Knowing how to create your very own Aquaponics design is not an intuitive thing to consider. The main deciding factor in this design will have to be the space you have available for your Aquaponics farm. This can include both the horizontal area and the vertical area that is available.
Because this style of farming is in its infancy, there is no established Aquaponics design that is considered to be the main stay for them. Most of the farmers in this type of business are there to make money. For this reason they make the most of the available space they have at their disposal.
The one constant there is in all Aquaponics design concepts is that the fish tank is on the floor of the facility or room. This is mainly due to the weight of the water. This is the same reason the collection tank from the run off of the bedding tanks is also located on the floor.
The simplest design is the flood and drain system where the plant bedding is located on top of the fish tank. If you are very limited on space, this Aquaponics design is best suited for you. The water in the fish tank will drop when the plant bed is being flooded, but it would return as the water works its way through the bed and back to the fish tank without the assistance of a pump.
Because the pump for flooding the plant bedding would be in the fish tank, the pump will be small and should have a screen on it to prevent any large fecal matter from entering the pump causing it to fail. This screen would need to be periodically cleaned as part of a routine maintenance program.
The Ebb and Flow design is the one that mimic nature. This allows for the flooding of the plant bedding then the total draining of the water away before the next flooding event occurs. Just like a tidal surge, the roots will then receive oxygen directly from the air since they will be periodically exposed. This also prevents the buildup of solids in the root system of the plants.
A sump pump system for your Aquaponics design has advantages that none of the rest offer. It does require 2 pumps to work; there is also an added tank for the raising of fingerlings so you can always have a fresh supply of new fish that will not be eaten by the adult fish.
The water is pumped from the fish tanks to the plant bedding. There it flows via gravity to the sump pump tank. Once the level in the sump pump tank reaches a preset height, the water is pumped back into the fish tank. This can be set up lineally or in a circle. The choice of this Aquaponics design is that of the owner and the available space.
These are just a few ideas on how to create your very own Aquaponics design to best fit your needs and the space you have available.