Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

hughht5,

If you built skids on the bottom as a way to attach the netting material. You could possibly use a old 1 gal plastic jug tied to the raft to use as an anchor. Which would be thrown out into the moat. A second line could be anchored on the bank with a tent stake. This second line could also be hooked to a small tractor or ATV. to pull the raft onto shore for harvesting. Replant and push it back off the bank. Reset anchors.

i am not sure, about what Moat you guys are talking about ? more pictures could help me understand.

We only have a ph testing kit right now - water ph is 8. Is this good/bad?

I also got more pictures in from my dad today. They are all of the same garden from different angles and being winter the reeds have dropped down do it's a lot clearer:









Last one is from the other side of the moat:

The anchor we can easily use an old rock

The problem with skids is we can only use the tractor in the fields and the bank is way too high on those sides of the house. I've also thought of having it on a pulley attached to a tree so we can just swing it back to shore...

Honestly I can't see either of these working. I think we'd want to make growbeds on stilts above the reeds.

hughht5 ,

I was just thinking that you could "shave" down the bank to make a ramp. In order to make you harvesting easier. Question, if you build your GBs on stilts over the reeds. How do you plan on harvesting them without getting wet?

Hi Hugh,
You could try floating Grow Beds anchored between two posts. To harvest just untie and pull into the side.
I've attached a picture but I can't see how to insert it in the text.
the actual float is easy, take a bakers tray, cut a piece of polystyrene to fit closely in the tray. Make holes at whatever distance you need by taking a piece of metal pipe, flattening one end. Heat pipe to the point that it will melt the foam. Place the foam on a firm surface and press the flattened end into the foam. This will leave a funnel shaped hole with a slit at the bottom through which will pass the roots. Pass canes through two of the uppermost holes so that the tray "hangs" below the polystyrene.

Hugh,

The more I think about it. Apart from the initial building costs,and the ongoing electric bill for the pump. The GBs, or even better DWCs on stilts over the inside edge of the moat would be the way to go. It would give you the water movement and extra aeration needed to in time eliminate the sludge buildup you currently have.

I have seen this but not sure if it would be cost effective.

http://polyfacehenhouse.com/2012/05/floating-garden/

Hugh,

What is going on with the build? Haven't heard from you since the middle of last month.

Sorry - been busy with business for a bit.

It looks like the build will start either in easter or over the summer. I need to make time to head back to france and get things set up.

I'll keep you posted soon as I've got something going.

Which design did you end up going with?

Any update on this Hugh.

Would love to see if you acted on the great opportunity.

Hi

Sorry for the massively slow reply. I have continued evolving this plan and I'm moving towards a mixture of a DWC or similar system to clean the water as well as a giant swirl filter to get rid of the mud. The problem i have is that due to the sheer size of the moat and the volume of mud I want to remove i really need a digger to proceed.

The plan is to have a large pump coming out of the moat in one of the deeper areas. This pumps solids and water up to a pool that we have dug in the field up the back. This pool acts as a sump tank of sorts and we collect the overflow to flow back into the moat. The pump and the plumbing shouldn't cost more than £500 which is fantastic. The digger however is another matter and I'm going to need a bit of time before we commit to this one unless we can find a kind farmer we can borrow a digger from.

In the mean time I'm set up a backyard system in my new place in london: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=27060&p=534091#p534091

I just had an idea too - as I understand it plants like watercress float. What issues would I have if we just covered a large part of the moat with watercress as an in place DWC type system? Rather than building raft after raft - if we just sectioned off 10metres x 30metres in the moat can we just cover the area in a floating plant like watercress?

I realise i probably cant just throw the seeds out on the water, but if i grew a load of seedlings in rockwool or something and let them loose in this area do you think they'd take? (ignoring ducks and geese)