Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Trying to put together a design and wondering about the pros/cons of building concrete growbeds. Aside from the obvious weight, permanant structure side of it. If my time searching the country for other options that look presentable is worth any money, this may be the cheapest thing I'll find other than blue barrels. Labour per hour is not too costly here and we have some great artisans to make a pretty project.

Any other growbed ideas if prefab's and fancy stuff like plywood and liners are not readily available?

Think outside the box now! Anyone?????????

I've been looking into concrete. I plan to make a reusable outer mold and just place the mesh inside and add the concrete. Don't want to use an inner mold, just going to work it into a basin. Because they are going to be on top of a concrete slab I was going to drill and put re bar so the GB does not move. Then if it works I can add the GB's as I need them. I think even if I stuff it up and it cracks I'll just silastic it up. I do think it will need a coat of something unless it can age for a while. It it goes well I can even make some for the side yard.

Your near the coast? What about old boat hulls (presentable ones)?

Bricks and mortar?

I have been thinking about that one funny enough, like a whole harbour anchored in the front yard growing AP. Could end up being a sight seeing attraction

Around here we have fiberglass hot-tubs free for the hauling...

im thinking about useing an old box trailer sealed and painted or lined with aliner, it would make my FT moveable .
i scored 5 x 200lt blue barrels for $50 yesterday so im almost there .
good luck with it argus keep us posted.

They make fish tank liners for dumpsters.

The liner method does not have to use anything fancy like plywood. Especially if you have some slope to your site. Use the ground to support most of your growbeds.

I find that barrels are not necessarily the cheapest option for a large system once you sort out all the additional plumbing needed to hook up each barrel and arrange support and stands for the barrels.

I've heard of people using old bathtubs from the tip, Half IBCs for grow bed, barrels cut the other way, Stock troughts, stock tanks, storage bins, old refrigerators/freezers, kiddie pools, and many other things can be turned into grow beds.

I have thought of using concrete for fish tanks but I would probably not be comfortable doing it unless I sealed the concrete. Otherwise it takes quite a lot of time to stop messing with the system pH.

Yep, lots of barrels sucks big time, never again

Was cool at the time though.

Making it more alkaline TCL? Wasn't aware of that. I plan to seal with a product called Cemcrete. We did our pool in this and was very durable. Applied like a paint so I will do it myself. This should make it OK. I want a black finish in the Ponds. GBs don't matter really.

Hi A! I am going with bricks and mortar for the GBs and finished in cement. I looked at all the options and found this to be cheapest for me. I couldn't believe how expensive plastics actually are when wanting to buy for an AP system! I will just finish with Cemcrete too as with the Fish Pond. Any colour. Black for Fish Pond.

Chelle - Just make sure it is safe for potable water.
I don't see the issue with concrete..
my rain water tank and 1000's of others are concrete...
pH is neutral and been that way for 20 years I know of!

Not initially though C1 - I thought it takes a while for the ph to stabilise in new concrete.

Concrete pro here

Not

Possibly very early on.
water pressure pushes water into the structure
and leaches out free lime and salts

Just need to add some tequila then as well

Check out DT Hawk's sysyem, makes GB's out of Ferrocement, viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1078&p=147281#p147281