Aquaponics System, Passive Solar Greenhouse build

[pinballlooking]

Very nice thanks for the pictures. It is inspiring to see all those plants growing in the winter.

What temp do you keep your greenhouse in the winter? What is the coldest temp you let it get?What temp do you keep your fish water?

What kind of fish and about how many do you have?

Your strawberries look great.

[MEMPHIS91]

Thanks, this has taken almost 2 years to figure everything out. I just haven't had the time to really focus on it.

Air temp is normally 52-55F at the coldest, and water temp is 64-65F. Of course the warmer days we have had recently have certainly helped a lot. I really need a solar water heater for the fish tank.

I have red ear brim. (I caught them out of our pond). I believe I have 25-30 mid to full size. They are awesome and can take huge ph and temp swings without dying. Plus they taste great!! lol

Strawberries are just now coming back really well. White flies about killed me.
Another warning, go ahead and buy some yellow white fly cards and keep 10-20 of them out constantly. And buy some lady bugs. Those jokers are life savers.

[pinballlooking]

Last night was cold here started out about 30 F and went down to 26 F. the greenhouse did not go below 53 F. it is 9:45 now and it is 64 F and warming up. The only heat is from the 55 gallon barrels and now some sun.



I am trying to get in touch with the fish farm and pick up another 40 fish. hopefully they will get back to me soon.

[pinballlooking]

I started installing the hardie board panels today. The install instructions say to not install it closer than 6” to the ground. So I will come back with treated lumber trim board on the bottom.
I taped the insulation joints before I installed this.

[pinballlooking]

Back wall is done and I am starting to get the hang of cutting this stuff. I am still not looking forward to all the angle cuts on the side walls.



This is what I have been cutting the fiber panels with.

[pinballlooking]

Last two days I have experimented with the west vent. When the sun is going down it is staying open to long for the winter time. So I have disabled it before it before it lets out to much warm air.
The green house has stayed 3 degrees warmer the last two nights. It has not going below 56 F.


Here are the plants.


I thought this looked cool Google caught my greenhouse being built. I am sure the tax man will use this against me someday.

In front of the green house is where I was painting the 2 x 6 rafters you and see the painted and ready to go up. Right by that is my chop saw table.

[pinballlooking]

I found a cross beam on ebay but they were local and I got them down to $17 for a beam.
I decided I only need one more. The second row of barrels cannot come out because the beam above them is down around the top of them.
I know this may be over kill but I don’t think a guard rail is a bad idea each barrel is just under 500 pounds.

[pinballlooking]

You can tell my fish are eating again
PH it is about 7.4
Ammonia 0 ppm this is good
Nitrite 0 ppm this is good
Nitrate Very red 110 Plants love this but this is high and I need more plants to eat this up.
salinity 1.7
Iron 2.02 PPM this is good.

[pinballlooking]

My romaine lettuce is starting to take off. My other lettuce is in front of the glass window and I don’t think that was the best place to plant it. Some of it is getting sun burned. I did not think that would happen in the winter.




The tomatoes are still doing well.

[Daox]

It is pretty cool that that is happening even in winter! Perhaps put up some screen material in front of them so that they don't get burnt?