Mantos new system

mantis

Rain stopped and I got the growbed over the sump setup. Only thing is the 2.4m redgum plank only sits on the concrete blocks about 50mm. Will try to find a 2.7m one to span the sump tank more easily. Still solid as. I got up on the planks and jumped up and down and no movement.
Hoping for some better weather next weekend to get more done

red beard

RAIN in vic are you sure? :whistle:

what were those white rocks coming out of the sky 2day

system looking good

mantis

Haha, yeah its been rare up until May last year when the rains started coming regularly. 12 years of dry before that
This has been the most overcast, dreary winter in a very long time. I just want some sunshine now :flower:

Burnsy

Mantis, check out the growbed stands I used here on the school system
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5011&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30
I used a 100x100 bearer across the blocks and bolted this through into the blocks with 10x250mm ramsets. The 200x50 boards were then screwed onto the 100x100 using countersunk 100mm bugle screws. This way the stand is really solid and there is no chance of them racking by somone pushing hard against a grow bed.

mantis

Does this look soliderer

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Also replaced brass gate valve with a pvc ball valve

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mantis

Went with a 25mm outlet with 25-50mm reducer in a 90 mm bell

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Did a water only test and it kicked in no problems but not sure if it is big enough for these beds. Will make a 32mm one for the other bed next weekend

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mantis

Got the Laguna 6000 plumbed up and put in bypass valve

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With by pass valve off, pump at full throttle

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mantis

Was happy that I was also able to get the second bed in place though not plumbed yet

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One question, does this look like about the right overflow level for the tank :dontknow:

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Happy with the days work as I also got a 40L homebrew done and a roast beef in the barby as we speak
Now for some beers :drunken:

vlt

Looking great!

I assumed you tested the overflow during the water only growbed flooding test?

You could add another sleeper and do away with the other wood holding the growbed up. This will alllow you to lower the overflow.

Also, think about angling the ft return to make a swirling motion with the water.

mantis

The pic showing the overflow working was taken just as it started, it got going much better than that. And I certainly will angle the ft inflow and maybe add a venturi of some sort.

Dale Morgan

Looking really good,
ready made kits are so quick to set up, mine is taking ages.
Can I ask are those concrete bricks known as Besser bricks?
How much did they set you back please, did you go to a manufacturer?
Dale

mantis

Hi Dale. Yes I think they are also known as Besser bricks/blocks and I got mine from a local paving place that make their own at $2 each. They might be dearer in other places as these were seconds. They make a good solid base but.

Jamey

Looking good Manto!! Been a hard days work by the looks of it!

i reckon i'll get somthing like the BYAP Setup when i get into my own place...

Cant wait to see some plants in there!!! and some fish swimming round

mantis

Its only byap growbeds. The fishtank is from another supplier and the sump from another. Local Ag suppliers could get the fishtank and sump delivered no probs, and had to pay big time for the delivery of the growbeds.
But, thats because the local Ag dealers do the fish tanks cause the fishtank maker also do all sorts of ag tanks, and troughs etc.
I wanted the byap growbeds so I payed to get them

Burnsy

Looking great, I like the layout, jealous of your beds one day I will get some for my home system :wink:

In the photo labelled 013, the blocks holding up the second grow bed look on the piss and the bearer board is not central on the blocks and the growbed is overhanging the said bearer more than I would allow. You may have already fixed it but if not, do so before you fill it, that corner looks like it could become unstable if water were to erode under the corner of the blocks for some reason (overflow or storm?).

Just a note on your siphons, I would change to 32mm tank flanges now before you fill the first grow bed with media. You can always reduce down after the fact but it is hard to go the other way once you are filled with media and you can't really test the siphons until your beds are filled with media and you are using the actual inflow the bed will get when both GB's are plumbed up. You will be surprised how much the media effects the flow to the affnans.

Cheers,
Burnsy

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