Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

quick check might pay off, gem. google S02 bacteria or something like that

Aha! I'm not dead. AND for the last couple of weekends (like half a day each weekend) I've been working on my setup.



Basically I've almost setup the greenhouse. It's a pretty small area and I can only fit in 3 half barrels and my IBC (which is now painted black).

Here's how I built the little bugger:
* Hammer 4 star pickets into the location you want your 4 corners to be.
* Get some poly pipe and build yourself a couple of arcs.
* Join these with some PVC pipe (just pushed through and then pinned so it can't pull out easily)
* Make up some clips - we used the small PVC pipe and 40mm PVC pipe for the poly pipe clips.
* Attach your uv treated plastic using the clips trying to remove as many wrinkles as possible.
* Hope it doesn't hail.

The plastic is 0.3mm thick, and costs about $10 a meter. You're looking at about $80 worth of clear plastic sheet. Everything else is relatively cheap, and the whole greenhouse probably cost about $100.

I'm using recycled chairs to hold up my half "blue barrels" (although they're not blue) and I'm not so sure it's stable or level.

I've had 1cubic meter of scoria delivered and it's now sitting under a tree. Everything is taking so long to do!

I've just got to put the back and front on the greenhouse, fill the barrels with washed scoria, make sure it's stable, get pumps and things, plumb everything up and THEN... THEN I can actually start running it.

So completion is not for some time!!

Between playing soccer, looking to purchase a house, working full time, and spending time with my girlfriend, I find I get half a day to work on it a week and you just can't get anything done in that time!

I see they changed your power pole Gemmell

OH, and a lesson:
All IBCs are not created equal. The plastic inner bit of the IBC you see there did not fit the big spam can IBC container from my previous set of pics:
So out went the spam can.

hey Gemmell, good to see a progress report

I used 40mm pvc as clips also and they are quite effective - can't wait to see pics of the fish, keep going

More progress. I've had two big set backs thus far. Firstly the plastic inner for my IBC didn't fit in the big metal one, and now my "chair" system for holding up the barrels has gone out the window. It just wasn't going to work. I actually got disheartened and thought it might all be a waste of time, but my girl encouranged me and I've ended up better off - I can fit 4 grow beds instead of 3.

Oh, and my greenhouse had a bit of a problem: the water pooled in one section and stretched the plastic. Here's my dodged up fix:



Anyway, on with the progress report.



I did away with the chairs and built this little bed structure.



Grandad lending a helping hand. He was terrific, he worked till his fingers bled (thin skin at his age). You can see a cut on his arm in that photo. We used a metal fly screen I picked up at the tip for a couple of dollars to help clean.

The beds filled with washed scoria!!

Anyway, I now have to get a couple of pumps and do some plumbing and then I can run the system!!!!

The question is, do I go solar? I can get power to it, but it's got to run down a ditch half way down the garden.

well done Grandad and Gemmell! Well on the way

I've just read the entirety of Jays Vertical Tube System and I reckon I can use some vertical tubes either where Grandad is standing in that last photo or maybe where that bush is infront of the grow bed (I can't remove the bush as one of the conditions of me doing this was to make it look natural).

If only I could retire I could spend more time on it.... only 30 years till I get there.....

nah, its no fun when you retire.......look at F&F he's bored with AP now

And les is so bored he knocks up remote control central locking auto siphons...........LOL

Ok guys, I've spent a good 4 hours doing research. Goddamn I love these forums, so many ideas!!

Anyways, I really need some input from the experts - I've decided that solar power is out of the question (for now). However my system is about 30m from the house and i'm not too keen running 240v out to the back of the yard (it's dangerous and I believe its lossy). So 24/12V pumps seem like the go. If I get something like http://www.rockaroundtheblock.com.au/product.asp?pID=11&cID=3 this is it going to handle solids? This way I can move to solar sometime in the future too. Is it better to go 12V or 24V?

ok gem, to start with if you use 12/24 volt you're still going to have to get power 240v power to a transformer that powers the pump, no?

as for lossy, you'll loose much more with the 12/24 than you would the 240 given the same cable cross sectional area if you're thinking of keeping the trans inside the house.

Sorry man, but i'm not going to advocate anything thats not to AS3000 on the forum, but i hear bunnings has great 30m extension leads if you wanted to power your pump up for a test run

I always know you were a standards man Steve..

Yeah tricky one Gem I guess being that far away from the house you are pretty limited for options.. If you want to run 240 it will have to be buried in conduit to the right depth, connected by an electrician etc..

If you go low voltage you will want to keep the transformer at the house so you don't need the electrician.. 12V is probably easier if you want to convert to solar in the future, it will mean you can get by with one battery, 24V means you'll need 2. But then with 24V you will get by with slightly smaller cables..

Anyway, you will have to run some larger cables out there than what you would for 240V and there is a way of working it out when you have an idea of the pumps current draw.... Ummmm, might need one of the more electrical minded people to answer this one....???????

Talk to somone whos got experise in outdoor lighting..... they quite often do long runs with a "dual - figure eight" 12v/24/v cables

I know someone who has been testing his kettle, tv, dvd, fish tank, microwvae, lamps, alarmclock, swandwich maker etc, etc. on a 60m extension cord. Just to make sure everythinh works.

Test has been running succesfully for over three years no problems

PS by the way its not me.

no its not stuart his is only 50 metres