Aquaponics System, Passive Solar Greenhouse build - Page 10

Xringer · 05-12-15, 09:36 AM

You should turn on the time+date display on your camera and take one pic a day for one season,
then connect them together in a 'time-lapse' video.
Just have to take all the pics from the same vantage point.

I once used my security dvr to make a boring video of snow melting off the front yard..
Just pulled snap-shots out of each day for a few weeks.
(I was bored, waiting for summer is like watching paint dry).

jeff5may · 05-12-15, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xringer

That's a very explanatory graphic..

How long before Rampant Plant Growth ocurs?

with a small system , you can start off with a nutrient base and plant. Once roots get established, plants go nuts and then fish go in. I like this stuff:

Botanicare | Plant Energy Products

With a large system, you are better off starting with dry nutrient and adding some compost tea or innoculent.

The testimonials you see in the miraclegrow ads are not a lie. General hydro has ads and videos showing side by side shots with dirt pots. Their power growers and water farms will grow as many plants as you can cram in them. Fast growing annuals do double harvest weight per plant per season if you take care of your water. Grow beds do close to that amount. As long as you keep picking and pruning, the plants will do what their genes will allow. It is really astonishing versus dirt farming...

pinballlooking · 05-12-15, 11:13 AM

Here is a comparison
http://www.ecofilms.com.au/how-does-...oil-gardening/

Here the two products that I got to get started.
Maxicrop 2002 Liquid Seaweed Plus Iron Fertilizer, 1-Gallon

Nitrifying Bacteria

pinballlooking · 05-12-15, 02:35 PM

I tried to fix the bulkhead fitting leak last night. But when I was taking the fitting off on the bottom it turned the bulkhead adapter against the pond liner on the top. When I saw that was happening I put a pipe wrench on it but the damage was done.

A tiny rip in the pound liner. I thought I got it covered with the fitting but it is leaking worse now.

I got a new bulkhead fitting today with a little wider rubber gasket hopefully that will seal it up. Since it is just a steady drip I have left it run since yesterday morning.

jeff5may · 05-12-15, 09:50 PM

For larger beds, I usually use a bathtub drain or a kitchen sink drain. They are like a dollar at the flea market. The other one I use is the swimming pool fittings. They are usually sold as a pair or kit that includes a drain grating and some clamps.

pinballlooking · 05-13-15, 10:29 AM

Thanks Jeff but I was able to do one better for this one. The tank my son and I put in the ground had a 1 ½ bulkhead fitting in the top of it that was not being used. It was just a little bigger than the one I had in the bed.

I cut away the liner under the pound liner and I cut away the metal around the bulkhead fitting. I was able to center it a little better.

No more drips!

I also added some short pipes to make the water coming into the bed to go under the rock not on top of it.
Now we need to add a couple wheelbarrows expanded slate and we can start planting.

Daox · 05-13-15, 10:38 AM

Glad to hear you got that leak fixed up. The pipe extension also sounds like a good idea. Great progress!

pinballlooking · 05-13-15, 11:48 AM

Anywhere the sun can hit the water you will start to get algae. The pipe extension should help this some.

(Someone warned me to change these back once I have plants. The plants will follow the water and clog it with roots.)

I was a little concerned about the leak I did not want to replace that pond liner for a very long time.

Ok I could not wait until tonight one bad thing about working from home.

I added then Nitrifying Bacteria and some Maxicrop 2002 Liquid Seaweed Plus Iron Fertilizer.
My PH 6.8 is a little high but that is ok and the ammonia is 3 ppm. Now we plant some plants and wait for some Nitrites to show up. This part can take some time.

pinballlooking · 05-14-15, 08:46 AM

Here is my bell siphon starting. You can really see the power of the siphon moving the 3” pipe with a cap on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgeafjzMqhQ

Here is my bell siphon stopping. The clear tube that goes down the side goes into a small pill bottle.
We have a lot of water flow into the grow bed and the siphon would never break if it did not have this.
This allows it just to clear the water from the pill bottle and it can do a clear break and stop the siphon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpxf6ECEqjM

These are amazing simple devices. They function with no power and start and stop about every 10 min.
I just recorded the starting and stopping the rest is just filling or draining.

pinballlooking · 05-14-15, 10:05 AM

My water was nice and clear until I added Maxicrop 2002 Liquid Seaweed Plus Iron. This is want it looks like now.

This is a good shot showing the water being pumped in from the sump tank.
the spreader bar should help put air into the water. My youngest son drilled all those holes in the bar.

05-12-15, 09:36 AM	#91
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	You should turn on the time+date display on your camera and take one pic a day for one season, then connect them together in a 'time-lapse' video. Just have to take all the pics from the same vantage point. I once used my security dvr to make a boring video of snow melting off the front yard.. Just pulled snap-shots out of each day for a few weeks. (I was bored, waiting for summer is like watching paint dry). __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

05-12-15, 11:13 AM	#93
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Here is a comparison http://www.ecofilms.com.au/how-does-...oil-gardening/ Here the two products that I got to get started. Maxicrop 2002 Liquid Seaweed Plus Iron Fertilizer, 1-Gallon Nitrifying Bacteria Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 05-12-15 at 02:59 PM..

05-12-15, 02:35 PM	#94
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	I tried to fix the bulkhead fitting leak last night. But when I was taking the fitting off on the bottom it turned the bulkhead adapter against the pond liner on the top. When I saw that was happening I put a pipe wrench on it but the damage was done. A tiny rip in the pound liner. I thought I got it covered with the fitting but it is leaking worse now. I got a new bulkhead fitting today with a little wider rubber gasket hopefully that will seal it up. Since it is just a steady drip I have left it run since yesterday morning. Attached Thumbnails

05-13-15, 10:29 AM	#96
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Thanks Jeff but I was able to do one better for this one. The tank my son and I put in the ground had a 1 ½ bulkhead fitting in the top of it that was not being used. It was just a little bigger than the one I had in the bed. I cut away the liner under the pound liner and I cut away the metal around the bulkhead fitting. I was able to center it a little better. No more drips! I also added some short pipes to make the water coming into the bed to go under the rock not on top of it. Now we need to add a couple wheelbarrows expanded slate and we can start planting. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 05-13-15 at 11:51 AM..

05-13-15, 10:38 AM	#97
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Glad to hear you got that leak fixed up. The pipe extension also sounds like a good idea. Great progress! __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-12-15, 09:50 PM	#95
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,428 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	For larger beds, I usually use a bathtub drain or a kitchen sink drain. They are like a dollar at the flea market. The other one I use is the swimming pool fittings. They are usually sold as a pair or kit that includes a drain grating and some clamps.

05-13-15, 11:48 AM	#98
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Anywhere the sun can hit the water you will start to get algae. The pipe extension should help this some. (Someone warned me to change these back once I have plants. The plants will follow the water and clog it with roots.) I was a little concerned about the leak I did not want to replace that pond liner for a very long time. Ok I could not wait until tonight one bad thing about working from home. I added then Nitrifying Bacteria and some Maxicrop 2002 Liquid Seaweed Plus Iron Fertilizer. My PH 6.8 is a little high but that is ok and the ammonia is 3 ppm. Now we plant some plants and wait for some Nitrites to show up. This part can take some time. Last edited by pinballlooking; 05-14-15 at 08:53 AM..

05-14-15, 10:05 AM	#100
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	My water was nice and clear until I added Maxicrop 2002 Liquid Seaweed Plus Iron. This is want it looks like now. This is a good shot showing the water being pumped in from the sump tank. the spreader bar should help put air into the water. My youngest son drilled all those holes in the bar. Attached Thumbnails