Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

OK.... I thought it might snap before it bent that far.... was it DW or pressure pipe?

New PVC bends a lot easier. Once it ages it becomes brittle.

Pressure pipe, PN9.



Agree, as long as you do the bending when it's relatively new you should be ok, and the sun will also help it to keep the profile...

Aged PVC is still pretty strong though, and can probably still bend older stuff quite a way. The length I have used to form the curves is two 4m lengths with a cross coupling at the apex, thus each section only bends up to the apex. The weak point would normally be the apex (if using one single length), thus why I glued the cross coupling to stop the ends flexing out. Using the offcuts (from the original 6m lengths) to form the sides and apex.

Time will tell how it holds up, but saw it as a cheaper way to gauge the impact of a greenhouse.

Ahh... ok... thought you'd just bent a 6m length... was wondering what the apex thingies were..

Where did you get the cross couplings from and how much??

Can you post a closeup of them?

Here's a pic...

They're quite expensive (relative to other couplings) $5.90 +GST, I get the T pcs for $1.50+GST.
Apparently prices are related to the quantity that gets sold, thus I suppose the number they manufacture in a run through the factory. I get them from my local plumbing supplier.

If you want to run a base section like I did, one thing I figured out (as I ran out of the cross couplings) was for the base couplings I drilled out a 40mm hole in a T pce, and these slipped over the star pickets nicely, and were a lot cheaper too... Still need the cross coupling for the apex though.

I had similiar cost ISSUES with plastic piupe fitting on a green house tunnel I did in Thailand.
Ended up being a LOT cheaper glueing two T's together to make the 4 way fitting, grind a small flat on each T .
Meant i could have two cross members , but i just ignored the extra hole:)

I did learn a lesson and for green house / tunnel #2 ,I investigated fitting prices before worrying about pipe price. Number two came in some 40% cheaper than tunnel one.

Lookin' good. The white "poly" had me wunderin' for a while. The PVC will be a lot stiffer than poly.

Family duties today, so didn't get much progress, did get the crest rafters in though.

I have put a rope through the middle, and thinking of using this to have one side of the cover like a blind, and the rope can lift up the side. Mostly for summer.

Going to drill some holes through the bottom of the legs, and put in a bolt to secure the thing down for the heavy winds, once the cover goes on.

Some pics in the daylight...

Any advantage in filling the PVC with something. Little bit of bird mesh and fill it with cement.

UMMM not sure if I missed something ,, but wouldn't you need at least 4 more length ways pipes?? I can't see the fitting for that.

I must admit I hadn't thought of doing something like that. A few people have suggested I try that to stiffen up the structure, don't think I have the patients though. Might try something like that on the end structures though.

Yeah I'm going to run another one or two smaller gauge poly down each side, not going to attached the same method as the others.
Still more construction on the frame to go (sides and ends), before I'll be ready for the plastic film...
I'll post another pic once I get time to finish the frame, before I put on the film.

You mentioned that you have made poly tunnels before, how did you fix the film to the tunnel?
I was going to try and make clips out of pvc pipe by removing section down one side, something like 80mm lengths, and use these to clip the film to the frame.

The ones I made where to reduce heat ,, shade cloth and to keep bugs out. Just used wire ,, very different to what you need here . I suggested before "velcro" may be good.

Another supplier of PVC crosses etc. Good service.
http://www.wetearth.com.au/Cross-PVC

Cheers IanK

Using cheaper junction box's also allows a place to mount your a light for night time observations. ,

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/10-PVC-Electrica ... m153.l1262

I have again been inspired (by Burnsey's efforts at Westfield Primary, awsome job mate), and I want to convert to a CHIFT PIST setup.

Greenhouse frame completion might be on hold for a few weekends...

THE PLAN:
Thanks to those that have supplied all of the suggestions for the following...

Still happy to recieve any further suggestions to the plan (preferably before I start ).

Stage 1
My 2 x 1000L sumps should arrive on Thursday, to replace the existing 500L sump, so installing them will be stage 1, they will be connected together via the base drain.

Stage 2
Drain the 3000L FT, move SP to my 1 bed system

Move the FT and build a frame from treated pine sleapers under the tank, backfilling with road base, and returning FT. Thus raising the tank approx 250 - 300mm.

I'm going to using my current FT overflow point as the offtake point for the CHIFT PIST plumbing, and this is current at approx the top of the beds height, thus after raising the tank, will be 250-300mm above.

Plumb into existing beds, using 40mm (still have some from my greenhouse construction), will need to reduce back to 25mm at beds, and will have ball valves to balance the flow to each bed.

I will have the pump in the sump on a timer to flood the beds, ideally on the same ratio as before, (15min/hr) all depends on flow to beds though. I'll put a valve on the pump line to regulate the flow to the FT to match the flow to the beds. In the future I'll source a pump to match that rate, but initially will be using my existing Ebara. The beds will be flooded by the existing trickle feed pipes, and drain via the existing standpipe drains.

Stage 3
Bring on the trout...Hopefully I will still be able to get them by then!

At least thats the plan, and then I'll get back to the greenhouse (as all the trenches for the plumbing will be backfilled by then).

Bugger the missus is away this weekend, we have a long weekend in WA, and wanted to make a start. Hmm maybe I need a baby sitter...

Should at least get the sumps in with the kids. I wonder how good my 3yr old is on the shovel .