Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I honestly think that if it gets to the stage that you have to use ice, it is not sustainable. No point trying to save the planet if you kill it with power plant emmissions. I am pretty sure that using passive cooling and shade we should be able to keep the water to around 32, using hessian and swampy water.

i agree outback. but we're all doing emergency things while learning about AP

besides using a swampy would negate much of the water efficiency of AP

? Swampy water only runs to ground anyways, AP needs topping up daily, you only use the swampy when its hot, so I would have thought it was a rather symbiotic (heh i can use big words too) relationship.

OH, ok, you mean use swampy waste water in the ap hessian.

i thought you meant cycle the ap water over a hessian to derive cooling.

fair enough.

evap waste water has been talked about before, my view is that it is wasted for a reason. but thats a new (old) topic do a search if you're interested

yes well aware of the salt etc build up, I clean mine twice yearly, I reckon its better cooling the fish than making a green circle of lawn. /end hijack

Outback, went through this discussion last year with Steve and a few others.
Ended up running the swampy water over the shade cloth covering the pipes, it sorta worked (dogs loved it) but will start researching soon for fish that can handle the temps.
Barra are a good one for higher temps but due to my work load (laziness ) I have not even finished the growbed frames at this stage for the bigger system, oh and i've also moved house so had to start again anyway.

My water today in my AP system was 28 degrees C... I wan't to see what it gets down to at night, but I have perfect barra conditions right now... just no where big enough to put them.... Just one more week.... And I am making a start...

yeah I have read through your thread gnash, what do you reckon your highest temp was? I have an overflow in my bath so I can run the swampy water into it is much as needed.

I reckon a frame with hessian/shadecloth, with high flow drippers across the top, with the bottom in the water should provide a bit of cooling, especially on them really hot dry days.

Highest temps so far with the little system are 35C, the goldies don't appear out of sorts, just really active.
I have the weekend off so will keep plugging along with the growbed frames for the other system (who knows i might be finished by winter )

ARe you going to be using the ibc's for growbeds or tanks?

Will be using the ibc's to catch rain water, I have blue barrels for growbeds and will be purchasing a 2-3000l tank for fish.
The tank will be inside a garden shed that I also scored for a carton (kal currency).

If anyone is interested I have added a pdf to the download area on building a greenhouse from pvc pipe.

good stuff gnash

Are the structural PVC pipes used for plumbing too? forgive me for not reading... slow connection. hotel wireless here...

think not, but anything is possible.
you would have to put some thought into it though and that is not my forte