Wolfracer's System Build

[JCO]

Hey Wolf,

Go ahead and put your plants in, they'll do quite well for some time with just plain water being fed to them as is proven by raising plants in a jar with nothing but water.

If you have any old filter material that you can remove from a working fish tank, throw that into your over flow tank and that will help get the bacteria growing. Go to Pet Smart or wherever you can buy about 10 inexpensive gold fish and throw them in your fish tank, feed them sparingly at first and don't worry about the temperature and you're off and running.

Good luck

[JeffW]

badflash and JCO can help you with the cycling questions and how long you might have to wait for bacteria.

Sir you have a fine looking green house farm there, we salute you for the diligence. This is awesome and I curious to see how well each siphon works for you so I am watching this thread as you progress.

You might have a few kinks down the road and some leaks here and there but that's OK
we all learn from it.

GOOD JOB!...and also it must feel good to "plug it in"

[badflash]

If you have a cycled aquarium, or access to someone with a healthy cycled aquarium, offer to clean out their filters for them. Swish out all the gook in the filter and dump it in your sump. Add fish within 24 hours. That is all there is to it.

[mpugh5@aol.com]

WOW what a difference a day makes, just got back from a trip to southern virginia,logged on to a very pleasant surprise. wolf your system is inspiring and looking good.

[wolfracer]

Thanks for all the encouragement and compliments! Building this has been fun, but now I have a minor problem. It is supposed to get down to 25 tonight and I don't have my heating system going, should I drain this down or leave it running? If I am going to drain it I need to be doing it soon.

[JeffW]

how long will it be cold just over night?

I would drain it if it is not a problem or shut the doors and windows kick on a heater and toss a tarp over the top maybe? depends I guess on your flexible parts, tanks can expand a bit but
water in PVC does not

[wolfracer]

Just over night. I think I will leave it running. No fish and no plants, and the green house appears to stay 10 degrees warmer than outside with no sun.

[wolfracer]

Update on the expected cold snap .... I went ahead and put a 1500 watt oil filled electric heater in the green house, hopefully this will be enough. Just when you think you your ahead of the curve Mother Nature reminds you who is in charge!

[JeffW]

Yea tell me about it I have been fixing up the rototiller and messing around preparing for the garden, I just got the snow plow back out of storage because we are told we are getting some freak weather pattern and maybe 1/2 foot snow tonight. Oh well it won't stay since 60's next week ..or so they say.

I think that was a good idea...10 degrees inside higher and a heater for the night will keep your setup safe. That is what I would have done myself like your doing now keeping water moving
and use heater for the night.

[wolfracer]

I worked so hard to get this going I just hated the idea of shuting it down. Hopefully it will be enough. Outside temp is 36.4 but the wireless thermometer in the greenhouse says 50. The sensor is setting on the table with the growbeds, the display is right by my easy chair.