Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This sounds interesting . If you don't mind my asking, do you move after a set number of years or what motivates you?

Cheers

I have lived in the US for over 30 years on an E2 Investor Visa, which pretty much excludes me from a green card. The day I retire, which means my company has sold, the US government will show me the door. Even having paid into SSI and Medicare, as a foreigner I am not eligible . The Medicare thingy forces my hand, because at 65 you age out of the private market.
It is a forced decision.
But as a European citizen, I have 27 (28) countries to choose from and would have no problem to get Health Insurance at a very reasonable cost, between 300 and 400 Euro for 100% coverage no deductible and no co-payment.
It sucks, having to sell, what took 30 years to built, but than being able to start all over again in a new country is very exiting, I look at it, as my last great adventure.
I spent the last 5 years with understanding this reality and than planning accordingly and starting the property sales and the listings of company and properties, financial planning and so.
Methodically the Kraut way

Crazy system we have here . There are a lot of times it would be nice to not have to think about health care or SSI but good luck with that. I think I was reading where the average retiree now needs about 240,000 dollars to cover healthcare costs during retirement. Healthcare costs as a percentage of SSI income just keeps going up so eventually it could use every penny you get from SSI. I envy you your adventure and figure it's probably a good thing even if it is a pain.

Hindsight is always 20:20, but today I am very happy that I have a German passport and my 2 attempts for permanent residency and than citizens ship failed. It is a very costly and stupid process to renew every 5 years.
I will do it one more time.
The health insurance and health care system in the US is truly a broken system.
What irks me, I have to leave my SSI behind, 30 years contribution amount to 1200 a month with 65, according to my quarterly statement. That's a nice amount of cash. If the sales go half ass right, I will be financialy rather sound and cost of living in Portugal is less than 1/2 of what it needs in my neck of the wood.
On the one side it is painful to sell what took 30 years to built, but than the adventure of a new country is rather exciting and hopefully I have many years to rediscover Europe.

But till than live just continues like normal and I have to built a little water world around an old tub. and naturally later a piggy world

It snowed 2 inches last night, yeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaa, moisture and 70% chance for more rain or snow today.

Solar is something I have been very interested in for some time. Thanks for sharing.

It is awesome that you are looking at your situation as an opportunity to start another adventure in your life. It does sound exciting to be able to pick and choose where to go to next and hopefully have a blank canvas to use all the ideas/knowledge that you have, from where you are at now.

I learned to look at live as a glass half full.

Florida is a good location for solar. If you have a south facing roof perfect. Get your average monthly power need from your power company, 12 month average. That allows you to calculate how many panels you need. Every half decent installer can get you a profit and loss calculation, based on retail and whole sale KW prices and an amortization calculation.
My installation was $ 28,000, the trackers, poles and the huge foundations added around 10k, as a roof top it would have been under 18k. You can apply for the 30% Federal tax credit, some States give tax credits, or financial support, or have special loans for solar..
My tax credit was a little over 9k.
Every State regulates Netmetering different, some times it differs from power company to power company.
I only pay the monthly meter fee, which is $32, other than that no cost and a nice check at the end of each year.
I have only 1 month in a year, were I use more than produce, that is January. Stocktank heaters, plugged in Diesel truck and electric pump house heater etc. Days are short and it is verrrrrry cold outside and longer periods with clouds and snow.

10mm moisture and it has snowed for 4 hours, maybe another 2-3 mm in the white stuff.

That was the most moisture we got out of a storm in 8 month, 21.2 mm.
Most of it came as snow.

What a beautiful day, 70 and something and hardly any wind.
I got most of the shade done. I welded the brackets yesterday and sprayed them and today it was wood work.
The wood is Juniper/Cedar, all rough cuts..
All I have to do get some spars on the top, probably 2x2s.
I very much like, how it creates a picture frame.
Periha pump is ordered, it will do 5 meters elevation.
Gives me lots of room to develop water world.

From a previous system I had those cradles standing around. I screwed the together and made a 4 half barrel block out of the. Leveled the ground and set them in place. They will get siding and house the electric connection.
I have 2 feet between the block and the tub, enough room to play with some other water stuff.

Florida is a good location; however, the local power company has rates that make it hard to cost justify a system without looking very long term. How long ago did you have it installed? Have you reached a break even point versus how much you would have paid the electric company? Also, have you had to extend the break even point by replacing any components or adding upgrades after the install?

The very low energy cost in the US make solar installations a long term investment and it really depends on how much power one uses. But than one has to be honest. A pick up costs around 40k, you take it of the dealers lot and you have already lost several thousand. After 5 years, average financing time, one has lost 2/3 of its value.
Throw in a few upgrade packages and 50k or 60k are normal. Sure they are fun, but it is money down the drain.

A solar system lasts around 20 years, has a 10 year warranty, amortization is calculated between 5-10 years and it adds value, 10-15% to the property ( which is not part of the amortization ).
My system is now 4 years old and has run without any problems. I had to adjust the amortization, because of the dropping retail price, from 7 to 10 years. Despite that, I still think it was a good and solid investment and has added value.
For me, the environmental impact, green, was never part of my decision, its a nice side effect.
I drive a 35 mile per gallon car, because it saves money and the sucker was around 22k and can haul 3/4 ton of supplies for my company. The mileage means less CO2, nice side effect.

I made a little progress. Split one more drum, and installed the halves and than plumbed the drains, with 3 inch pipe.
I got the pump in and plumbed, but I will install a manifold, with 3 gate valves, under the drums, for further use, got some ideas.
I saw some rather sorry looking apple trees at the feed store. Talked to the manager and got both of them for $ 10 a piece. Cut an other barrel in half, drilled some drain holes 4 inches from the bottom and planted the sorry suckers in some nice dirt, added weed tarp and mulch on top of it.
I will built some wooden thingys around the barrels and insulate with 4 inches of foam board. I am thinking of placing them left and right of the block.
More leaves for the tub to fall in.

Looking Good

I got the north side siding up. Little bit on the rough side, the boards were rather bent and twisted, but well.
Being able to visualize the drain, I am now able to get some ideas, what to do next. I have a photographic memory and my brain works that way. I have to see it, step by step.
Installed a manifold into the pump line and a slip uninion.

Tomorrow I will do a little concrete, a pad between the block and the tub. That will allow me to install what ever comes next. But basicly it will be all wood, channels, pools, waterfall and so on. Fiberglasing it, and using West System Expoxy for wood.

Seriously awesome. This is such a great project.