Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks for the Stu.
I've just been reminded that my small problems are small problems.
No more complaints from me, I'm happy with what I have.

It's always a good idea to look for silver linings.
In my case it is that now I don't have to decide if I should dig a hole or not. It ain't gonna happen so I can be lazy without being lazy!
And my finances should allow me to get the pond set up and probably get a GB or two ready for use.
Might not put gravel in until the new year but should get the window installed and I hope to at least fill it with water and stock the tank and empty media beds with swordtails or guppies to keep a mosquito plague at bay in the meantime. I'm very tempted to get a glass bowl from a front loading washing machine (I'm sure I've seen it done by someone here?) to use as a quirky side window to amuse the nephews and nieces. Cutting a neat large round hole will be no fun though I'm sure.
At the risk of sounding like someone we all know... I'm hoping to install an undergravel filter in the tank, I know that anything in the tank is frowned upon but it will have a constant flow of water running through it and I will make sure that I have a way to clean the void under the gravel when needed. (I'm so tempted to qualify that with an amusing imitation of someone but that wouldn't be nice would it? ).
I may decommission the IBC tank so that can modify it and if i do I'll leave the new beds empty and run the one on top of the IBC for the time being. No decision just yet on which way I'll go but using the current bed with the new tank is probably sensible at this stage.

Just got back from the doctor and apparently the nasty x-ray showed an old injury that some stubborn fool ignored when it happened. Must have had this ugly shoulder for years and somehow not noticed it seems?
Should be back in the game early in the new year, very happy chap here right now.

Oh, if my in tank filter seems too silly, just imagine the FT as a 6 foot fish tank with an aquaponic component. (otherwise I'll have to start saying that I just wanted a water feature, and that I made it myself and... ).
I wouldn't advise anyone to copy the idea at all, I'm just sharing because it will be part of my system. I have always run them in large aquaria and have confidence that it will work fine for me but am also sure that it just adds another thing to go wrong and is entirely unnecessary for an AP system. Since this will be a display tank of sorts, I want it to look more like a fish tank and expect little to no dramas from the unusual addition. But I know what to expect in the way of maintenance and hope to 'engineer' it for simplicity. If I can be bothered at this stage I hope to set it up to run on backup air in case of power failure to maintain filtration and water circulation in an emergency.
I'm fully aware that the biggest risk is that if circulation through the gravel ever stops then my tank will lose oxygen rapidly and it will result in a much more rapid demise of my fish. Backup is even more important now and I must get onto that...

You'll do it your way bodgy and that's fine by us ahaha.

With all those crazy ideas I might have to unfriend you Bodge!

I like the sound of the washing machine window and would love to see a pic once installed.

Good news on the shoulder. While it heals it means you can rest and laze around as part of the healing process. A good time of the year for it.

Anyway is it Christmas Eve here, hope you have a great and New Year.

You too Stu and Charlie, I see you guys lurking on this thread. I will have to head over to Andy's thread to wish him too, not sure if he's on this one. And Ron! Too many friendly buggers on this site.

A quick update on the fish - the bream are still doing fine. Feeding well and still reasonably nervous but they still seem to be happy enough.

I started marking out the main window in the FT (I've been planning on using the tempered glass lids for this). Then I saw the size the window would be, the opening I marked was approx 750mmX500mm.
Don't get me wrong, it looks like a great size but I'm concerned the glass won't take the weight.
The glass is only about 4mm thick and I was planning on using both lids to double glaze for insulation and to insure against leakage/breakage.

Do we have any glaziers on the forum? I'd love to hear your opinions, I may stupidly ignore them but your input would be appreciated.

I just used an online calculator and if I make the opening smaller (350mm max depth), I could use 4mm regular plate glass. Well, it's alright for an aquarium at least. Apparently tempered glass is about 5 times stronger than plate, it's risky but I'm still tempted to use it at the larger size. Or perhaps somewhere in between, depth wise. If it fails it'll be spectacular though... Hopefully the second layer will save everything if it does.
I know it's another unnecessary risk for an AP system but I would really like to use it if I can. This is pretty much what I was hoping for with the scrapyard theme from day one and it's hard to give up the dream.
If it fails I just hope it does it quickly before there are any fish in it.
Any thoughts?

My only suggestion is to put a permanent webcam on it so we can witness any, ahem, exciting developments.

Be careful but (thanks Captain Obvious ahaha).

I had a customer when I worked in a bottle shop who came in everyday without fail, and if he went away always told us. All of a sudden he stopped coming in for 3 months.

Turns out he had a 1000l marine fish tanks that he had collapse on him whilst admiring, glass shards went into his stomach and legs, almost killing him. Horrific scaring.

Not a very happy post but that whole thing has always given me nightmares!

Good call Martin, I'll definitely consider that.
And a safety reminder is always appreciated Bcasey, being toughened glass if it breaks it should shatter well and shards would hopefully not be a problem. That sounds like a horrible accident.
I'm slightly cautious around fish tanks myself since when I was 12 or so I was carrying a 2 foot tank downstairs when the tread I had both feet on dropped out of the stair stringers. I found myself standing on the ground with both arms touching the next tread and the glass just under my neck/chin. Kinda put the wind up me that did! Glad I wasn't 2 inches shorter or that it wasn't one tread higher that dropped out.
(Truth be told, being a dumb kid I'd probably loosened the threaded rod that holds the stringers together and nearly removed myself from the gene pool in a fairly messy way... ).

Still not sure if I'll install the large window or not yet, I'm a stubborn so-and-so though so I probably will. Either that or use a few of the washer windows/bowls instead of just one, it'd be annoyingly quirky and not so good for viewing but at least they'd be strong and safe.

Go a window, they are awesome! I spend hours staring at mine ahaha

Yours really is epic!
What size is your opening and how thick was the glass that you used?
After being reminded of how good yours looks, I think I will just use the toughened glass and if it fails just buy some nice thick glass to replace it with.

I used Perspex, 10mm thick. Means it will eventually get scratched, but I use non scratch scrubber, and I just don't have the confidence/skill to work with glass.

It's 430mm x 290mm approx, which coincided with it having a "frame" of IBC frame around it, for more strength. Probably overkill but these tanks are in public view/access, including kids, so couldn't be too careful. I used stainless flat bars both inside and out, as well as stainless bolts/washers. And LOTS AND LOTS of sikafelx ahaha. The plastic of IBC's are made so nothing sticks to them, so was an interesting endeavour. Basically sikafelx doesn't end up "joining" the materials, but ends up being more of a gasket. One didn't leak at all, the other a little, but silicone fixed this (as well as biofilm I am assuming).

I must admit I wouldn't not have a window in anything I do if possible, it's awesome! Plus fish are much less skittish then I have seen in friends AP systems, as they always have people viewing them.

Here's a photo of both as is now

Looks real good man, next time I'm in the area during business hours I'll drop into the cafe for a meal, check out the system and say g'day.