Aquaponics System, Passive Solar Greenhouse build

[natethebrown]

It is amazing what one can do with an angle grinder and a welder!

[pinballlooking]

I put my new angle grinder to work today. It was so worth the money it performed very well.

I cut down the front stands to 14” high the sides of the grows beds are 12” on top of that. This will make them 26” high total. This should be just about right. I finished cutting down the five front stands to make them all 3’ deep instead of 4’ and welded them back together.

My greenhouse is only going to be 12’ and the back stands will be about 6’ with the barrels and IBC grow beds the front ones will be 3’ that will leave 3’ walk way in the center. I just think 2’ in the center was not enough room.

That is why I cut down the front stands to 3’. The front grow bed will have a pond liner and it will be 3’ x 20’ that should make a nice grow bed.



My front grow bed is going to be 3’ x 20’. A couple inches under 3’.
I just ordered my pond liner for it.

[pinballlooking]

I think I decided on the type of fish I am going to have.

I was going to get tilapia but I have read up on them. They grow fast but you have to heat the water for them and that goes against my passive solar greenhouse idea. They like 80 degree water.

The system we visited both had to heat the water and that was a big expense.
I called the local fish farm and he has Bream that are feed with commercial fish food.

They have been living in outside tanks so they are ready for our weather.
Pond Stockings
The size of the fish I want are about $1 each. They range from tiny .25 to bigger $1 to bigger for $2.

I still have a little time to go but it is nice to have the fish lined up.

[Xringer]

Nice looking fish.. https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...=bream+recipes

[pinballlooking]

That is how I like to see a fish on a plate.

A skid steer and a bulldozer was working two doors down. I just talked to him and he will come by here tomorrow make my greenhouse pad and bring in crusher run granite for a base.

My father in-law is going to the quarry for a granite sample so we can do a PH test on it.
I may have the same guy bring the rock to for the grow bed.

[Xringer]

My house is sitting on a mountain of granite. I can tell the snow melt has the ground water moving,
because the radon level is kicking up.
Those radon alarm beeps are our early warning signals of basement flooding..

[pinballlooking]

The granite tested fine. But this radon issue seems to make it not worth it.
I will get river rock.

Thanks for the heads up on the radon issue.

[pinballlooking]

My site prepping for my passive solar greenhouse is done. It did not take long at all.
This should be the only part I have to hire out.

I got lucky they were only a couple doors down so I got a better price because I did not need the drop off fee.

The gravel will help in the passive solar design. It will help store heat and release it at night.

We are going to setup the 3’ x 20’ grow bed the fish tank and the sump tank.

We will build the greenhouse around this later in the summer. We don’t need the greenhouse until the weather gets cold.

[Xringer]

Nice work! Very smooth..

I hope I'm looking south, because that roof looks like it needs some PV..

[pinballlooking]

Yes that is picture was taken facing south here is the view from the other side of that building. The south side.



The build post for the 12.5Kw DIY array.
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/solar-...lar-array.html