Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hiya Ffishing, have you tried the high range ph test on your water?

FF, My new RAS system will be in the frame/galvalume building. My AP is in a 200 sq ft GH made from EMT conduit that I bent with a bender and covered with either a shade cloth or poly. Thanks for the link. Since we have quite a bit of trucks/equipment in the landscape business, used oil is something we have an unending supply of. Just curious how much air it would take and if there is any chance of any vacuum into the airlines to FT and DWC? Otherwise, I would need a separate air pump for the burner. Maybe a smaller version for that little area would work well.

Skeg makes a good point.

Skeggley,
I have tried the high range strips. Not the drops as my API master kit did not come with it. But both the strips and the low range ph drops read exactly the same. I was worried about being high myself.

Coach,
The extra blower is not nessicary for it to work. It just makes it burn better. Basically the difference between a burn barrel and a rocket stove. Personally I would use a small inline duct fan. Like this one http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EC01XS?psc ... uctDetails 125watts 530 cfm and sized to be easily ducted from wherever you want to pull air from. Although, it does not look like your style. You could go redneck on it. I have seen on other vids, box fans cardboarded, and duct taped into a hose to get the same effect.

Thanks FF, I'll check that one out as well. Been in Florida since '76. At least part redneck by now.lol

That's when I was born Redneck is just the FINE ART of making it work with what ya got. The ultimate diy.

I'm pretty good at rigging things in the field to get by....bailing wire & duct tape.lol But, I've figured it's almost always less money, to fix things the right way asap.

Coach,
When you can and you have that option I do agree. Less stress also.

Some long overdue pics. Glad to say the hoop house is finally up and sealed. Now I can work rain or shine.

Hanging this much plastic by yourself is no fun. In the bottom pic you can se my barrel bed setup. Behind the barrel beds are my 2 interconnected 275gal sumps. Where my single 2400gal/hr pump resides. I left just enough room between my MB and STs to have a home for my 55 gal drum styled filters that go inline before the DWCs. The corner of my screened porch Where my 1300gal Intex 10ft round FT resides. On the far right is the beginnings of my 2 side by side 4ft X 16ft DWCs. More pictures to come when I have the time.

Has anyone found a way to "collect" the condensate on the GH? So you could reintroduce it to the system water. Thereby reducing the frequency of top offs. As it should be as pure as it can be. As it is basically acting as a solar distillery.

Just a thought. Even though I have all the materials to build the 2 side by side DWCs. How wide can you effectively make a DWC? As I might turn it into a single DWC.

Mt DWC is 1.1 metre wide[the size the poly came in] plus the side rails and i reach the middle from both sides so for me thats as wide as i think is viable,that width means i can remove a plant from the middle without having to lift the raft causing unnecessary damage to roots and plants.

Dasboot,
It was just a thought as my pond liner came in a 13x20ft section (3.9x6.09m). It would have made it a little easier, with less corners. It would have also saved about 2ft (.6m) to use for future repairs (patches, gaskets). I was thinking to load at one end harvest from the other. Like a conveyor to get around trying to reach into the center. What I was worried about are the possible anaerobic zones with this type of width. Since I have never seen one built 8ft (2.4m) wide before.