Wolfracer's System Build

[wolfracer]

Time for an update on the project...

Came home Tuesday night to a small disaster, one of the loops pinched itself off causing the growbed to overflow. Probably lost about twenty gallons of water. After spending some time online and more than a little time in the hardware store, I devised a solution that I think will service me well. I purchased 3 5' sticks of 3/8" white PEX tubing. I found that iI could bend this stuff in a fairly tight radius without it kinking and it woud slip air tight into my 1/2" hose. It also allows me to adjust the height of the water in the grow beds by pulling the PEX out or pushing it back in the 1/2" hose.



It took a while to get them all done up this way because I would wait for the end of the siphon cycle and then cut the hose and make my modification. I also found that I had to add some length to the siphon hose at the sump end or the siphon wouldn't break the siphon action, it would just keep on dripping.



While I was fixing these my wife was washing the dirt off of tomato's, cucumbers, peppers and red cabbage plants that we had purchased the evening before, to prep them for planting in the growbeds. We both participated in planting them. We also threw some onions in these growbeds, as we read that they do well in companion planting. These plants have been in the growbeds since Wednesday night and seem to be doing allright. I have also planted seeds for celery, spinach and leaf lettuce.



I pick up the Channel Cat fingerlings tomorrow at 9 am, so I needed to get the air system set up for the fish . I am using 2 6" air stones that I purchased online from drsfostersmith.com, powered by a Tetra Whisper AP 300 air pump. Here are the URL's

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=8121
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=3676

I ran into a little trouble hooking these up as the air pump uses a standard aquarium air lines and the air stones required a 1/4" ID line. I managed to hook these up by using the 1/4" ID line to the airstones and place a short link of standard airline on the both of the pumps outlets then slid the 1/4" line over that, it seems to be working quite well. I also secured the air pump to the shelf using plastic wire ties, to prevent a disaster like the pump falling into the tank.



Two of these air stones put out a lot of air! Here is a picture of the surface of the tank and the water looks like it is about to boil over! I believe this should provide a good amount of air to my cat fish.



Tomorrow should be a great day, as I will have a fully functioning auqaponics system with 50 catfish fingerlings!

[JeffW]

You do great job of documentation with pictures by the way.
It looks great too!

If I may offer some advice it would be this. I had a green house running last summer and it got very hot at times so I would keep tabs on your feed lines because they will become softer more flexible later as heat rises inside. Maybe put a shade over air pump if possible keep it out of sun light, keeps pump cooler and prolongs life span.

Always something to think about right?

Even the water temps change because the lines are exposed to ambient air temp in green house. The water inside the PVC lines as it travels along to the beds will heat up. I am not saying it will be a problem only suggest keep an eye on things I know this because last summer my hydroponic system (1" thin wall PVC) was in the sun light and it heated up the water in the pvc tubes VIA radiant heat which caused heat to transfer into the water as it traveled to plant containers (beds). This caused the plants to NOT want to drink it anymore than I would want to drink hot water on 90F day. Anyway I was late figuring this out but now I know that heat and PVC are factors in a radiant
condition. However yours might not have any issues at all..I am only offering what happened to me last summer.

It sure looks cool though and your gonna have a great time

[wolfracer]

Jeff,

You are completely on target with one of my big concerns! We are shopping for shade cloth and solar vent openers. I am planning on removing some of the side panels and replacing them wirh screens for the summer. I also have a 2 speed exhaust fan to mount in the back of the greenhouse.

Do you think I should insulate the growbeds feed line? Also shading the air pump is a very smart suggestion and I appreciate it, That is why we are on this forum right?

As far as my documenting everything with pictures I confess to me it's half bragging rights, and half because I can maybe help someone with thier own design better with pictures than I can describe it with words.

Again keep the suggestions coming! I am always open to improvement.

[JeffW]

Your welcome...me too I open to suggestions good or bad I learn that way still do

As for the tubes or feed lines I only know that the direct sun was what I was having trouble with, not as much ambient air but direct sun hitting the feeder tubes. I saw a fella in Florida that is a master at hydroponics and he uses shade cloth when needed and so what I did was string some decent wire side to side of green house and it was used like shower curtain only it was above everything and it was sideways or horizontal above my head. It can be anything really that you use it just has to handle heat without falling part.

I was surprised how hot it got inside, I was foolish for not having good vents set up in the first place. All my fault for getting in a hurry ya know? As for the shade I could see a drop of 15-20 degrees just by hold some shade cloth up over an area. However I needed to vent that heat that was bouncing off and it was like a attic with not enough vents and that is why in just 1 summer my $100 6 MIL plastic cracked as I went up to check on it later and just fell all to pieces

6 Mil construction grade plastic can not handle high temps, it dries out and cracks. Now my goal is in polycarbonate green house panels that is the way I will go next time. This is April and I have no green house cover...I am bummed. Then again I just spent $2,300 + on a 40 year metal roof for pole barn so at least I will have TONS of fresh rain water now and that is a biggy living in the city getting charged for every gallon you use plus 1 gallon for disposing of it not to mention the crap in it that kills microbes.
dang it I got off topic sorry this is your thread not mine

Keep on trucking looks good bro!

[wolfracer]

Latest addition and an update.


I believe I figured out what killed all my fish. The rural water district here uses chloramine instead of chlorine (which is what I thought they used) and stupid me didn't account for it. I never stated that I knew anything about fish by the way. So I ended up hauling water from the Fire Dept well tank. I am still measuring ammonia in this water, but I am assuming it has to do with the well being in a pasture, that has had cattle on it for over hundred years. Well as soon as I get everything cycled I will try again on the catfish. After a few test goldies that is.

Well I got busy and built my riverbed system! I was trying to go easy with the pvc glue so I had a few leaks which I plugged using silicon caulk. I used 3" pvc with 3/4" piping between each tube. I used a 2.5" hole saw for the holes and dollar store plastic cups with holes drilled in them for the plants. Turned out allright but I can think of a few mods for my next attempt.




I have spices planted in these but I am a little unsure that they will sprout. Oh well this didn't get the the name of "The Great Experiment" for nothing!

Let me know what you think!

[badflash]

Looks good to me.

Get some barrels to collect rain water. Town water is pretty bad stuff. I use a Kold-SterileII filter. Pricey up front, but worth it if you can afford it. 3 GPM + and it takes out all the nasties without hurting the hardness.

I sometimes use Amquel+ as a water conditioner. It inerts ammonia and chloramine.

[JeffW]

Very cool...I like how you mounted the PVC, I see people use the metal strapping but never seen anyone use the plumbers hooks...very nice indeed As for water well you know I am a rain water fan man, matter a fact a huge flat bed semi pulled up to side of the house today and delivered my new metal roof (yay!!) for pole barn that is. So water rain is going to be collected like never before and heck of allot cleaner than the shingles I am sure.

Keep up the good spirit..you are making some serious headway in this it is looking great.

[badflash]

Metal roof = metal ions. No big deal for fish, but forget crays. Metal ions are death to them.

[JeffW]

not to worry this is coated with 40 year silicon polyester paint--no metal contact with water. Used for garden\compost tea jobs

[mpugh5@aol.com]

hey fella's i just want to say your all looking good and plenty of great idea's floating around here.