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Nalu's IBC and shelve Aquaponics.

11K views 35 replies 8 participants last post by  nalu86 
#1 · (Edited)
Maybe its time for a little journal about my new hobby.





330 gal IBC tote
Odyssea 4x 54W T5HO and a Diamond plate 2x32W T8
Pump 640gal/h
Fluval 305
40 gal sponge filter
Ikea timers
ebb/flood on timer 30min on 30min off
Hydroton pebbels

Fauna (for now)

13 H Rasboras and 1 lost Tilapia (long story)

Flora:

Basil, Broccoli, Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Carrots, Chives, Berry bushes, Echinacea





275gal IBC tote
HB 6x 32W T8 with good reflectors
Pump: 262gal/h
Sunsun 302 filter
40 gal sponge filter
Ikea Timer
Ebb/ Flood every 3h with 30 min off.
River rock pebbels

Fauna:

Still cycling

Flora:

Mixed lettuce, Kale, Tomatoes, Green beans, Cucumbers, Mint





Tilapia fingerlings in 75gal growout tank

 
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#2 ·
Currently I'm setting up the shelve grow tubs attached to the 75 gal outgrow tank and making sure my bell siphons work properly. Pics of this will follow soon.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I filled the 3 new shelve grow beds with river gravel today, made sure my bell siphons work perfect.
Tomorrow I will hang the lights and start planting seeds and herbs.

I wonder what my electrical bill will be with all those new lights, heaters and pumps... Solar power would be more than welcome.

Tomorrow I will post pics.
 
#6 ·
Have you thought about using reflector walls around the grow beds?

Right now I'm using white 1/2" Styrofoam sheets I've read they are 85% reflective. Mylar film takes you up to 97%. For some weird reason I don't understand aluminum foil is the same refractivity as white and flat white works better than gloss.

Mylar is not cheap on rolls but, Space Blackets are cheap and they are made of Maylar. My next MOD will be to wrap my panels with a space blanket. In a bigger system like yours you could simply hang them like shower curtains.
 
#7 ·
I went to find a link on the space blakets and found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyPF_w7Fsqk

Pretty sweet idea!! I may try that if I can find some at the $1 store. My local dollar does carry space blankets.

I have a few now for emergency. Last winter the heater went out, no heat for two days. I used a spas blanket over there tank to help the tank heater. Worked great, the house got down to 50degrees at night but, the tank water stayed @ 72.
 
#10 ·
Update pics:









The shelve aquaponic:









Tilapia:





And my new addition to the family: M and F New Zealand White Rabbits.
Hope they give of nice offspring, I love rabbit meat.



 
#12 ·
They are 100 day rabbits. So from fertilization to plate is 100 days.
Those 2 are 9 weeks old now, another 12 - 16 weeks to go to have offspring.
 
#13 ·
I did something stupid last week... I added 30 comets from petco.
They all started dieing, and the rasboras in the system getting fungus, turn white and die too. I am stupid that I did that.

I didn't want to put my Tilapia in the system because I want to keep them above 80F to grow faster during the winter.

How do you think this will settle, will the bacteria/virus/fungus die over time or do you think I have to reset. There are still about 10 comets in both tanks and they seem to do good.
 
#19 ·
Who needs a car in the garage when you have a setup like that!!! One word - Beautiful... Great setup which helps provide for you and your fish. I would like to have the space and money to do this one day. Keep up the great work.
Thank you!
Car still fits, but its to cold outside and would lose a lot of heat if I open the garage door. The heat of the engine would prob make up for the heat loss, but its nice to have space in the garage.
 
#18 ·
My green beans are flowering :) And the flowers are being guarded by this little fella.


Updates:

Lettuce starts to grow really fast:



Same for the tomato plants:

 
#24 ·
Good Idea, or I can wrap wall insulation around it and use industrial plastic wrap to tighten it around the tank...
 
#26 ·
Update, Installed some space blankets for reflection:

Lettuce is doing great, I have green beans growing and the tomatoes are growing up fast.











Trout:



Tilapia:



And my angels have double fry, 12 days old in the jar and wigglers hanging on the glass and the jar:





 
#28 ·
Nice! All your stuff look like it's growing well. How do you like the space blankets so far? I felt they made an instant improvement on my system.


I think my Oak leaf is maybe two wks out yet. Just starting to get that crown shape going. I'm hoping to time to be on the table for ThanksGiving day.
 
#29 ·
The space blankets are awesome, they reflect so much light, even the spots where I didn't see much light before, its like now there is a light shining above it. ( sorry for the bad English)

The only downside is maybe the heat, my lettuce doen't really like it and some herbs neither. But, I don't feel like running a fan, I'm trying to keep the cost down, I calculated my bill and its between $60 and $70 for the lights and the heaters of all my tanks and aquaponics.

Couple days ago I bought 2 more IBC totes, I am setting them up outside, i want to see what I can grow in the colder months here. Thinking about growing onions, green onions, spinach and lettuce in those totes. one will be with river pebbels, the other one will be a floating raft for lettuce and spinach. I will keep more rainbow trout now I found a supplier for it.

Do you know where you can buy Trout food? I'm feeding them Organic Tilapia pallets for the moment.
 
#30 ·
How cool is this :)

Green beans:



And I have hundreds more flowers and tiny green beans,
 
#31 ·
Day 52

I have about 20 flowers on my tomato plants.
Nice, will have tomatoes in the winter.

pics will follow when I see small forming tomatoes.

When I planted my tomatoes, I threw in 25 seeds, thinking maybe half would come out, well big mistake, I have 25 tomato plants, spread over 2 grow beds, there is no space in the beds anymore. I had to take 5 out, put them in pots and put them at a south window.
 
#34 ·
Those are a Home Depot $1 package of seeds I planted as a test, didn't expect they would do that great.

I have 6 Red Pondersosa Heirloom Tomatoes growing But they are only 3 weeks old, but already more than a feet tall. Prob another month and a half before I will see flowers.

Next year I want to grow only Heirloom veggies and fruits.

I will also make an strawberry tower in the early spring.
[Ebay Link Removed]
 
#35 ·
Hi Nalu, very cool setup you have there. I was wondering how much those "IBC" tubs run you? And also, I would guess the difference between Hydroponics and Aquaponics is the fish in the system? LOL I thought those Hydroponics stores that have popped up around town were only for growing Illeagal crops. I guess people actually do grow vegtables with that stuff. Great work!
 
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