Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all,

First post here. I'm not at all a fan of plastic...at least where it's possible to avoid it's use.

Do any of you have any ideas for waterproofing wooden or metal tanks and grow beds without using plastic liners, coatings, etc.? I've been hunting down old recipes. Seen some interesting things like portland cement combined with linseed oil, water glass plaster, etc., but I'm not sure how well any of this will work in such a biologically/chemically active environment. Any ideas would would be much appreciated.

I have a long list of reasons I'm personally not fond of plastic. So I'm not asking to be convinced plastics are the way to go.

Thanks,

Tim

Hi Tim:

Ironic considering where you live, or maybe that's the reason you want to avoid it?

What about something like barrels - where wood seals because of expansion. Also asphalt can be natural I think, and is used for sealing. I know Jaymie and Axl had theirs sealed with bitumen which to us is asphalt.

Haha, yes it does seem a little ironic I suppose. But Fort Worth is kinda quirky place in some regards. Not everyone in Cowtown eats beef and drives pickup trucks.

Wood is my preferred building material. But I'm not sure what the longevity of it would be. Cypress and cedar are easily sourced in these parts, but I wonder if their natural rot-resistant qualities would be off-putting to fish. I keep thinking there must be something I can seal the interior of wooden vessels with.

for all my tanks and grow beds I use the 45mil EPDM liner by firestone...

I get mine here... http://www.justliners.com/EPDM.htm

The unique properties of EPDM are listed below:
AQUATIC SAFE

A highly stable material that is formulated for safety when exposed to fish and plant life in a decorative pond.

HIGHLY FLEXIBLE

Stays flexible in temperatures from -40° Fahrenheit to 175° Fahrenheit making it easy to install year round. Unlike other liner materials, it does not contain plasticizers that could make it become brittle with age and cause cracks or splits in the material, threatening aquatic life.

DESIGN VERSATILITY

EPDM's flexibility provides more versatility in the pond design. Unlike preformed liners, it can be easily shaped to fit the unique contours of the pond dimensions, allowing a more creative design.

WEATHER RESISTANT

Remarkable resistance to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV), ozone and other environmental conditions.

HIGH ELONGATION

High expansion and contraction characteristics that enable it to conform to objects in the sub grade. Should earth movement occur, rocks and tree roots could be dislodged beneath the liner, but EPDM's high elongation will enable it to stretch over such objects.

MINIMAL MAINTENANCE

Requires little or no regular maintenance once installed. However, if repair becomes necessary, it is easy to do without removing the liner from the pond with the EPDM repair patch.

EASY INSTALLATION

Installs easily and quickly. No special skills or tools are required.

Hope this helps

jT

Hi Tim
+ 1 for the EPDM I'm sure you'll find a firestone supplier in the US
For those in Australia
you may want to check out this site they offer $29.95 freight anywhere in Australia and delivery was very prompt. I was unable to find a better price /m2
http://www.rockaroundtheblock.com.au/ca ... asp?cID=35

Hmmm, it seems to be a pretty useful and economical material. But it's a little more synthetic than what I'm hoping use. Firestone's website says, "PondGard membrane is guaranteed to be compatible with aquatic life in accordance with testing reports published by the Water Research Centre in the UK."

I'm curious what those testing reports actually say. "Compatible with aquatic life" and "sustainable with aquatic life" aren't quite the same thing.

Thanks for the replies. Maybe someone knows of alternatives?

pond shield

www.pondarmor.com

or call them (number on web page)

Talk to butch, tell him Aussie Steve sent you.

Thanks for the link, Steve. Will check this out. I've done quite a bit of work with epoxies.

Hi Tim,

It's good to see another DFW AP'er.

I have used epoxy concrete sealer and epoxy paint on my concrete FT...

http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories ... ete-Sealer

http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories ... s-1-Gallon

and just installed the firestone pond liner on my inside the greenhouse Grow bed Sump tank combo.... Will post pic's of the GB/ST install in my system link soon, still trying to get everything working right before it gets cold tomorrow.....
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=6279&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Clay?

If in the US check this stuff out..

http://www.rubberizeit.com/

Liquid Water Base Rubber

Juergen