Nervous newbie

[semi]

I am happy I found this forum :D The idea of AP has really captured me, but now puzzles abound. I plan to use a portion of my unheated attached garage with a 275 gallon IBC cut to form tank and bed. Temp fluctuation (45F to 85F) is my puzzle and wonder if it dictates a seasonal approach. Grow light is a certainty. I know the light will be an added electrical cost which I hope doesn't negate food cost savings. My location is in the woods with limited direct sunshine. I will continue to explore the forum topics and hope not to trouble you much. Any advice about dealing with my location and cost parameters?

[JCO]

Welcome....You have come to the right place. All the members here are more than happy to assist you with answers to all your questions. Please go to your profile section and put in where you live. There may be members close by who can meet with you. :mrgreen:

[Apollo]

Welcome semi, glad that you have joined us. May your journey bring you the knowledge that you seek, put a smile up on your face, create hours of pleasure for your mind, an a healthier life style for your heart...from Apollo__Phoenix, Arizona.

For those wishing to see my set up from start to now, check out “Fire Pit … AP” then “Pipe Siphon by Apollo” and ending with "Got Vertigrow?".

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I HAVE NOT FAILED. I'VE JUST FOUND 10,000 WAYS THAT WON'T WORK. Thomas A Edison

[semi]

JCO, thanks! I listed southeast michigan (hence...semi) as my location in my profile. Thanks for the welcome Apollo and JCO. I'll check out your info Apollo. I built a kickass firepit, but it's under a foot and a half of snow:/

[eddiemigue]

Welcome semi!

I have a similar setup to what you are considering - well insulated, but unheated garage, located in the lower Hudson Valley, just NW of NYC. I have blue tilapia that have done well, but I do have use more electricity than I would like to keep things going. There are two water heaters, one in the FT and the other in one of the DWC beds. I have two lights, one a 6 bulb T5 fixture, and the other a 600W HID MH/HPS combo (which gives off considerable heat).

I setup the system a year ago, and have been fine-tuning it to maximize productivity and reduce operating costs. Plan going forward is to switch to an indoor RAS system in spring, with water changes to feed outdoor wicking beds. I also plan on building a hoop house and will setup an outdoor tank to see how long I can run that before the temps drop too much. I have read about others who run indoor/outdoor systems, rotating between the two depending on weather.

My goal in terms of running costs vs. produce is to break even over the winter months, and then come out way ahead in the other months. We'll see...

[Roger L.]

Welcome semi. My system is in my basement so I don't have extreme cold to deal with. You will find an abundance of knowledge on the site.

[semi]

Thanks for the welcome eddie and Roger. This is a great forum, killing lots of hours reading. Yesterday, I received my 330 gal ibc. Ice dams and some interior leaking has interrupted me. We set an all time record for snowfall for a month in the Detroit area. I will get back on track and start this project this weekend. I will also use HID for the heat in the winter and switch to cooler lighting in the warmer months.