Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I know it's tempting but be careful. I ran into trouble with the NFTs this summer
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7390&start=30
(middle of page).

It wasn't solids gunking up the roots that did it. The problem was roots grew so massive they clogged the pipes and then the water came out the baskets the cukes were in and emptied the sump tank.

I posted to your thread on the next page awhile back.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7390&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=45

And those are 6" pipes, so i don't think i'll have much problem with them. I'll be planting some lettuce and spinach into the pipe ports in autumn and work with the system over winter and into early spring. That's when they taste the sweetest, right?

About the only time I'll have to mess around with the system anyway.

6" pipes are pretty good but ya still need to check things regularly as I've had roots block pipes too.

But as long as you harvest the salad while it is small and tender you should be good with even small pipes. If you tempt fate with vines even in the 6" pipes you could have some root problems. I know of people who have planted toms into 6" pipes and had clogging issues from roots.

Finished the fish tank lid. Kinda half-assed, but I reckon it'll work. Gotta make do with what you have.

A bit odd - making a shade cloth lid for a fish tank in 20F weather in the middle of winter.

Then I shot some paint on the exposed pipe. Probably should have done it before the shadecloth install but...

Here I am driving to a job 375 miles from home. What do I see? At the end of every third or fourth driveway, IBC tanks with the tops cut off. And what are they using them for? Trash pickup.
Aw man. Do you know how many vegetables I could grow in those things?

I’m obsessed. Everything I see is a fish tank or a grow bed.

Maybe I should take a different road home.

IBCs are listed on Craig's list all the time. I inquired about one today (for $50!) but it had already sold.

You got the AP bug for sure!

would be nice CJ but, no dough at the mo.
Tomorrow, am headed up the road to a farmer's barn. He has a few stock tanks sitting in a pile.
I checked, he's going to throw them out, so he might as well throw them into my truck. I can probably fix them. Somehow. Maybe.

We'll see how good I can get with plastic welding. Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Hey Mr. Bill,
Looks like were both in the same boat together. Both bitten by the AP bug, both In GA, both trying to start our AP systems and have to finish a greenhouse. Cool ehh! Maybe we can help each other as we learn. Interested in seeing your future post, pics. Good luck!

Yep, scored 5 stock tanks. 4 - 100 gal (378L) and 1 - 150 gal (568L) along with an IBC tank that has a questionable past and 4 - 33 gal white barrels.

I can probably fix the two that have cracks

But wait, there's more...

4 sump pumps

And can fix this too...

Great find bill

One thing I would check out is the amp draw vs flow rate on the sump pumps (put the model # in google and get a specification sheet). Some sump pumps pull like 4-5x the power as a magnetic or centrifugal low head pump. Quick plastic epoxy works great on the stock tanks (been there).

Trying to work only on the GH and not add new stuff, go off on rabbit trails, start new projects, etc... I certainly can't spend money, cause I don't have any to spend. That free stuff I picked up today doesn't count. Had to get it before someone else got it or it went to the tip.

So, worked on the GH today. Had set the strawberry towers in their 5 gallon buckets with drains a couple of months ago just to see how they looked, then left them there. Working on other things in the GH. Moved around some things on the ground and tipped over a tower which busted. Blast and curses. Too cold out here to be working anyway.

Kids helped out in the GH today
"Please don't throw things in the fish tank"
Kid 1: "OK Papa"
Kid 2: "OK Papa, but where are the fishes, where is the water, when are we going to get fishes, can we feed them, will they get cold, and on and on and on...

Worked on the GH today. More wall built, more of the roof built.
Frustrating that I can't do more to get it completed. Have to have some patience and work with what I have.