Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I don't mind a little venting. It keeps thing interesting. However, no one answered my question.

If I bury a IBC 2/3 in the ground to I need to keep the metal support or will the dirt provide enough support for the tank.

In a month, I will be getting 2 more free IBC. In the long run, which is the easiest to expand.

keep the cage

I agree with Keith... burried, you're dealing with something beyond support. It isn't just that earth can move, it can shift altogether... Anyone else live in earthquake- prone territory?

The frame gives interior support as well as exterior protection from shifting earth, or moving earth.

How do two tanks keep the temperature more stable?
I would have thought that twice the volume, with twice the surface area would yield the same temperature stability... Am I missing something?

When web4deb built his dome, he buried two tanks but built a brick structure around the tanks because the dirt/sand shift as the temp changes in the tank. Also with a IBC tote, the tank walls are pretty thin so I would not want to bury it without any protection. If I was burying a IBC tote, I would put some sort of protection around the tank. PT wood, bricks, etc. You could use the crate but I would put some sort of material around the cage like some sort of plastic wrap or maybe even that material that is used under HDPE pond liner (can't remember the name). Personally I'd just stick with pressure treated pine.

Here is an update. I got my bench finished. I decided to go with a basic system. I am going to connect two 200 gal tanks together to create the fish tank. Currently, I only have 2 grow-beds right now so I will not need both fish tanks.

However, I hope to double the grow-beds in a month or so. Hopefully, I will be able to add the media, today. I am going with the lower 2 thirds lava rock and the top third pea gravel.

Okay, I finished my system. I just used a single tank about (700 liters) and 2 grow-beds about 250 liters each.

I had some old stain so I stained my table.



I had some problem getting my the water flow right. I am going with continuous flow for now.

I am just draining directly into the fish tank for now. Time to start adding ammonia

using a standpipe

Woohoo!! lookin good!

I added ammonia yesterday. Today, my Ammonia is at 0.5 but my water ph is 8.4. I have a deep well. The water has been circulating a couple of days and this is the first ph test I have done.

I didn't test for anything else. I am surprised my well water has such a high ph. I need to get some muric acid I guess. How much do you think I need to add. My tank is prob 800 liters?

I have not added any fish or plants to my system yet

you can leave your ph alone for now, it's good for cycling, and as your system runs, the ph will drop on it's own..
you might have to provide micronutrients for your plants until the ph drops.. in the form of maxicrop with iron