RE: Hydroponic Garden Setup - Drain Pipe Nutrient Film Method - Maker Challenge No.2 - Unofficial Entry
I really like the way you have this system set up. I've been tempted to do something like this myself using the 4 inch thin wall drain pipe. It wouldn't be difficult at all to hook this system up to an aquaponics tank, but you probably would want to have a prefilter in the system so that you don't pump too much junk into the tubes. Goldfish make a lot of solids if there's a lot of them in the tank. I'm guessing that Tilapia or other fish would also make a lot of solids. If conditions allow you to keep the water warm enough, tilapia are the way to go, you can eat them.
One suggestion that I would have for you, if you're concerned that the delivery hose might come out of the big pipe, you could use a fitting on the elbow to hook the hose onto and clamp it in place. The hydroponics fitting would go through the elbow where ever you drill the hole, and then you know that the hose won't fall out of the system and pump the water onto the ground.
Thanks :) I'll definitely be strapping down the tube after everything is in position this spring. Pre filter for sure, will make a false wall with holes and screen/filter to keep the large particles and fish away from it :) I've heard talapia are a good food source and decently resiliant - i dont eat meat, but the cats will enjoy them :)
If you're not interested in eating the fish, or giving the meat to people who eat it, I think goldfish are the better fish to use. They're more hardy and you don't have to control the water temperature.