Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Massive red herring to throw in.... but with the concrete tanks... you can help leech out the high 'pH' in the water by soaking chunks of driftwood in them.
No help if you don't have driftwood on hand but ya.. the tannins and the carbonates and stuff battle and precipitate solids and stuff.... saves a few water changes.
irrelevant as your going to seal concrete but just thought would mention it..... something about the way the mists form in the water..... is kinda cool
Nice to see you are getting so much growbed out of the 3 troughs. They are all linked together? one bit where blue/green pipes intersect confused me. Looks great though... are the long thin bits growbeds too? like guttering style?

Don

Eventually the slime stuff also seems to help, but they are a bit of a bugger to start with.

Jamie

When people mention sika, I always think about sikaflex. Coated the bottom (make that floorpan) of Sleepe (my T3 Fastback). Cost lots but very good.
Didn't know they made other than marine grade stuff. Time for another embarrased I suppose.

Played with my fair amount of hot fresh cement..... jus takes time end of the day. Sure used up some acid learning that lesson tho.

Jaymie, Sleepe & all

Thanks, I think i will have to contact these companies directly to get a better rate. Ive just been Quotes $155 for 5lt of the sika products so I wil also pop into a bunnings next time I am in the big smoke if I dont get any where with direct contact. Jaymie did you just speak directly with the sika agents? do I need to get them to take sympathy on me having a look at the options it is stil better for me to bite the bullet and stop eating rather than change to other tanks.

The pic is the base of the tank that I would seal

Please excuse my ignorance Don But what does playing with hot cement achieve??

TB, Creative1 arranged for the purchase of the Sikatite, but I don't think there was any discounts involved The Tite was bought from Sika agents, but all the Flex was bought from Blackwoods here in Townsville because my brother works for them and I can get a discount from them

tree beard how think is the conc?

Don the concept is that the long thin bits are continuous flow gutters. there are a few problems with the concept and I think that the sump will have to be larger and from my reading of other threads i would be interested in a dedicated 'duck weed' tray.

The intention is that the three tanks are plumbed together. I am hoping to stagger the age/growth so that there is a constant uniform supply of aging fish as the system runs which will hopefuly give me uniform growth from the beds.

Approximatly 3 inches I think, dark and raining at the moment, so not running up the paddock, but thats a pretty good guess i hope.

those cracks look almost worth fixing.
Forget radcon it doesn't fill voids.
You need to grind the cracks a bit to get to sound concrete and then gap seal and then...considering there will be fine cracks you haven't yet seen, coat the base with sikatite X 3.
Sika won't take mercy on you, just your money!!!typical multi national.
However you could ask them if there is any sikatite with a close use by date, QAQC requires the manufacture date and use by date to be on record.
If your nice and LUCKY you may get a person on the end of the phone that could help you!

Thanks Creative but I cant guarntee that I wont try on a sob story for good measure.

Its all good..
you could even try a local applicator (waterproofing contractor)
they may have a part kit leftover from a previous job!
Good luck.
C1

Hi all
So given a few days of clear weather and sproggy not hatching I wil take my trusty little grinder to the tanks and investigate the cracks a little deeper.

To assist with My A.D.D I have been surfing all of the usual suspects, the net paper etc for pumps. Now I expect that I will need a small internal pump for the sump (kinda rhyms) and an external for the three tanks (one to start with tho)

Sssooooo....Should I through finances to the wind and do the davey type of pump or is it worth investigating other avenues. I notice that ALdi gave a pump for $125 in the paper today 2years warranty etc. I would be interested in any thoughts

Thanks

Remember Treebeard that you will be pumping undigested food pallets (solids) and anything else that gets into the tank....

Joel recommends (and sells) pumps that are rated to handle solids up to 10mm

Thanks Rupert

Have pm Joel and he is helping me out, beastly little pumps... very sexy...mmm new appreciation of pumps???does that make me a pumpofile??