Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey Tristrin, getting back to you sump connections, what fitting have you used to penetrate the sump walls. I am looking at using threaded poly tank fittings that have a rubber grommet or washer and a threaded nut to give a good seal. These fittings are quite expensive once you get up in the pipe sizes. "B" price for 40mm tank fitting is around $20 plus. This is still cheaper than my plumbing supply store on account!
Considering I will need 8 x 50mm tank connections this is getting quite expensive.
I can not make out exactly how the connections are made in the photo you posted.
Have you used the fittings I am discribing or something else.

Holy cow those trusses look huge....

Hi BB,
Yes we did use the fittings you described and yes they are rather expensive, but at least it is working well now. Originally we had used 25mm fittings but they reduced the flow too much and the ST's often overflowed.

When Hubby builds something he likes to do it well!

Well I now have an avatar here too!
Those not on backyard farming forum won't know why I'm happy about that.
http://www.backyardfarming.com.au/phpbb ... 2&start=45

Time for an up-date:
Frame work for our new area coming along slowly


hot chillies have grown very well, too many for us as 1 or 2 is all i can handle in a batch of sauce


my favorite

we need to provide better support for the capsicum & chillies as they have grown so big and with the weight of the fruit, keep toppling over. Strawberries will eventually go in our new area we are currently constructing as the humidity in the igloo has been a problem. Lettuce has also been a problem with the humidity. Have been busy making sauce from the tomatoes even though they had a bit of a set-back when they got a bit burn't off from too much foliar fertilizer (well that's my opinion...DH still thinks he wasn't heavy handed!) Have planted some carrots as an experiment and so far they are doing well. We are going to harvest some more silver perch tomorrow as we need to reduce their numbers, they are growing well.

Well those trussess finally went up in April, but the frame work is progressing very slowly, due to other comittments and the rain......but I'm not complaining about the rain






Polycarbonate sheeting will go over the area where the growbeds will sit and zincalume over the remainder. The new building is being built over top of the old building, which will soon be pulled down.

The roof is finally on but still lots more to do.

Nice looking structure you have there Tristrin, I'm jealous...

very nice.

Can't wait to put a BYAP system in, but will have to save a few pennies first.....building the structure blew our budget!

Hey Tristin, very nice indeed.

Just wondering if you have gutters on the roofing so that you can collect rain water for your aquaponic system?

No gutters yet, but it's a consideration. Wasn't sure about using rain water in the AP though....thought it may be too soft. I am also going to put in a few dirt beds in the area so we may collect the rain water for them.

I have found that the rain water works well in our AP system and no electricity costs as it gravity feeds to the fish tank. (We are not on scheme water.) As it is not far from the back door we use it for drinking water. Aaaah the good life!