Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This year I want to get into wicking beds in a big way. I simply love them and how productive they are.

I am constantly looking for better, quicker and cheaper ways to construct them.

Here was my first attempt using 2 IBC's cut in half, to form 4 wicking beds, then 'dressed up' in reclaimed waste corrugated iron sheets and timber pallets:

See the 25mm PVC riser pipe in the above photo (in the bottom of the bed closest to the camera)?

That is my feeding pipe and overflow pipe.

It's currently set way to high at the time of the photo... but...

I place a funnel into it to feed worm tea and aquaponics water. The water level can also be easily adjusted with this pipe. Simply pull it out (fittings were left un-glued) and replace with a shorter or longer piece of pipe.

This is particularly handy when planting out the bed with seedlings, where I want the water level a bit higher than normal whilst the seedlings establish their roots.

I've seen a lot of wicking designs where the inlet/feeding pipe is set at a fixed height, residing in the bed itself (taking up precious growing space), and a seperate overflow drain hole drilled into the side of the bed. That works fine too, just the method described above kills 2 birds with one stone

Here is a top view of my wicking beds:



I drilled a 25mm hole with a holesaw through the sides of all 4 beds then ran 25mm PVC pipe through them all, which effectively links them all together allowing for just 1 feeding inlet/overflow. Feed one feed them all.

Obviously you need to the ground to be fairly level for this to work. Which was a pain. Took too long. I didn't know a good method of perfectly levelling 4.5 metres straight in a line, with only a 1m long spirit level (anyone got any tips on this, without using a laser level which I can't afford?) So next time I don't think I'll do this.

Wide slots were cut in the underside of the PVC pipe with the dropsaw to allow big solids to get through. I didn't like the idea of using the black agricultural pipe with small holes which were likely to get clogged knowing the amount of crap I'm going to put down them.

The holes where the PVC pipe left the IBC's were sealed up on both sides with silicone which held the pipe in place nicely.

Then the gravel and shadecloth layer was added, followed by a soil mix of:

- 1/3rd top soil (crap clay soil from the property)
- 1/3rd mushroom compost
- 1/3rd worm castings

Then a layer of cardboard to really lock in the moisture and prevent weeds, then lastly a top dressing of straw run over by the lawn mower a few times to shred it up

I used to have a cheap supply of $60 IBC's, but sadly that has dried up.

So.. how does one make lots wicking beds cheaply and efficiently?

Dig a trench and line with pond liner?

...or frame up the sides with star pickets and corrugated iron and line with pond liner?

I researched buying pond liner in bulk. Cheapest price I managed to find worked out about $15 per metre (@ 1.5m wide). This was bulk roll price, buying with a trade account.

Needed something cheaper.

Old refridgerators.

Pro's:

- they are the right height for wicking beds (500-600mm high when laid on their back)
- well insulated
- darn cheap. My local tip sells them back to the public for $3 each.
- the right shape
- mainly water tight

The insulation thing is a biggie in my mind. Particularly where we live, we get horribly hot 42 deg c plus days for weeks at a time during summer. And this is one of the biggest problems with raised beds made of corrugated iron - the soil within them heats up too much, particularly around the sides.

So this is my next project, to convert a batch of old refridgerators into wicking beds. Currently they look very messy, but wait till I'm finished with them



Will keep you posted

Looks good Jono. I'm about to do an ibc wicking bed so timely post.

For outlet control on mine I have 25mm poly elbows coming out. They can be twisted from horizontal to vertical to adjust the overflow height. Will try and dig out a pic. . .

The one common pipe along a row of beds was done here many moons ago, cant remember who it was... maybe Jamey? I think he used a length of pipe and then drilled holes in it in each bed or something. I can still picture the black tubs he used. Its a neat idea.

The fridges work well too, good use of what might eventually end up land fill. Recycle and reuse.

Hey Jono81

you said:

Obviously you need to the ground to be fairly level for this to work. Which was a pain. Took too long. I didn't know a good method of perfectly levelling 4.5 metres straight in a line, with only a 1m long spirit level (anyone got any tips on this, without using a laser level which I can't afford?) So next time I don't think I'll do this.

one easy way to level over long distances is to use a piece of clear tubing, put water in it....

pull it along your distance and stake up the open ends vertically and add water, the water will find its own level and you can measure from each end....

this explains it better them me

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Water-Level

JT

Worms should form part of the natural WB set up as you are building. If I add more worm tea or aquaponic water I a watering can and lay it on top so all the goodness is going in the soil. Hope you post more photos, cheers

Easy and cheap way to get straight line is a string line which usually comes with one of those little spirit levels that hang on the string... i use them all the time.

Also uni seals are quite cheap and may be a bit more reliable than the silicone in the long run.. also instead of running one long pipe perhaps cut it into 3 sections so that if the beds sink a little they will not pull or push too much on the seals/hole.

I used layers of thick builders plastic instead of pond line (pond liner is ssoooo expensive) hopefully it will last a long time but only time will tell.

I also added a pipe in the bed to add food scraps to create compost directly in the bed... and another pipe to add water and stuff... I could do that through my 25mm outside standpipe like you do but I just find it a bit easier to add water and worm fertiliser through the larger pipe in the bed. For your IBC beds I could undertsand that you woulndt want to use any more bed space for pipes but in timber beds like mine that are made form 2.4 x 1.2 metre treated sleepers there is a bit more space.

Wicking beds are great though!

That's a great idea. Will try that, thanks

Heres a pic of the continuously adjustable overflow



I can just twist it to get to what ever height I need (from zero to length of pipe). Does not tend to leak as there is little water pressure against it. In winter I just tend to dial in a low setting and allow the bed to flush through a bit.

This one has multiple elbows as its coming out of the sloped side of an old pool filter.

Thanks for the tips Tom

I've not tried uniseals before but I know many folks here like them.

For some reason I'm quite a loyal long term silicone user. It's just so cheap ($6 tube for a potable water safe brand) and easy to use. And after watching how the local water tank builder uses it to seal up all the seams in corrugated tanks (which come with a 20 year guarantee), I am convinced it can be done quite well. I've found if you scuff up the IBC HDPE with an angle grinder and apply lots of it, silcone can be very rugged. However I am prepared to eat my words here if I see one of those joins fail!


What is builders plastic made of do you know? LDPE? If it doesn't leach stuff into the water that's a good idea

Nice one. That beats my design, as its much more easy to adjust and you don't have to cut different lengths of pipe

Yep silicone is certainly cheaper than Uni Seals and much cheaper than the threaded bulk head fittings that I use (plus silicone), I guess I always lean towards over engineered things and it costs me money wise... silicone is great stuff though and I have seen it last a long time in places so it might work just fine in the long term.

To be honest I have no idea what builders plastic is made of, perhaps I should be worried about leeching of chemicals from it but I am less concerned than with plastics in AP... but wicking beds are sealed system so perhaps I should take a look into it.... i just looked it up and it is 'POLYTHENE FILM'... not sure what that means though probably bad?

Its our known and loved Polyethylene, just thinner. I used it in my wicking beds, doubled up though, as punctures happen.

If it is low density PE it is resistant to leaching, but not as resistant as High density PE like IBCs are. Ironically, it [LDPE] is not used in water bottles here in the states, and makes up the bulk of food packaging films [baggies, cling wrap, glad wrap, etc.] They both are stated to be safe though.

For what it is worth.