Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

ha, no

BMN-Beautiful-limestone-conglomerate-with-lichen-another-view
Good Morning

It’s a nice brisk -5 degrees outside this morning. On top of that we got another three to four inches of snow. Today we’re going to Santa Fe to do a follow up on the surgery I had back in November. This out to be fun.

The sun is out now and should begin removing snow from our driveway, hopefully it’ll be gone when we return home. Not that we don’t like snow, although we’re growing a little tired of it, but we’ll be driving to Santa Fe in the VW Jetta TDI (turbo diesel.) The Jetta gets on average 45 mpg, so it is the only way to go. Getting back up the hill in the Jetta which does pretty good in the snow and mud will be better with less snow. My Jeep is getting a pathetic 18 mpg, probably due to the lift and the oversize tires.


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Steps-coming-along-lots-of-snowy-cold-and-wet-limestone-and-flagstone

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I wasn’t entirely certain I would be able to cement these rocks in place yesterday, and it was five o’clock when I mixed the first batch of cement in the little wheel barrow. It took most of the day rounding up the rocks I wanted in the snow (again) and getting them where I wanted them on the wall above the pond window and forming the new top step. Crazy thing about creating with rock and cement is you need to build the whole thing dry first, then take it all apart adding the mortar to each layer. With a project this complicated, as I have trouble remembering where each rock fits, and which way it went, is as hard as creating the design to begin with.

You may not be able to see it, but the top step is hanging over the pond by almost two feet. That’s at least four hundred pounds siting on one wood 1″X6″. The good news is it is still in place this morning. I did add more steel reinforcing steel rebar to the cantilevered rock step. I have been torn between using flagstone along the top edge of the pond or using the more decorative limestone conglomerate. I like the fact that the flagstone makes a walkway around the pond. Flagstone is a little too “normal” for me, but smooth may be more important for safety than decorative is for looks.

The cement I used on this part of the rock-work is two part; first I used mortar to build up the rock layers, then I mixed Quikcrete to pour in and around the rebar for extra strength which it really needs over the pond window and the cantilevered rock step. The purpose of the cantilevered step is two part with it we get more shade over the pond to reduce algae growth and help stabilize the water temperature. The second effect gained is the added floor-space above the pond, which as you can probably see, takes up as much as 80% of the greenhouse

Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it

See ya in the funny papers

Brian Flat Rock Rodgers

Looking at this pump which I'll setup with 6 deep cycle marine 12V 105 AH batteries already on the premises powered by five various sized older photovoltaic panels also on hand

ordered two of these in black which is cheaper than the clear which I also want a gallon of. I guess we'll finally get a handle on how big the pond/fish tank is once we start going through this expensive coating

really getting excited now
brought some cement home last night...

Time to finish this damn pond

I have ordered one of these pumps. I believe this is what web4deb is using in his GH.



You can get them in 12 and 24v and differnt flow rates and the best thing is that they are cheap!

I you use 24v instead of 12v it will draw half the current.

Hi Brian
Reading your post about the attractive lichen growth on rocks stirred an old memory.
This was one of those build your dream home programs.
They used natural yogurt, ‘painted’ onto wood cladding to encourage lichen growth.
A stencil of a heart with their initials.
Never miss an opportunity to say, ’I love you’ to the ones that matter.

I am putting £1 into a charity box today in your name to cover the yogurt.
Choose your own stencil.
Love following your build.

that's awesome

Daylight Savings Time moved ahead this morning. Coffee pot is the only clock in the house that thought it was still 4:30 am, regardless, good morning! Photo title: Daylight-Savings-Time-Flash-in-the-Face

Way across the way you can see the over-flow leading into the sump tank. My friend Kevin Murphy helped build the new style wood forms for the concrete on that side, yay! This shape is cantelevered over the pond providing more shade for the fish and floor space for us, bacause as my wife said," I thought you were building a greenhouse." Anywho, I have the okay from my wife to continue with flagstone around the top of the pond. I think it will make a nice walk way proving better access to all sides of the fish tank/pond

Cleanup for us amateurs is very important. I finished last night with an LED headlamp brushing and scrubbing rocks clean of mortar.




Thanks for the idea Titus about the yogurt to entice the lichen

Update, while not entirely about my build, it sorta is:

Good Morning

Wonderful day yesterday, busy busy, maybe in my world, that is what makes it so great.

For one thing, the weather finally gave us a break. Jason took the day off work and came out early in the morning. We had been talking about his neighbor whose hobby is flagstone. I need more flagstone and he has flagstone. He also has a little trailer which is in dire need of welding and I have a welding shop. A deal was struck, which makes us both very happy.

Before we started work on the trailer, we unloaded a half dozen flagstones Mike Salas the Flagstone guy had sent out along with his trailer, including the giant piece for over the pond seen in the first photo. Yep, that’s a four foot long carpenters level being dwarfed by the big stone.

This large flagstone will hold the first aquaponics grow-bed. It also hangs over the pond providing shade for the fish and water. Under that stone are the two filters, one swirl or RFF (radial flow filter) for removing large fish waste, then a biofilter, or net filter where the Nitrosomonas Bacteria do their work converting ammonia to nitrate usable by the plants.

References:
[PDF]SRAC 4502 How to Start a Biofilter
[PDF]Biofiltration-Nitrification Design Overview
I had been searching for the flower bulbs for a while that morning, and finally found several sacks of bulbs we bought last Fall and stashed. Combined with bulbs we bought on our last trip to Santa Fe I hoped we could get a start on planting yesterday morning. My idea was to use a digging bar to open up a minimally wide, yet deep void in the garden soil and have Jason drop the bulbs in to the appropriate depth. It worked great, and thanks to Jason’s generous nature and unrelenting efforts we got them all planted! Tulips, crocuses, daffodils , hyacinths, dahlias, and more gladiolus, totaling at least a hundred and fifty bulbs. Oh boy. If they don’t rot from all the moisture in the ground, we are going to have the most spectacular flower garden ever.

Planting only took a half hour, maybe a little more. Work goes three times faster with two people working as team. So goes the trailer rebuild as well; Jason loves to weld, and I love to fabricate. Together we make a great team

I can't wait too see the finished project Brian, it's an awesome build

I have trouble remembering where each rock fits, and which way it went, is as hard as creating the design to begin with.

Sit 'em all in place and when your happy photograph them on your cell phone and you'll have the position and correct angle of each and every stone.


Your fish will just love it, it's going too be "fish heaven", 5 star accommodation for fish, my guys would be envious

thanks joeblow, about the camera though, too much going on while layering rocks and too many layers at once. On the bright side, I'm almost past the visible area, and around the back it doesn't matter to me what the rocks look like. Getting so close I can feel it. I want water now!

I agree, I knew from the first few photos this was going to turn out special. I realize it doesn't change much for the fish but I greatly appreciate the builds that look like art work in when its completed. The weather contrast on the other side of those windows with the cold makes it even more unique. And its come together relatively fast considering the materials used and the conditions outside. You guys are a very inspiring crowd! I need to go build something else now.

The other new project I've been as interested in is Hugh in France who is still just planning but his build site is pretty unique! Otherwise you've got to incorporate a cafe and local hot spot into it like BCasey.

I had no idea this project was going to be so awesome, hats off to your workmanship, time and effort.

Looking good Brian...just in time for Spring plantings!

Defiantly getting there keep up the good work.