Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Will still need 50 % shade from Mitre 10, Farinoses ans Son's.... about $10 a meter from memory

No there is a big thread on it by Creative 1, should read it....very very interesting

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4918&hilit=moon+planting

termites should be no problem, the oils and things they use on rail sleepers is pretty serious stuff. I always thought it contained arsenic tho... but don't quote me ... just a thought. what if you got some angle iron and cut slots into the sleepers at relavant distances and sat the angle into the slot then screw the top face down... if you get the idea.. i could mash a drawing up in paint if it helps.

Hi Guys,

Dufflight,
thanks for that, I actually didnt think of using dowles. 4 of those would fix the legs nicely, but i think i would still run into the glue not sticking problem. But i will keep it in mind.

Jessy,
I thought you were joking! I will have a read of that post by creative1.
Regarding the shade coth, will that be too much shade?
i got a couple of 3.6x 3.6 shade sails from deals direct for $40 each. Since then i was told that the same shade sails can be had for $20 each on special! the qiuality looks ok, we will see if it lasts. Not sure of the %.

Stevesmartt,
Hi, I was going to do that, but now that the glue is not sticking i am re-thinking the whole idea. Depending on what steel i can get vers what i have to buy and cost, i still might use the angle to stablise the legs. A couple of bits of angle "sloted" into teh legs, with bufflights broom handle, plus the angle tieing the two sections together would do the job.

But I will get a costing on the material to build a proper stand and see if its worth while.

Actually... if you up against extremes of climate... then planting by the moon.. and establishing seeds or seedlings... is even more beneficial...

Hi Every one,

Just a quick update to say that i have finally got the material for my GB stand.
So, if all things go right (yea like that is going to happen) i should have a system starting to cycle before the end of the weekend.

I have been keeping myself busy by getting a cheap pool up for summer and a some shade sales up to cover the GB and pool.

I am a bit worried about having the pool only 2m away from the growbed, but i really dont have a choice. I guess i will have to be just carful that not too much pool water get splashed into the GB.

hey, i have been trying to find some actual info on fishless cycling. I have searched and found heaps of referances to it, but little "facts". Can anyone point me at a thread that explains the details and what to do.......

CH

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2534&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=pee+ponic%27s

this is a thread by TCLynx..about her fishless system Pee Ponics....everything you shall seek will be in this thread

Your the best jessy.

Ok I am back in action.

My friend has deilvered the old shelving sections and with a bit of cutting and welding you get:


with a bit more cutting and welding, you get:


a bit of leveling and a growbed!!!


Now i just have to find some gravel. I know where there are HUGHE piles of it but its un-graded (all different sizes) so probably not what i want.

Hi every one,

Looks like everything is almost ready to go. I have, hopefully, found a substute for the blue metal.

A local supplier, North West Sand and Gravel, is able to supply what looks like crushed quartz.
Is this OK for grow medium??

CH

I used river pepples in an old system which has a high percentage of quartz pieces in it. No issues, worked well.

Crushed should be OK if isn't too small i.e. so smaller than 15mil. Smaller than that can clog up.

Id be very careful filling that up with gravel, there really is not a lot of strength in the build design you have there. Visually Im guessing thats 25mm box with wall thickness if used for shelving would be only 1.6mm. Gravel and 3/4 water equals easily one - two tonne of weight, you may need to add some cross bracing on the ends to stop the legs splaying out as the weight increases, just my thoughts

I agree

I'd try and get 14mm river pebbles as they are easy to work with, airate well and, well, they come from river - bit like fish really

Hi Guys,

thanks for the comments, but where i am its pretty hard to get anything, and the local supplier has only got this quartz. so i guess that is what is going to be.
I will have another look around at the local suppliers too see if they have any of the pebbles.

Regarding the stand it is 25x25x3mm angle. But i could add a bar along the bottom to stop the bottom splaying out.