Blind Freddies system

Charlie

Love ya work mate.

Fine-Gardens

blind freddie wrote:

With the onset of cooler wheather recently my temps have started to drop in the AP systems.

my second system is 2C warmer than system #1. The differences are, I have a 4m length of 100mm PVC pipe set up as an NFT system this is in full sun and adds a small return flow of warmer water to the sump. I disconnected this early in summer to reduce the temps.
I also have a 13mm Poly pipe coil, about 100M of pipe all up, this also adds a small flow of warm water to the system. Through the sunny days.

To try to add some passive heating to system #1 I have hooked up black black poly pipe coil which is helping already. I hooked it up on Saturday arvo (3 days ago) I checked the temps today and the difference between to 2 systems was only 1C.

I am also going to heat my top up water tank (1/2 IBC) so that when I top up I'm not adding cold water to the system.

Nice coil there -
I'm sure you may have thought of it, but I could not resist adding my 2 cents...if you throw an old glass patio door or even some plain window glass over those coils and a piece of black sheet metal under it, it will jack your heating temp up a good bunch.

I play a good bit with solar & wind. As I get to building out my system this fall, you will see a good bit of both in my pics.

MartinC

Nice work BF, sorry about the back. Hope it's coming right now.

blind freddie

Nice coil there -
I'm sure you may have thought of it, but I could not resist adding my 2 cents...if you throw an old glass patio door or even some plain window glass over those coils and a piece of black sheet metal under it, it will jack your heating temp up a good bunch.

I play a good bit with solar & wind. As I get to building out my system this fall, you will see a good bit of both in my pics.[/quote]

Yep once the back's mended I'll be up there with the finishing touches, I'm considering using clear plastic film over the top rather than glass, just in case we get hail.

And then 4mm thick fibre cement panels painted black underneath to help trap some heat in.

jayendra

will enjoy watching results

blind freddie

Ive put this up in another thread but thought I would put it in here too as an update to the new little 300L system. and reinstating the old PVC tube set up I made last year, moved it onto another fence section and painting it black to get some extra solar heating

I have made the water height in my PVC pipe set up adjustable by using a threaded 90 degree elbow fitting. when I turn the fitting downwards it reduces the water level. Then to raise the level I just turn it up again. I also use a cheap tap system to control the flow rate through the pipe.

I find being able to control the water height very helpful, when I put new seedlings into the pots I start out with the water level up high and reduce it as the roots start to grow out the bottom of the pots. Hopefully the photos below tell the whole story.

blind freddie

Here's a couple more picks you'll notice one end of my pipe is quite higher than the other end, so I generally put the fully rooted plants up the higher / shallower end. I very happy with this set up and hope to expand it with a few more pipes soon.

I also have a couple of locally caught fresh water crayfish living in the pipe they seem to keep the roots trimmed without doing to much damage (so far)

jayendra

Hey blind freddie,

I've cut holes in my 110mm pipe that are too small for black pots - I'm currently using plastic disposable cups which I need to burn holes in.

What size pots / hole saw did you use. I might have to get the jigsaw out and resize with artistic cutting skills.

MartinC

By freshwater crayfish do you mean yabbies or is this another species?

Regards, Martin.

blind freddie

I'l measure up tomorrow and let you know, they are just standard little pots that I have drilled the holes in myself, I couldn't find net pots in the size I wanted.

The PVC pipe is 100mm (4 inch) purchased from the local recycling centre for a couple of bucks.

yes Martin yabbies is correct our local population is called Cherax Distructor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_yabby

MartinC

blind freddie wrote:

... Cherax Distructor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_yabby

What an awesome name!

blind freddie

MartinC wrote:

blind freddie wrote:

... Cherax Distructor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_yabby

What an awesome name!

Yep your not wrong Martin,

Suites them too, they are built like heavy duty armoured destruction machines. They beat the crap out of Redclaw. I have a good population in the silver perch pond. I try to keep their numbers down because they love to burrow deep into the clay banks.

Fortunataly they make excellent live bait for big Bass, Yellow Belly & Cod Ect.

MartinC

I am assuming you use small ones for live bait? If you have bass that can take a full size yabbie then I am coming to visit.

blind freddie

hey jayendra heres those details on the pipe you wanted.

Pipe 100 PVC

Hole size 89mm (3 1/2 inch)

Pot size 100mm (4inch) Diam. X 100mm deep.

blind freddie

MartinC wrote:

I am assuming you use small ones for live bait? If you have bass that can take a full size yabbie then I am coming to visit.

Plenty of big fat Bass around Martin, last season we were getting them up to 50Cm, The best was 54Cm. Those guys can just engulf a large Yabby, and then there's the murray Cod

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Blind Freddies system

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