Ivan's future 3rd system

ivansng

yeah bigdaddy, the system expansion is taking a while... Not sure yet what we are going to grow... I just put the cabbage in there because we got a seed tray of cabbage but had no more space to put them in the existing system. The cabbage has actually dried up now because the expansion is taking longer than expected... anyways... things take time...

Plecostomus

I really like the whole system. Looking forward to seeing how it comes along and the results.

Thanks for teaching me that I'll need to rinse the gravel. LOL!

Pleco

abdul

rinse is such a strong word :twisted:

ivansng

Alright guys. Thanks for your support. It is what makes the hardwork all worth while... :lol:

Got the system started over the weekend. :cheers:

Have temporarily run an extension cord to the pump connect to a timer at the wall. Cycle is 15mins on 30mins off, via a sequencing valve (two zones at the moment).

As mentioned in other posts, I had a drama with the blue barrels not being high enough to drain (see fish tank photo - ground above behind retain wall is lower, hence need some extra height to drain). So raised the barrels up using bricks and treat pine sleepers... Had to make some modifications to the drain connection to the drain piping as it was already half-buried and digging them up would be painful... Hence the crooked looking bends at the barrels... Once completed, I will be filling up the area will a layer of stones (cracked pea gravel or something) so hopefully hide some of the ugly looking bends...

So two 1000L IBCs are running in the system now as one zone, with 500L BYAP growbed and the blue barrels in another zone. Still a fair bit of work to do, but at least the system has started cycling... Transferred some of the trouts over to the 2000L tank to provide the ammonia source...

Well it is all systems go, but still more work to do...

ivansng

Okay planted 2 dwarf fruit trees... Peach and Tahitian Lime...

freoboy

hi ivan
system loks great :thumbleft:

. how do you drain your IBC GB's out the side? aychance of a description / diagram??:ive been trying to figure this one out for a while . .
cheers,
Ben

ivansng

Freoboy, I got the idea from OBO commercial system. Inside the IBC is actually an elbow with a standpipe arrangement, and a 90mm gravel guard. The IBC does not fully drain.

bonsaibelly

Fantastic to see it from sketch up to build up -looking great. Love the dwarf fruit tree idea.
:notworthy:

Great looking set up!

freoboy

cheers ivan, it all makes sense now

ivansng

Thanks everyone for the great comments. I have made some further progress, got the IBC fish tank up and running. Will post photos later.

MrOrange

Ivan - could you please post some details about the steel tube & welded mesh cover? ie. did you make it, what were the costs etc.

Thanks!

ivansng

MrOrange wrote:

Ivan - could you please post some details about the steel tube & welded mesh cover? ie. did you make it, what were the costs etc.

Thanks!

I presume you are referring to the fish tank cover. I got Rick (his students) to get it made up. I recall that it was less than $800 for two covers (one smaller one)...

abdul

Very organized :] Add more of them hula skirts, they looks gooodd

naturalmagic

Wow your system looks awesome! I learned quite a bit going through your system thread (I must download those sketchup models).

I was just wondering what kind of paint you used to paint your IBC? I have been wondering how to protect my IBCs from UV rays. (I'm wondering if it was some sort of non-toxic paint, which I would prefer but was wondering if it was absolutely necessary. If not, I'm definitely considering bogarting your hula skirt idea. Thanks and can't wait to see more!

ivansng

naturalmagic wrote:

Wow your system looks awesome! I learned quite a bit going through your system thread (I must download those sketchup models).

I was just wondering what kind of paint you used to paint your IBC? I have been wondering how to protect my IBCs from UV rays. (I'm wondering if it was some sort of non-toxic paint, which I would prefer but was wondering if it was absolutely necessary. If not, I'm definitely considering bogarting your hula skirt idea. Thanks and can't wait to see more!

I started off by painting the IBCs with some external UV outdoor quality paint, but as it turns out the new type of VOC paint does not stick well to the IBC. So it started skinning once you make a slight cut. So I ended up just lining the IBC exterior with black builder's plastic, before I put on the hula skirt.

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