rfeiller's greenhouse revamp

[rfeiller]

finishing up setting up my 14'x16' revamped greenhouse for aquaponics, bioponics, and aeroponics. it includes a 1,000 gal. wood/EDPN linered tank for KOI, (1)-100gal res. for two large 19yr old turtles, (3) additional 100 gal res. for bioponics and aquaponics, (1)-50 gal res.
trays are: (2)-3'x6'x6", (4)-4'x4'x6", (1)-2'x41"x6", (4) 1'x41"x6" and (1) 3'x3'x6" (used for sump for 1000gal tank.)

each tank has it's own controller, commercial air & water pumps to slow down cross contamination of systems. (i know that is a minimal attempt to control pathogens). still to build are degassers and scrubbers for nitrification.

poop providers are turtles, fish and visiting contributing critters. To be used are good quality pond gold fish (not feeders) and KOI. KOI get to big for 100gal containers, a KOI fry will reach over a foot long in a year, and they jump. For the biofilters there is worm castings, compost for tea; still working on getting rabbits and chickens. (i live in a sub-division)

will post pictures when i figure out how; badflash i read your info on that, need to apply it.

[rfeiller]

A little glitch, went to connect new outlets to electrical circuit in greenhouse and found the grounding copper wire was hot. (Lesson don't grab bare wires when doing a hot connect. :-) ) Need to trace back to find short. Breaker never tripped. The circuit feeds some yard outlets.

[davidstcldfl]

OUCH.... :shock:

[Big Al]

hi rfeiller, ive been there before, it definetly get's your attention. hope you found the problem. good luck Big Al

[rfeiller]

Common ground back feed, ground serves two circuits other circuit has the Koi pond. Gcfi didn't.trip. neither circuit groundfault tripped. Gotta love it.

[rfeiller]

Didn't mention going to have electrition go through system and separate grounds. Install ground rod in greenhouse too much moisture and too far from elec pnl.

[urbanfarmer]

will post pictures when i figure out how; badflash i read your info on that, need to apply it.
YOU BETTER! :lol:

[rfeiller]

working on it signed up for photobucket pro, loaded photos onto computer now need to get them from point a to point b.

added a few good gold fish to a couple of the 100 gal tanks to help with the cycling.

[Big Al]

hi rfeiller's, looking forward to your picture's soon. it's actually easier than you think to post
your picture's. good luck Big Al

[rfeiller]

I'll get them up this weekend.
Electrician is coming over this weekend to straighten out the the electrical mess.

[rfeiller]

electrition is going to install a 60amp sub-panel this week. adding 18k btu a/c with a 12k heat strip; the temperature fluctuation are driving me nuts.
also thinking about adding (3)-1000 watt lights to the greenhouse to extend the growing time.
working on bio-filters still.

[davidstcldfl]

Hi rfeiller, I see you have 3 locations listed....I think (?) your green house is near Reno.
Just wondering.....Did you consider using a swamp cooler instead of the AC ? Since it would be adding humdity to the air...it would help to keep your evaperation in the system down.
It would be easier on the ol' electric bill... :D

Wish I could use one here in FL... :lol: ....I don't think our humidity ever goes below 50 %. :roll: A 'swamper' works best, with less then 15 or 20 %.

[rfeiller]

I know my locations are confusing, I am in San Jose most of the time. That is in the process of change. A new change in methods will certainly take place. My home in Reno is almost 6000 feet elevation. I have no idea how or what will do well there. The full transition will take a minimum of a year.
I have set up this greenhouse to test out design applications. You are right about swamp coolers.

[rfeiller]

well, murphy's law struck, electrician couldn't make it over the weekend. he's determined that the panel has to be upgraded to 200amp. so the stucco is going to have to be cut around existing panel (panel is exterior 100amp). rescheduled for this past thursday, since it is going to be changed out hot rainy drizzle put a damper on that plan. today still raining. rain supporsed to stop sunday.
place your bets, it's that time of year.

will try to post pictures tomorrow.

have a good weekend you all. :(

[rfeiller]

/>http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20101111_075730-1.jpg

raft with salad greens above 1000gal tank

[JCO]

"Cheer up" he said, "things could be worse". SOOooooo I cheered up and sure enough, things got worse....but guess what, just like the hurricanes that hit Florida, nothing lasts forever and sooner or later the sun will come out and all will be forgotten until the next time....mostly that is 8-) :lol: :lol: :lol: :mrgreen:

[rfeiller]

ok, one photo worked can't get anymore to post just the address. if this were my old laptop i'd throw it across the room but this laptop is brand new and i can't afford to replace it! :lol:

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20101111_080112.jpg
two of the 4x4x6" trays, sorry for the mess still setting it up. 100gal resevoirs underneath have gold fish in them.

[rfeiller]

http:/http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20101111_075832.jpg/i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20101111_075832.jpg

orchids will be set up differently and put on an aeroponics system.
the vat is 1-1/8 plywood screwed to 2x4 studs, 3/4 pressure treated plywood base over 1" styrofoam cushion. all wood is screwed and uses simpsons clips and hangers. ends are re-inforced with 3/4" all-threads to prevent seperation; at center of top of walls three 4' simpson straps are used to keep the sides from spreading.

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20101111_080039.jpg

the sump for(3'x3'x6") the 1000 gal vat/tank. receives water from turtle tank and 1000gal vat

note the galvanized steel straps to prevent spreading.

[rfeiller]

[imhttp://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20101111_075826.jpgg][/img]
turtle tank above 1000gal vat

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/DSCN5594.jpg
water supply from 1000gal vat to turtle tank biofilter

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/DSCN5593.jpg
sorry out of order; this is the return from turtle tank biofilter to vat sump at bottom of filter

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/DSCN5596.jpg
male yellow belly slider checking out his new island. this will serve as the biofilter for the turtle tank and aid in the nitrification of the 1000gal vat.

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/DSCN5599.jpg
return lines from turtle tank to 1000gal vat sump.

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/DSCN5603.jpg
each of (3)-100gal res. have a sump/biofilter like this 12"x41"x6" with matting the pvc is the supply for spraybar

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/DSCN5606.jpg
100 gal res. sumps showing one supply and two returns

[Big Al]

hi rfeiller's, thing's look good, you use alot of pump's do you have back-up power. that's a pretty
big turtle, your raft's and plant's look nice how many bed's do you have total. good luck Big Al

[rfeiller]

Al so far: two 3'x6', four 4'x4', one 2'x3'5" plant trays
livestock tanks: four 100gal, one 1,000gal
Am adding aeroponics for cloning and trays for starting seeds.

[urbanfarmer]

Wow, looks great! Keep up the good work :D

Are you going to eat the turtle?

[rfeiller]

One of two pet turtles I've had for 19yrs.

[urbanfarmer]

Oh wow. Yea, turtles are neat little creatures. The girls have 2 in their tank, and they are very playful.

[rfeiller]

tanks have cycled, with help from the KOI pond filters. Slowly increasing the fish load. added first two young KOI (8") to 1000gal vat. water shared with turtles; going slow with the KOI they don't like to be plopped from tank to tank.

have about 25 small 2-3" body size, of gold fish in 100gal vat. more expensive young goldfish $14per range at 15 per 100gal.

will max out at about 30 per 100gals, they will be a good 6" within 3-4 months with forced feeding. i keep ramshorn snails in tanks to eat uneaten food, they also produce poop which aids in the system. the snail fry also are eaten by the fish.

seedlings of tomatos, summer squash, soy beans, snow peas, kale, salad greens and orchids are doing fine. a little leggy and not as robust as they will be, but, ok.

3x6' with bhut jolokia chiles and rose bush are being set up on drip systems with bioponics from fish filters and worm castings.

anxious to set up the three 1000watt lights. lights and warmth are the two deficiencies.

still rainy, haven't finished electrical. temperature is the big problem, it's been cold for our area and this time of year.

[wolfracer]

Looks pretty good !

[rfeiller]

having a heck of a time getting bell syphon to cycle. the small pumps i have are 270gph and the syphon will just not break. i've tried several differet configurations show on the web to no avail. any suggestions would be appreciate.
i done the reducer flared fitting on the top. holes at different locations to let in air. my greenhouse is beginning to look like a pvc graveyard! :?

[badflash]

Make sure the cap vent is air tight and extends down just above the upeneing at the bottom.

Increase the flow until it cycles, then you can back down until it stops cycling. Too low a flow is almost always the cause. I also fin that it helps to have the drain slope up just a tad, linke 1 pipe diameter before it goes down to the sump.

[rfeiller]

well badflash, i tried to make a bell syphon like some of those without the cap vent and just couldn't get it to work. so added a 1/2" cap vent and moved the tube up and down to adjust as you suggested; it's ugley but works great. thanks

[rfeiller]

lettuce and salad greens look good but are very weak. there is little substance to the leaves. don't know if it is insufficient light intensity or what.

[gosmith]

At least the days will start getting longer after tomorrow, if that's what the problem is.

Just checked the official length of today (Dec. 20) for my 48.5 degree latitude: 8h 17m. Subtract out an hour or two at each end of the day and there's probably only 4 or 5 hours that a plant can actually use to photosynthesize. That means it has to go an awful lot of hours with zero energy to grow, let alone just sustain itself. Throw in a few cloudy days in a row with only about 20 percent effective light and you're screwed.

The 3 locations you list for yourself are nowhere near as extreme as mine, but official Bay Area insolation values for summer are slightly above 6 in the summer, and around 3.3 in the winter, or almost half as much. Something to consider.

Gary

[gosmith]

Another thought:

I noticed a lot of condensation on your greenhouse walls, which also reduces light intensity inside a GH by reflecting light away. This is often much worse in the winter due to low night temps and higher humidity. I also read that certain kinds of plastics used in GHs can make this effect much worse. Not sure what you might be able to do about it, but again, something to consider.

Found this article after a quick search:
http://www.onhort.com/onhort/main.cfm?r ... cleID=3308 (http://www.onhort.com/onhort/main.cfm?rfah=&cfap=&CFID=4032922&CFTOKEN=26146566&fuseaction=showArticle&articleID=3308)

Gary

[rfeiller]

Thanks Gary,
still haven't been able to get the 200amp panel to provide the power I need. I have put in an occilating wall fan that has helped. It has been cloudy all month just about. In fact most of the greens were laying over this morning and everything else is also doing poorly. I have 1000 Watt. Lights but no power for them.
Frustrating.
Rich

[rfeiller]

electric bill went up $400 in dec because of the greenhouse, going to let it coast till spring and see what's left. it's been cold and damp. fortunately the goldfish and koi will be fine.

[rfeiller]

reworking greenhouse again. taking out 100 gal hydroponic reservoirs that have been holding the goldfish to convert them over to deep pans for asparagas, chiles, and tomatoes outdoors. replacing them with some large aquariums i have around for holding the fish. will use water from small koi pond for relocated pans.

[rfeiller]

outdoor aquaponics garden underway, will start plumbing 29 five gallon buckets, (3) 100 gallon grow beds, and numerous potted individual plants. this will combine vermiponics with aquaponics. have had a few sunny days and plants are starting to wake up.

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20110327_104056.jpg

this is a horse radish root that i purchased at a local market. it took to AP very quickly at the time of this foto it was over 2 ft tall. i also have celery hearts that have rooted and continue to produce stalks. it gives me a second harvest on these and other veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, herbs, etc.

[urbanfarmer]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20110327_104056.jpg
I don't see it

[badflash]

Edited post. There was a double IMG and that confusted the site.

[urbanfarmer]

I SEE IT NOW! :lol:

[rfeiller]

Thanks BADFLASH last night I couldn't get the photos to show, too tired. Will work on getting pictures up tonight

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20110327_104227.jpg

a 4'x4' trial GB with several different types of plants and veggies.

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20101205_102423.jpg

a 4x4 raft with salad greens

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/Lady_bugs.jpg

they appeared to be happy :lol: , but most have vanished in the green house

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20110426_161256.jpg

blooming sweet potato vine, not the healthy bugs!

[davidstcldfl]

Is the sweet potato in a media bed ? I tried some last year...it went nuts. It was growing so fast, I was afraid to stand too close to it... :lol:

[rfeiller]

it is in a matt system, the plants container sits on top of the matt and the roots go into the matt. the solution flows through the matt contineously. sweet potatoes are sure nutritious, i am trying to find a way to grow them AP

[rfeiller]

first tomato on AP in greenhouse

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20110510_071734.jpg

[urbanfarmer]

it is in a matt system, the plants container sits on top of the matt and the roots go into the matt. the solution flows through the matt contineously. sweet potatoes are sure nutritious, i am trying to find a way to grow them AP
I'm not sure if this helps you, but I just toured an organic farm locally. They are growing sweet potatoes in leaves, just leaves. It's in the hydroponic area of their farm; so, they irrigate with the same hydroponic solution. They haven't had a problem with disease or pests with the exception of a few ants gnawing at the potato, but they only take a little.

[rfeiller]

i can do that, thanks for the idea. i had planned on using red lava (i've been searching for info on toxins since you mentioned it). i just may make one of the new EDPM lined 2'x8'x1 ' boxes with the core mulch, the chunk type instead of leaves. pototoes require a lot of nitrogen, i would think the leaves would be pulling out nitrogen for decomposition. there are endless twist and turns in this game. core doesn't pull out the nitrogen. i wonder what species of trees these leaves come from. years ago when i was a kid, the best leaf compost was said to be oak leaf mold.

[rfeiller]

Several plants are doing well. Chiles, tomatoes, the sweetpotatoes I'm not sure if they aren't just taking over. They pull about 30 gals of fish water a week from the aquarium that provides for their GB. There are no leaks that I can find. Need to add at least 1000 more gallons of grow beds for the vat. Sure don't have the room for it. :lol:

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20110714_202404.jpg

first time i've grown sweet potatoes. these were part of the mat system. it took about 6months. the mother potato was planted in an 8" net basket in coir/perlite on top of the mat. very pleased with the results.

the seet potatoes that were planted in GB's with bell siphons and those in raft systems rotted.

i also harvested red wrigglers from the mat in the GB

[rfeiller]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/rfeiller/IMG_20110714_202741.jpg

this is what's left of the mother sweet potato. i cut out the rotten areas, i'll let her callous over and start over. i will also use the small "seed" sweet potatoes to start new plants. that should give me sweet potatoes for thanksgiving and Christmas. :D

[rfeiller]

the greenhouse has been revised several times since these photos were taken. will update this thread to show what is going on now. :-)

[JCO]

Yep, you're right on top of things....it's only been almost exactly 3 years since you posted on this thread. Glad to see you are still kicking. Don 't be such a stranger :mrgreen:

[rfeiller]

Yep, you're right on top of things....it's only been almost exactly 3 years since you posted on this thread. Glad to see you are still kicking. Don 't be such a stranger :mrgreen:

well there have been a few glitches in my program JCO which kinda rerouted me and slowed me down. have had a lot of projects none of which i have really done justice too. however, i do have 3 systems going at the moment and have never been without aquaponics. the most outstanding use i have found for aquaponics is propagating/cloning. you can root many different types of plant cuttings you wouldn't believe possible.

[JCO]

the most outstanding use i have found for aquaponics is propagating/cloning. you can root many different types of plant cuttings you wouldn't believe possible.

Do you have time to elaborate on how you do this and name some of the plants you have been successful with. I am starting a huge project which will probably take you through this time next year and maybe beyond to complete. (Trying to get off the road). One of the things that interests me imensely is progatating/cloning and rooting of anything I can get a cutting of. Tell me how and photos would be nice also. :mrgreen:

[rfeiller]

JCO, be glad to, will have to do set up for it. I will give it a run. require drip system, some ebb and flow with bell siphon, some with a aeroponics, some with a raft. any in particular plants you are interested in? sorry don't do cannibus even tho that would be one of the easiest.

[JCO]

Roses, Japanesse Maples and exotic shrubs for zone 9 are what I am interested in but do what you have available and I will hopefully learn from there. :mrgreen: