Ongoing Aquaponics Build

That was the problem, the threads. Even with a ton of tape on the threaded coupling, it wasn't tight enough. So far, none - zero of my 2" slip connections have leaked. The threaded coupling to bulk head leaked from the start.

 

The beds you made are great. I love the look of them. They look sturdy and like they will hold up well thru time.

LOL! Love the Boss. Glad she is keeping an eye on things. No sleeping on the job!

 

Well, to be perfectly honest, I want to build the next deep water culture beds (at the farm) using poured concrete walls and solid foundations. The reason I went with wood and above ground here, was due to being able to move my system when we get ready to relocate to the farm, full time. I didn't want to put the money into pouring tons of concrete, only to have to leave it in place when we vacate the premises.

Oh, we didn't get a chance to work on the grow beds today. But, Tha will be here in the morning about half 5, to begin piping them.

 

No. Threads were right. The PVC fitting (threaded coupling) diameter was just too small. Or, the bulk head diameter was too large.

 

3 days, no leaks! Time to move forward!


The liner looks like sheeiitte, though. I think I am going to get some trim for it, similar to what Tha did for the germination shelf (where the fan currently is.)

 

Glad you have all the threads figured .
It's a frustration I know . I have to make an adapter today 14mm X1mm to a 1/4SAE flare to do same fancy AC work . Glad I have a lathe .

 

Easy as, when you trade threaded for slip coupling fittings. That PVC glue doesn't allow leaks!

Now, we are finally ready to start growing! Woo! Hoo!


Well, I am still waiting for a submersible pump to pipe from the sump, to the grow beds. Should arrive tonight.


Over 160 one-inch holes waiting for seedlings! Let germination begin!!

 

I run a submersible pump for ponds , it is in the 120VAC style but can handle small dirt etc BUT only use's 88-105 watts on a 10' lift max. This is to pump out the duck pond onto the garden . We need to change the pond water when the heat & smell starts .
Low wattage I can use my 300 suresine inverter & in a 12Vdc mobile system .

 

I will have two identical submersible pumps, AP-4500's, on my system - starting tomorrow. Chinese made, not self priming, but run quiet and reliably. Between them and my air pump, they should draw just under 150 watts. The pump feeding the grow bed will be cycled at 3 hours on, 3 hours off. So, it should be about 3 kWh's per day, total power consumption.

Bulletproof little jewels, ain't they? I brought two back with me from the US, March, 2015. 230vac, 50hz models. $202 USD, each, if you can believe it.

 

Well, the fry have outgrown their 15 gallon (56 liters) aquarium. I went to the fish guy to ask him how much he wanted to build me a 55 gallon (208 liters) aquarium to keep the guys in, until they were big enough fend for themselves and to transfer to the IBC tote. He wanted $120 USD. A bit much, I think.

So, we cut a 55 gallon blue tank we had around here down to 35 gallons. I added some 1" PVC parts that I already had on hand, a 2,300 liters per hour (607 gallons per hour) spare pump (yeah, a bit large for this project, but only temporary), and a 5 gallons (19 liters) bucket for the filter:

Testing the new tank, outside the apartment.


Yesterday, we transferred the little guys into it - and got an accurate count of 55 fry while doing so. So far, it's working well.






This should hold them over well enough, until they are large enough to be put in with the big boys.

I will make one change to this set up. I will use the "old" aquarium as a sump / filter, as soon as I can get some glass cut to partition the tank off, for filter media and a separate area for the pump.

 

Now don't tell any fish huggers or wap-a-bees (mindless protest trolls) !!\
I have fire protection ponds / swimming pools / bladders to store water for fire hose's & pumps (all here ,1000' & 4 pumps)
WELL i tested the system out once & we lost fish & the nozzles jammed !!
Adjustments were MADE . Intake filters all have webs of filters .Ponds have feeder goldfish to stop skeeters & I sucked up a few clogging the nozzle .
Chem mix to make marshmallow foam to cover structures !

This is the time to think of fire protection as well . , this is the chance to be prepared . I have with the hope of the flames pass over (foam fog cover) ..

Many should think & build of not just fish ponds . You could have storage & fire protection , not advertiser it , but know you have protection & a way to clean out the system . In big fires Grid is down & fuel is what you have . I have seen Kelowna
(watch full length 2 C devastation ) Fort Mac
just this year . build with more in mind.
I needed to add so Gando understood flame 101
Sloth
There all cleaned up .

 

I will keep that in mind, if I ever need to use my tanks for fire protection. It could very well come to that, as fast as a fire department would respond here, anyway!

 

mashmallow foam for fire? you crack me up @Crusin Sloth

 

Not trying to be a moderator here. But, we are getting a bit far away from Aquaponics at this point, aren't we?

 

Thanks man. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to post them here, or send me a PM regarding anything you may want to know. I will be happy to help you answer them.

 

Lettuce a local organic merchant gave us - free.

 

First, thanks for featuring this thread a second time. I'm very thankful. (I will also take that as a hint to get off your butt, Paul, and carry on with some updates, before we have you drawn and quartered.)

Okay, here we go.

In my previous post, immediately above, you see a bunch of lettuce we got for free, from an organic gardener. Won't do that again, even for free. Grew it - correction: attempted to grow it for two months, but didn't grow worth a hoot.

In the mean time, we germinated, and planted, some basil plants. They are doing quite well. Growing like weeds, in fact. (I hope other herbs do as well, as some local restaurants here sure could use them.)

Sorry for the age of the images. They are much larger now. It's 5:30am here and I don't feel like taking updated photos at the moment. Anyway, we would have planted more, but didn't, due to having so much lettuce in the grow beds, previously.

Unfortunately, we will not germinate any further plants, temporarily. I liquidated some interests that will give us the necessary fundage (Yes, it is a real word.) to put elsewhere. So, we, like the Jefferson's, will be "movin' on up", or out, rather, to the farm.