Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yeah, I wonder if there is a need to air out the tubs by letting them drain fully sometimes. Maybe it would encourage the roots to grow down to the lowered water line or something. Don't know if it would help the plants be more healthy or if it is just not needed.

thanks...

this will be a demonstration system to show how easy it is to set up with an indexing valve.....

so... that will give me a greenhouse system (chift pist), an outdoor 10 bed system (chift pist), a two bed starter system (F&D), and the four bed outdoor system (F&D with index valve)

so I will have a few things for people to look at

jT-

I used http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories ... oxy-Paints on my galvanized tank and highly recommend it with the primer. It bridged the seams easily and has held up for going on three years.

thanks stucco...

saved the site and sent a couple questions

JT

OK but you're going to have to change your signature



It's going to be neat for anyone watching it cycle through the growbeds.

I know circles are big in permaculture and places, but dang, I look at a design like that and think "so much walking." YMMV.
Having said that, I always love what you do, JT!

thanks

100 gallon stock tanks are only 4 feet long (1.2m) so not to hard to walk around...

also if I have a tour, gives plenty of looking room

I can stuff a lot of people in and around the GB's LOL

jT

Powder coating is not actually water proof. You need to galvanise something steel before powder coating to stop the powder coating from popping off and revealing a whole lot of rust underneath. I learned this doing a bike frame once. You could reinforce the seams with some glass and epoxy resin before the coat of epoxy paint...

Depends on the powder coating material. I believe 3m, valspar, and Kelly Moore (along with others I don't recall) make powder coating materials that are NSF rated.

I agree that you must have a sound base. Most powder coating products specify a "white metal" clean, with specific profiles. If you don't have a sound substrate, even the best coating will fail.

No matter what you end up using as a coating - grind or blast that rust away and then immediately coat it. If you're worried about thickness, reinforce it on the exterior side.

Edit: sorry. Didn't notice the date on the post before I responded.

Epoxy paints are the best way to go imo. I used a primer that was made for steel tanks and then epoxy paint on some waste treatment tanks, and they lasted for over 6 years before decommissioning them. One tank was a 1000 gallon rectangular with two internally welded cross members for keep the sides from bulging. Talk about flexing when it was full though. Never had a leak and these tanks were used for treating really low ph water (around 2) for heavy metals (plating plant). Be sure to use the correct respirator though because those fumes are really tough.

Roy