Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Is there going to be a 3000 litre rainwater tank to collect the water.(Not sure if I misunderstood?)
We have a 4500 litre watertank at home and I reckon if you had the space, money and roof area go for the biggest tank that you can fit or afford. The roof space we have is about 7m x 4.5 metres and I reckon I could fill 2 x 4500 litre tanks, no worries.

Rupe, have you had a look at the Toyesi water chillers / heaters? I have done quite a bit of research, and they seem to be the best Australian made ones. Would be a lot more efficient than space heating.

http://www.toyesi.com.au/

Hadn't look at them Colin, but will...

I'm certainly leaning toward a chiller rather than a reverse cycle aircon... although the area, and period of the year, required to cool are both small....

There's just an unknown as to how much heat transferrance to the tank(s) from the growbeds in the greenhouse... and/or heat gain in the shed itself during the short hot summer month or two...

Adjusted pumping cycles might be sufficient alone... and the shed will be insulated...

Update...

Pegged and marked out the greenhouse & shed layout... and position of the components a couple of weeks ago... (forgot the camera)...

And of course... it bucketed down for the next two days.... and pretty much for the last two weeks...

Finally cleared up on Monday, so took a trip up to Sydney on Tuesday with a pantech to pickup all the aquaponic gear...

Darn pantech had a 300mm lip above the doors that I hadn't factored in... so I had to leave a couple of 2000L tanks behind.... wouldn't fit by about 150mm...

Wednesday... was due to meet the semi bringing the greenhouse up from Melbourne about 06:00 this morning... to guide him into the site...

Turns out it was a "B Double"... no way it was going to get into the site...

Arranged for him to drop into the Sydney depot where the tanks were... headed home to get a car trailer and truck.. and back up to Sydney...

Greenhouse, pipes, plumbing, and aquaponics components (minus the 3000L tank which I'll take up on Friday)... all on site and laid out ready for erection/installation...

Have photos this time... but my computer has been down for two days, and I'm using my daughters laptop and can't resize...

Hopefully, we'll pour the slab for the shed on Friday.... delayed due to rain...

Then it'll be all go...

Juggling a few balls there Rupe by the sounds of it.... That will be really nice with a concrete floor...

Only the shed will go on a slab.... greenhouse will remain compacted crusher dust....

Budget wouldn't allow for a slab totalling 16x8mtr....

Here's the site... pegged, marked... (you can just see the marking after the rains)... and with the system layed out... (minus the 3000L fish tank... which goes beside the 1000L tank at the end)...

The trusty little truck and trailer that got the delivery done...



Believe it or not.... this is a 7x12mtr greenhouse...



Doesn't look like much for the dollars it cost...

Hum, where is the special handle you pull for it to transform into that greenhouse? Oh wait don't push that button till it is in the right orientation to set up in the right place!!!!! Aww darn, now ya gotta but it together by had the old fashion way

Looks like a great project, keep the updates coming!

Dugout the trenchs for the growbed irrigation and returns, and electrical supply prior to the slab being poured on Tuesday...

The growbed supply line will extend through to the end of the greenhouse... and have a ball valve that allows for the tank to be dumped if necessary...



The ball valve will actually be located in a small sunken enclosure at the end of the last growbed supply line... as opposed to the pic above...



This will prevent water from stagnating in the end of the line...

In the event that the tank requires dumping... the growbed supply line ball valves can be closed... and the tank supply line ball valve opened... and pumped down...

Greenhouse footings/post will be poured and set on Tuesday as well...

And the greenhouse erected over the next two days...

The tank shed slab will require 5 days to cure... and the shed itself should be erected next weekend...

Power to the shed and greenhouse lighting is scheduled for the following Monday... and the AP systems should be finalised and commisioned by Wednesday...

Then it's just installing the dual 2500L rainwater tanks, and tank chiller... fish feeders and backup systems... and planting out..

Should all be complete and cycling by the end of month...and ready for fish when the client return from overseas around the end of July...

Now, that's funny !