Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Those darn family obligations, they ruin a perfectly good project weekend...

What is this 4th of July thing of which you speak? Sounds like a distraction to AP, you should ignore it.

Well I tried pulling water thru the valve with both air pumps. I didn’t like the results. Next I tried what others have done and put a bell on the bottom of a 1 ½ riser. That seems to work at a 1 inch above the water level. I did not measure any volumes.

Now I’m thinking of trying fish and plants in the same tank? Also maybe have some kind of filter floating on the surface to catch solids as they come out. Then remove the pad every so often? So what kind of material can I safely submerge and keep fish away from plant roots? What kind of stocking rate could I put in the tank? Fish might be tilapia or pan fish.

Any other thoughts? I’m wide open at this point for any alternatives and configurations

Remember the song.... 100 bottles of beer on the wall....well not exactly beer this time around....190 blocks on the wall, 190 blocks... Take on down pass it around... 189 blocks on the wall.... blaa, blaa blaa...66 blocks on the wall....66 blocks on the wall...take one down....

Grandson Justyce (15yrs) is helping an old man.

How do people connect to an IBC after removing the included valve?

Have you blocked the hole or do you want to connect through the same hole?
Most people use a uniseal or a bulkhead. Do a search on this forum you will find lots of information for both.

Regards, Martin.

There are suppliers that have many different fittings specifically for IBC's.. Don't know where around you though ..

Thanks Joel,

I looked around and finally found this link:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200458667

Seems they call it a "buttress to NPT" fitting. Learn some thing every day!

The store is about 45 minutes away.

BTW I had to sit at 2 different Mac and Dons for 4 and 3 hours waiting for my CF0. Perfect time to watch all the videos and UTubes about airlifts

www.airlift.eu has very interesting stuff.

I'm thinking of trying an external air lift pulling thru that 2 inch opening out of the IBC.

BTW the awarded sanctioned research time is because she is retiring from Honeywell. Her work friends want to do a retirement party thing after work. I'm the designated driver this afternoon

I'm restarting my 50 gal fish tank. This time I'm using bottled ammonia to start fishless cycling. How much should be my first dose?

Tank water (untreated well water) pH is 8.4 to start with.

Starting to see some life. At first I just saw sprout of Cos lettuce. Then I saw small worm like things. Upoun closer review they look like some type of caterpillar. See the "red worm" I'm holding. I then added a few real red worms from my barrel worm farm. of course they immediately burrowed into the floatingpolyester material. I think I'll find the tweezers tomorrow and terminate of the tiny "worms" that are on the surface.

More pics

Why would you want to terminate them?

My first thought was they might go after the emerging plants.

I suppose I could wait and see what happens

The honey do list is starting to get shorter with smaller projects so the CF0 is in agreement that I need to get the wall up for the sunken greenhouse. Winter and cold weather is around the corner.

I've never layer block before. How many courses can safely be laid at a time to allow for "setting up" before more courses are laid?

How long should the laid courses be allowed to "set up" before laying more courses? How many days?

Since the new wall will be laid flush to existing walls, how often should the new wall be pinned into the existing wall with re rod so as to make a strong joint? Every 4th course?

Rain is predicted for a couple of days. So when it's done I'll start laying block.

Any and all advise is appreciated.

The un seasonally warm temperatures are causing an itch to start thinking about building a greenhouse.

The so called "Chinese Greenhouse Design" looks kinda interesting. But how to make the curved rafters?

I've got some extra 2 inch aluminum irrigation pipe ( 30 feet long) I'm thinking of trying to bend. But, maybe it would still be weak under a heavy snow load.

So after bending to the desired shape, maybe one could fill the inside cavity with some kind of cement?

or

Maybe fill with cans of expanding insulation foam?

Comments? Suggestions?