View Full Version : Aquaponics As a Food Source
HoneyBadger
02-28-2013, 20:58
I hope this thread will collect lots of information about aquaponics. I am interested in aquaponics for the sustainability it seems to offer in the long term.
I have done a bit of reading about "ecosystem aquaponics" where you build a circulating system that grows plants and fish... and it sounds almost ideal as a source of vegetables, vitamins and minerals, and protein should the proverbial poo hit the fan, or any time you feel like being independent. Here's one example:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-vertical-aquaponic-veggie-fish-farm-for-/#intro
Has anyone built any large-scale aquaponic systems? How about ecosystem aquaponics with fish and plants? Please chime in!
DFBrews, your thread last fall (linked below) was helpful and informative, but I was hoping to direct this thread more toward the whole "ecosystem" concept which includes plants and fish.
(DFBrews's thread: http://www.ar-15.co/threads/59433-My-winter-indoor-hydroponic-late-crop-grow-log)
TAG I have done this will provide what I know when I get on a real comp instead of the phone
Youtube shows a lot of simple set ups. I believe it has a bigger yield than growing in soil. This is how most lettuce is grown for large agricultural companies.
I would like to be able to start small with this to get to practicing the concept. I rent a home so I am unable to do some really crazy stuff to my house.
More specifically, will one need a minimum of lets say a 100 Gallon aquarium to house a few tilapia?
Grow lights? What type of electrical draw are we looking at?
Inconel710
03-01-2013, 12:43
I heard this interview with Colorado Aquaponics - they do large scale aquaponics. Good interview and they teach classes.
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/992-sawyer-on-aquaponics
I've also heard that smaller setups can be tricky. It doesn't take much for the pH to get out of whack and all your tilapia go fins up.
I started looking into aquaponics and found it to be too labor intensive for me. I am looking for maximum return for minimal work. I have started reseaching permaculture and hukelcultur for outdoor growing. There was a great podcast on growing quail for meat that seems to have very minimal work for a large output.
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/quail-for-eggs-and-meat
Hell, I'd be willing to grow non-edible stuff if it'd help keep my tank clean.
I came back to this thread when I had time to click the links in the first post, and have become very interested.
One thing that I was struggling with, was the different ways to fill and drain the grow bed. I kept hearing the term "Bell Siphon" and people talking about putting elbows on them. Another video a guy had some electric pumps set on timers. I was starting to get pretty discouraged with the complexity of the whole thing. So here are some helpful videos I've come across that have helped me understand enough to keep me interested.
This is a Bell Siphon, or auto-siphon, and how it works:
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Here is one with a clear cap to demonstrate one in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqTmHsSREJA
Here is what an Ebb and Flood system looks like in concept:
qqTmHsSREJA
At first I was really turned off by the idea of an ebb and flood system because I thought I'd have to have some elaborate pump set-up, but once I understood how the bell siphon works, I'm back on board.
Finally, here is a longer video with a simplified and animated video showing a more complex set up. Notice in this one that with the extra tank keeps the water level in your fish tank level:
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Don't plant anything close to the bell siphon intake. The long roots of ebb and flow grown plants will clog the pipes
Good tip, thanks.
When I get home I'll find a video of a pvc pipe vertical garden that does not use fish, but could.
I have some questions about that set-up because it looks like it'd be a constant drain and not have to have a siphon at all.
Hydroponics uses water and nutrient additives
Aquaponics uses fish poop in place of nutrients
Check out the aqua setup at disney world sometime.
There's some guy in Idaho? Who built a mangrove ebb and flow complete with blue crab
ChunkyMonkey
03-08-2013, 11:32
I got 2000 gallon aquaponic setup last year.. will share some picts of the backyard this summer before first harvest. Just not here :)
PS Unless you sit down and learn it hands on with local growers who have done it few season, those videos on youtube can cost you tons of money for the same result. There are few local aquaponic classes being offered this coming spring.
dwalker460
03-08-2013, 13:08
Dude send me some pics, I am thinking of doing a similar thing
ChunkyMonkey
03-08-2013, 13:11
Dude send me some pics, I am thinking of doing a similar thing
Otay
Kraven251
03-08-2013, 13:53
The only thing I have against most of the modern hydroponic build out is the dependencies on large amounts of electricity. There are a few ways that utilize less pumps and are based on a gravity fed model to power small mini turbines that power 12v cells that then power the pumps to keep it going but has many many failure points.
Though as a way to grow things in a non-shtf scenario being able to control what is used on and for the growth of herbs and veggies is pretty awesome.
HoneyBadger
03-08-2013, 20:26
What do you do with a large outdoor aquaponic system in the winter? Just keep feeding the fish and wait for spring to grow plants?
The only thing I have against most of the modern hydroponic build out is the dependencies on large amounts of electricity. There are a few ways that utilize less pumps and are based on a gravity fed model to power small mini turbines that power 12v cells that then power the pumps to keep it going but has many many failure points.
Though as a way to grow things in a non-shtf scenario being able to control what is used on and for the growth of herbs and veggies is pretty awesome.
Seems like you only need one pump, which could probably be operated by a solar set up. If you do one based off a fish tank, you likely already have the pump, and those aren't all that big. Also, I'm under the impression that the biggest problem/cost with hydroponic gardens is actually the fertilizers for the plants.
What do you do with a large outdoor aquaponic system in the winter? Just keep feeding the fish and wait for spring to grow plants?
My neighbor has two ponds (one with duck weed). I'm going to ask him what he does in the winter. I know the biggest problem he has is with raccoons. He says they don't even eat the fish. They just pull them out, crush their heads, then leave their bodies in the yard. The neighbor that used to live next to my parents said his pond would attract snakes that would sit on the edge of the pond and poach fish and frogs. Then he would get big birds that would eat the fish, frogs, and snakes. He said if he didn't chase the birds away when he saw them, they'd stay until they cleared out the whole pond.
Here is the Vertical Earth garden that I was referring to earlier today. I saw in the comments of one of their videos where they said something along the lines of "we're not knocking aquaponics, just that MOST of our customers do not go for the fish pond when given the option." I really like this set-up and think that it'd be made even easier with a fish pond at the bottom.
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Check out the update video after two months:
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ChunkyMonkey
03-09-2013, 03:02
What do you do with a large outdoor aquaponic system in the winter? Just keep feeding the fish and wait for spring to grow plants?
Most Farm Fish don't eat in the winter. They almost hibernate
ChunkyMonkey
03-09-2013, 03:04
Here is the Vertical Earth garden that I was referring to earlier today. I saw in the comments of one of their videos where they said something along the lines of "we're not knocking aquaponics, just that MOST of our customers do not go for the fish pond when given the option." I really like this set-up and think that it'd be made even easier with a fish pond at the bottom.
-i61tJFqOHw
Check out the update video after two months:
auN5yqw4MUg
Checkout denver aquaponic. They have a vertical version using fence materials looks like below..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wisa2lyiwvg
ChunkyMonkey
03-09-2013, 03:08
My neighbor has two ponds (one with duck weed). I'm going to ask him what he does in the winter. I know the biggest problem he has is with raccoons. He says they don't even eat the fish. They just pull them out, crush their heads, then leave their bodies in the yard. The neighbor that used to live next to my parents said his pond would attract snakes that would sit on the edge of the pond and poach fish and frogs. Then he would get big birds that would eat the fish, frogs, and snakes. He said if he didn't chase the birds away when he saw them, they'd stay until they cleared out the whole pond.
Stringing steel cable - criss crossing the pond will solve the predator issue.. Also when you build a pond, choose the bell design. Fish will go on the deep end to avoid predators. Mine is 9' deep - kinda over done it..but never had any issue.
Great-Kazoo
03-09-2013, 11:59
Stringing steel cable - criss crossing the pond will solve the predator issue.. Also when you build a pond, choose the bell design. Fish will go on the deep end to avoid predators. Mine is 9' deep - kinda over done it..but never had any issue.
You zoned for that[LOL]
ChunkyMonkey
03-09-2013, 12:02
You zoned for that[LOL]
Told you, I like you so much better when you are stock up on pain killer. [dig]
9' feet is DEEP. How many fish can you fit in there? Seems like the deeper the pond, the easier it would be for the fish to survive the winter as well.
I have a spot under a bush that I think would work great for a pond (can't really use it for anything else anyway). That bush gets full of 20 birds at a time (pretty cool actually), and I'm thinking that birds crapping in the pond would add more nutrients to the system. I'm under that impression after seeing the system on Doomday Preppers where they had chickens over the top of the fish pond.
ChunkyMonkey
03-09-2013, 12:33
9' feet is DEEP. How many fish can you fit in there? Seems like the deeper the pond, the easier it would be for the fish to survive the winter as well.
I have a spot under a bush that I think would work great for a pond (can't really use it for anything else anyway). That bush gets full of 20 birds at a time (pretty cool actually), and I'm thinking that birds crapping in the pond would add more nutrients to the system. I'm under that impression after seeing the system on Doomday Preppers where they had chickens over the top of the fish pond.
Out door aquaponic in CO must be deep enough. Placement is also important for just enough sun light. I am growing bambu trees along the sunny side to screen it. Too much, you'll have common algae growing out of control. Too little, different type of algae will grow. If you want a pond, then using chickens dropping as food source is common in tropical fish farm - but your ammonia level will spike, algae will bloom, and you will have green water (just like tropical pond).
To keep your water clear and unsmelly, feed your fish chicken booster and duck weed. It costs very little as duck weed grows rampantly.
I recommend take some classes. It took me 3 years of researching before committing into this. There is no industry standard per say either. Each class I took was a lil different from the rest.
http://www.coloradoaquaponics.com/
dwalker460
03-09-2013, 12:55
I am going to do an indoor setup in my basement I think. Been looking at a bulk container setup but just not at the point of pulling the trigger yet. Outside in Colorado requires more backyard than I have.
Great-Kazoo
03-09-2013, 12:57
I am going to do an indoor setup in my basement I think. Been looking at a bulk container setup but just not at the point of pulling the trigger yet. Outside in Colorado requires more backyard than I have.
Make sure you have dehumidifiers in the house, or proper ventilation to handle the excess moisture. . You would be surprised how easy moisture issues can happen.
I'd like to start inside as well. We used an Aerogarden with great results in the past (I even made a thread). I want to start with something Aerogarden sized if I can. My fish must be the toughest fish ever, because over 3-4 years, I've only ever killed one, and they often live in terrible conditions when I get lazy. All these videos talk about testing your water weekly. I've NEVER tested my water, and the tank has gone months without cleaning or a water change.
Here is a great step by step for building an Auto Siphon/Bell Siphon. http://affnan-aquaponics.blogspot.com/2010/02/affnans-valve-detailed-explanations-of_9459.html
Home Depot doesn't have plastic bulk heads (or expanded clay tablets) by the way. They sent me to the grow store, which had both in abundance.
EDIT: I changed the link to a better siphon design, no breather tube required.
Bulk head can be made from conduit adapters at depot. For non pressurized systems And they're cheaper.
at work now i'll edit with a link or something later
edit;
http://www.randystacye.com/diybulkhead.htm
http://www.truetex.com/bulkhead.htm
I saw those conduit adapters, or ones like them in the pvc aisle, but they didn't seem right to use. Once I got home, I figured out why. With a bell siphon, the rule of thumb is to use the "double double" method of sizing. So if you have a 1/2" stand pipe, you'd use a 1" bell and a 2" gravel guard. If I had used one of those conduits, the 1" bell wouldn't have fit over it properly, and I'd have to go larger than double the size for it to fit. I do not know how that would affect the operation of the siphon though.
I finished the siphon tonight, took a bunch of pictures, and will post later. I'm going to wait till the silicone dries and then test it all tomorrow.
My grow box is only 19" x 15" x 6" deep. It is pretty small, but still 3x larger than the 7 pod Aerogarden I used before. I grew herbs and flowers in the Aerogarden with pretty amazing results. That said, I've purchased some buttercrunch lettuce, jalapenos, spinach, and scallion onions. I assume that the lettuce and the spinach will take up most of the room, the jalapenos will grow up, and the scallions will have the smallest root foot print. The plan is to put the spinach and lettuce the furthest away from the siphon.
If any of those assumptions are incorrect, please let me know. Also, I'm open to additional things I should try planting. I want something simple for this test bed since 1) it is only 6" deep and 2) the expanded clay won't hold the weight of something tall and heavy like tomatoes or peas. Not to mention this is going on top of my fish tank, and I'll have limited vertical space.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jN1FGy47iL0/UT2BOdaAKEI/AAAAAAAAA8c/UhRzjG9jU8I/s901/IMAG1166.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LurdiWmvH_4/UUAVOqO0I0I/AAAAAAAABBM/_cnER5IPVec/s901/IMAG1227.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nljVnoTWaEY/UUAVOu76SXI/AAAAAAAABBU/C9lpIj5pZnM/s550/IMAG1228.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jyhGqFH1v4Y/UUAVPIEvSNI/AAAAAAAABBc/ToSFgSCCnZA/s901/IMAG1229.jpg
Still working on a few bugs with the bell siphon, but I think I'll have that worked out in short order.
Went to Kenya recently and a missionary there had one system built and another on the way. Very impressive setup. The water pump ran off solar so it was 100% off the grid. He introduced baby tilapia and is able to plant what otherwise would not grow easily in the region. I will post so pics if I can get some.
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/73378_566654224803_387768224_n.jpghttp://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/184303_567501611633_1056445600_n.jpgCarrots
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/599053_568588303893_1153842747_n.jpgKale
Hopefully I can get some pics of the fish reservoir as well
ChunkyMonkey
03-15-2013, 12:30
Thanks for posting these pictures.. Moarrr
HoneyBadger, since you were asking about larger set-ups, I suggest you watch the two videos put out my Murray Hallam. The first is "Aquaponics Made Easy," and the second is "Aquaponics Secrets."
Each is about an 90 minutes long and they were packed full of useful information. I was able to download them.
Do you guys mind if I document some growth of my set-up in here since it is working now, or should I start my own thread?
Just timed the fill and drain. Drain: 2:50; Fill: 5:52. This is a 27 liter tub with about 1.5" of water left at the bottom after a drain, and filling approx 1" from the top.
Got Spinach to sprout in a traditional pot yesterday, onions will be tomorrow. No evidence of sprouting from the seeds I "planted" directly in the grow bed. Already growing lettuce I planted has grown an inch or so since planting. Everything was planted whatever day I put up the photos.
Okay, back to technical info.
First, I've edited the previous post about the bell siphon design. This site is not quiet as easy to follow, but has a much better design. http://affnan-aquaponics.blogspot.com/2010/02/affnans-valve-detailed-explanations-of_9459.html
You don't need the breather tube glued into the top of your cap like the other link, AND you could easily use the conduit connection that Wulf202 suggested earlier (NO METAL).
Look at the first and second diagrams in the above link. The improvement in this design is that you flare the top of the stand pipe. This flare allows you to ditch the breather tube altogether. The website explains it better than I can, so check it out and ask any questions. Here is the video explaining his siphon. You can see how it is more simple, and more rugged than the breather tube design.
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I was having problems with my siphon, and I messed around with it and made a kind of hybrid between the first design, and the Affnan design.
ChunkyMonkey
03-20-2013, 00:36
Good reading stu. I use vertical design (vinyl fence post) to avoid the drama of clogged pipe etc.
I visited the site you recommended, and that will be my next exploration is a way to use a five gallon bucket full of fish, to water a vertical pipe full of herbs. Except for the guys at Agrobright and ColoradoAquaponics, everyone seems to still be using dirt in their vertical stuff.
In your system, do you just have a constant (low) flow of water from the top of the fence post, that drains directly back into the fish tank, or is it a similar fill and drain system like in traditional aquaponics?
ChunkyMonkey
03-20-2013, 00:54
Constant flow.. Extremely simple... Pond -> pump to the top -> split to 5 pillars. First pillar with the most water pressure is good for spinach, tomato plants etc that requires steady water... Last pillar with the least amount of water is for herbs such as rosemary, basil etc. water comes out clear from the bottom. I will probably rehang these this weekend and take some pict.
bell siphon or afnan siphon both actually require the correct water pressure range to work.
Yes, all the instructional sites about bell siphons tell you about the water pressure. I haven't found that to be too difficult to deal with, as the $10 pump I bought has an adjustable flow built right in and I was able to dial in the flow. If you get a pump without an adjustment, you can just add a "T" with a ball valve to control the flow.
My next questions for you are:
1) Do you feel like the plants last to get the water (bottom) receive less nutrients than the ones at the top?
2) Are you using the pre-made vertical posts with the filler material and special zip hook, or have you built your own?
3) If you are constructing your own, what material are you using for the plants to grow in?
4) When you remove a plant, do you have to remove ALL the grow material, so as to clean out the plant's roots?
ChunkyMonkey
03-20-2013, 17:28
Yes, all the instructional sites about bell siphons tell you about the water pressure. I haven't found that to be too difficult to deal with, as the $10 pump I bought has an adjustable flow built right in and I was able to dial in the flow. If you get a pump without an adjustment, you can just add a "T" with a ball valve to control the flow.
My next questions for you are:
1) Do you feel like the plants last to get the water (bottom) receive less nutrients than the ones at the top?
no, I use clay balls and they work great as far as water flow. The lesser water part is not about top to bottom... I was talking about the pillar closer to the water pump gets more water than the furthest away one. However, the uneven water pressure could have been solved by drilling small holes.
2) Are you using the pre-made vertical posts with the filler material and special zip hook, or have you built your own?
$15 vinyl fence post comes in 4' and 6'... Don't get the ones with the long slit on one side. I found that drilling holes is better than the ore cut top to bottom slit... As the later one spill more water to the side.
3) If you are constructing your own, what material are you using for the plants to grow i
clay balls... So much lighter for my setup
4) When you remove a plant, do you have to remove ALL the grow material, so as to clean out the plant's roots?
remove them completely, dump the clay balls onto large container, power wash, dry and store them for next season
I'm using the clay balls in my set-up as well. Good to know I can use them, as I already have some left over. Thanks.
Just got a call about this thread, and it reminded me to come in here and ask about using LED lights as grow lights. I know they make LED fish tanks now, but can you use LED lights as grow lights? I know nothing about what makes grow lights different from fish, reptile, or other florescent lights, but I know LEDs cost less to run. Anyone have any ideas?
Alright, I am buying a house, and moving in next month hopefully this month but yeah.
I do not have a lot of room for a large greenhouse, but trying to research a theory. I have seen a lot of folks online use 55 gallon drums for the fish. I have also heard that folks in cooler climes use perch instead of tilapia that prefer warmer tropical like climes.
Also since my HoA might frown upon a big and tall greenhouse (I think the limit to anything can't be taller than 1 foot above the 5 foot fence). So to save space and maximize growing real estate, 2 or 3 buried drums would act as a pond and could easily be tucked away under the grow beds and this would act to keep the water warm enough in the winter months and cool enough in the summer months..
What do you all think?
Look into the 275 gallon food grade totes there are a lot in Craigslist cut the top off about 8 inches down keep the frame intact you now have a large resivour for fish and flip the top over and have a great grow bed
Look into the 275 gallon food grade totes there are a lot in Craigslist cut the top off about 8 inches down keep the frame intact you now have a large resivour for fish and flip the top over and have a great grow bed
http://www.arizonabarrels.com/images/275_gallon_tote_large3.jpgone of these? I can see how that would work nicely, the top will support the cut off "lid" perfectly. Fill hole can be adapted to become a drain hole.
hollohas
08-04-2013, 12:44
Just got a call about this thread, and it reminded me to come in here and ask about using LED lights as grow lights. I know they make LED fish tanks now, but can you use LED lights as grow lights? I know nothing about what makes grow lights different from fish, reptile, or other florescent lights, but I know LEDs cost less to run. Anyone have any ideas?
Irving - You will pay A LOT to buy LED fixtures that produce the same amount of light (lumens) as equivalent fluorescent or HID fixtures. The reason most mainstream LED fixtures these days cost less to run is because they are actually giving you less light. Only the most expensive LED fixtures are as efficacious (lumens/watt) as fluorescent fixtures when you need a lot of light. It's easy and cheap to buy a single LED lamp (bulb) that has the same lumens per watt as a fluorescent lamp but you will need lots and lots of them to get the amount of light you need to grow efficiently. If you want a single LED fixture that produces the same amount as a $20, 2-lamp T8 fluorescent shop light (around 6,000 lumens), you will need at the very least a 60 watt LED fixture. And only the very best and most expensive 60 watt LED fixtures will be efficacious enough to produce 6,000/lumens (or in other words, produce 100 lumens per watt). Try to Google a 60W LED fixture that produces 100 lumens per watt. You will be surprised at what you find. It won't be $20. And don't be confused by 60 watt equivalent LED lamps. That's just telling you it's about the same amount of light as a 60W incandescent and will typically only be about 13 watts and give you 600-800 lumens rather than the 6,000 I used in my comparison.
But if you do buy LED fixtures, only buy models that specify not only the wattage, but the lumen output as well. All LED fixtures/lamps will say the wattage. That means NOTHING. You are concerned with lumens.
The other aspect of LED lighting is that only the most expensive fixtures will be full spectrum. Most of the cheap varieties will be highly favored on the blue side of the spectrum because the blue phosphors are the cheapest and most efficacious. Most plants need full spectrum lighting because that's what they get from mother nature. Many expensive LED grow lights have an adjustable spectrum to allow the grower to custom tailor the light color to best match the plant's changing needs during it's life but IMO that's simply not necessary for the home veggie grower.
To get the best use out of any indoor grow lighting it needs to be very close to the plants. I mean inches above them. Most garden veggies require "full sun". That applies to not only time but also amount. The amount of light falling on a surface is measured in foot-candles. Outdoor, mid-day, non-overcast sun in our region measures 10,000+ foot-candles. To give you a comparison, a 4ft, 2-lamp fluorescent 32watt T8 shop light measures around 500 fc 4 inches below the fixture. 12 inches below the fixture it measures around 200 fc. So you can see, for your indoor veggies to thrive in conditions most like mother nature intended, get those lights as close to the plants as possible to benefit from the increased foot-candle level. I made that mistake a few years ago. My lights were mounted too high and my plants grew skinny and tall as they reached for the light. Now I put my lights on an adjustable chain so I can keep them only inches above the plants even as they grow. Now they grow thick and strong. You do not have to worry about over-heating your veggies with fluorescent lighting mounted almost touching the plants. Sometimes I get lazy and don't move my lights. I have had plants in direct contact with my T8 fluorescent fixtures for days on end without any negative effects.
I personally use a combination of different color temperature lamps in my grow lights. I use a mixture of 6500k and 3500k fluorescent lamps to make sure I am covering the spectrum. These are marketed in a variety of names but generally are something like "daylight white" and "warm white" respectively.
Thanks Hollohaus. Someone else was recently giving me some insight to lighting. I just took the lazy way and used an Aerogarden lamp. I also had the light way too high above the plants, and probably still do.
I originally built my aquaponic set-up just to prove to myself that I could do it. It more or less works, and has been since my last post in here. However, now I have a single, large (I think) jalopeno plant that is not flowering because I've paid attention to nothing but getting the siphon to work consistently.
I've been thinking about where/how I could dedicate the space to build a more complete system. Thinking about my heated garage.
I just envision a system that is as efficient as possible. I will have space in the yard for a greenhouse. If I can put a pond or a aquatic vessel of some kind in the ground over the fish container(s) the griound would keep the water from freezing as well as the greenhouse that is heated via solar radiation.
I may not be able to grow year round but I can at least get a good extension on the growing season. Plus if I have fish like perch, which are used to cold climes, it might work.
You can use Goldfish, but I imagine you want something to eat. My neighbor has a few ponds and he has to toss heaters in them in the winter to keep the water from freezing.
Here rbeau30: http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod161.htm
I down loaded some 10-page document from these guys that was a little more in-depth. I bet you can find all the info on there.
Here rbeau30: http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod161.htm
I down loaded some 10-page document from these guys that was a little more in-depth. I bet you can find all the info on there.
Thanks! I love reading material! I really like the tote idea with that link I can visualize it finally.
I wish I could get you the thing I downloaded. It has a lot better pictures. Basically two totes gets you a fish tote and three grow beds.
I'd paypal you some cash if you'd burn it onto a CD and mail it to me.
Pshhh, no cash needed. Just not sure I'm set up to burn stuff anymore. Let me check.
So I have 2 less children now, and the ones that are left, lost interest in the fish tank. So here is my project. Trying to keep my mind occupied.
49809
Fish tank on top. small submersible pump pumping water to the 7" deep dish tub that restaurants use. Cheap $25 bell siphon kit from ebay, drains to the fish tank below. I rooted a sprig of Watercress that was leftover from something we made for dinner and it has been doing well in the media. I also have some Leaf Lettuce and Kale sprouts.
Light is a 2' double T5 light fixture from home depot.
Going to expand it though this weekend:
49811
2 new tubs ($4.99 each), cheap ebay bell siphon kit, a pair of PVC electrical connections screwed together with some o rings to make bulkhead fittings to connect the two tubs together.
Water pumped into the first one where there will be a styrofoam raft with holes. once it gets to a certain level the water goes into the second tank. filling that up to the height that the siphon works. The tub on right will always be full, and the one on the left will flood and receed as the bell siphon works.
This is a proof of concept, I can't really do anything big like I want because of HoA
Looking good. Interested to see how well it works for you. I just recently tore my setup down and got rid of my fish. The pump got dirty and restricted the flow enough that the water would dribble back down the pipe and onto my floor. Put about 20-30 gallons of water into my carpet over night. Try to have you water outlet mounted at a steep enough angle to prevent this.
Looking good. Interested to see how well it works for you. I just recently tore my setup down and got rid of my fish. The pump got dirty and restricted the flow enough that the water would dribble back down the pipe and onto my floor. Put about 20-30 gallons of water into my carpet over night. Try to have you water outlet mounted at a steep enough angle to prevent this.
I am constantly afraid of this. The water fill tube is put on a slip over fitting which is then screwed through the wall of the tub from both ends with o-rings to hopefully prevent leaking like that. If the pump fails the tune will just act like a siphon and drain the water back into the fish tank. The pump sticks to the glass on the aquarium, so I put it way up top so if anything does happen I'll probably only (LOL) get 5 - 10 gallons of water on the floor. That still is less than ideal.
I got it set up last night. The right tub (what will be the raft system) fills up faster than it can drain into the left tub (media grow bed) so I think I need a larger drain on the sides of the tubs.
I also put a new bell siphon in the Left tub, and it does not seem to work as designed. That could be because the water is not draining into the left tub from the right tub fast enough.
Next course of action is to replace the PVC pipe tie between the tubs to a larger diameter fitting and pipe. I'll post pics of what I got so far when I get home from work.
If you have it secured through the side of the tub like a bulk head, you'll probably be okay. I had mine just pulled over the side and held in place by a zip tie. When the flow slowed down, it would run under the bottom of the pipe and drip off at the lowest point, which was not over the tank. A bulkhead fitting should still drip into the tank.
You may be having flow issues from tank to tank. If you fill too slowly in the siphon tank, you'll dribble out, but not be able to create the siphon to start draining. If you fill too quickly, the siphon will have problems breaking the seal to turn it self off. Filling too slow will leave you with a full container that drains as quick as it fills. Filling too fast will leave you with an empty container that drains as fast as it fills. I could have my siphon work consistently for about two weeks at a time. Finally, it would stay full and I would just jiggle the siphon every time I walked by (at least once in the morning, and several times at night) to trigger the siphon. I was still able to grow my jalapeno like that.
Bulkhead fitting yeah that was the word I was looking for. I used two electrical PVC fittings in a way that they were like bulkhead fittings. The fill tube is affixed to a fitting that is acting like a bukhead fitting through the wall of the tub, so it won't come out and all that and leak.
I can still turn up the water on the pump so I have plenty of play in that variable. I just think not enough water is getting to the tub with the siphon in it to activate the siphon. because the raft tub seems to be filling up faster than can go through the tube between the two tubs. I have a known good siphon that I was using in the first setup. With that one I had to shorten the stand pipe and bell siphon a little at a time to dial it in and get it to work, but It worked for 2 months like clockwork. Maybe I'll put that one in.
I'd look into creating more flow between the tanks. Did you say you have a PVC runner between them? I might say...triple that amount of runners, and put valves on two of them so you can control the flow that way if you went way over board.
I'd look into creating more flow between the tanks. Did you say you have a PVC runner between them? I might say...triple that amount of runners, and put valves on two of them so you can control the flow that way if you went way over board.
Damn great idea thanks!
GilpinGuy
01-05-2018, 18:05
This thread has been inactive for quite a while. I'm building a system and have a few questions, in case technology and techniques have changed.
My system will be in an insulated outbuilding with my birds so I'll need LED grow lights and a tank heater. What are good brands or types to consider? I'm growing veggies here, not the now-legal herb. For the 6 weeks or so of summer up here, I'll probably take the system outside into the sun. I'm planning on making it fairly easy to break down and move.
Also, how do you introduce bacteria into your system if you don't know anyone with a system to get a few gallons of their water from? My system is being built from scratch and will be filled with well water. I've read everything from doing nothing and letting the bacteria grow naturally, which takes weeks to months, to pissing in the tank a few times to bring in some urea.
Thanks for any insight!
Are you asking about getting the fish started?
GilpinGuy
01-05-2018, 18:20
Are you asking about getting the fish started?
Yes. It's a multi-part question I guess.
If there's no bacteria to break down the fish waste, the fish will go belly up eventually by poisoning themselves. If there's no bacteria to break down the fish waste into something the plants can use, they don't grow.
I'm a total newb here at this, so maybe I'm over thinking it. But I keep reading to make sure that there's bacteria in there or the system will fail entirely - fish and plants.
I think you're over thinking it, but it's been a while since I've had my set-up. I'm sure some of the fish tank guys will come in with some insight on tank starter products you can get at the local fish store (probably not so local for you, heh). I'd think that well water would be better than city tap water, but I might be concerned with the amount of minerals for where you live. I think when I set-up my fish tank, I just poured a few ounces of whatever tank starter into the tank so I could use tap water. Years later when I added the aquaponic set-up, I didn't do anything at all. The fish waste is already in a state that the plants can use, which is the whole idea of the system. I'm interested in seeing how you address your system as far as using a bell siphon or timed system or whatever, so I'll be checking in to see what you come up with.
GilpinGuy
01-05-2018, 18:35
Cool man. Here's a decent write up as an example of what I've been reading. http://www.ecofilms.com.au/getting-an-aquaponics-system-started-with-bacteria/
I thought the ammonia had to be broken down or it was game over. Maybe that's what those tank starters do.
Great-Kazoo
01-05-2018, 23:09
Cool man. Here's a decent write up as an example of what I've been reading. http://www.ecofilms.com.au/getting-an-aquaponics-system-started-with-bacteria/
I thought the ammonia had to be broken down or it was game over. Maybe that's what those tank starters do.
Your best bet it talking to one of the many hydroponic supply houses. Way to Grow, being one of them that will have more answers that you might have questions. Give them your specs and they will suggest lights, filtration etc.
Your best bet it talking to one of the many hydroponic supply houses. Way to Grow, being one of them that will have more answers that you might have questions. Give them your specs and they will suggest lights, filtration etc.
That's true, and when it comes time to physically build your set-up, no matter what you tell the guys at Home Depot, they'll all assume you're growing weed. I even had a few guys tell me, "Just go to the weed place, they'll know what you're talking about."
GilpinGuy
01-16-2018, 03:24
Yay! I got the water moving. I'll get some fish in there next week or so and get his thing started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGzaox8uSEc
What are you going to use as media? I've got most of a five gallon bucket of clay balls or whatever they are called. Do you have plans to gate off the siphon so it doesn't get clogged with roots and other plant matter?
GilpinGuy
01-16-2018, 16:31
I'll fill the beds with lava rock mostly, then top them off with a few inches of the clay pebbles.
I used 4 inch pipe with slits in them for media excluders. I just didn't show them in the video.
That's pretty much what I did. If you want my old clay pellets, you can have them. They are just dusty from sitting in the garage. What I have probably won't be enough for your whole set-up, just less that you'd have to buy.
GilpinGuy
01-16-2018, 17:38
That would be awesome! I'll let you know when I'm coming down so I can do it at a good time for you. Thanks!
Okay, I may be able to bring it up as well. Stay in touch.
EDIT: Lucky you, I actually have more than I remembered. Just over a full 5 gallon bucket. I've combined into a bag until I can get it to you.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/653Qn8xVLvkjcFWVfYTYcthXf3-pzcSxeoPdvV3TPklniZsJwTJHTvQl4YYbNxYBuV_kUY38mbrZd ZTplH4Tlsj8Admg7rZ7CfqFALo4vFAfkt9bvqBtldQ5oxipOs7 oA-DUyLYvel6A7EmOJj-L3-spbNeWvz619b-grT9Sa6Run93lv49PIuzG8VVayDzIokmfQoIQ_gSMoer1WCLxN R566dfiPO88I_1nirVxoKMUff6BSzVX-ij13KPBZ1MpiixxSW9eNcXfNNsfC3B8RfBBYiydfwbCuV-AnCQjlaQ5izWpx6bV1YSQBnryV7i8kC-yAUyu8Dah3rZCEqfk4TFRm2HwRXSNa-vS0lbol7TplG85yDGXGPq7dfaXyxCF1jYgjMFhsgHEHOvu-tdoTLBJzU4MWYrFRLYKYg5CXJBnEKiCCV5HWi9LiA40AbEgMpz xGz53ZXySiUHlZXpyy_LK7_KrNg1TjmHKdyy_2cVdlcTngpoxI pTse1cY9s5ZHOs1sM_0qw7E4D2uVqn4dUxj31aw4iLCb-_MYx0kuvwa3NW7MgxM3thi1swTmkEmUsiSRoSnZP1EvJwbnp3E kmFpubSOwOA4DabnsPBQp_OilJ7UYigtrvo28IozwoSNg_7taw B1BnSw03fT8hKHCg1ZNqLRB4momQ=w1632-h918-no
Also, I've still got 3/4 of a bale of straw if you can use that for your birds. The heads aren't cut off the straw, so if they are going on dirt and will get wet, the seeds will germinate and start growing.
GilpinGuy
01-16-2018, 20:34
Very cool! [Beer]
GilpinGuy
02-08-2018, 05:31
Here's Part 2 of the build. Going pretty well so far. I may actually make the 2nd bed a wicking bed instead of ebb and flow. We'll see. I realized that I say "awesome" a lot after a few beers too.[LOL]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho8kj2Fkw0Y
Thanks for the mention. Why not just lay a 2'x4' or two across the bottom of each mixer box lengthwise? Could even toe them in so they are flush, or use a Kreg job (can borrow mine).
I'm impressed with you literally taking stuff from the fridge and having it grow in there. It makes me miss aquaponics for sure. I wouldn't be surprised if that garlic actually grows bulbs like normal.
Finally, thanks for the mention.
GilpinGuy
02-08-2018, 15:12
I could throw some 2x4s in. That means removing all the rock and stuff. If I did it all over again I would. Moving the standpipe took about 5 minutes, so it was easy.
I think I will go with a wicking bed on the left side. That will make starting seeds easier and I know some stuff just grows better in soil. It would be cool to have both types going.
I want to put a small raft in on the water also for lettuce. Apparently, that's the ways to go for lettuce.
The fish will probably eat the roots of the lettuce, but I'm sure you're researching all that stuff.
Can you give a short break down of what a wicking system is?
GilpinGuy
02-08-2018, 17:28
A wicking bed is a thinner layer of lava rock with a thicker layer of potting soil or compost on top. There's a barrier between the rock and soil: perlite, weed blocker, etc. You keep water trickling into the bed and you have drain pipe buried horizontally just above the lava rock. The soil wicks water up and it stays perfectly moist all the time. You control the amount of moisture by adjusting the flow of water into the bed. No siphon or anything. It just constantly trickles in and out. Slick.
This will be better for starting from seed, for both transplanting outside in the spring and for some stuff that just does better in soil to just stay there.
Interesting. This would be a perfect Science Fair type of experiment if you grow the same thing on each side. I agree that it is easier to start seed in soil, so that makes sense. When I had mine, I'd start from seed in a little dirt cup. I believe I got a piece of pvc and pushed it down into the clay pellets to make a hole, tried to gently knock all the dirt off the roots, slid the whole plant into the pvc pipe in the pellets, then gently pulled the pipe out and held the plant in place. It worked well enough, but I'm sure there is a better way.
Is the drain pipe above the barrier between the rock and soil? How does the water get into the drain pipe? Couldn't you just drill holes in the base of the tray under the rocks? I assume the barrier between the rocks and soil serves the dual purpose of keeping the soil in place, and being just permeable enough to allow the water to slowly drip through, like a coffee filter?
My biggest problem was that I didn't have adequate lighting. What is your light set-up? I'll go look to see if you have a video about the lights right now so no answer necessary if you already covered that.
GilpinGuy
02-10-2018, 01:27
Using a piece of pipe to plant in the clay is genius. I'll be using that.
The drain pipe is toward the top of the rock. Theres just a little rock over the top of the pipe. The barrier is over that. And yes, the barrier is to prevent the soil and rock from mixing and it lets the water seep up.
You don't want holes directly on the bottom of the beds. You need to have some water depth there to allow for the wicking action, so you put the drain pipe a few inches up. The pipe just has a bunch of holes drilled in it so the water flows in.
For lighting, I went with a 4 foot flourecent fixture with 4 T5 grow bulbs. For the square footage I have, this was better than LEDs as far as cost and wattage used. LEDs are better for a smaller footprint.
The bulbs I have are for vegetative growth which is all that's needed for the leafy stuff. I will probably plant some fruiting plants (peppers, tomatoes, etc.) in the wicking bed. If I need to get another fixture for that side with different bulbs I will.
I've heard that LED isn't there yet for growig, which surprised me. I used the hood of an Aerogarden. It worked well enough to grow a jalapeño from seed. It grew forever and wouldn't flower. Someone on here told me that I needed to start shortening the light to trick the plant into flowering. I did that and it worked almost immediately. I got two small jalapeños, then couldn't get it to grow again. At some point one of the bulbs in the Aerogarden quit so the plant just maintained.
GilpinGuy
02-10-2018, 08:57
The LEDs are great for small applications, but that's it for now. And I saw a few experiments where even the same brand had wildly different lumens between the same model of lights. They'll get there.
Yes, light cycle is important. You're basically fooling the plant into thinking it's fall, so time to fruit, with a shorter "day". I got skilled with this years ago when I was growing, ahem, something else. Back then I had two 1000 watt HP sodium lights. It was a rather large operation. Filled a whole bedroom wall to wall. Did all that 20 years to early.
I have a buddy that was looking to get rid of some commercial grow lights a while ago. I think it was just the lights, and not the bulbs though. Want me to check to see if he still has them?
GilpinGuy
02-10-2018, 16:18
No thanks. I still have my old lights in the crawl space, but they're way to big for what I've got going on.
Copy. He probably threw them all out by now anyway.
GilpinGuy
02-11-2018, 09:06
So things are going good. As predicted, I have to address the humidity problem. The windows and sliding glass door of the "shed" are continuously covered with dew and the wood frames of those windows and doors are moist to wet. This will lead to problems so I need focus on that now.
The shed is insulated pretty well. The options I've thought of so far are:
Vent: put a bathroom type fan in a window on a timer and just vent the room for 5 minutes every hour or whatever it takes.
Advantages: it's fairly easy and would use little electricity. Just get the fan, mount it on plywood to cover the opening, insulate with foam board and that's it.
Disadvantages: the loss of heat and material cost (wood, foam board, etc.) plus effort.
Dehumidifier: just dehumidify the room. Maybe pour the water from the dehumidifier back into the fish tank (doesn't dehumidifier water get pretty skanked up though with bacteria and shit?).
Advantages: it's plug and play. No cutting wood, buying material, etc.
Disadvantages: cost (kinda high) and.more electrical use.
I'd love to hear any other ideas.
Hmmm, definitely a problem. A dehumidifier could certainly help retain your water level, but I'd have similar concerns about cost. Not sure about drain line water quality. I wonder how much covering the bottom tanks would help. Probably not enough.
GilpinGuy
02-11-2018, 10:33
I'm leaning toward a direct vent to the outside. Replenishing water to the main tank is pretty easy. Just drag the hose over and fill it up. I'd just have to see how bad the heat loss will be.
I do plan on wrapping the main water tank with insulation, so that will help keep some heat in there.
GilpinGuy
02-15-2018, 05:04
Can you give a short break down of what a wicking system is?
FYI...I modified the wicking beds drainage. I wasn't getting quite enough actual wicking, so after a ton more research, I found that just having a standpipe is good for this kind of setup. Think of a bell siphon with just the standpipe and media excluder, just no siphon. It just continuously drains slowly. Other wicking setups use the horizontal drain pipe.
So I went from this:
73504
To this:
73505
It seems to be wicking much better now. I planted a ton of seeds in there the other night. We'll see what, if anything, germinates and grows.
The completed wicking bed:
73506
The water is introduced to the system the same way as the other bed? Are you expecting the soil to become increasingly more dry the further you get from the source pipe? Or, is the wicking action slow enough for the water to reach all the corners before it drains?
GilpinGuy
02-15-2018, 17:06
Yes, but the water trickles in slower than the ebb and flow bed. It gradually wicks through the whole bed. It took a few days, but seems pretty uniformly moist now. The standpipe is dry fit, so you can adjust the height if necessary. If the top of the soil is soaked, just cut an inch off the standpipe. Too dry, put a longer one in.
ETA: in the wicking bed, the water fills from the bottom up, unlike the ebb and flow where it pours in from the top.
I'm very interested in what results you get out of this. I'm under the impression that the reason you can grow food in water only like with the clay pellets, is that there are periods of water, and periods of no water. Kind of like forced breathing for the plants. I'm curious to see how the plants deal with constantly being wet. My guess is that certain plants will grow better in wicking bed than other plants.
GilpinGuy
02-15-2018, 20:43
The idea is to have the upper part of the soil perfectly moist for growing, instead of wet. Down below in the rock and lower soil it's saturated of course. This is where adjusting the stand pipe comes in - move it up or down until you get it perfectly balanced. This is all a fun experiment for me. We'll see how it all works out.
So the idea is that some of the roots will be submerged, but not all of the root at all times? That makes more sense.
GilpinGuy
02-19-2018, 02:43
I have sprouts in the wicking bed!
73535
Sprouts for bok choy, lettuce, bell peppers and broccoli all popped up today. Very cool. Also planted were basil, onions, carrots, peas, cabbage and tomatoes. Kind of a shotgun approach. Just plant a bunch of stuff and see what works.
I jumped the gun and planted the seeds while still dialing in the vent/heat timing cycle. It got pretty darn cold in there a few nights, like 50F or so. Not the best conditions for germinating seeds. But the water in the system is over 70F and the room the last few days was kept pretty warm, so I guess I didn't kill everything. Warm water flowing through the system must have helped a lot.
A dehumidistat should be delivered Mon or Tues, so that will be the next step in dialing everything in.
In the ebb and flow bed, I put in a ton more of the garlic cloves. The greens from them are delicious and grow incredibly fast. The green onions too - they grow about an inch a day.
Some interesting stuff:
We put 3 baby bok choy plants in there directly from the supermarket (we didn't take any leaves off before planting). They looked good for about a week, then two of them suddenly looked real bad. I yanked them out and the stump had no roots at all - just a clump of brown, nasty gunk. They got tossed into the forest. The other one looked great with roots growing, new growth up top, etc. This morning it looked awesome. This evening it was totally wilted and laying flat on the clay. WTF? Weird. Again, into the forest.
I had a few lettuce heads get the same brown gunk on the bottom and not grow roots. Others took off and are growing well. I guess it just depends on what you get at the store as far as age, quality, organic vs. non-organic, etc. I know some veggies get sprayed with a chemical to prevent sprouting and root growth while at the grocery store, so organic stuff is what you should buy if you plan to plant it eventually. I forget if the bok choy/lettuce I got was organic or not.
The cilantro I tried was a complete fail, as predicted. I have some in a glass of water now to let roots grow first, then I'll put them in the ebb and flow bed.
I also took a head of romaine lettuce, stripped off all of the good leaves for eating, sliced about 1/8 inch off the stump and put that in a glass of water to see if roots will grow. It seems to me that going directly into the bed would be better, but why not see if it grows some roots this way first to jump start the process.
Oh yeah, our electric bill went up about $10 since starting this whole deal. I thought it would have been more than that, so that's good. If I can make this all work, it will pay for itself. I'll do a ROI analysis eventually. I've saved every receipt for everything I purchased for this monster.
Irving: as far as the moisture level in the soil and stuff, I'm still learning about it all. Some folks say you should pull the stand pipe and let the whole bed drain for a day or two to allow some O2 in and prevent anaerobic crap from starting to grow, which makes sense. The frequency of this is debatable. My guess is that the plants are pretty freaking smart and will spread their roots out along the barrier between moist and saturated in a way that benefits them best in between the drainings.
The experiment continues....
Organic doesn't mean the veggies haven't been sprayed with anything. For example, potatoes at stores have growth inhibitors, no matter the marketing label. It doesn't always work so results will be unpredictable. Garden centers sell starts for many veggies (onions, potatoes, etc) that will give more consistent results.
How well has the barrier in the wicking bed been working so far? Meaning, have you noticed any sediment building up in the fish tank at all?
I tried to put worms in my clay pellets. I don't know if it did anything, but I figured if any escaped it'd just be a treat for the fish.
Sounds like you've got good results so far. Looking forward to seeing how full those beds are in about three months from now.
GilpinGuy
02-19-2018, 13:40
The barrier works well. On start up, the water got a little stained but it cleared up after a few days.
I'll put some worms in it beds eventually.
I had a few cabbage sprouts pop up over night. 😁
Radishes grow unbelievably fast like that. Like two inches tall before other seeds even sprout when they were planted at the same time.
GilpinGuy
02-27-2018, 00:31
Update:
I hooked up a dehumidistat (http://amzn.to/2BSS2n2) to the vent fan and that made a huge difference (thanks to whoever suggested that!). The humidity is now under control and stable. Even with the below zero temps here lately I had little condensation on the windows. I did have to have the heater running more than normal but that's to be expected. Today it was almost 40F and I had no condensation at all and the heater back to the normal 1/2 hour on and 1 hour off cycle.
Every type of seed I planted in the wicking beds sprouted, some better than others. The bok choy, lettuce and broccoli went totally nuts right away. I'll definitely have to thin the herd there. The cabbage is going awesome now. Yesterday the carrots and onions sprouted, and there are lots of sprouts. I only got 3 tomato and 1 bell pepper sprouts, but I have more seeds so they'll go in soon. 3 of the 4 pea seeds sprouted also.
In the ebb and flow bed, I've had awesome basil, green onion and garlic greens production. We eat a ton of this stuff so this is good. For the basil, I just got a few "living basil" packages from King Soopers, rinsed off the roots and planted them. I've cut them down 3 or 4 times now and they are growing like crazy. Basil is money at the store. It's amazing what they get for a few leaves of a plant.
The baby bok choy was a complete fail. 2 of the 3 heads I planted got nasty brown crud on the root stump after several days and just wilted. The other head looked great and had awesome roots growing. Then one day it was flat on the clay and completely wilted. Weird.
I had similar results with lettuce. Some will regrow well, some just get the brown crud and don't work. I'm trying another way to get lettuce to go, so we'll see how that works.
I was just about to ask about an update. Sounds like both beds are working so far. Is the wicking bed the preferred bed so far, or is that just the way I read your post?
GilpinGuy
02-27-2018, 03:12
I was just about to ask about an update. Sounds like both beds are working so far. Is the wicking bed the preferred bed so far, or is that just the way I read your post?
I really can't say what is the preferred bed. I'm a total noob to all of this and it's all a big experiment. That's why I did one ebb and flow bed and one wicking bed. We'll see what works best.
My guess is wicking bed for most stuff. Plants naturally grow in soil, so wicking beds seem obvious. Some plants do better in ebb and flow or even raft beds (lettuce), so I'll go with that for them. For example, my basil grows so fast in the ebb and flow bed that I'm trying to give some away, so I guess it likes it there.
I'd really like to have another small garden inside to grow herbs again. They are so expensive at the store.
I made this basil pesto this last summer with my own Thai basil and garlic from my garden and it was insane! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-dOZezSwwM
GilpinGuy
02-27-2018, 04:03
I made this basil pesto this last summer with my own Thai basil and garlic from my garden and it was insane! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-dOZezSwwM
Holy crap, I have to do this. Looks awesome.
So when are you going to turn this into my ultimate dream project by throwing solar into the mix and running the entire building off grid? Get your kid to wire up the solar, take a bunch of pictures and you'll have a GUARANTEED science fair victory.
I know a guy that does solar thermal he likes beer and may be me....
find a couple take off panels to heat the water bam save the whales and grow some whales
GilpinGuy
03-03-2018, 03:09
It woud be fun to try something solar but I never did a damn thing with solar except wear a watch that charged itself. I'll have to start looking into it.
DFB: By takeoff panels, do you mean used panels? And hot water solar panels right? Not PV.
I installed a solar panel on the roof of my van to help me keep all my electronics charged when I was working in the field a lot. It's basically just a mobile charging station. That's for another thread though.
I originally wanted to build a small, mobile generator and ended up just building it onto my van. I still may end up getting chickens and the plan is to power the coop with solar, but just because I want to, since chickens don't really need power. I figured I could power some lights and maybe one of those small electric heaters that keep the water from freezing.
GilpinGuy
03-03-2018, 05:17
You could automate the coop door too.
So I went to subscribe to your channel tonight and you have a lot of subscribers (IMO)! Well done. Your homemade quail feeder has a ton of views as well, which makes sense since that is exactly the kind of stuff I look up all the time.
GilpinGuy
03-10-2018, 02:45
Thanks! Fun stuff.
GilpinGuy
03-12-2018, 23:26
Here's a weird thing. I had a pretty bad humidity problem when I got this all up and running: ice on the windows, water dripping down the windows and soaking the frames, etc. So I got a humidistat and a fan and it worked fine. I set it at about 50-55% humidity and it would cycle on and off as needed. My only concern at first was that it was on A LOT. Too much is what I thought. It seemed like every time I went out there it was on.
For the last week or so, it has hardly come on at all and the humidity is constantly at 50-55%,. What the heck? Outside temps have been all over the place too, so that's not a reason. The only thing I can think of is that the humidistat/fan were drawing off all of the moisture from the other crap I have in there (carpet, insulation, tents, camping gear, fishing stuff, etc.) and now it's dried out and stabilized the humidity.
Not complaining...less fan = less electricity. Am I missing something?
buffalobo
03-13-2018, 07:56
Here's a weird thing. I had a pretty bad humidity problem when I got this all up and running: ice on the windows, water dripping down the windows and soaking the frames, etc. So I got a humidistat and a fan and it worked fine. I set it at about 50-55% humidity and it would cycle on and off as needed. My only concern at first was that it was on A LOT. Too much is what I thought. It seemed like every time I went out there it was on.
For the last week or so, it has hardly come on at all and the humidity is constantly at 50-55%,. What the heck? Outside temps have been all over the place too, so that's not a reason. The only thing I can think of is that the humidistat/fan were drawing off all of the moisture from the other crap I have in there (carpet, insulation, tents, camping gear, fishing stuff, etc.) and now it's dried out and stabilized the humidity.
Not complaining...less fan = less electricity. Am I missing something?Very sound reasoning and highly probable you are correct.
Have seen same situation with flood cleanup in homes and basements. First 4-8 hrs not alot of improvement, next 12 hrs substantial change as air has been dried and moisture in materials in room begins to evaporate.
If you're unarmed, you are a victim
If that is the case, that will probably go a long way toward the longevity of everything it has dried out as well.
GilpinGuy
03-18-2018, 00:35
It looks like the seeds I planted like the wicking beds. Stuff is growing like mad. My daughter and I did plant more tomato and pepper seeds because we only got a few sprouts from them initially. The new seeds took off.
The lettuce and bok choy are going totally nuts. I need to chop some out since they're bullying everything around them.
25 more goldfish went in too. The initial 25 or 30 I put in dwindled down to about 15 and they've all been good for a few weeks. Those that sacrificed themselves for the cause became fertilizer. Once I'm confident the chemistry is right on I'll get some trout in there.
The one thing I'm working on now is the pH of the water. It's a bit high at about 8. Not catastrophic, but closer to 7 would be better. It turns out my well water is at 8 coming out of the tap. Looks like I'll be adding "pH Down" from now on every time I top off the tank.
Oh yeah, I got another light too. Now each bed has a 4 foot light drenching them with light.
This pic is about 5 days old. The lettuce and bok choy are dominating now.
73921
Looking great. Did the stuff in the other bed die, or just not growing as well?
GilpinGuy
03-18-2018, 01:39
The other stuff is kicking ass too. Basil plants are like bushes.
Whoops, I read your post again and see that you were staying a fact, and not making a comparison. I was doing garden stuff today and found an onion growing in the middle of my compost pile. It reminded me of you and I was wondering how your stuff was growing.
GilpinGuy
03-18-2018, 02:16
Speaking of onions, another cool thing I did was take the root end I cut off of a normal yellow onion and put it in the clay media. I got 6 inch greens growing out of it now. I read that you can do that in soil and full onions will eventually grow. Cool.
GilpinGuy
03-20-2018, 17:57
I posted a few more videos if anyone's interested. Many thanks to those that helped me figure out the humidity problem. [Beer]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvL1EoDm4mA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fq9BAA9v7w
GilpinGuy
04-10-2018, 08:03
There are tomato and pea flowers appearing. If I get tomatoes to grow that will be a first. I had ONE tomato actually grow one year and a damn squirrel ate half of it. That was outside in a pot of course.
Anyway, pretty excited.
7429174292
GilpinGuy
07-09-2018, 03:11
I'd really like to have another small garden inside to grow herbs again. They are so expensive at the store.
I made this basil pesto this last summer with my own Thai basil and garlic from my garden and it was insane! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-dOZezSwwM
I finally made this, and holy shit is this awesome. Nuff sed.
Pretty addicting. Half way through the tedium you're wondering if it will be worth it, but it is.
GilpinGuy
07-10-2018, 01:09
No doubt. My forearm is still sore. That's how soft I am. [LOL]
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