IBC stands for intermediate bulk container. An IBC tote is a large industrial container used to store liquid products. Their construction consists of a welded  steel cage over a 275 gallon foodgrade plastic tank. These totes are relatively inexpensive compared to standard hydroponic reservoirs and grow beds. Our basic IBC aquaponic systems consist of a 200 gallon fish tank made from the lower portion (48x36x36), and a 75 gallon grow bed made from the inverted top portion (48x36x10).

You choose the color framing you’d like and the grow media you prefer. Standard media is red lava rock. We prefer lava rock over Hydroton not only because it provides more biological surface area, but we’ve found that it shifts less under root pressure, causing less damage to the roots of larger plants as they grow. Lava rock is also a fraction of the price and can be found at most home supply centers. For an additional cost however, we do have Hydroton available.

Standard siding is corrugated galvanized steel. When using steel siding, we insulate the tank to minimize temperature fluctuation. Custom siding options include tile, stone and custom woodwork. We also offer a version of this system for those interested solely in functionality and not so much in cosmetics. These “bare-bone” or “prepper” systems (as some like to call them), include all of the same internal components, but lack the fancy wood framework and siding. Because of the time and money saved on construction and supplies, this model is significantly less expensive.

Occasionally we get a customer that prefers the look of the steel cage, but wants to retain the wood framework, for that reason we also offer a version that is framed without siding. With the exception of our custom systems, where tile and stone availability may be a variable,  our I.B.C. systems are usually ready for delivery or pick-up within 7-10 days of order.  If you are a Coachella Valley resident, we include delivery, setup and start-up at no extra cost. Have a look at our “Choosing the Right Fish” page for information about the fish we have available. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or design inquiries you may have.