Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey guys,I have finally started getting my system components ready,and will be building my first ap system very soon.Cut the wine barrel growbeds in half just need to weld up a few stands and finish digging my IBC hole.Having read alot on this forum I came across the subject of PVC contamination.Has anyone had any bad experiences with PVC pipe or fittings contaminating systems.I will be feeding the kids the veges I will grow so I am a little concerned.I see most of the systems pictured on the forum have PVC pipe or fittings in them,so am I just being overcautious or are my concerns justified.Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
This site ROCKS

I hope PVC isn't that dangerous in it's finished form. Most of our drinking water is plumbed through PVC.

(I'm not sure but I think most of the really terrible stuff PVC has done is by the way of chemical contamination around the plants that produce the stuff.)
I don't know though.

wow , those wine barrels are gonna make for a really great looking system !

Im assuming they come pre-sealed with something , otherwise the wine would have leaked out in their previous use . Im curiouis to know if youre gonna seal them again with anything else on top of whats already there ?

Hey Boris, when the wood becomes wet it expands and becomes watertight,thats how the wine stays in.Running water through them also makes them watertight(I filled them up with water and they dont leak.)

Red,
Since you have cut them in half, you have changed the engineering specification of the barrels.
I would be concerned that the cut edges have nothing to push against on one side to make the seal. Thus the join between them and the next stave will not seal so well.
As time goes on, and they expand and shrink with heat and water, I would imagine that all the staves would wiggle loose, so that they don't seal (I know they're bound with steel hoops, but again these have been cut.
If you could find something non toxic, I'd try sealing them on the inside just to make sure.
Of course, it may work for you, but I have seen many ornamental wine barrels (cut into pots, beer coolers, bar tables etc) not hold water after a period. So I'd be concerned.

PVC IMHO is fine, although some concerns have been raised about DWV PVC pipes, as it's rumoured to contain Lead, which may or may not be bound tight enough to not leach out.

Re barrels, wine is oft treated with sulfur... is there a decent concentration in the timber? And will it effect your fish or plants? I don't know... just raising some questions.

btw :-)
Welcome. Stay a while; Stay forever!! :-)

Hey Kuda I have some bitkote 3 bitumen paint sealant but I wanted to try the barrel without it first.Every length of wood in the barrels has 6 tech screws in it(through the steel bands) the ends are sealed with aquarium silastic on the inside and maxbond(liquid nails)on the outside,keeping them in place.Time will tell if they hold up.How do you know what sort of PVC is IMHO or DWV?Thanks

IMHO = "In my honest opinion"


DWV = Drain, waste and vent piping


Everybody cheats and uses lots of abbreviations here

Sorry for the confusion mate. Hope Jaymie cleared that up for you mate.

If you can afford to do the research and try without sealant then fix if it fails, go for it, we'd be most happy to hear the results.

IMHO .Still a bit new to this

lol im still crying.....oh that poor beautiful wine barrel

Hey BK, they have a short life for wine. They become saturated with wine particles, and depleted of the nice flavours. Sometimes they're dressed up, removing the inside layers of the staves, and often made into smaller barrels for amateurs , but refurbishment is really too expensive and slow for wineries. So I believe it's an elegant end to a good life for a wine barrel.

you just dont get it do you lol.....the BARREL....THE POOR POOR BARREL........they're good enough to have just sitting there lol

and yes i know about the short life for wine nerd boy lol

i'd love a wine barrel to make a cold smoker for ham.......

Ditto

cmon you brisbane wine grower APers VB and i are after a wine barrel