Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Here's a bit of a update.
mounted and filled the FT about a week ago and chucked 2 SP and 1 small trout in to see if they would stay alive
Anyhow all ok at the moment.
hooked up the temp controller that will control the fridge...
Just need to wait around a month till i can start on the GB and sump.
Here's a vid!!!
regards
Matt.

Option 4:
Use standard media in a flood drain bed but lay a sheet of polystyrene over the top with circular cutouts for where you want your plants. Will need some fore-thought when planning the holes but should work to keep growbed temperatures in check, atleast in my head.

For the sump tank rather than sinking an esky or freezer into the ground you could dig in a blue barrel, pickle drum, etc, but oversize the hole and space it up off the bottom with some standoffs. You could then put 2-part "A & B Foam" into the surrounding free space, hey presto instant insulated sump tank.

The foam is commonly used in the drilling industry, one manufacturer is "The Australian Mud Company" and I think Sandvik make a similar product. It's just like sikaboom or space-invader but comes in a 2 part liquid and you get a lot more expansion.

I'm intending to use the above method to insulate my IBC fish tanks when I bury them.

Sean

What is the temperature you need best for Trout and what is the max before they Kark it??

Do they like a constant 13-15 degrees??

Depends on where they are from, but I think for most stock in Australia the ideal temp is 18. Other areas in the world probably lower about 15 or so, in WA I think it's about 20..

Well if thats the case Why not run the water under ground to keep it at a nice balmy 13 degrees i think it keeps it at day and night ...... Just like we do to warm the water up put it in black poly and put it on the roof

If you Buried a 200 mtr roll of pipe under the ground where you have a shelter over the top ie gazebo or roof then that should keep the temperature just right has anyone tried this??

They keep Wine under ground so it keeps cool and a constant temperature all year round

I've read of a lot of people trying it.

The science is sound however I think most people under-estimate the amount of heat energy they will need to dissipate, and underestimate the efficiency of the earth for sucking this heat up.

Never heard of anyone having great levels of success in a backyard context, on a larger scale it does work but I doubt most people have the space or cost effective access to either earth moving or drilling equipment (horizontal trenching or vertical boreing)

thats worth some thought

thanks

Matt

I would use the Clay balls due to the great cooling characteristics they have in summer... in my system it was ""Hi guys and gals dont know if anyone is interested but I thought i'd check for myself...
I put the temp probe outside under shade 36deg, just under the clay surface 30deg, at bottom of clay 24deg..
By the sounds of that it would make a nice house

So with your option 4 and where you live they would keep nice and cool with that little cover idea

Double Decker... if you haven't read it before... here's a good website discussing "subterranean heating and cooling"...

http://www.sunnyjohn.com/indexpages/shcs.htm

To get the most benefit.. you need to bury the piping at least a metre underground...

I have thought about "insulating" the tops of my FT and Sumps with the polystyrene floating on top. My system doesnt' really allow for it. it would remove help with the water contacting the cool night air. you need to be able to remove it easily to feed the fish though.

Also I think you would need to up the air input to counter the loss of water SA to the air

Certainly would need to be taken into consideration, especially on the fish tank end however the vacuum generated by the draining water would still pull air into the growbed past the foam sheet, it's more to let the plants get sunlight but keep it from heating up the medium/water.

Oops I should have paid more attention to the forum...
For about the last month I have been meaning to put my Cooltank up for sale on BYAP.
It could have saved you some messing around.
Its the identical freezer too!
Just make sure you support under the corners of the unit properly or it will sag and cause rubbing on the motor.

Cool thanks for the tip!!
there may be a few people interested in the chilly tank, i would be but I've spent my money, I don't have much left now.
Not going try and summer trout this summer??

regards
matt

Absolutely!
Just trying a different method...
240V Coolroom compressor adapted to a "Highly Modified" vehicle evaporator coil and TX valve setup.

What could possibly go wrong??