Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks a bunch, I went to bootcamp with a recruit from Texas who was LDS. He didn't get it easy at all due to his name "Recruit Courregeous" but he is a solid Marine. I think i'll see if i can get in touch with him.

Damn that guy has hundreds of videos!

Yep enjoy!

Ok, so this might be totally insane but I had a lot of time to think today while I was shoveling horse manure. Right now we plan to compost all of it, but would it be possible/safe to do a horseponics system? Not for human consumption or anything but maybe growing forage for livestock in one huge covered growbed?

Just chunk a pitchfork of manure in a tank once a day and have it go thru a large solids filter and then into a F&D media GB-->sump--->pumped back to "Manure tank"?

I got the idea from guys doing duckponics, anyway just a thought I had while sweating. Might be totally asinine but you don't know until you ask.

Not sure on that one. although that is basically how a duckweed pond operates. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me will chime in on this one.

I'm certain it would work as far as growing the plants, I don't think it's a good idea. The horse manure has lots of fecal coliform bacteria and undigested seeds. There would also be parasites and other organisms that could be potential problems. Most of the time with soil methods this is spread on the fields in the fall and allowed to compost in place or else it is first composted and then used. This reduces the numbers of harmful organisms to acceptable levels and makes some of the nutrients more available. While large operations have the ability to do some sort of digestion process to reduce pathogens and come up with a usable end product quickly, I think there is limited appeal for a small setup.

Cheers

Fair enough, like i said just a crazy thought I had.

After you composted it. The heat would have killed all the pathogens. It could then be mineralized into a horseponic system. Although I would still just use it to make fodder for your animals.

So i found a great deal on 2500 gal cone bottom scrap tanks. My only problem is they cones have been cut. My question is; Is there anyway to flip the tank and seal the top port to be water tight, pics included.

Just at a guess, I'd say break out a plastic welder gun and a heat gun and give sealing it up a shot. If it fails when testing, what have you lost other than the hours devoted to the fix?

I'd love to know if it works...

I'm in Texas too (both Dallas and Frisco) but after all these years I'm still kinda a newbie.

thanks for the reply, Ive never welded plastic but i'll go do some research and give it a shot. I'm just north of San Antonio.

If you're anywhere near Boerne, I'm jealous. That's beautiful country.

Yup just outside of town a few miles

I have ex-inlaws in your neck of the woods. Good luck with all those deer!