Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So - today's task is to split the barrels and wash them. Got all my plumbing bits in the mail the other day, but my mother has the kids and the car so I can't go and get long pipes to set up the plumbing.

I've got some cheap recycled rubble - bits of old bricks, concrete etc, left over from another job. Would this be OK to use in the grow beds, or is it going to make my system too alkali?

... The latter, I would suggest. Some concrete mixes can be of a ph well in excess of 12 - and can continue to carbonate even further towards the end of the scale!

Step off on the right foot with choice medium, and take peace and comfort in it's dependability in the long run!

BTx

Yea got to choose the right medium for the word go, otherwise things will head down the pooper.

You can easily check any gravel media you get at home by putting it in a cup or container and then pouring in some vineger, if it bubbles that means the media contains limestone or marble. This is NO GOOD for aquaponics and do not use it.

River rocks are a pretty safe bet, cheap too. Been meaning to try broken bits of clay planters as grow media, but can't give any input on that at the moment.

We only have 120V power here, but I would power in a conduit to a protected receptacle close to my system. An easier solution might be to run a power cord into a very very small shed (like a box) where your pump can plug into it.

As far from the bung as possible and seal the bung, as you thought. Works great.....the other way doesn't.


Clay brick would be fine, but anything made from cement would really raise the PH far above the zone we want.

TPS is conduit???? Had a sparky in this morning for a quote and opinion. Got a hard choice to make $230 for a powerpoint next to the pond (I do trenching and pole), or do it myself (he told me how) with conduit: Take off plug end, thread through conduit. Rewire plug end in junction box. Do same with extension cord in junction box to powerpoint (we have one on the verandah). Fill junction box with silastic to make it waterproof.

Choices..... temptation..... [/quote]

Hi FeyWind, from the sounds of it you dont have a lot of experience with electricity so here are my suggestions (I am not a sparky but am a registered cabler and have worked for a few sparkys in my time)
Dont get that sparky to do any work at your place he is an idiot
Dig the trench yourself to 400mm deep, get enough orange conduit to reach from house to where you need it, go to B and buy a length of 3 core power cable(minimum 2.5mmsquare- I would prefer larger but expense goes up) buy a waterproof junction box or waterproof powerpoint, then get a (different )sparky to come and connect it into your main house wiring( he can piggyback it off the powerpoint you are currently using
A couple of thing to keep in mind when dealing with electricity
1- Water+Electricity+a little knowledge= One Dead APer
2- One Flash and You are Ash

do what you can to save money but when your safety and the safety of your family are at stake let the professionals do their thing and do it properly from the start

And make sure you've got an earth leakage RCD installed...

+1
+1

Whats an earth leakage RCD?

Will trip your whole circuit in about a heartbeat if there's any fault...

I'll let the electrical engineers give the complete definition...

Sounds like an important component. Visited an uncles pond the other day, apparently he had 50 odd fish in it, over 2 years old, then one day somebody stole this wire coming in from the electric supply to the neighbourhood and everything on that circuit got fryed, all the fish got electrocuted. This sounds like the doohicky that will prevent such a HSM.

Good for safety, but I think I'm more likely to lose fish to one of them tripping and "keeping things safe" than to electrocution. One of the nice things about CHIFT-PIST is that there are no fish with the pump. One could even have that tank grounded well for more safety. Heck, a little electrical leakage might even get rid of the mosquito larvae (Just joking! The mozzies would get sucked into the fish tank anyway and the electrical leakage might release chlorine by disassociating salt. I'm just tired of circuits suddenly not working....)

Of course, around here we have 120V power and it just gives one a tingle or bite when one reaches into the water unless one has a weak ticker and my electric stock fence is more of a danger in that case. With 240V there is a LOT more danger!

Hi Hydrophilia
In Aus all new houses have to have a built in RCD and if you sell your house you are supposed to have one fitted- the idea behind having an RCD is to save YOUR life and if the RCD turned the power off then you know about it pretty quickly when the tv doesnt turn on

Whups- are we hijacking the thread - if so then I apologise

Hey FW
I'd grab those IBC if there any good. As you may already realise AP is addictive and like most APer's you'll soon be expanding

Dig the trench yourself to 400mm deep,

I don't know if the laws change from state to state, but 600mm electricity 800mm gas in W.A

and 400mm is telstras level for cable