First aquaponics system

[jbarber]

Working out the kinks and letting fish adapt. I have 5 brim and 8-10 creek minnows. Will update!

jb

[dufflight]

Are your gutters metal. Couldn't make it out in the photos.

[jbarber]

Dufflight

Yes the gutters are metal. I really had to caulk the end caps good as they leaked. I think I have them water tight now.

I see your from Australia, I am American but lived in Glenroy Vic 2 years, and Wangaretta for 3-4 years in the late 80's early 90's

jb

[Big Al]

hi jbarber, your system looks pretty interesting but i think that aluminium is not good for fish and galvanizied is also bad for fish unless they are sealed with epoxy. good luck Big Al

[wolfracer]

Aluminum should be fine That is what mommyhen used and they worked out great. Copper is what you have to worry about.

[jbarber]

Well, thanks everyone for your feed back and pm's.

I have decided to set up a second system using plastic type tubs. I am going to discontinue the gutter system. I thought about lining the gutters with 6mil plastic but I have had numerous leaking issued even with marine grade caulk and epoxy etc.... I may use pipe in the future on my gutter stand.

jb

[jbarber]

Still contemplating the aluminum gutters.

jb

[jbarber]

Well, I'm keeping the Aluminium gutters as grow beds. It has been 21 days since I started the system and the plants and the fish seem to be doing fine. I am going to get a water testing kit to see where everything is at. When i started the system I put residue from my koi pond filters in the water and the grow beds. Will add some pics later.

I have recieved some feedback, mostly pm's. Some very upset people letting me know metal is not good as a system structure. I will conceed this FACT copper is bad and will say galvanized metal could have some effect "long term" on the fish. (poor minnows in those old galvanized minnow buckets). But nothing is showing me that aluminium gutters are leeching out anything that would harm the fish.

Hope to update soon, I love opinions it is a great learning experience for me. Obviously we all have different opinions about this subject because it can be so creative in its setup. but please don't be so upset because someone is doing something diiferent than the norm. Sometimes opinions not based on fact are just wrong.

jb

[jackalope]

Galvanizing is done with Zinc, and despite what others may say about copper, from what I've read, the copper sulfates that are given off by copper plumbing and red brass fittings also present health problems .... that's why they are bad for fish and vegs .... the use of Aluminum cookware (which is much more refined than the metal used in Aluminum gutters), has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, so use your own discretion on whether or not you want that metal residue in the fish and veggies you plan to eat ....... I'd rather take my chances on plastic gutters for the GBs.

Just my 2 centavos ..........

[jbarber]

This winter so far as been a great learning experience and a disapointment for my first first aquaponics system. Our normally mild winters in Georgia have turned into a deep freeze the last month or so.

I had healthy califlower, sugar peas, and brocolli and cabbage. The 24 degree nights eventually killed everything off including 3 catfish in the greenhouse. I had water heaters going and stabalized the temp pretty good at 79 but could not keep up after a while. I have shut my system down for the winter and look forward to the spring\summer. The brim and remaining cat fish are doing fine.

jb

[davidstcldfl]

Sorry to hear about the losses... :(
It was 26 here in central FL this morning...I can imagine what it must be like where you are....thought I heard you had snow...Brrrrrr

[dennis]

ouch jbarber, if i ever build in nevada i was considering to dig a trench for the grow beds creating a micro enviorment cover with poly vinal low cost green house cover the earth berm with pond liner outside of the greenhouse for a heat sink and a styroform wall in the vertical position on the outside of the earth berm ( at outside edge of pond liner) this would insulate the now tons of dry dirt surrounding the trench which becomes a very nice heat sink, there was an underground house built something like this and they required NO heating all year i think the house was in upper mid west or cold snowy climate, yes the top would be exposed with only poly vinal but the earth berm would help direct the cold winds some, i am not sure how it would work ?other then a backhoe for a day should be low cost, yes i would check angle of suns rays etc, well was just an idea i was tossing around