Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yes, I was trying to be positive. But really I'm very jealous -- I just have one wall up and piles of mud, snow, lumber, and gravel in all the wrong places....

isn't that a song?

Now, Now everybody, I'm not really going that fast am I?
Keep in mind if I didn't happen to have a tractor I'd still be digging!

emsjoflo,

Don't be jealous, My greenhouse is the size of a large tool shed, your's is the size of a bus terminal. when yours is done I will be the jealous one!


Mike,

yeah, I was thinking of lettuce sized plants on the tiered side(if I go that way). They will still get a decent amount of sun, but I don't know the sun requirements for different veggie plants.
If I did 2 tiers could I run the auto siphons from the beds above directly to the beds below, and then drain to the tank, or would the lower beds become nutrient starved?

-Steve#2

Janet,

If I did two tiers, it probably wouldn't cover the tank on that side of the GH (not the lower level anyway). I am just thinking on how to maximize growbed area while still feeling roomy and workable.


-Steve#2

no, the lettuce does fine with the water born nutrients. Sun... that depends on the amount coming into the greenhouse, but mine did fine with a minimal amount.

Some more progress pics

wow! looks great S2 When you put your mind to something, you really get a kick-along don't you?

You can say that again - hell, I'm still in the planning stage of my GH extension , still in the planning stage of adding more GBs , still in the planning stage of..................

Taking shape real well S2

You got serious commitment issues man. You are seriously committed! Your inground fishtank has caused me to rethink my system 2. (Pretty cool since system 1 is not fully operational yet, but i digress.)

I like the in ground tank with GB above. I now plan on doing the same with my GB above tank being same volume as tank. Then i can have GB's running length of greenhouse that are each 50% of GB above tank, preserving the 2:1 ratio. eg, if my fishtank is 4000lt and my GB above it is 4000lts, then 2 GBs on side walls are 2000lts each, hence 2:1.

The big GB then becomes an autosipon bed for the 2 smaller GBs. If you run your return pipes from GBs along the length of your GH with a slight fall to your tank, you will be able to get out of this system with only one pump. (Pump to GB above fishtank, autosiphon from here to GBs on longest walls, gravity back to fishtank.) I love that idea and the fact that if i hadn't seen pics from someone in NY, it never would have occurred to me.

Love it. What plans do you have for power S2? How do you plan on removing solids from the fish tank?

a sign of a truely addicted AP member

wrote that one down will use it at the next oportunity i get.

Nice GH, is like the one that i will never get around to building

dont you believe it steve, you just haven't seen the one you want yet!!

Thanks for the support guys,

Yeah, I can be a wee bit motivated, but this is a fun and exciting new hobby, that's going to supply food and also going to make my yard look better, BONUS!

Wow, my layout is inspiring someone else, that's awesome!
I've been thinking of the 1 bed drain feeding into the next, and as mentioned before, expressed concern reguarding loss of nutrients. Mike said lettuce would do fine, but I wonder what other veggies would do well?

I intend to use DC power for everything from a bank of 2-3 (12v) deep cycle batteries located in my garage. I have found a 12v sump pump that will run 7 hours straight (1000g an hour @ 4.5ft head)on 1 battery, or it will run for days intermitently. The intent is to eventually have solar panels and windmill (mounted to the garage roof) maintain the bank and also power the garage and barn off grid.

Removing solids from the tank is something I am still pondering. I really wanted a round tank with a cone bottom but no matter how I moved things around it wouldn't work for my rectangular space well (I even considered 1/2 inside and 1/2 outside the GH as a backyard waterfeature).

So I have thought of 2 things;
1) To install a partial divider lengthwise down the middle of the tank creating a raceway. By using a "gentle" current, solids would be directed to a pickup scoop at the sump.
2)Some type of pickup grid similar to the irrigation grids, but on the suction side of the pump.

Any input is welcomed.


-Steve#2

do you intend to have any thing else in the tank?
my botom pond is not round but still has a current and though
very minimal, still collects things in an order id have fly wire on the bottom and occationally 'lift it out' if your that concerned about solids
build up