Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

On a brighter note....I am starting to get peppers!


I pulled the beans and cucs. The leaves were pretty much gone. All the other veggies look great.

Got the roof framed for the lean-to GH. It's a combination of hat channel, metal studs and ceiling grid. I spent more time priming and painting the glav. metal than framing or I would be done.

Got the GH closed in. Still have some sealing and battens to put on.

Recycled shower door for entry. I took out the glass and put poly carb in.



I have to find a suitable material to close up the siding gaps. I just placed to soffit material up for now. The 4x4 piece will be hinged for hot weather. There is screen behind it.

Plants survived the move. I just rolled the GB about 4 ft on pvc pipes.


Toms and peppers SWEET. I thought peppers would never grow in this system.


There is a good 10 deg difference this morning. I need to put some rigid insulation under the decking to close up the gaps. Got my lettuce, Chard and spinach started for winter growing. I don't know how long the peppers, herbs and toms(indeterminate) will survive. Fall seems to be on it's way.

I did some experimenting last night. The temp at the top of my attic was 60 deg f at 11 pm. The outdoor temp was 47. I found a register booster for 34 bucks. It has a min/max temp built in to kick on a 250 CFM fan. I am thinking about mounting this to the soffit in the GH and running a duct to the top of attic. It should pull in to hot air on sunny days until the min temp is reached.


Product Description
This register booster automatically boosts heated or cooled air to rooms improving year round comfort.

Increases airflow up to 80%
Increases comfort level
Saves energy and money
Temperature activated
Safe to use
Fits floor/wall register up to 6" x 12"
6' cord length
Plugs into 110V
ETL listed
1 year limited warranty


Dimensions: Up to 6
Ship Dim: 13.25 x 6.25 x 3.5
Shipping Weight: 2.3 lbs

Great idea! I wonder if an attic fan on a timer would work just as well.

Love the shower door recycling!

I thought about that also. It might be counter productive on cloudy days. Just checked. Attic is 113 f, GH is 81 and outdoor is 71.

Thanks. I am still not sure what to do with my drain situation. I need another GB so I could build it properly, transfer the old GB media to the new one and re-work the drains in the old GB. I just hate to pull the toms and peppers until they die off.

Well, if you can build the new grow bed and once it is done, then choose that as the time to make the change over. Perhaps you can get your cool weather crops started so once you can move the media, then you transplant them so have only minimal loss of production..

Got new GB built. Still need to plumb it.

Green pepper. Big accomplishment for me. I have 3 more and some small ones coming in. Still dropping some but we just went thru a hot spell. Toms a starting to flower again also.

Oh....all my 55 gal barrels had popcorn butter in them and it smells after 3 hot soap jobs. Missy wants me to put a movie on in the GH.

Mine smelled like Hawaiian Punch...

A $200 LCD tv is a lot cheaper than a trip to Hawaii.....don't give her any ideas!

Look who showed up at the top of my steps hungry!


Moved it in the GH.....thanks dude

Got the GB's plumbed and media in. I can't seem to get the siphon to break. It fills up and drains when pump kicks on(30/30). Then it just keeps going and only maintains about an inch of water. There is a weep hole at the bottom of standpipe that drains and breaks siphon when pump shuts off. I can lift the bell and break siphon but if pump shuts off it can leave GB partially filled.

Here are some pics
Drain and overflow



Drain have good air but just a slight uphill drain. I took off the tee / overflow and just put a 45deg elbow off the hort drain but it didn't help.


The overflows have 90's that can be rotated to regulate in case I get root bound. Still need to cut them down and screen them.


The top of the standpipe is about the same as the bell. With the lid on it gives about 1.5 inch gap. I have adjusted this up/down as well at bigger notches on bottom of bell but it didn't help. I also tried an air tube but no difference.