Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Greetings All,

Looking at establishing a new system and wondering if any one here has welded plastic IBC together. Looking at joining a number together to make fishtanks in the order of 5000lt from 5 or 6 individual bulkies.

Regards
Woz

How were you thinking of welding the IBC's together?

There a much simplier ways of joining them together; through the outlet at the bottom, water bridge, uniseals, bulkhead fittings.

Lyndon,

Looking to join the bulkies together by cutting the two sides off (and tops for access), butting them up against each other and welding joins. Aware of the other possibilities but want fish to be able to access the fulllenght of the beds. Planning to have multiple beds (CF) draining directly into FT at a number of locations and what I want would work best with a long thin tank. As I can access IBC's easily and cheaply from work, the idea of joining them up was born. I just need to know if there are any special tricks to welding these tanks.

Woz

Don't know about welding tricks. But I recon it's going to be difficult to cut them straight enough to butt within 2-3mm all the way along each join edge. You'd haveto make some type of cutting jig first.

Also. I'm not sure of your skill levels in this area, or how much value u put on your time and sanity. But I would imagine this is one of those jobs that may not justify the $3k savings. What about a compromise? If ibcs are cheap for u, just join the cages together, then line with pond liner. Use the IBC inner tote/liners for something else. I.e massive worm or bsf composted , methane composter, normal compost bin, wicking beds, etc

Some interesting thoughts there Dr Luke, cutting would be no problem as I could mark before cutting with a grinder and smooth out as necessary. Was just curious if any one here had attempetd to join them up.

Woz

Did you end up welding the IBC tanks together? Interested to know how you went if you did

I have welded metal for years but I wouldn't tackle like you want to even though I have access to a plastic welder. I would rather make a frame of wood or metal and get a liner made up for it. I have seen a piggery turned into a aquaponics system. They just got liners made up for all the pig pens and filled them with water. I couldn't believe what I was seeing , The last time I saw it it had pigs in it and this time there was water and fish.