Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Looking good. What did you paint the inside of the tank with?

My wife said I wasn't to put any water in anything unless I could keep the kids out.

Smart wife you have there Dexter

Google SketchUp is mint!!!!!

This is my steel GB stand. For anyone interested:

50x50x2mm RHS(I'm trying 1.6mm next time. Much cheeper)

8 @ 700mm (Legs. So are a bit personal preference)
6 @ 1100mm
10 @ 1190mm (Cross supports. Tilkeys sag a bit so you might like more, or put a timber deck on them)

50x25x1.6 RHS

2 @ 3600mm
2 @ 1090mm (Or 1190mm as I prefer to cut at 45 deg. Easier to weld)

Get yourself a welder and get stuck into it.

I can't seem to post my SketchUp drawing. Takes me down a peg or two. I thought I was pretty clever there for a while

Got tech support onto it. Here goes!

One of my unique skills is to make it look like I have put a lot more effort into a task that shouldn't really need it. My wife suggested once that I'd get things done much faster if I didn't own a spirit level.
The pump was a freeby, but I've worked out it is most likely a Grunfos CH2-40, so 50-55l/min (3000l/hr) at the head I have. Some suggestion it isn't quite big enough long term as I'm considering 4-6kL of GB and FT.

The paint is KillRust (Ocean ) , and it's sprayed in several coats over the old chemical resistant, rubberised paint from when it was a grape tank. Gave it a good once over with a wire brush first. Fingers crossed.

A note to new players. Buy your test kit now, if you don't already have one. It's a pain when you're ready to start and then have to order one from a city, or buy a single ammonia test kit for $20 with 100 tests in it from a tackle shop, when if I was organised I would have had all the tests for $45. I think I'll have to bite the financial bitter pill to get this thing started.

Started testing on Friday, 19/2, and planted some seeds on 22/2 to go with transplanted Strawbs. Seeds in 20mm gravel don't look very convincing.

Hi Dexter
Pity I didn't know of your system last week as I was in Barmera visiting my partners parents they have a small fish pond and are keen to start an AP system so would have been good to meet up
Perhaps next time!

Hi Dexter
While visiting your area last week we considered purchasing a property in the area so that we can be a little closer to family
We intend keeping our place in Alice so would be looking at the low end of the market
If you happen to know of any properties with the following;
Small house needing some minor renovations but livable
Close as possible to the River on the outer areas of Loxton/Berri/Moorook area
on a quarter acre (more would be OK)
Local knowledge is always good

Not much of a market trawler myself but there might be a few 'exit package' properties around if you're lucky, although the value of a view of the river is never lost on a vendor no matter how disillusioned they are with things. It's hard to imagine Barmera is skyrocketing so you might get in there for a good price and you can join the catfight over how full the lake should be!!

Dex

A small setback. I run my hand along the bottom of the tank and peeled up some paint. I think it is most likely only the last coat that didn't stick properly, but I'm wondering which way to jump. I might borrow a shuttle from Landmark and use it to keep the cycling going (I might need 2, but they might be hard to join temporarily), then paint the bottom of the tank again with the same paint or try and find some sort of spray on liner, or I could ignor it.

I've read that truck bed liners are perfect for such applications - especially if you know someone that has the equipment. Even heard of people digging ponds and then spaying it right on the dirt to seal it up.

Good luck
mark

King Erik is onto the trout purchase. With any luck that will result in a deadline. Deadlines are good. Helps focus. I wish there was a trout farm on the north side of Adelaide. It's 4 1/2 to 5 hours to Mt Compass. I'm told that smart people use shuttles with a 12V air pump. Could someone confirm that 100 trout will travel for 5 hours (plus personal stops ) with a setup like this.
I looked at the bottom of my tank with a drinking glass and it seems that where the paint is peeling, it's leaving a sound finish anyway. Maybe that is just my lazy side, trying to justify taking the soft option? The floating pieces of paint might not be good for fish.

Deja,
You say truck as in ute or pick up? Spray on liner are we talking here? Where would you look for such a concept so I can thing of an equivalent?

Dex.

Just googled. www.rhinolinings.com.au

Wow! Posting tired really screws with your proof reading skills.