Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

g'day all,

have been getting prices for a pergola/roofed area construction over the aquaponics setup. this is potentially the most expensive part of the setup. is it essential? in a rain event water would fall in the tank and the grow beds and cause water to flood the tank causing it to overflow, the pump is controled by a timer, not a float switch. at this stage im having an exposed system with shaded area for the tank, what do you guys think?

cheers

Have an overflow pipe to your garden or a overflow tank which you could in turn use for top ups when water gets low.

If you don't have cover, you will tend to lose more water to evaporation, and have more temp swings etc, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if you used climate appropriate fish.

Good luck with it.

When we looked at covering our setup we found that the clear plastic "Duratough" was a hell of a lot cheaper than most other coverings. So covering up doesn't have to be that expensive.
Axl

Somebody recently had an issue with a major inclusion of rain causing a ph problem in their system due to the acidic nature of the rain. My system in not under cover, but I have platic over a major part of the pond. Rain does however enter through the grow-bed. I have had no issue to date.

rain gets into my system, but I have holes to allow the water to escape out of my system so as to prevent the water getting to a level where the baby fish would get flushed out or the redclaw could escape.

I am looking at setting up under a tin shed....the walls only go hallf way up....it was animals pens. Being Brisbane there is plenty of light but not a lot of direct sun....would this be suitable??? for fish and plants.
Cheers
Cathy

mines fully in the open, i have only recently put a Gal. cover on the fish tank, but the bed is still open to air. no dramas for me.

Same here

F&F, u got a new PH meter yeh? next time it rains leave a jar out and measure the PH of our rain water. Now i'm curious

My rain water is 7, not much air pollution where I am though.

Nova

Done deal steve