Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

It is very nasty!! My husband updated my weather forecast this morning, with the next 7 days over 40degrees, and a 43degree on the eighth day...I threw a tiny tantrum that included "but what about my AP!!!" and "awww does that mean I can't use the angle grinder??"

They have since decided a cool change is coming Sunday, so whoooo. I love it when 37degrees is a cool change.

I am kinda glad that I am not up to the 'adding fish to the system' stage, cause I am pretty sure this weather would cook them

Sounds crazy probably but at least in reef aquariun keeping I've often heard of people using mini fridges or chest freezers as emergency chillers. They just drill two holes in the door, add bulk heads and put a coiled up piece of hose on the inside from one head to the other. Attach the contraption to your FT with a pump and set the thermostat to your desired temp. If you get a used freezer or fridge it can be inexpensive and effective for keeping your water cool in a pinch. Just a thought from the salt water hobby...

Thanks JewelryGuy I'll keep that in mind after I set up.

I was thinking that I will probably stick with a species that is happy with my local water temps (so no heating/cooling constantly) but with our summer air temps regularly hitting 40-43C (104-109F) for extended stretches, cooling is something I will have to look at. I expect my summer water temps to hit the 30C (86F) mark during some heat waves, and I think that cooling will be the only way to keep mortalities to a minimum.

I am insulating and cladding my FT, ST and GBs- and the surfaces exposed to the sun are minimised by the configuration of my system. I am hoping this, along with the volume of my water will help to keep temperatures as even and constant as possible.

I have a spare chest freezer just sitting in my laundry room..........

Something else that is common practice is to bury any tanks you can and let the earth help cool and insulate your system. I believe ground temps average about 55°F at 6 feet deep. Even just a few feet of earth can make a big difference.

But I don't wanna dig I'm a girl.

No, in all seriousness- I can't bury them in the location I have for them. I have sewer and stormwater pipes directly underneath, and they can't be re-routed without large hassle and cost.

So above ground we are for this build....

But, you never know, when this one is finished, and I need to expand.......

I do have 25 cubic metres of raised garden bed being built atm......I'm sure I could bury some IBCs in there........

Hi TSalt. I am also loving those apple trees!

With your design, how do you plan on getting access to your sump with the grow beds over them? Easy access to all parts of your system will save you a lot of heart ache later down the track.

With regards to that pump, given you are planningon having battery backup, you might be better off spending your money on that and putting a venturi into each tank. Just use the pump you have as an air supply. Im just thinking with 4 tanks needing 4 of those aerators, that at least your battery paid for...

Hi rsevs3- I plan to have a side access hole in the sump. It is isn't in the Sketch-up, but it is in the paper plan Sketch-up and I have just become friends.

The plan is that I will cut a 400 x 400mm hole near the top of my sump IBCs, with access for the pump and maintenance. That should give my sumps about 600L in capacity each. I was going to set up everything, fill the system with water, media and run it for a few hours to determine my desired ST base line. I want to get a handful of yabbies in the ST, and don't want the level too low when the GBs are full

I have done my calculations, and just want to make sure they are correct, before I cut a hole in the side of the IBC that is an inch or two too low Measure twice, cut once

I will have one pump per FT/ST 2 x GB group (so two pumps in total). The plan is to divert some flow from the pump inlet to venturi straight back into the FT.

I'm definitely rethinking the floating aerator already . It may have given enough O2 to the FT, but it would save my plants. I thinking now maybe a deep cycle marine battery as my backup, that kicks in if the power is down. I just have to run 2 x 50w pumps, and my whole system can tick along like nothing has happened.....until the battery runs out...or the power comes back on.

I would love a complete off-grid, solar set-up. So I will work up to it. Eventually...

Maybe have a practice go and imagine having to fish something that is on the far side of the IBC sitting at the bottom you have to fish out. If you are happy with how awkward it is then you are onto a winner

The other thing with the backup system you have mentioned, using a battery straight away that is. I bought a 700W 2 stroke generator for around $110 brand new. It would be more that sufficient to keep the battery charged for extended periods with the power outage. As long as your battery is capable for running the system long enough to kick of a generator, you are in business

With your plants, they will long outlast your fish in the event that you loose oxygenation. To the point that most people do not even worry about their plants not getting O2 around their roots. If the power is out that long, saving your plants will become the last thing you are worried about.

TSalt, those Espalier trees are simply magnificent. Did you all train them from whips? I have some sunny brick wall space, and that type of training would be wicked!

Look forward to seeing your system take shape.

J.B.

Ryan Chatterson might be better able to let you know about that floating aerator. It is made by his former employer. Oddly, it looks like a rule bilge pump, Pentair owns Shurflo, who also make bilge pumps.

JB, the apples in the driveway have been in for 18mnths- they were 2yrs old when they went in. The growth has been really spectacular. They are currently covered in shadecloth so they don't get fried! My husband is a very talented plantsman . Some of the espaliers he has set up for clients are phenomenal. I love the space saving of espaliered fruit trees, and it makes linear fence/wall space so productive.

We have two new apple espalier plantings that went in this winter- just tiny whips We will see how quickly they establish. They are already happily spreading their little arms along the first training wire



Why thank you, kind pirate sir though I am not sure a lowly wench such as myself should seek the guidance of the wise and powerful Ryan Chatterson (even if I do follow his threads with giddy eagerness).

I'll drop him a line

Ok, a couple of pics. Hot weather is slowing everything down here.....except for the dirt gardens growth! Too hot for people though.

I have cut two 1200mm x 1000mm x 400mm deep (side-cut from an IBC) GBs, and we are busy finishing off some steps to our front door. Soon the growbeds will be plumbed, insulated and clad.

I am hoping to have water pumping through the whole system by the end of this week.

Oh and I started a trail batch of mushrooms.....shiitake, pearl oyster, golden oyster and pink oyster. Not AP I know, but still pretty cool.

I am growing them in spent coffee ground from a local cafe.

I am inspired. I have a pair of two year dwarf peaches [I planted as whips] that I am traditional open training, but a free standing [long term goal] espaliering of them parallel to the property line seems like such a better use of space. They are still dormant, so, the change in training would barely be noticed.

Now, just to decide what whips to buy at the nursery next month for the front of the house. Wife is allergic to apples, so pears and cherries are at the forefront.


J.B.

I have a two questions,

a) Is this salt ok? I have lots of it- we use this for curing our olives. I can't see why it wouldn't be....but thought I would check.

b) If I use the water from my indoor aquarium as seed water to start the AP cycling, are these water parameters ok? The lighting in the pic is not the best, but I read them as PH 7.0, Ammonia 0.25ppm, Nitrites 0ppm, Nitrates 5ppm. My water temp was 21.5. The aquarium is still only young- 3wks, with 3 yabbies living in it. These boys will live in my sump if the kids give them up