Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yep , there is a lot of it used Steve, check at your plumbing supply place...it's true Steve...really...I kid you not...would this face lie
Murray

Murray, my appologies.
Apparently the blue mains pvc pipes you used to see them laying in the streets are PVC too.

A quick search did find potable water certified PVC.

even pvc hoses that are certified under california Proposition 65 - (Compounds contain no substances designated as hazardous under California Proposition 65. )

I'm fairly sure california has one of the most stringent........can't think of the word....... check any products that come from the states most of them will have a clause saying "contains products that are known to the state of california to cause cancer"

There is hope!

I wonder how much more expensice the potable water PVC pipes are.......probably ridiculously!

Comments on this "certified safe" PVC?
Frosty?
Anyone?

Gee, the other members are going to have fun catching up there are around 40 new posts since most people went to bed

uPVC is unplasticised PVC

Lead based stabilisers were phased out in 1988 (not that long ago really!)

My head hurts
I've just read though 120 odd pages from plastic plumbings catalouge

There are so many differnet types of pipe. PE, PP PVC ABS

Joel exactly what type of pvc pipe did you use?

I'm getting the feeling that uPVC may be safer that what i assumed

Poor perchies, i have ignored them for the internet.
MUST do water changer 2morrow

Ouch, my head

G'nte! ( HOW do i get up in the mornings?!)

I probably will use PVC piping in my system. As murray has pointed out, the piping in houses usd for water these days is mainly PVC type stuff - they don't put copper pipe all through the place anymore.

I didn't mean to overplay this topic - my major concern has been the fact that if using poly for a solar heating system it would be sitting in the direct sun, have hot water in it and would presumably deteriorate more quickly as a result meaning a greater potential danger of leaching. Also, given that the pipe is made for watering gardens I am sure there is no requirement for them to state exactly what is in it. Eventhough it is called poly - it may also have other dangerous chemicals.

I think it is a good thing though to know what the different pipes are made out of and what it means. The acronyms are pretty full on. Should look at summarising all of the findings in a single page, put a sticky on it and update it as more info is known. Eg provide on that page the definition of PPVC that aqua googled up and the stuff that Steve and others have provided that are from proper sources. I would certainly prefer to use PVC pipes that are food grade, as opposed to drain pipes if this is at all possible. If it is not, then I will probably settle for the normal PVC and take the risk (though wouldn't want to use the old stuff that had lead in it).

I essence, I am not going to be silly about all this, I just want to reduce the risks where it is plausable to do so. Mainly this will involve me using fibreglass where possible (has added advantages of being attractive and lasting a long time) and not having water go directly into my tanks if they have been through a poly solar collector. Poly tanks are also more than acceptble to me, though I would only use such a tank if it was certified as food grade, as water tanks are. I would not use a nylex plastic crate or something like that which was never meant to be exposed to the sun or used for food grade.

Yep there are many houses that use PVC piping for their water, I remember being quite surprised at the time when I saw the plumbing at a friends house, I'd never seen it used before for the fresh water.

Thats what its all about in a nut shell Be informed, reduce risks where possible.

Thanks for quoting a sentence with typo Steve. Was meant to say 'In essence...'

think we all need to go to typing lessons

No worried VB

I get so excited in some posts that i jumble up all my letters (or is it becasue i'm surviving on 5 hrs sleep a night?)

I'd edit them for you, but then your last post wouldn't make any sense and people wouldn't have a chance to smile

Anyway, back to work for me, i just popped home for a coffe and some lunch, running late now, might have to ditch the lunch

I'll be back on the night shift

Steve

Don't you get sacked now Steve.........

stop posting, i can't tear myself away when i see new posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

that is the reason I cant get a good night sleep anymore - just gotta see what ppl are chatting about - new ideas etc....

A friend from the permaculture site has just send me a link to a very interesting article.



Well worth a read of the whole article Found here. If some of these beneficial compost bacteria are present within aquaponic systems, as they may well be, then perhaps leaching is not as greater issue. I'd love to find somone who has done research along those lines.

EB, that was well worth the read. Very interestng.

Once comment though, i'm not fund of the word "remove" when used in relation to metals. I know that it explains that the uranium is converted into a non water soluble non plant available form, but minerals (metals) can not be "broken down" (or created for that matter, thats why our veggies are so devoid of minerals, the same land has been used for centuries with only NPK put back in, the minerals ran out a long time ago) . This is an important destinction, as un available / unsoluble forms can easily become available again in differing water / soil ph.

But thats the only negative i have. (i hope that people don't think i'm a negative sort of bloke, i just tend to really analyse things.)

Any way, GREAT news to hear that little soil beasties can break down some of the really complex chemical nasties we pat ourselves on the back for creating.

I'm sure that there are a diverse range of beasties living in our water:) they might not be as good as the compost heap as many of those bacteria wer thermophilic (living between 45C and 65C, roughly) but still nature has a way of taking care of itself.

EB, do you think its possible to incorporate a mini bog or marsh into a system. maybe a tub where water was dripped in ULTRA slowly

I've read that some of the best waste composting system use all "types" of bacteria. IE aerobic first then anerobic (probabbly meso and themo philic as well) each type coverts something to something better.

Interesting stuff. Thanks for the link