Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

+1
Tin+heat=cookin'.

I have a roll of double foil bubble insulation like this: http://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/121735516826

Would that do the trick? Easier to install... Just need to rig some sort of stud wall or support structure so that there's an air gap as apparently it increases the effectiveness of the foil bubble insulation.

this stuff is so light I could possibly even just cable tie it to a net or something similar like plastic mesh stretched between the wall and roof joists....

Maybe even electrical conduit. I do love my electrical conduit - so cheap and easy to work with. Plus - no fear of rotting!

I was thinking it looks like Aircell, which is quite expensive, but then I read down to this:
>>Incredibly thin 3mm thick

So the insulation value would be minimal, but it is probably ok for a radiation barrier, with an air gap between it and the shed.

Ours is thicker. At least 1cm or 1.5cm

Can't remember where I got it from but I only used a little to make insulation blinds for the baby's room. (Sandwiched between fabric)

I might play it safe and get some of the insulation panels from Bunnings as well. They're only $12 per panel - I'd hate to have invested this much in our system then have it fail because I didn't insulate the shed.

Maybe I could use both and just play it really safe...

Thinking about it...There's not much point spending too much on insulating the shed as the doors are stuffed and no longer exist. So there's going to be a lot of heat loss through the door cavity. I might still insulate the roof of the shed as this is where most of the heat will come through in summer. But I think for cost per sqm it's wiser to insulate the tanks themselves.

After all my moaning about hating digging.... The hole is growing... Almost big enough to take two IBCs and its approx 30cm deep. Thank heavens I have a neighbour building a retaining wall in his garden or I have no idea what I would do with all the soil I'm removing. Pushing a wheelbarrow full of dirt up the slope of our land to the street sure is a workout. I feel it in my gluteus Maximus!

I sometimes use the soil to raise the ground level around a tank to stabilize temps. Keep up the good work

Good idea! I have to dig out a 2.4m diameter circle to accommodate a rainwater tank next. I'm thinking I will get the IBCs in place then build a surround of pallets and stuff it with soil to make a living wall... All things must be planned so that plumbing may still be easily accessed however...

More details on how we plan to seal the myriad holes in the top half of the rainwater tank: http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=26051&p=522205#p522205

An idea for maximizing the flow of water in the round tanks with a flexible air hose.

Thought if it was wound around the SLO pipe it might assist the suction of solids into the SLO?

Feedback would be much appreciated!

Yes good idea, I got airstones hanging in the center of the tank and it helps to move the solids in towards the slo.
How's things going ? Making progress ?

I also have airstones hanging next to the SLO in my small system, it doesn't have to be wrapped around it, just next to it works fine. In the big system it is just 2 air discs above the (horizontal across the bottom) SLO, which appears to work very well too.

I was thinking of extending the SLO across the bottom of the tanks at right angles to the corrugations...
Hypothetically, would the ideal situation be a grid of pipes across the bottom connected to the SLO and with holes drilled in the bottom...

Or is this too much area and does it negatively affect the SLO??

Rendang - Not much progress! I was up in QLD for my goddaughters christening.

Honestly it was so awesome just to be a million miles away from anything that needed digging lol!

Still trying to finish the hole for the sump pits.

Only thing I've really managed to do the last week or so is fix the sliding doors for my shed! (Found someone who sells spare parts for sheds! Go figure!)

This is a big coup for me,however - as it means I can lock the shed doors. Even though I will be putting a child-proof cover on the tanks, there will undoubtedly be situations where it is handy to completely block access to the shed.

Also means that it is much more worthwhile to insulate the shed as there won't be this great big gaping hole!

You don't want too many holes in your SLO, as the water velocity will be too slow to suck up the fish poo.

No need to over engineer things,6mm slots in an slo like a simple upside down T and good water flow thru the system will get the waste moving.