Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Gday All
After recently purchasing 3000L fish tank I was looking at making a cover for it to prevent leaves, birds etc. form getting in.

I was look towards building a hoop dome, so wanted to buy some polly pipe. When designing for AP I always look around the tip shop for ideas & cheep materials. After looking around the tipshop & not finding what I wanted I returned home. Bummed about it, I had a chat about what I was up to with the Kids & they kindly donated there old trampoline for the project. It had small rip in the deck. (I can see what they will want for Xmas!).
Here's a few photos of the build so far.

There are 7 tube sections to the deck of the old trampoline. 2 sections join together, one goes into the old leg slot & one gets welded to the other three.
More photos to come !
GTK

Ok the frame is welded together ( dodgy but it will be strong )

I place the frame on the tank so the cross is central & measure where to make the cuts. Then bend & cut the excess pipe off.

Grind the sharp edges & paint to stop rusting.

I've tempory fitted the shadecloth back on. Now all there is to do is to cut the shadecloth to size, secure it with cable ties, make a door to feed the fish & work in the pond.
Due to a lack of light work has stoped for the day.
I was thinking of fitting a bug zapper in the centre & supplement fish food. I've read that a UV light is best to attract insects ?
Any suggestion's on what type of light to use ?
GTK

More photo's
Temporary replace the shade cloth. Needs to be trimmed to size.

About 40cm between frame & water surface plenty of room for a bug light.

Hope to have it finished tomorrow.
GTK

nice FT, GTK

I need a similar type of cover for mine, especially when summer hits us.

Gday All
Finally got back to completing the cover, here's the progress :
Got some child labour to fill 19mm poly hose with sieved sand adding about 3kgs of weight to it.

This is stretched around the tank & cable tied to the shade cloth to prevent the edges flapping around. The shade cloth is then cable tied to the T piece of the frame. This allows half of the shade cloth cover to be opened for access to the tank.

The shade cloth then gets a trim with a hot knife & a door is cut with the poly hose use as structure for the door opening. The door can open a little or up to a quarter of the tank for feeding /inspection etc.

Scored a bug zapper @ a garage sale for $5 the other day so will fit that & cut some window @ the top to let the insects in. Not sure how weather proof the zapper is but all the 240v electrics for the AP system are double RCD protected & new bug zappers @ the B store are only $29 so not to fussed if it craps out. It will be interesting to see how much this will supplement the feed rate.

There's plenty of Bio film in the new tank now so hoping to transfer fish into it on the weekend.

Ill bring the salt levels up to 6ppt in the tank, its a good time to quarantine them as I saw a couple of fish flashing ( maybe the itch ? ). Quarantining them with air & a pump circulating the tank water for 24 hours before bringing it on line with the rest of the AP via the NFT system. With a SLO draining from the new FT to the sump (old tank ) to get things started.

The Uni seals I ordered arrived so I just need to work out the configuration of the SOL now. Just want make the right size to minimize the number of holes cut into the new tank. I'm thinking a 80mm SLO. Turning the tank water over the minimum of once per hour (3000L/hour). This may be over sized for that small amount of flow but it will leave plenty of room for expansion. Ill try putting a air stone @ the inlet to the SLO to assist the movement of the solids via air lift.
Any suggestions on this would be appreciated.
May take the kids to the local river to try & catch some Yabbies while there is still some water in it. After taking fish from the old tank it will be used as the sump & the Yabbies will go in there.
I have new GB planed its just waiting for some more materials before starting that project. I'll slowly turn the mongrel AP system we have now into CHIFT PIST system. ( it all takes time - slow & steady wins the race !) I'll will start another thread when that happens
GTK

looking good GTK, what are you using for Grow Beds?

That poly tank is a beaut!

Gday
Thanks for the comments.
Slowboat At present I have 5 IBC Grow Beds. I'm planning on making the next GB out a sheet of marine ply 1.2m * 2.4m * 30cm,with a pond liner to seal it. I have most of the components just need to get the gravel. All of the previous AP system has been put together ad hock, as I acquired IBC's they where added on. Now I want to design the final system.
Took the Kids to the river today. Caught a few Gumbiesia will feed these to my Murray Cod. There was no Yabbies but the boy found this.

It was already dead. A big female looked like it had been in berry when it died. They were very impressed with the size & are very keen to try again ! I didn't think Marron lived in the river.

GTK

Yes pity it was dead, I didn't think there was marron near Gero.

I knew they were in the Hutt river, North of here. The Fisheries know that too, I assume they may have got out of someone's dam ?