Passive Solar Greenhouse Build with active systems

markb

This is my greenhouse

I am not going to build the greenhouse part until the end of the summer.
I have the black barrels to go in the back of the greenhouse.
I don’t know how to use Sketchup but here is an attempt at using it. We are going to start off with just the front bed. All GB will have Expanded Shale except the DWC.

markb

Here are a couple pictures of the site prep.

markb

Sump tank I got off craigslist

My youngest son help me dig the hole for the sump tank. It was a big job.

Some power tool help.

Almost done.

Finished up at 12:00 am but it was going to rain all day the next day so I needed to be done.

One last one with it full of rain water.

markb

I bought some stackable steel stands off craigslist but we decided we wanted different size GB’s.
So I cut them cut and welded them to the size we needed. My son helped me get them ready to weld.

A couple pounds of MIG wielding wire later and I was done.

The back row will have barrels stacked like with water in them for heat.

markb

I welded up a stand for my radial flow filter.

I cut off the top of the FT so we can see the fish.

I welded up some brackets for the front GB pipe.

Jason73

Big project, I look forward to seeing this one progress ! :thumbright:

markb

We bought 2 ton Expanded Shale the same stuff Web4Deb uses.

I had to go to the transfer station twice so we had to get the first one off the trailer.

My two boys washed the first bag for me.

markb

That catches us up to where we are with the project so far. This is my first system so I have been reading a lot and looking at other system builds.

We did some pluming this weekend. The pump is done and we did the SLO.
We are getting so close to doing a fishless cycle.

joblow

Mark it's going too be an awesome system when you finish it, your young helper looks too be doing a first class job. :headbang:

markb

Thanks. We are excited to get the fish less cycle started.

He is a great helper but he did not want me to take his picture when we was using the grinder because the only gloves I had that would fit him was his Mom’s gloves.

joblow

You'll be able too get some serious weight in those GB's and it's good too see the large diameter pipes you wont have any flow problems there. :thumbleft:

I'm looking forward too seeing the finished greenhouse and the system up and running. :thumbright:

markb

Here is a picture of my boys washing the expanded shale. They did it one wheelbarrow at a time. I drilled like 50 or more holes in the wheelbarrow so the small stuff could be washed out.

The stands are supper strong but I got them off craigslist for $18 each it was such a good deal.

joblow

Great too see the kids involved, here in Australia it's hard to get most of them out of bed or get them away from the Play-station or off Facebook. Not all but kids but a great majority, so it's nice too see kids out in the open helping out and learning. :thumbright:

markb

We have eight hens that provide us eggs and we are able to give some to friends. We hope to feed the chickens some of the old produce.

I did a DIY solar power install just over two years ago. Last year we made enough power to power our car 16,500 solar power EV. miles and provide all the power our house needed. We use solar power to heat and cool our house and run the pool pump. We had 1,100KWH extra power at the end of the year.

Our new greenhouse should use all that extra power up next year.

spuds

Excellent,Im also into chickens and solar tho mine is small scale as my place is surrounded by trees,i do have 2 systems on my truck,each 160 watts per side and two large sealed batteries each,very cool,have 320 watts total... 4, 95 amp AGM Batteries,2 10 amp charge controllers,1000 dollars total.Craigslist is my friend.Click to enlarge pics

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