Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

[font=Arial] [/font] Ok I have been reading and doing a little posting for months now. Time to talk about my propsed system. I intend to have 2 sysyems running. One a 2500ltr tank with 9 growbeds the same as EKB's growbeds. this should give me a 2 to 1 ratio. This large system will be for Jade pearch and or Baramundi. I intend to keep this simple so will use a float switch pump in the main fishtank and sump. Alternativley I will do what VB has done with his 1000ltr tank but will need to talk to him more about it. I the grow beds will have the same drain design as Joel's. The second is a 1000ltr tank I want to use this for redclaw and will st up the same as the first. At some stage down the road I want to experament with saltwater aquaculture with a tank for prawns and a tank to grow algae. The algae works the same as nitifying bactiria. Also a tank to grow edible seaweed. Anyway I have some pictures to share. All this will be housed in a 4m wide by 12m long green house from VP Structures. The top is poly film and the ends and sides are 50% shade cloth.

now the greenhouse plans and site in my backyard.

Hey Aussie... you making the greenhouse or buying it?

If you're buying, where from and how much??

Rupertofoz,

The green house i am buying is from VP Structures. It will cost $2200 plus gst. I will get it as a kit and erect it myself. Here is the web adress for VP Structurs. http://www.vpstructures.com.au/frames/a ... y_home.htm

Aussie

Good one Aussie. That greenhouse is going to be fantastic as are the systems - huge growing space. The saltwater stuff intrigues me a bit also. I posted something a while back seeing if anyone was thinking of doign one, because there are some plants that will grow in saltwater.

Heh those tanks look a lot like mine and I think you have stolen a strip of my ducktape .

I am also thinking about a VP greenhouse since you alerted me to them. Where my system is going I am a bit restricted by the fact that the sun side is the short side. This means that I probably should be looking at a wider but shorter greenhouse - say 6m wide by 4 or 5 meters long. Do you know if it is essential that the side of the greenhouse faces the sun?

Thanks Aussie... thought it looked like one of theirs... yeah I'd like one as well but as I'm renting I have to seek outside approval for it... bit of a battle so far....

VB another supplier worth checking out (if you haven't already done so) is Redpath

Think VP are better priced on some things...

Have got the redpath calalogue. The advantage of VP for Aussie and I is that they are in the city where we live. This means we can go and look at the product and the delivery would be cheaper.

Yep, that cwertainly will be an excellent greenhouse, and from my experience, you can't have one that's too big. The bigger the better esp when your plants start going nuts!

Got your export licence yet Aussie? That's a bitchin system. Will be in Brissy first week of September for the Geelong v Brisbane game, reckon i should be able to do the rounds and scrounge a few feeds

No problem Rupert. VB I still get nightmares about the trip back from Gympie with all thoses tanks. The saltwater thing is based on a small aquarium setup and translated into a bigger system. VB My green house will have one end facing the sun and the sun will travel along the length of the greenhouse to finish at the otherend. So all should be good with your situation. I would go 6m by 6m if you can. The greenhouse will come with custom fitted cover all in one piece. Rupert and VB I found Redpath to be more expensive. VB The guy at VP told me the greenhouse kit can fit on a trailer similer to the one we used to get the tanks. Do you want your ducktape back? lol. Monya, I agree on the bigger the better. I want to be producing as much fish and veg as possible to sustain our family and the chooks. Twintragics AFL? lol. Food is always free.

Aussie

I agree on the width, mine is 3.5m and the GBs fit snugly with the sump tank alongside - 4m would have been ideal.

Direction is the same as yours, the advantage with mine is the natural wind direction is predominantly easterly and so blows straight through lengthwise.

VP was one of the companies I rang also - best that I could find for kits.

Looking forward to progress pics

EKB,
Yes the width is good to get around all the beds and add a second system. The wind will play an important part during the hot summer days. As soon as the council approve my plans I will go and buy the green house and the growbeds same as yours.

Aussie

Aussie - I wonder whether in the Queensland summer the may still get too much sun if using a clear film like that instead of shedecloth. Are you intending to paint it in summer with that white stuff that blocks some of the light - or put a shadecloth cover on?

I had another look at my area where my big AP system will go. The longest part of the land actually runs North to South - so the side of the greenhouse would actually face east after all. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing. Why do you think 6 X 6 would be good. The area I have to play with is about 6 meters wide and 8 meters long. If I was to go less than 6 meters wide, I could actually go a bit longer - because the land is quite a bit longer than 8 meters but narrows at one end. I am now thinking a 4 x 8, 10 or 12 may be a good option. By going 4 meters ti would mean I could leave a gap between the greenhouse and the side of the shed for - which is kinda necessary to access the area properly. Brian do you know what length each added arch adds?

VB, My understanding of the film is that it is opaque and difuses the light. So should not be to much of a problem. If it does become a problem I think I would use shade cloth. I said 6x6 beacuse I was trying to get you the maximum amount of GH space especially if you had limited space in one direction. But 4x8 , 10, 12 sounds good. VB each length of arch is 2meters.

Aussieponic

A common pracite for poly tunnels is to "white wash" the film with a type of degradeable white paint during the summer, hench reflecting a large portion of the light back out.

But shade cloth thrown over it would work well for our application i reckon