Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok Masters, I am beginnig to try and start piecing my system togather. I know everybody recommends that you build a small system at first to learn the game but I got mouths to feed. My oldest son just got married and instead of loosing some I've gained extra's. I had an old guy tell me that it was easier to raise them than to wean them, he was right.
Enough nonsense. I am going to try and copy Joels pod system in the book due to the fact that I like the astetics and it seems to be functional. I'm going to put mine in a greenhouse due to the fact that I want to raise crops year around. I am in a sub tropic region on the Gulf coast in Southeast Texas 60 mi. north of Houston. I would like your input as to what type of roof to use. I am planning on the corrugated type panels like Joel used but I'm not sure that I shouldn't use the fiberglass type that has a yellowish tent to help filter out some of our tough Texas heat in the summer as opposed to the clear. From mid July through mid Sept. we get in the upper 90 F with 90 to 100% humidity. What do you think?

Hi Mike,
I'm in a similar climate to you. You might want to check out the shade structure I built for my system.
cattle panel shade Sorry but the shade structure pictures are spread over many pages but hopefully this link will get you to the first ones near the bottom of the page. A simple arch can be made by bracing the ends of the 16 foot long panels. We wound up cutting them down to 12 foot long and mounting them up above the system to make access easier.

I figured that in our climate, a greenhouse would get way too hot most of the year without active ventilation so I opted for a shade structure. I used cattle panels for the arch supports and they will double as vine supports.

I used the aluminet shade cloth as it is supposed to help with temperature regulation. It is supposed to help keep things cool under the hot summer sun and it is also supposed to help keep things a little warmer on cold clear nights. The only possible drawback with doing it this way is that rain can still get into the system but I think I'm going to see if that is actually a benefit.

For the few really cold nights in winter, we will pull large tarps over the whole thing if it is supposed to be a hard freeze.

Hey TCLynx, awsome system! The only thing that I am concerned with is that we have atleast 3 heavy frosts a year and 5 to 7 medium to light frosts so I am concerned that I need to have a cover as well as the fact that I have about 5-6 sheets of the fiberglass panels already. I really don't want to try and tarp things with the type of winds that we have.

if you already have the roofing, use those, don't spend more than you need to, save that for the pump or the fish

definitely, go for what you got!

The cattle panels could be covered with greenhouse film for the winter if the temps warrant it I suppose. My figuring is that even during cooler weather here, a real greenhouse here needs powerful ventilation.

Good luck with the system!

Ventilation will probably be necessary here, I thought I would build the top half on my house with flap style windows.