Gravel
- ?Plants and fish
What is the method to accomplish this task?
- Drill a small hole into the bottom of the bucket for the pump’s power cord to pass through.
- ????Drill another hole in the lid of the bucket for the aquarium tubing to pass through.
- Attach the self-enclosed underwater aquarium pump to the bottom of the bucket.
- Attach the tubing so that it comes from the pump and up through the hole in the lid to spray water onto the gravel.
- Attach the plastic basket to the lid of the bucket so that it hangs down into the bucket.
- Fill the basket with gravel and place the plant into the gravel to grow.
- Fill the bucket with water and fish.
- Indoor Aqualibrium Growing System
If your at-home aquaponics system requires an even smaller option, consider the Aqualibrium system, which is an excellent choice for those seeking a compact solution.
What materials are needed?
- ?2 Clear plastic 3 or 5-gallon aquariums
- ?Electrical tape
- ?Small aquarium pump
- ?Aquarium tubing
- ?Clay pebbles
How To Do It
- ???Stack two clear plastic aquariums together; attach them with electrical tape.
- Install an aquarium pump into the bottom plastic aquarium.
- Attach tubing to the pump and run it to the top plastic aquarium.
- Fill the top with clay pebbles and herbs; fill the bottom with water and fish.
- Vertical Shelfponics Growing System
This efficient system is simple yet capable of cultivating numerous plants and may even enable you to rear bigger fish.
What are the materials needed?
- ?4-shelf plastic bookshelf
- ?Aquarium tubing
- ?3 t-shaped connectors for tubing
- ?Aquarium filter
- ?Aquarium pump
- ?10-gallon fish tank
- Fish tank gravel
- ?Clay pebbles
Instructions on how to perform the task.
- Drill a small hole into the bottom of the bucket for the pump’s power cord to pass through.
- Drill another hole in the lid of the bucket for the aquarium tubing to pass through.
- Attach the self-enclosed underwater aquarium pump to the bottom of the bucket.
- Attach the tubing so that it comes from the pump and up through the hole in the lid to spray water onto the gravel.
- ?Attach the plastic basket to the lid of the bucket so that it hangs down into the bucket.
- Fill the basket with gravel and place the plant into the gravel to grow.
- Fill the bucket with water and fish.
- The Traditional Backyard Aquaponics System
This is the best option for those who desire to have a complete aquaponics system in their backyard, and intend to cultivate edible fish.
What materials are needed for the task?
- ?400-gallon water pump
- ?¾” tubing
- ?¾” PVC piping
- ?¾” t-connector for PVC piping
- ?2 flow-adjusting valves
- 2 (2-inch diameter) pieces of piping for siph
- ?100-gallon plastic bin
- 2 (20-gallon) plastic tubs
What are the steps to complete the task?
- Place the pump into the bin and attach the tubing.
- ?Run tubing to PVC piping.
- ?Split piping with a T-connector and attach 2 more pieces of piping; attach valves to these two pieces.
- ?Drill holes into each of the pans and run piping up into the pans so that it drains into the bin below.
- ?Cover with 2-inch diameter piping to create a siphon.
- ?Plant pans with plants of your choice, and fill the bin with water and fish.
