It has taken me time to get all of this info together and list the costs so one can see if this is something worth following through on. We are very excited as we have almost everything to get started and just need to grade the area we will be putting our system. Here is the materials list to build a family aquaponics system. Plans can be purchased from Friendly Aquaponics if one is interested in pursuing this.
Aquatic EcoSystems Parts
From Aquatic EcoSystems (877) 347-4788, or on the Web at www.AquaticEco.com
1 QP13 water pump $50.35
1 SL56 outdoor air pump $325
3 110A 5/8" barb to 3/4" MNPT adaptor $3.33
8’ TV80 vinyl tubing from water pump to 1-1/2" PVC and from air pump to 1" Driscopipe in tank 100ft roll $62.95
8 AS8L airstones (includes 2 spares) $6
1 BTV40 100' roll black vinyl air tubing $30
2 DB10 Packs of (diffuser bumpers come in packs of 10) $4.57
1 #239211 gallon inoculating nitrifying bacteria Catalog $44.68
4 R444/ R443 boxes each of Pentair R444 (nitrite/nitrate) $11.35, and R443 (ammonia) $12.55 test strips, which come 25 to a box. This is enough for a year of tests at one test every four days or so.
1 R446 box Pentair chlorine/chloramine test strips (for testing system water fills and makeup water before adding to system) $8.80
1 BK112 bulkhead fitting $9.55
Optional from Aquatic EcoSystems ($550)
1 YSI DO200 digital dissolved oxygen and temperature meter consisting of
YDO2000 meter and Y2004 cable and probe $550
Water Trough Materials
16 3/4" by 2' used steel form stakes (if your ground is hard), 3' if your ground is soft ($48)
5 sheets treated 1/4" ACX plywood/smooth on liner side ($125)
2 boxes of 100 1-1/4" #8 or #10 FH hot-dip galvanized screws ($11)
16 Each of 1/4" x 2-1/2" hot-dip galvanized carriage bolts, washers, and nuts ($3)
4 2’x4’ 16' long treated construction grade lumber ($48)
6 2’x4’ 18' long treated construction grade lumber ($84)
37’ Lineal feet of P2000 23-mil HDPE liner material from Inland Plastics, Ltd, (800) 387-7765, OR EQUIVALENT. Comes in 750-foot rolls 12' wide – cut into 6 foot widths ($160 for 37 foot family system; $550 for commercial system)
8 4' x 8' x 2" Dow Blue Board Square Edge Styrofoam rafts (Lowes sometimes stocks this; they order 1 "unit" at a time. A unit is 8' tall and contains 48 sheets) (8 rafts @ $55 per raft = $440)
3 gallons Bright white exterior latex semi-gloss enamel for painting rafts with ($95)
Weed mat ground cloth 12 ft wide and ground sod staples 1” by 6” 10 gage between troughs to prevent weeds.
PVC
Tank Materials for 1 8’x4’x4’ foot tank
6 sheets of plywood 3/4" ACX treated plywood (dry) or untreated
6 2’x4’ 16 foot treated construction grade lumber
6 2’x6’ 20 foot treated construction grade lumber
16 yards (50 inches wide, 6 oz) fiberglass
5 Gallons of resin 2-part epoxy resin
1 Gallon hardener
($541.98 for 16 yd fiberglass, 5 gal resin and 1 gal hardner – included shipping which may not be an expense depending upon where you live)
acetone and lacquer thinner
7” or 9” disposable foam roller covers and 2 roller pans
squeegees
brushes
mixing containers
1 5-gallon good quality exterior latex enamel for painting tanks. You may want to get a gallon of a trim color also. If painting your troughs, you will probably need 2 more 5-gallons.
Need a dry place to work and store the fiberglass cloth.
Plumbing parts
Note: Use Schedule 40 sweep 90's if they are available from your plumbing supplier. If not available, use ells instead.
The sweeps will give better air and water flow and will reduce electrical cost for water pumping.
Schedule 40 2" PVC pipe and fittings
3 Sweeps
2 Couplings
6 Bulkhead fitting
1 1-1/2"-2" slip adaptor
Pipe 1- 10' length
Schedule
40 1-1/2" PVC pipe and fittings
6 Sweeps
2 Male Thread adaptors
PVC Pipe
1- 20' length
Schedule 40 1" PVC fittings
Couplings: 1 (if you have a lined steel tank)
4 Ells (if you have the plywood/fiberglass tank)
Schedule 40 3/4" PVC pipe and fittings
4 Ells
2 Adaptors, Female thread/male slip
Pipe
1 - 10' length
Miscellaneous parts
30 feet of 1" Driscopipe for aeration manifold in fish tank, (and 4- 1" PVC elbows if you use the plywood/fiberglass tank, and 1- 1" PVC coupling with the lined steel tank)
4 1-1/2" hose clamps
Stainless steel bolts or screws to fasten pumps down to wood base
3/4" Driscopipe long enough to connect back to your water source from the hose bib at the fish tank.
3/4" male thread bronze hose barb for each end of the Driscopipe with 2 hose clamps each end;
AND fittings necessary to connect a hose bib.
Conduit, wire, distribution panels, junction boxes, and fittings to wire as desired.