Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

At this stage a cheap bituminous (?) potable sealant will probably be my choice for sealing the tank internally.
As for cleaning it up, I plan on stripping off the vinyl decals and it painting with the same render paint finish I used on the IBC system so it fits in.
If I use the lids for a window I'll hopefully modify some scrounged household security screens to use as lids for the tank. Possibly with shadecloth instead of fly screen to shade the tank. (Spangled Perch are quite capable little jumpers...).
This freezer is almost the same height as my existing FT so it should look the part but I might have to use a sump so I can still use a single pump to run the system without if being too complicated. Still working that out at this stage but time is on my side so no rush with that right now.
Ideally I will set this up and temporarily decommission my existing tank so I can also install a window in it too before getting the whole thing running together. Not being able to see the bream is just no fun at all.

That is a good find Bodgy. Give us a diagram on your ideas for a system, would be great to see.

Thanks for the interest Martin.
I'm really not sure how to approach it at this stage. The FTs are about the same height and I'm not sure how to arrange flow from one pump into two beds. I know others do it but unless there is backpressure in the pipes I don't see how it'd distribute evenly?
Ideally I'd like to pump from one FT into a media bed which drains into the next FT and then flows via a second bed into the original tank. But that doesn't seem feasible without burying things, which I'm not really keen on. (Digging is easy here but I want the system to be easily removed without drama if I move on). If I could do it would mean that I wouldn't have to upgrade the pump to double the size of the system.
I might just set it up as a second stand alone system. Really not sure at this stage...

I think that some put a valve on the end of each pipe to restrict the flow and then can also use the valves to even out the water flow.

That sounds straight forward enough.
Gotta admit, until I need to know something for my own use I tend to gloss over some of the obvious or simple details...
I'd still rather set it up with each FT/GB pair in series with each other so I can use the pump I have. If I can control the flow like you suggested and incorporate a sump along with a larger pump it's probably a logical option since I don't want to have a big hole in the ground.
I just looked at the wattage and flow of the aquapro pumps, it looks like the cost to run a pump twice the size is pretty much the same as two smaller pumps. So I'm leaning towards just running two separate systems again now. Not really any benefits to doing it that way except that it saves me from digging a hole or running pipes all over the place.

Digging holes and running pipes all over the place is often a lot more work than expected. If you can sidestep that then it is worth it unless the running costs go up appreciably.

It's easy to underestimate something like that, like I did with building a shed this weekend.
Started on Sunday morning at 9:30am and finished packing up at 9:30pm without having put the roof on yet!

Hopefully I will get the roof on before the weekend so I can actually start using the thing and get my bikes out of storage.

It's almost time for a roof party then! (yep, that's a thing).
Hope you've dug out the boxes of lycra in preparation for the future riding. (You asked for it... )

gah...
I left the glass lids closed and the sun heated the freezer up enough to shrink some styrofoam off cuts I'd thrown in there by more than half and damage the lining of the freezer. Oh well, I'll just have to screw the loose bits back on before I seal it.
Nothing major luckily but you could have cooked an egg in there. I'd had the passing thought it wasn't clever to close the lids but stupidly dismissed it thinking It'd be better to keep the rain out.

Back home we call it a roof wetting party. Sounds like a good reason for a party anyway.

I really don't have an issue with Lycra it seems to be everyone else that has an issue with me in Lycra...

sigh...
Sadly I've torn a ligament (hopefully only one) and done the AC joint in my shoulder and finances are going to be strained this christmas break so I won't get the freezer set up for a while.
Was really looking forward to pretty much doubling the size of my AP.
I guess patience is in order for some time.

Bloody hell Bodge, sorry to hear that. Hope you heal up okay. Hope you weren't showing off or something? Nothing like the famous words: "Watch this...."

I have had a few of those injuries over the years, not this time though. A funny story to go with an injury is always good.
I don't think it's too bad luckily, won't know for a few days but it isn't really painful for some reason. Which is hopefully a good thing.
I'm mainly grumpy since I might not be able to do the work that I enjoy and will have a stupid bump on my shoulder from here on. I'm no ascetic but it'll still annoy me. At the risk of admitting vanity I did like my shoulders... but one is ugly now so I'll have to live with that.

Well one ugly shoulder should be okay for you Bodge, we all know that with you it's the face that's the money spinner...

Jokes aside - hope it all fits back together without too much trouble.

Thanks Martin, it should knit back together fine. Just in it's new position as far as I know.
As long as it doesn't affect my mobility and strength too badly I'll be happy. And I'm sure it really isn't all that bad.
I'll sook about the stupid bump but that's to be expected from me.