Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Neato! Things are really happening at your house!

Thanks Dave! With the cooler temperatures it is easier to work hard outside.

I'm interested in seeing what average temperature the fish tanks will maintain at. I know I still need to build a cover over each tank.

The cover is more of a safety thing than a temp thing. Keeps the fish in, and the people and animals out.

You're so right about the safety aspect of a tank cover. I have had some critters fall into one of the tanks before I had dug them into the ground. One half-filled tank had a squirrel that drowned and started to decompose in it before I spotted it. I felt so bad. And boy did it stink! Buried near my mango tree it is recycled too.

On a more pleasant thought... It will be nice when I can walk over the tanks on a deck that I plan to build out of plastic lumber. I reclaimed this material from several broken picnic tables.



I have been thinking on how best to design the deck. Obviously I need a hatch cover that will be easy to lift away. Since this material is heavy I think I'll need to make this part no larger than a 24" square. Each tank measures 35"x54".

Do you think that will be large enough?

Ever give a thought to those hatch lift cylinders for cars? They make some for marine use, but don't know the price in your area.
And you shouldn't have to make a hatch for the whole tank, just enough to feed/harvest should be plenty.

There are plenty of West Marines in Florida. We even sell stainless hatch lifts.

Good idea Bill! Thanks for the link Ron!
Those marine gas struts would definitely make it easier. Now what size would be best?

Or maybe I can get one that works with a remote control? Hehe.

Googled for some info...

Plastiwood = 027 - .030 lbs per cubic inch

So how big is the cover going to be?

Let's say 2'x2'.

My first AP faux pas:
I have made my family late starting out road trip to visit my family who live three hours away in south Florida.

I was able to finish the last couple cross beams in the GB frame and get the fourth GB plumbed in. It is now running continuous flow and half-full with gravel.

I am currently aging a half-gallon of urine based on what TCLynx researched in the Peeponicshttp://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2534.thread.

With about 500 gallons of water in my system, what would be an appropriate amount of humammonia to start with? I'm thinking two cups? Then test in two days?

First time trying to make a fancy link using the tapatalk app. Fail. Guess I need to figure that too. Sigh!

I would think less to try, from what I remember the stuff is pretty powerful. If it is aged then it is similar to adding pure ammonia.

Rough guestimate: 22 lbs for the hatch cover with screws and given the hatch is connected to the hinges, you will be lifting 3/4 of that weight, so say around 17 lbs for your hydraulic hatch lifts. One on each side. Make sure you get mounting brackets. Post pics.

Thanks. I guess I need to actually build the frame and hatch. Then I can just weigh the hatch. My bigger uncertainty is how long of a strut would be appropriate? And then the biggest question is how to justify spending that much money ($67x4) on part of a hinge system. It would certainly add convenience and safety; not sure if I'm willing to make the investment at this point. Once I build the hatch, if I see that the hatch might pose a serious finger crushing scenario for my kids (I will want them to be able to enjoy watching the fish whenever they want) then it will be an easier decision to make.

I'm surprised that I'm putting this much thought into this. Now I'm wondering if I over complicated my AP, my wife would say yes if I asked her. Not going there...

Maybe get a strut from a junk yard instead of new.