Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

1) Slope for drainage... the best answer I can find is 1/4" per foot. My source was a plumbing web site, do we need more for AP sludge? Some build photos I see appear to have no slope at all? I guess its just hard to notice a quarter inch every foot that is 1/48 rise over run!

2) I need a good example of a EDPM DWC build. Looking at DWC beds in a hot area like Florida I need at least 12" depth if not more. I was looking at something called a "bunk feeder" same thing TCLynx used for some of her media beds.

I like the frame a lot and the product sells for about $110 locally (fair for its size 10'X34" but depth of only 8" I think is an issue with our heat). Anyway... Chris you would build your own using EPDM liner I assume with wood liners and ground level? Or do you have some preformed pan you bought? I still have not seen your build thread. I wish I had an awesome frame like Colum Black-Byron made! I have had some issues finding a good thread to build out a large-ish size DWC bed but I'm still looking around. Another option I've considered is utilizing a 160Gal preformed pond I already have laying around with a 22" depth. This would force me to put it in the dirt on the far left side.

I would prefer the placement of the roughly 10' long DWC on concrete right under the roof parallel to the GBs with walking space, assuming I make my own instead of using this preformed pond liner.

And here is an update on my drainage plumbing for the media beds, everything is cut. I still have some major work on some tree roots (far right off image) to deal with before proceeding with primer and glue. Also want to wait for feedback on the drainage slope question.


Many moons from now... there will be fish!

Look at Ryan Chatterson's home build, he has details on hid DWC build. I just used 2 x 4's and plywood and then covered with a double layer of polyethylene. Cheap. There maybe some issues with flex PVC. Durascrim is a good product, but they're very proud of it. ($$$$$) I never did a build thread. I will do one when I start my larger RAS system.

I guess EDPM is 40 ML, where you're talking about the 6 ML think stuff I might find for construction is made of the same thing from what I can tell.

Someone on craigslist has a roll of clear right now for only $20. If there is no media I guess you don't need as much of a barrier, but it still has to secure to the walls of the plywood and I need to drill through something to insert bulkheads or uniseals..... I will keep digging for images and descriptions.

In my mind at the moment it seems like the side walls would need serious reinforcement to hold 12" inches of volume. And some of the best examples I can find seem to be made by professional welders.

I've been through Ryan's posts 3 times now (great veg images in there), I used to live right in Oviedo/Orlando for years close to a lot of really cool AP setups between the company he works for now, the community garden in Apopka, and even remotely close to where TCLynx is at but I had no idea about the world of AP then. I do go back up there a lot though so I'm sure eventually it will pan out for a visit to a few of those places.

Same with you, when you get to the point of doing some ground breaking on your new build let me know I'm prepared to put in a few hours of labor if it means learning a few things from you without buying all the materials you're going to end up buying.

Also I have to make a correction for earlier I said I did not break any seals on my sump tank. The 3" bulkhead fitting wouldn't fit through the IBC lid so I did manage a bit of modification to the lid portion here. The nut was too big!


The lid still goes on tight but if it were a boat and I told you "it just has one hole in it" would you want to risk it? I may follow up with some more permanent sealant later, you are right it will flood to that level again every year at least a few times per year.

Did you go through Ryan's old backporch thread or just the newer "farm" thread? The build coach is talking about is in the much shorter backporch thread. Search "Ryan's backporch" here

Bobby

Yes on the bulkhead for the wood DWC beds. That's what I used, just make sure you get long enough ones to go through the plywood and liner. Mine was a bit short and I had to sand down the plywood to get enough threads to "bite". You can use 2 x 4's and the put the plywood on. Ryan used an epoxy type sealer that you just paint on. easier then the liners, but I'm pretty sure it's pricey stuff. I think Ryan mentions it in his back porch thread. I can weld, but I like working with wood better, and for dwc beds, it's a lot easy, cheaper, and faster to frame up some simple troughs and then add a liner and some bulkheads, and you;re in business. Sometime next year, if and when I add my larger GH, I'll price concrete(poured with steel, block, and PT wood to see which is the best. I'm thinking the wood still. PT should last at least 10 years if it built well. The best would most likely be poured concrete with rebar to hold everything together. Then epoxy/paint everything and you could install all pipes as you form and not have to worry about bulkhead fittings. I was thinking about a way to get the DWC off the ground, so your not bending over to plant/harvest everything...but that would get expensive.

swfl Good looking out.... No I went through his new system. I will do that later tonight. You guys are the best!

Some updates here...

1) The sump tank lid is done, I used the bottom of an IBC that was cut for GBs. I still need some way of supporting the first GB better. But for now;


2) The drainage plumbing is in place and fits correctly. I also laid paver stones and blocks to hold the frames off the ground.


That was a lot of cement bricks.

Dude...you're getting close! Where is your FT going?

And then we took a moment to celebrate the fact that "There will be fish.... some time next year"


And then we tested out the BackYardStripperPole and it seems to work excellent.


Still no luck with PVC yodeling or elephant noises. Though, I did learn that Tarzan noises work well.

The FT will go up on the far right side on the cement area. The pipe coming up near the door will drain the DWC bed. I can't wait to get that area cleaned up. The dog and I keep getting in trouble for tracking dirt inside.

Got it. I see all the digging has kept you a "lean, mean digging machine."

Ya you guys are working me too hard.... We have done big garden projects but nothing like this before. This was our soil garden in Orlando.

Sunflower