Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Cool breeze just swept in!
Melbourne temp. just dropped from 39.6 deg @ 14:25 down to 26.4 deg @ 15:25.

http://www.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/~awa ... btemp.html

That's much nicer... .

Just checked my trout temps 24.9 beds in full sun twice a day 10 am 3.30 pm i put on a sprinkler on for 1/2 hr wets the whole area down evaporation does the rest

Hi dicko is that establishment still next to work

HaHaHa!! Yes it is Milne...

Exactly why do you ask???

.

OK...
True to form, I left the still camera at work again!!
You'll all just have to put up with a hastily put together video.
Some idea, the freezer is around 700 litres, 750mmwide and about 1800mm long.
The fish are a bit stressed as I have just removed the pump, cage, and airball from their environment.
last time that happened shortly thereafter, there was a big net dragged through the tank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS8ZUA2AXXg

Enjoy, Dicko

P.S. Does anyone else have a trout that comes up to be tickled?

Nice dicko that will give a few people a few ideas

Cool Dicko, Much appreciate the video,
where did you get the inline thermostat?
Is that tank usually hooked up to GBs?
Have a great day.

Great idea Dicko,
Is it an old shop ice cream freezer?
+1 on the thermostat.
Cheers

I second that, nicely done video.

I have seen lots of freezers used for fish tanks. First one I have seen that was running (sometime anyway). Very cool (pun intended) setup.

I too wonder if you tie the freezer into growbeds? If so, with the cool water, what kind of plants would you grow?

@ skipd..Here's something to start with... I just typed in thermostat on Ebay.
10amp 240/110 volts. just need a box to put it in.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mini-Digital-Tem ... 3f0390ca0a

@netab 32.. I picked it up out of the trading post for $200. was used in a seafood restaurant

@jdphish.. plants should not be a problem, during winter they survive on water at about 4 degrees celsius.
You'll probably find that the cost of electricity to keep the plants cool is more than the cost of veggies though

Wow thats cool

Any chance you could tell us the power usage on that beast?

might be a dumb question, but how is the water in the freezer filtered

No such thing as a dumb question... unless of course you don't ask it.

The water is not filtered. The purpose at this stage is to get the fish through summer alive, and with the least amount of stress. (To both the fish & myself)
The fish are fed only lightly about every second day, usually 1 or 2 pellets at a time.
When the frenzied feeding dies down and there is no more "racing" to the food, I stop feeding them.
(I don't feed them till they stop eating) to reduce ammonia output.
Every weekend I transfer about 50% of the amonia rich tank water into the main system,
I then use the overflowing water from the AP sump to water the dirt garden, which would normally be watered with a hose.
Then, instead of using the hose to water the dirt garden, I use it to fill the Cooltank.

Overall I end up using the same amount of water, just differently

Power usage??? no idea. It would all depend on how hot the weather is, and what temperature you set the thermostat to.
If you wanted water at 12 degrees it will cost you a lot more than if you wanted 17 etc.
I only chose 15 degrees because that's what it came out of the tap at.
It made sense to maintain the temperature rather than cooling the water further or letting it heat up if I didnt need to.

Thanks Dicko

Great way to get your trout through the summer. I think there will be others making tanks out of old freezers in time for next year.
Again very well done

Todd