Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yea that is the plan right now it is unused and kind of nasty. One of my mothers unfinished projects. (and by her unfinished projects it's one she has me start and then she finds something else for me to work on. Like the RV in the background. She bought it over 10 years ago and had me start to refurbish it for my brother. But nope something else came up ant the inside rotted beyond repair so I'm gonna scrap it and probably expand the green house more. Got to clear a lot of trees on the other side of the RV to make sure I get all that morning sun. The plot I put it on gets great sun just need to clear about a Dozen trees. The Great thing about the green house is that the Oak leaves and Acorns will stop falling in my system. I think that is why my PH is a Bit High. That or the Pine straw.

Got the bottom framed around the whole thing. Just got to wait till Friday for the lumber for the front and back walls. Already planning what it will be like with the larger system. I might post a some graphics about the design if I go that far. Cool part is for under $400.00 I'll have a 12.5 foot by 21 foot greenhouse. Not too shabby.

On another note I finally started seeing a conversion from Ammonia to Nitrites. YEA!!!!!! The Excessivly High Nitrates that my water started out with has gon way down too so I know the plants are using them really good. Now hopefully the Seaweed extract and the Chelated iron show up today.

Getting the plastic up tomorrow and then the doors and vent window. Can't wait till it is useable. The Maxicrop has done amazing the Romaine Lettuce looks amazing as well as the Broccoli and the collards. I'm already drooling over the idea of a bigger system. I started talking to a cashier today and she kept asking me all sorts of questions then other people in line started asking questions. I felt like I was teaching an amazing seminar on Aquaponics and I have only been running a small system for a couple of weeks. (Yes I told them this.) Have a few people coming over tomorrow to see it. Heck if I'm lucky I'll get some free labor.

I've come to the decision that I have over stocked my system with fish. Great excuse for expanding. Added a new grow bed and another DWC bucket. Decided to try to add lava rock into half of each DWC bucket. For some added surface area for the bacteria to grow on. Filled the new grow bed with river rocks instead of pea gravel just to see if there is a performance difference between them.

Also got the Green house done for a first time job it's pretty darn good.

not a bad set up from what I see, I started my system using the same totes u have as ur grow beds and used a 55 gallon drum as the fish tank...using pea gravel as substrate, my plants have done terrific asi have several herbs in the bed and had a harvest of lettuce, okra , tomato, now I have cabbage and broccoli in it and they have bloomed in just 3 weeks. I am building a pond and transferring the beds to the new setup here in a couple of days because the 55 gal drum is only good for goldfish and im now moving to a bigger system so I can utilize tilapia as my fish source....I also hooked up a swirl filter with the small system to help keep a sludge buildup in gravel so id suggest u configure a swirl filter to help keep too much fish waste in the plants bed if u ave a limit amount of plants

Haven't used a swirl filter. I have the waste going through the pump to the grow bed. The pump helps break up the waste into smaller particles and then I just add grow beds and extend my water manifold. Adding worms this weekend too.

I planned mine out to work like that. Considering that it only takes me an hour or so to prep everything to add on a new bed.

Rhue, I am going through the same process. Picked up some free shelving and shelgeyr sold me an IBC for an amazing price. Going for 10 to 12 growbeds! May try a tower or two if I only go with 10 beds.

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That is awesome. I'm thinking about adding some towers myself. I really like my design. If I want to go bigger it takes less than two hours to expand. A little rerouting and I can expand any part. Fish Tanks, Sumps, Grow beds, Even my DWC buckets.

Nice! I want to try mini citrus trees in a couple of buckets, but I have to remember to not get too complicated too quickly. I have a lot of space at my place but it is all unlevel, and I am easing the wife into the entire backyard being an AP system.

I was just talking about citrus tree's with my mother and was thinking about trying them soon.

Looks like a good system. I am currently seeting up something of similar size only indoors. Clearly it is warmer where you are than here even in a greenhouse I would freeze out overnite here and on a normal year (not as warm as it has been this nov.) most everyday. That being said where did you get a green house for less than $400? I would love to put one in by early spring but have a very limited budget. I have the same sort of totes you do as my tank/grow beds guess I never gave too much thought to them being or not being food grade. How long before you introduced your fish after setting up the system? I am about ready to plant seedling I've started into the grow beds and tho I've heard you can plant as soon as you start cycling water I am anxious to get fish in there to get nutrients flowing.
Looking good thanks for posting your new set-up.
Jared

This system is really getting to be something I am very proud of. Adding another grow bed in the morning. I think four is about all it will handle until I get a bigger tank or add another sump. Also instead of using the the 4 mil plastic I went with 6 mil. Works great.

I've lost a lot of sleep lately due to the temperature being so low. but with the heat lamp and my Propane burner even when it's freezing outside it's anywhere between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. I worry too much about this thing I think. Lost five out the the original 40 fish I bought. I chock it up to Walmart fish. But for the price it is a great way to go.

Post a close up pic of how you attached the door framing to the pvc near the top. I have been kicking around several ideas but currently I just have plastic stretched and no actual door.


Jared, youtube search for diy pvc hoophouse. There are tons of videos on them, I built mine in about 3 hours.

All I really did was to mark the angle where the PVC pipe would sit on top of the end of the board. then drilled a hole through the PVC into the board and screwed it into place then Used Duct Tape to prevent any tears in the plastic. I forgot to tape one so I'll get a photo tomorrow.