Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi


Does any one know where i can get good grow beds in Melbourne other than plastic barrels and ibc tanks cut. I am looking for something longer for a floating raft. I am thinking of making a wooden one. But if i get a good one made of some good material for reasonable price it would be nice. I dont have much of wood work skills so might be lot of trial and error to make a good one.

Maybe Ebay would have some? shipping is probably expensive tho...

What you ask is practically impossible.

Get some marine plywood and some builders' plastic sheeting and build your own.

Yep, unfortunately there isn't much out there unless you want to buy the custom plastic tubs.
Check gumtree for second hand ones. Sometimes you can find decent deals on there.

Otherwise, just knock up a timber or steel frame then clad with plywood. Doesn't have to be marine ply, but note that will last longer especially if your bed is exposed to the elements/in a damp greenhouse or shed.
You could use builders plastic, but I don't trust that stuff. Bunnings sell a decent pond liner that comes in a few different sizes or in 4m wide lengths cut to measure off a roll. Bit more rubbery in feel and is fairly durable.
Learn as you go. Pretty easy to make a bed to the exact size you want.

Colum Black-Byron has some videos of making grow beds from metal and wood with a liner.
(look towards the last 25% of his main thread for info. Or look on his youtube.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=19967

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=27495&p=539312&hilit=pond+liner#p539312
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... =1&t=21207

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZKGg7mHjPk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49wAbSiwJYQ


Can get reasonable liner from various Oz sellers on eBay.

TCLynx uses some frames with Liners and clips that look really cool and I think she even sells them through her website. The shipping might be a killer though. Perhaps there is something like it down under. She would be a good one to contact, she knows a lot.
http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/

Edited to add link
Re-Edited and Edited again again to make said link usable...

>> I dont have much of wood work skills so might be lot of trial and error to make a good one.

you can learn a lot from trial and error

Other options are to use sleepers and dig a hole and make it at ground level.
(but you have to bend over then).

you can use cinder bricks & blocks - sometimes cheap on gumtree.
These don't need cementing if one or two blocks high.
And they can also b used to make a sturdy stand if your skills are not so good.

An easy option is to use galvanised fence post pipe for the frame.
These are strong and you can then get the various connectors that bolt to make the frame up.
Example is Doctor Fish -> viewtopic.php?f=18&t=28102&p=559034&hilit=doctor+fish+perth#p559034

Try a fencing supplier. Can sometimes get in rubbish dumps and salvage if you are prepare to clean up and angle grind.

thanks all for your response i think i have got this under control.

I just googled
Gumtree
region..... Melbourne Region

looking for grow beds....a lot of other stuff but saw 4 in what your looking for on first 2 pages...