Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Too funny

The bar aligns in between the baskets, the water level is not full yet so in this photo it appears to over lap, but it should work out once full.



We just finished our brace for the top, only its steel cut with the angle grinder and drilled with a multiple surface bit. I'm getting good at fabricating this stuff for a guy who didn't even know what an angle grinder was till a few months ago.

Again, I have to thank Chris for the input and Ron for telling us what tool to purchase. And my neighbor for not getting home till late so I had the nerve to run power tools so late at night.

This was actually a very quick and cheap solution. Pre-drilling the holes was the longest part at about 3-4 minutes each and the bit was unusually long I was worried it might break with too much downward force but it held up. Trimming the excess off with the angle grinder was like cutting butter, I hardly got to use it.

Pond,

Copper air line? Or another paint job?

Another paint job (standard 1/2" PVC pipe) and brass on the tips. I think Fuzzy said it best here...

So he challenged us to go steampunk and though I don't understand much artistically it does seem to make a good fit. Really we're limited by our building skills so paint is an easy method to clean it up visually. And hiding as much underground and behind walls as possible.

Anyway... check out his build which is very ascetically pleasing while still using ugly IBC containers. Or at least watch this awesome slow motion video from his page.


Fuzzy's Build =http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15712

Makes me want to grab a fly rod.

or just grab a fish

Milkwoods site is so neat, and easy to move around.
I wish I could get mine laid out better

Hold on one more quote from Fuzzy's build thread.

smart guy

Now she is going to want one that looks even better LOL

It is funny, every time I talk about cladding the sides of my system, my wife says "Really? I like the way it looks."

Your use of space is about as good as it gets Ron, you sump digging was our entire motivation to bury ours. I literally woke up the night after reading your build thread and started digging... so that was 4 months ago! lol

As for cladding its grown on me as I keep seeing jayendra's work. I also live very close to the port of Tampa so I can find lots of shipping crates on craigslist which means half the job is done and the price of wood drops in half too.

Originally I was looking for some type of more flush panel without the grids of a fence or crate. What Squatchaponics has done with bamboo is worth mentioning too, and especially fitting of Hawaii and even here in Florida.

For now I kind of like the paint look we have going on with bronze and "eden green" even if we never panel those GBs at all.

About painting PVC though...
If I painted the PVC that runs on the top of my GBs, that paint could leach right into the GB and hurt the system. Right? Especially because my system is exposed to the elements and direct rain. I'm not talking about painting PVC that will be submerged but only the plumbing that runs right along the tops of the beds.



I know this is killing the technical people who are thinking... get the system working then worry about it... sorry about that, I swear I will start cycling water in the next 2 weeks!

The boss lady is not willing to contribute her humonia to the system. She said I already have photos of her feet on the internet and she has to draw the line. I told her she is not organic enough anyway I was not really all that interested in the first place. The dog would help if I had a properly placed fire hydrant.

So different types of ammonia fish waste, store bought, cat-pee-ponics, or humonia could all invite the bacteria into the system that I need to start the cycle. I'm wondering if each type invites unique types of bacteria. I am guessing one day that ammonia and bacteria diversity will be better understood. Or at least I personally will understand it better then I do today.

Pond,

You got me on that one. But yeah, get cycling already! I am waiting to see how your indexing valve is going to pan out.

Save the little lady...use a few dozen feeder goldfish for 2 bucks. Then she can name them and they can grow old in your system.