Building a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse Part 2

Here is the second video in the series of building a geodesic dome greenhouse.  It covers 3 different hub designs (and failures) along with the details of how they are assembled.  I’m trying not to make them too boring, but after all, its just a bunch of diagrams, cutting and welding.  At least you can see some sparks fly!  There’s a couple of bloopers at the end too!
 

Below is the transcript from the video:

In this video I will discuss the hub design for this dome and the next video in the series will detail the strut design.  This is 3V 3/8th dome so it will require a total of 46 hubs consisting of twenty-five 6-way, six 5-way and fifteen 4-way hubs that will be used along the base.  Because of the large span, this dome is going to need a hub that can withstand a great deal of compression force.  Plus, it must be able to withstand the downward force from heavy snow loads during the winter.

The first hub design had hanger bolts anchored into the end of each strut.  The end of each bolt would go through a hole in a piece of schedule 40 3-1/2” steel pipe which was used at the hub.  The strut was tightened to the hub with a washer and nut.  This is the first prototype using the hanger bolt method and a PVC hub.  The triangulation between each section was extremely strong.  When I created a full scale prototype, the leverage of a full length strut and removal of the triangulated pieces cause the hanger bolts to easily pull out of the end of the struts.

The second hub design was similar to the hanger bolt design, except a hole was drilled through the strut and a washer and nut was inserted.  This was to create enough surface area to prevent the bolt from pulling through the wood.  However, testing a full scale prototype proved to be too much force against the strut and the bolt acted as a level and split the wood.

The third hub design is completely different. The strut is sandwiched between two spokes.  Flat bar-stock is welded to the hub at the appropriate angles and a bolt is placed through the top spoke, through the strut and fastened with a nut under the bottom spoke. This full-scale prototype shows how 4 spokes of a 6 spoke hub would be assembled.  A load test shows it can support my body weight on only 4 spokes, plus none of the other struts are used to strengthen the legs.  There was some slight bending of the bolts from my bouncing but there was no hardware failure.  Regardless, the final design will use 3/8th inch bolts instead of 5/16th.

The central hub is made from 3 ½” galvanized rigid conduit which is about ¼” thick.  The conduit is cut into 3 ½” lengths.  The galvanized zinc is ground off wherever the spokes are to be welded.  Please note that working with galvanized material, especially using abrasion cutting equipment or welding should be done in a well-ventilated area.  Also, you should always wear gloves and safety glasses.

I made up a jig that will safely hold the bar stock to the drill press.  It allows me to consistently drill a pilot hole in the same location near the end of the stock.  Since I have 480 holes to drill, creating jigs and templates is crucial for building an accurate hub.  Once the pilot holes are drilled, I switch over to a stepped bit that will finish the hole at the proper size.  I then flip the piece over and gently remove any tear-out from the bottom of the hole.  Once the holes are in the end of the stock, I then cut it to the correct lengths.  I built a stop for my abrasion saw so I could cut each piece to the same length.  After cutting off the ends, I can go back to the drill press and drill a new set of holes for the next set of spokes.

Now it’s time to start assembling!  This template has markings on it so I know where the locations are for the 5 spoke or 6 spoke hubs.  I just place the hub over the template and draw a small mark on the hub.

This jig is used to accurately weld the spokes to the hub.  The hub is placed over the post and each spoke is held in place with a pin.  By using this jig, I can weld a complete hub in less than 15 minutes.

All the pieces are welded together with a standard MIG welder.  Another safety note:  Please weld in a well-ventilated area and free from items that can catch on fire.  Also wear the appropriate gear to avoid burns from the hot metal and use a welding helmet to prevent blindness.  Keep fire suppression equipment nearby at all times.  No one else should be in the area while using a welder.

When each hub is complete, any dirt and rust is removed by sandblasting and is then painted with cold-galvanizing paint to prevent future rusting.  I hope you enjoyed this video on making a hub for the geodesic dome.  The next video will show how the struts are made.  Thanks for watching!

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13 Creating a Greenhouse out of Electric Metallic Tubing EMT

Picture of EMT frame, draped with plastic
So how do you grow 365 days a year when you have cold winters? A greenhouse is a big part of that answer. [In fairness, 365 Aquaponics also requires attention to fish selection and plant choice, but that’s for another post.]

The lightbulb went off for me when I saw a video of Michelle Obama’s hoop house garden, at the White House. An evening of internet surfing later, I knew all kinds of information about high tunnels, aka hoop houses.

But a standard hoop house wouldn’t work for me. The typical cross section of a hoop house is a circular arc, 12 feet wide if it’s 6 feet high. Not bad for crops grown in the ground, but murder if my crops are sprouting 3 feet above ground level, as in an aquaponics system that’s wholly installed above the surface of the ground. Besides, all that area at the edges is practically useless for either growing plants or allowing the gardener to walk around.

There are some nice greenhouses available for sale. Harbor Freight has an inexpensive 10’x12’ model that is used by many gardeners. But my townhome community has covenants that limit how tall my backyard structures can stand.

Besides, I wanted to see if I could come up with a sturdy greenhouse someone could build themselves from standard materials available at local hardware stores.

Now that I’ve lived with such a greenhouse for a summer, I prefer a simple hoop house over standard greenhouses. When it gets hot, you can simply remove the plastic from the hoop house for the hot months. If you need shade, drape shade cloth over the hoops. Nature takes care of ventilation and pollination. When the days and nights start cooling, put up the plastic again. 6 mil plastic will be stronger and provide better insulation, but 3 mil plastic lets in more light and still keeps things moderately toasty in the sun.

I used Electric Metallic Tubing (EMT) rather than the more typical PVC pipe because:

• EMT allows me to achieve a precise shape
• EMT is stronger
• EMT won’t break down under UV sunlight the way unpainted PVC does.
• EMT is sold in 10 foot lengths, allowing me to create an arched form that is 8.5 feet wide and around 7 feet tall from just two 10 foot lengths

Pictures (better, moving pictures) are worth thousands of words, so here is a movie showing how to set this up.


Small system I put together for a Feb 2012 science fair

Installing the Bulkhead fitting (the grey conduit bits and O-ring)

Assembling the Standpipe, Bell, and Media Guard

Different Discharge Options (I like the 45 degree or Coanda Discharge)

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Expanded Shale for Hydroponics and Aquaponics

A little self promotion for my company....

Bigelow Brook Farm is pleased to announce a new partnership with The Aquaponic Source as a distributor for our expanded shale product line. The Aquaponic Source (www.TheAquaponicSource.com) specializes in a wide array of products providing complete solutions for the North American home aquaponic gardener. Along with their on-line store, they also provide an active and free community site filled with a vast array of aquaponic discussion topics and information for both novice and experienced users at www.AquaponicsCommunity.com. “We are extremely excited to be working with Bigelow Brook Farm and offer expanded shale to the aquaponic and hydroponic gardening communities. Finally there is a US based grow media with optimal growing properties!” says Sylvia Bernstein, President of The Aquaponic Source. “We think this will become a core component in the rapidly expanding soil-less growing market in North America.”

For more information about Expanded Shale, please visit our web site at www.BigelowBrook.com or www.ExpandedShale.com.

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How to Replace a Damaged Power Cord Circular Saw Drill Router Hand

Check out this video to see how to make a quick replacement of just about any power cord. In this case I am replacing the power cord on a Black and Decker circular saw but the process should be very similar for just about any brand and also other power tools.


STOP! If you are here on this page or about to watch this video you have no doubt already considered just wrapping some electrical tape around that cord that you cut. Am I right? How many of your tools already have tape on the cords? Come on, be honest, we have all done it. But before you break out that giant roll of black tape and start binding things together you may want to consider getting the job done the right way. Tape doesnt exactly make for the safest electrical connections and no one wants to see someone get hurt.


So now that we have that covered lets move on to a very fast and easy repair for that damaged power cable. You can pickup a new cable at any home center, hardware store, or via amazon with the links below. There are only two things to consider when getting a replacement. Does your tool have a 2-prong or 3-prong plug and what amperage does the tool draw. For most tools the amp rating is written on a label somewhere with the model number. It might even be on the cable itself. In my case I have a 10 amp tool. That just means that the cord I buy to replace the one I cut needs to be at least 10 amp or higher. In this case I purchased a 13 amp cord which will be just fine for this application.

Normally with any power tool the casing comes apart and splits in half exposing the trigger switch and the power cord inlet. Check out the video for an example. Once you take out those screws just unscrew the wire leads connecting to the switch (pay attention to white and black and their respective terminals) and remove the cord protector from the old cord. This is that hard rubber piece that is at the most flexed part of the  cord, where it enters the tool.  In my case removing the cord protector was the hardest part.

Once you have the old cord removed just slide the cord protector on to the new power cord and then fit it snugly back into the tool handle. Reconnect the wires to the correct terminals (Hot (black), neutral (white), and ground(green)).

Once things have been reconnected make sure the wires fit nicely back into the handle cavity and then replace the cover or side of the tool. Done!

This is a very simple and cheap (less than $6) repair that when done properly can add years of life to your tool. Dont risk electrocution or someone in your family getting hurt by putting a band aid on your tools with tape!

13 Amp 2 prong replacement cord - http://amzn.to/1NiHI4G
13 Amp 3 prong replacement cord - http://amzn.to/1NiIfnl

All of these products and more recommended items from the SSL Family are available at the Simple Suburban Living General Store

 

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Music - "Darien Gap" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/DarienGap


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Another Teaser Video

I know some of you find these teasers agonizing, but heres the next one! Dont worry, the project is almost done and I wont torture you with these videos anymore!

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How To Make A Aeroponic System Build a Backyard Aquaponics Program with our Step by Step ! Read Reviews

Complete Step-By-Step Instruction On How To Build A Fully Functional Aquaponics System Using Simple Components! Visit NOW!

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Where Need to You Place Your Aquaponic System

If youre decided to set up an aquaponic system in which to grow vegetables and fish for you and your loved ones, you can find some factors which you should know. The varieties of fish, the seeds which might be propagated and the specifics in regards to the proper water circumstances are the basic notions you need to know just before venturing in this activity. When you understand that you are able to start off putting each of the pieces on the puzzle together. Yet, another query arises: exactly where ought to you spot your aquaponic mini-garden?

The answer is simple: it is possible to put it anywhere you like provided that the location has sufficient light to provide the plants. As you possibly know, the plants need to have light to prepare their meals. When the place where they are put has no or couple of light, theyll be unable to prepare their food, which in time will bring about their death. This really is anything you dont want! Yet, if you have a space (regardless of if it really is your kitchen, living space or garage) where there is certainly a moderate light, then there is exactly where you ought to spot your aquaponic garden.

In the event you live in an location with extreme temperature or weather circumstances, you will find also some other items youll need to take into consideration. 1st, the temperature: your fish like to have a moderate temperature (normally varies in line with the type of fish you choose), so you must monitor it to meet your fish

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The Benefits of Fish Oil For Acne

Fish oil can be a dietary supplement which has been established to enhance all round health and handle circumstances like diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis. What makes fish oil so remarkable is that it contains omega-3. Omega-3 is an crucial fatty acid identified in specific fish like salmon and mackerel. Omega-3 can also be located in plant-based substances such as walnuts and flaxseed. Recently, fish oil has grow to be recognized for its skin-nourishing effects. Fish oil could be employed to lower skin sensitivity, minimize acne outbreaks and promote healing on the skin.

Lowered Inflammation

Acne happens when skin pores become blocked by oil and bacteria begins to develop. Youll find two types of acne; inflammatory which includes whiteheads and blackheads and non inflammatory which contains papule, pustules, nodules and cysts. Research from the University of Maryland Healthcare Center shows that omega-3 fatty acids located in fish oil will help reduce inflammation and enhance the all round appearance of skin.

Decreased Outbreaks

Fish oil may also reduce the occurrence of acne outbreaks. This is because fish oil is a mood enhancer. Due to the fact stress can trigger acne outbreaks taking fish oil can improve mood, thereby decreasing the possibilities of outbreaks associated with tension.

Healing

Crucial fatty acids identified in fish oil assist promote skin healing by nourishing and defending the skin. Actually, the UMMC reports that fish oil is established to minimize skin sensitivity as evidenced in a study following men and women with sun sensitivity known as photo dermatitis. Moreover, the gamma-linoleic acid found in fish oil assists stimulate skin and is usually utilized to heal skin lesions frequent amongst eczema sufferers.

It is really simple to get your day-to-day intake of fish oil. There are quite a few supplements out there. Or enough amounts of omega-3 may be obtained by eating just two servings of fatty fish a week.

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Building a Giant Outdoor Jenga Game

Back in June, I dropped our oldest daughter off at her girlfriends house for a pool party.  They had the COOLEST giant Jenga game setup on the deck next to their pool.   I came home and told my husband I just had to have one for our pool deck.  I had never seen one before, but after some research, the idea is actually all over Pinterest.  But here is our overview of that simple (and extremely repetitive) project.  Todd even pulled in our daughters to help as well and they really enjoyed getting to use power tools.

The game is basically sixty 10.5" long 2 x 4s.  Sixty boards are stacked three per row, for a total of 20 rows high.  This was the most repetitive project!  Every board gets measured, cut, sanded and stained.

Here are the rough cut 10.5" boards.




Then, each board gets the edges rounded with a belt sander.  My belt sander is held up by my vice so that our daughter could sand easily.




























Our oldest then sanded each board with a finishing sander.

And then we stained each board with linseed oil.

I think the oil gave it a nice finish, dont you?

We constructed this game from standard pine 2 x 4s and used a total of 8 boards, including a few mess-ups and waste from knots in the wood. We spent about $40 total on the game including some sand paper and the linseed oil to stain the wood.

If you are looking for an easy and fun project this is perfect! It was a blast to build and the girls really enjoyed putting it together.

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14 Moving the System in a Minivan

System packed into a Minivan
The system you’ve been reading about will be auctioned off at the September 2011 Aquaponics Association Conference this weekend on Saturday, the evening of 17 September.

My problem? How to get this sucker from Northern Virginia to Orlando, Florida.

Someone else’s problem? How to get this sucker for Orlando, Florida, to their place.

I figured the bidding pool would shrink significantly if the system was too big to fit in a standard vehicle. So here we go, packing the bits up and loading them into the back of my minivan. I left both seats in the van, since there’s no guarantee someone wanting to take this home will have thought to remove seats from their van.

It can work. You can take the 365 Aquaponics System with you – an investment you wouldn’t have to leave behind if life turned upside down. You’d have to leave the most the water behind, as well as the fish. You might even want to gift all but one grow bed worth of media to a friend. But at the end of the day, you could pick up and take it with you.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Orlando, at the Aquaponics Conference. But the anticipation can’t be better than the friendships and memories I’ll have to look back on when it’s all done.

Heres some more pictures:

The interior of my minivan with some of the long bits inside

Packing the growbeds inside

Side view through the sliding door

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Geodesic Dome Greenhouse 6 Teaser

A quick preview of our next video.

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One Good Turn

Meg in New York with Mormon Helping Hands after Hurricane Sandy

This past Thanksgiving weekend I was planning to prepare my garden for the winter. But Hurricane Sandy had hit New York City hard that fall, so I joined a group of volunteers to help clean up in Queens instead. The damage was amazing, even several weeks after the storm hit. Here were a few more pictures I took during that weekend. The first is a car damaged by the storm, the next one of the houses we helped clear out (this picture is after the dump truck took away most of the contents of this home, newly remodeled only the prior November).





I dont regret the time I spent in New York, but my own yard remained messy throughout the winter. There were remains from various projects, yard debris, and general unkemptness. Heres a couple of shots showing the mess:





Then my local Mormon missionaries stopped by this past month. "Is there anything we could do to help you?" they asked.

"Anything?" I said. "Well, I could use some help with my back yard..."

They were good to their word and showed up last Saturday, ready to make quick work of a mess that had bothered me all winter. Heres a couple of shots after theyd moved the trash out of my yard:





Yeah missionaries! Many hands make light work. Now I can get started on my spring garden without hours of dirty, heavy lifting in my way!

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Starting Seeds on a Budget Start Your Garden Without Buying Supplies

Are you looking to start or expand your garden this year? Lets go down the check list of things we might need - potting soil, seed plugs, seed trays, grow lights, compost, peat, vermiculite, fertilizer, manure, pest sprays, raised bed kits, trellis, tomato cages, and on and on....... I remember the first time we decided to have a small garden in one of your flower beds. We started at the store buying seeds and dirt and all of the things we thought we would need and spent about $100. That year we barely had anything grow and forgot to have someone water while we were on vacation. Not a great first experience but we were determined to start again.

In our new home a few years ago we decided we were going to go big and year after year we are adding more and more to our garden. But we arent huge fans of spending $10 in supplies to get $5 worth of vegetables, anyone else feel like that when you are starting out? Yes, over time you get things that you can use over and over each year thus making it more and more worth while. But what about now, do we really need all of this stuff to get a garden going?



In my opinion most people (including us) spend way more than they need on gardening supplies and then are disappointed at the results their first couple of years. It does take time to get the soil just right, it takes time to learn what works best and when to plant and harvest. Gardening is not something that you can just go out and throw some seeds in the ground and have an awesome garden your first year. It takes time and in some cases a small amount of money. I have found that you have a choice in many cases, time or money.

We are expanding our gardens over time as to lessen the impact on our wallets and allow us time to develop good soil as we expand. We have also learned that while we are not going to win any awards for the prettiest seed starting operation you can get started with little to no money invested at all.

We started saving any containers with clear plastic lids last year and have saved up quite a few of them by now (probably more than we need!) These make the perfect tiny greenhouse seed starting containers. Instead of buying a heating pad and seed starting trays just use the things you already have. We have found these to be the fastest way to get your seeds started! This year in fact most of our seeds were already popping through the soil in the first 48 hours.

The next thing you need to get your seeds started is soil, there are a lot of different ideas with what works best here but again I just use what I have to get going. Last year we made a mix for our square foot gardens of our compost, vermiculite, and peat. I grabbed a bin full of this soil and brought it in as soon as it was no longer frozen. I sifted through and got out any large pieces (leafs, sticks, etc.) and then filled my containers. The only down side to using this type of soil is that you might also germinate a few blades of grass or something from last years planting so just be carful and pay attention to what sprouts. If one of these things is not like the other, pull it out.

Seeds are pretty easy to come by and dont be fooled by expiration dates on those seed packages. With proper care there is no real expiration to most seeds. Germination rates might be lower after a few years but I wouldnt worry too much about that. Look for seeds during the off season in the fall or winter. Most stores have clearance sales at this time and you can get your seeds for as much as 75% off. You can also save seeds from your plants year after year. This is a skill I have not yet mastered but will be trying some of this year.

There are many ways to save money on gardening supplies and still have great results. We are all tempted to go out and buy all the best stuff, shovels, and rototillers, etc. But that is mostly not needed. Check a garage sale this spring and you will likely find all kinds of gardening tools for dirt cheap:)

I hope that this has inspired you to get started or add on to your garden this year. Follow along for more tips and tricks this coming spring and summer and lets all try to feed our families a little more from our garden each year.

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A Fish Called Harold

It was a little underwhelming putting the fish in the system as they quickly swam to the murky depths of the 275 gallon tank. But then came snails! Not only do they look like poop in the picture (below), they sank like rocks to the bottom of the tank when I released them. We are partyin up in here.  Said the fish and snails.

I bought the snails to see if theyd help control algae growth in the tank. In hindsight, I wish I bought four so I could put a couple in the sump tank as well.

I decided to put off growing edible fish for two reasons. The first, I am broke and forty-two gold fish and two snails cost me less than ten dollars. The second, its already October and goldfish can handle any temperature the Seattle winter is going to throw their way. With very low risk, Ill be able to monitor the tank temperature and try cheap/energy efficient methods of controlling it as I go.  Ill report back this winter.

Apparently, there is a "free fish" section at The Fish Store. The two big ones on the right were donated when they outgrew their previous residence. Im told they wont eat the little guys, which are the same species.

 Free fish arent the only selling point of  "The Fish Store" on Roosevelt, just north of Ravenna. It is unmissable with its brightly blue painted facade.  If youve never been, and you dont really care about fish, its still worth a pop in.  The interior presents a stark, and refreshing contrast to the sanitized shopping experience of a Petco. This is the classic Hardwicks hardware store of fish emporiums.  It has the character, the layout and the smell of a fish store thats occupied that spot since 1970.  A friend of mine said he went in while on psychedelic drugs during college.  This is the exact kind of store you want to wander into on psychedelic drugs during college.  Its small and dark, with a low ceiling.  All the fishtanky accoutrements are in the front- plastic skeletons to sink to the bottom of your stylish (yet fun!) aquarium, pink glass rocks, fish flakes, fish nets for those naughty fish and roll after roll of fake aquarium background stickers. There really were quite a few choices for the one glass wall of the glass box your fish would inhabit- tropical neon landscapes, dark-"whats that?! Whos there?! The Titanic!" landscapes, semi-decaying barrier reef landscapes, and plain.  They could almost be used as a border for a childs fishy themed bedroom...but I digress...

The rest of the store beckons you in to explore- tanks framed in black wood boxes and lit from within.  Coral and day glo colored fish, fancy expensive-ass fish, and what I was looking for- regulation goldfish, all swim around in a quiet cocoon of fishiness.  Prices are marked with white grease pencil on the tanks.  The staff are knowledgeable and friendly.  There are water puddles on the floor.

 Another highlight of my week was going to the hippie food Co-op in my neighborhood and describing myself as a "local farmer."  While I may have put the cart before the snail a bit with this statement, I did have a really helpful conversation with the produce manager and got my face/name in the local ring. 

My crackteam of fishheads and I have been debating how to handle this aspect of the aquaponic bloggers moral code.  We think the audience would appreciate knowing how the two large free goldfish got their names.  The large goldfish were named in honor of two other beings who poop a lot because the hope is these fish reach their full potential as poopers and create some legit doodies for the system.  One is Ollie, named for the cat that resides in the house that the aquaponics setup is attached to.  Ollie. Poops.  A lot.  And he is big and orange.  The goldfish are also orange.  This was an obvious symbiotic match.  The other we named Harold.  This is where the aquaponic bloggers moral code comes into play.  Harold was a recent student in the life of this blogger, a blogger who sees many, many, many different students.  But, Harold always left something special behind.  And this is why we want to name the second goldfish Harold.  Does this compromise Harolds identity?  Could he possibly make the connection to the fact that a fishpoop hopeful was once named for him?  Because he, at one point during his career, could be counted on as a pantspooper?  Only time and the success of this blog will tell...or Harold (the fish) will die and Ill delete all this.  Or Ollie(the fish) will die, and then Harold will die of loneliness with one of those, yicky strands of fish poop hanging out of his fish butt even though he is already dead.  Or Harold (the kid) will find out when hes twenty-five and in love with a Victorias Secret Model whos Swedish and shell think its a cute and charming story because it has to do with Swedish fish (which it doesnt), but Harold will be so happy, and his pantspooping days will be so far behind him, he wont care and Harold the Fish can poop up the jam in his little aquaponics tank til his little pooping fish heart is content.  And it will be because Harold was always that kind of fish- content.

Ghostfish Writer: Maeve Stephenson

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Homemade Hydroponic Systems Guide Build a Backyard Aquaponics System with our Step by Step ! Read Reviews

Step-by-Step How to Build Your Own Aquaponics System Learn more..

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Starting Your own personal Aquaponic Company or Hobby

Beginning your very own business could be a daunting activity as many of the activities call for special abilities and tones of cash to invest. Although one particular could acquire the needed expertise, the money is just not a simple to solve situation. Nonetheless, theres 1 enterprise which calls for minimum investment and which pays off in less than a year. Its referred to as aquaponics or aquaponic farming and can change your life for great.

Aquaponics involves growing vegetables utilizing the water out of your fish tank. You just must spot the fishes within a tank, wait for about a month till the water has enough bio-nutrients to feed the plants, then you can propagate the seeds. The plants will feed around the nutrients released by the fish in the water, thus cleaning and refreshing it, whilst the fish will appreciate a clean and protected environment exactly where they can live correctly.

There are numerous advantages of beginning such a business. Initial, as mentioned previously you will find very few expenses connected with it, so even if youve a tight spending budget for beginning a company you are going to nonetheless handle to purchase each of the items you will need. Also, the maintaining charges are very low, so that you just will create organic food with tiny investment that will allow you to sell your products more affordable than they could be located today in the marketplace. This may bring you more consumers and as a result more profit.

In contrast to other companies, exactly where you may need to rent an workplace or an industrial location where you can develop your company, aquaponic farming does not call for a big space. Your garage or perhaps a room out of your house is perfect. Just ensure that you have sufficient light for the plants to develop normally.

Another fantastic benefit of the aquaponic farming is that you simply will have, in the start, diversified merchandise. Youll not simply be capable of plant and sell different varieties of vegetables, but it is possible to also sell fish, that will bring you even more profit. Along with that, youll have sufficient veggies and herbs for your consumption, as well so there is going to be no want for you to continue buying them from the marketplace. Thus you are going to save some extra funds which can go in your other demands and pleasures!

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5 Critical Tips For a Productive Aquaponics System

An aquaponics system might be really basic to setup and to operate. If ever youre preparing to setup a single program inside your home, there are many essential needs. Here are 5 components which will be vital in creating confident your aquaponics technique is productive.

1. Making sure that a appropriately oxygenated water.

In order for an aquaponics program to function, the water ought to have a fantastic provide of oxygen. Such fine provide of oxygen might come from an air pump and air stone or possibly a couple of basic styles which allows the water circulation method to soak up oxygen. Fishes as well as other animals will die without having oxygen. Also the plant roots as well as the bacteria that convert fish wastes into fertilizer also demand oxygen. It really is far considerably greater to possess a great deal much more oxygenation than youll require, that not enough. A lot of oxygen inside the water just isnt probable also.

two. Correct location need to be selected

A location exactly where there is definitely ample light is essential. Either a sunny location or with artificial light. In case your program is indoors, a big sunny window, or even far greater, a sun room makes an excellent location. If ever it truly is outdoors, the dappled surface in the generating or even a tree could well slow down growth. Full sun is greatest, unless you reside in an region with extreme heat, then afternoon shading may be welcome. You have to favor a position exactly where appropriate temperatures could be maintained. There is certainly certainly an advantage once you favor indoors or within a greenhouse. Steer clear of areas where substance may be present. And if outdoors, contemplate protection from wildlife that may be a problem, like raccoons.

3. Inside your selected location, you need to also choose the correct fish

The most common selection for an aquaponics method are Tilapia, although you can find several other fishes which will also do nicely. In several places, tilapia as well as other species have been banned. As a result, there is certainly a have to check on neighborhood regulations in ensuring that the fish selected is legal. Other fishes are sensitive to temperature. Make certain you will choose a fish suitable for the water temperatures that you just will likely be capable to maintain. Tilapias may not be an outstanding option in an vicinity with cold winters, unless youll be able to maintain the water heated.

four. Positioning Your Grow Bed

You might provide oneself a massive favor in the occasion you positioned your develop bed within a operating point that is comfy. Typically, itll be roughly the waist level. Such situation is one particular benefit above expanding crops inside the soil. There isnt any have to crook and function on the ground.

5. Adding Additives Towards the Method

Although this sort of system will largely appear soon after itself, as far as nutrients, you are able to uncover instances after you could have to add numerous supplemental nutrients. If the plants commence to show indicators of deficiencies, you could have to add calcium, potassium or iron. This truly is considerably a lot more probably in a new approach which has not entirely matured however.

Aquaponics is really a very simple way of generating fresh organic food. By signifies in the method, youll be capable of produce vegetables and fish having a lesser level of function than planting on land. For all those whove provided consideration towards the particulars above, surely its going to help inside your excellent results.

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The IBC of Aquaponics

Backyard Aquaponics has released an awesome manual on aquaponics, featuring 43 (yes, forty-three) systems made with Intermediate Bulk Containers or IBCs, appropriately called The IBC of Aquaponics. Even though I dont have an IBC system, I think IBCs are great. In fact, Ill be helping teach an aquaponics workshop in May where well be creating about a dozen IBC systems.

Why the IBC of Aquaponics is Cool - A list.

1. The manual is free. Thats always cool in my book.
2. The introduction and appendix contain great (and pretty) information about aquaponics - all that stuff experienced aquapons have forgotten they ever had to learn.
3. There are great pictures and write-ups on all the systems.
4. Many of the articles about systems include hyperlinks to youtube videos, sketch-up models, and forum discussions about the systems.

Check out this cool chart, showing the relationship between nutrient availability and system pH. Ive seen charts like this before and simplified the message in my own mind to "6.5 is good." But this version of the chart is absolutely lovely.

This level of professionalism and beauty continues through the rest of the document. If creating an aquaponics system out of an IBC tote appeals to you, you can browse several dozen different configurations, and even create a 3-D version of how your system could look (Google Sketch-up required).

If you live in the DC area and would like to participate in the May IBC workshop, drop me a line. Totes will be provided as part of the workshop!

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12 Installing a Float Valve

Float Valve Hardware
It isnt fun going to my garden and finding the pump grinding away in a mere 1-2 inches of water. When the water in the sump gets that low, you no longer get adequate water circulation in the system. Plus, its hard on the pump.

I spent hours trying to figure out how to modify a standard toilet float valve to add water to my sump to replace evaporation. I may yet figure it out. Or you may figure it out and explain it to me. But using toilet bowl hardware to regulate my water levels is still a mystery.

Luckily, I have a smart mother who has lived much of her life in desert conditions. When I explained the problem to her, she said, “You need a float valve like they have in swamp coolers, to replace the water that evaporates.”

Oh.

I live in a humid climate where there are no swamp coolers. So no one sells the bits to replace swamp cooler parts. The big hardware stores don’t even list these parts when you do online searches, because no one in a moist climate would need to buy such a thing, and they stock them in dry climates in such quantity that there’s no reason to allow dry climate folks to buy them online.

There’s a flaw in there, somewhere. It turns out it is possible to buy such bits via a site like eBay, once you know what you’re looking for. Better yet, have a friend in a dry climate buy the bits and ship them. I assume fine aquaponics stores everywhere will start stocking them soon, as well. In the mean time, you can search for "aquarium float valve" on a site like eBay and find something to do the trick. The float valve itself will run you about $15. The tubing and bibb to connect to your system will be additional.

The way it works is the plastic bulb floats on the top of the water. As long as the water is high enough, the float keeps the valve closed. But once the water level drops, water will flow in (from a special bibb and tubing you connect to your faucet or some other water source, like a water barrel). Easy peasy.

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How to Wreck Your Aquaponics System A Story of Citric Acid and Impatience

Sometimes against my better judgment, I do stupid things. This was one of those times......

If you have been following along with the aquaponics system I have been struggling with pH being too high since the beginning. This has had a negative effect on growth for far too long and I was beginning to get impatient. The results of my actions here are not entirely negative, but far from optimal.

It started with my filling the grow beds with the wrong type of rock in the beginning, river rock containing calcium carbonate. This caused the pH to be stuck at 8.2 and no matter what I did (adding vinegar, phosphoric acid, etc) nothing would lower it below that. I then switched out all of the rock with a new type which is pH neutral and that made an impact right away. However, I could still not get the pH to drop much below 8, it would keep bouncing back. I then discovered that my hard water contained high amounts of calcium carbonate and so I added a filter to the auto top-off. This started to make a bigger impact and I was able to get the pH dropped down to 7.5-7.6 over a period of about three months. I had to keep siphoning off water and trying to let the new filtered water slowly replace the hard water over time.

Having run this system at a high pH now for about a year I was starting to get impatient. This is where I went wrong. At this same period I was also just getting my new Tilapia added to the system and getting then used to the water conditions. I began looking for something stronger than the vinegar I had been adding to lower the pH and thought that a hydroponics pH down powered should do the trick. It was advertised as a pure phosphoric acid which would add phosphorous to the system and lower the pH. This was going to finally get my into the 6.5-70 range that I wanted to be at and I was excited to get the product and give it a try.

I know that changing pH drastically is a bad idea, especially with new baby fish, especially with a full cycled system, especially when I didnt read the label and the pH down power contained Citric Acid! Citric acid is a powerful antibacterial and will kill the needed bacteria that are the heart of the aquaponics system.

I started by adding the power one teaspoon at a time every couple of hours and testing the pH. The first day was exciting and I was able to drop the pH to 7, no fish dead, and all water tests looked good. Then I discovered the label with that listed citric acid as a component in this pH down powder. At this point I probably should have stopped using it but I was so close to getting the pH down to 6.5 and thought that if it was only a small component of the pH down product it would probably be ok.

The next day I came down to the system to discover dead fish and ammonia levels off the charts. I had killed the bacteria colony and probably all of them. The new fish were struggling to survive and I quickly saved the surviving 17 of 30 and moved them to a small tank away from my stupidity.

The silver lining here is that the pH is now at exactly 6.5, however it is going to take weeks if not months for the system to balance back out. Many veteran aquaponics system owners have a similar story to tell and so I thought I would share mine. I hope that this helps someone else out there to be careful and never add anything that contains citric acid! This is proof, even in small amounts it will kill the bacteria!

API Freshwater Master Test Kit - http://amzn.to/1xGbMDA

 

 

All of these products and more recommended items from the SSL Family are available at the

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Easiest Way to Take Apart a Pallet Using Power Tools

Ready to get started on some free or cheap pallet projects? Once you have all of your pallets brought home get ready for some frustrating disassembly!

In this video I briefly discuss the method I have been using to take apart pallets to get useable wood. There are many other ways to do this very same thing but this has proved to be the quickest and easiest for me.

The first step is to just lay out the pallets on a flat surface and start making cuts on the inside of the outermost supports. Using a jig saw or circular say is best and you can quickly have those outside supports removed from the pallet. As with any pallet project, make sure you check for nails ahead of any cuts!

The next step is to use a Sawzall or reciprocating saw to free each slat from the middle support. I find this to the quickest way to get the most useable wood as long as you dont mind the nail head being left in the center of the board. Rock the slat back and forth to free up a small gap and slide the saw blade (metal cutting blade) between the slat and the support to cut the nails.

If you prefer to pull the center nails just slide in a pry bar to pop the slats off and then pound out and pull those center nails. Either way works just as well but I prefer to pull less nails!

Using this method you are left with a selection of 36"-39" slats that are ready to be used in any pallet project. Now if you are going to do more finishing on your final product like sanding or planning you obviously need to make sure to pull the center nails instead of cutting them with the Sawzall.

There are many other options out there such as pallet pullers and special pry bars. My suggestions is to take the money you would spend on that specialized tool and get yourself a good wonder bar or used Sawzall instead. These tools can be used for much more than just pallets and are a necessity for any homeowner.

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Building a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse Part 5

I finally finished up the 5th video in the series.  This one covers how the footings were done, and then a little problem with flooding in the foundation hole!

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What is Square Foot Gardening A Brief Overview

Our little homestead is located in a suburban subdivision in southeastern Michigan.  That basically means we have a short growing season and barely anywhere ideal to plant a conventional garden.  Most of our backyard is taken up by our pool and the septic field.  Sooooooo, raised beds it is.  But even better than that, square foot raised garden beds.  Why, you ask?  Here is some information that caught our attention and sold us on the idea to be square foot farmers.


Square Foot Gardening is very intensive.  You can plant more veggies in a smaller space than in a conventional garden.  There is also little weeding (yay!) and because the special soil mixure retains water extremely well, we have less of a chance of killing our plants (we need all the help we can get).


Here are the key elements to square foot gardening:


1.  Raised Beds:  Garden box frames should be no wider than 4 feet x any length, and 6 to 8 inches deep.  We opted for 3 x 6 raised beds.  Todd built ours using free pallet wood, click here to learn more about that process. 

2.  Special Soil Mixture (Mels Mix): 

1/3 coarse vermiculite
1/3 peat moss
1/3 blended compost  (your backyard compost pile is the best option for blended compost, otherwise, you have to obtain several different forms of compost)


3.  The Grid

1 foot by 1 foot grid and must be permanent.  On top of each frame place a permanent grid that divides the box into one foot squares. The grid is the unique feature that makes the whole system work so well.

4:  Plant Spacing:  Depending on the mature size of the plant, grow 1, 4, 9, or 16 equally spaced plants per square foot. Choose fruits and veggies that make sense for your family and for the intensive planting style of the Square Foot Garden.

Here is a great resource for knowing how many plants to plant per square.  Numbers will vary slightly depending on which website you use.
http://plantandplate.com/p-downloads/PlantandPlate-SFG-planner.pdf


TIPS

Here are a few tips that really helped me when planning and planting our gardens:

1.  Plan out your garden first on paper.  I planned out our two beds on this piece of paper. 

This helped me determine how many seeds to buy and start indoors.  Which leads me to the next tip,

2.  Start your seeds indoors, especially if you have a short growing season.  We also got a great jump-start on our tomato plants by using the cloned clippings from the plants in our aquaponics beds.  We started out with plants almost two feet tall!  Learn all about that easy process here.  Best way to start tomatoes in my opinion!


3.  Plant the tallest plants on the north side of your square foot garden beds, especially the veggies that need trellises or supports to grow.  This helps the shorter plants get all the sun they can. 


4.  And here is the most important tip, the tip I read and forgot about, and did not follow.  So please dont be like me.  Water your soil BEFORE you plant your seeds!  I know thats a good idea in any garden, but this soil mixture is the thirstiest, spongiest soil you could ever hope for.  It took me FOREVER to water after I planted, especially since I didnt want to wash away the fragile plants I had just planted.


Learn more and meet the inventor of the Square Foot Gardening method: 
http://www.melbartholomew.com/what-is-square-foot-gardening/






This post has been shared at:  Homestead Barn Hop, Simple Saturdays Blog Hop, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, The HomeAcre Hop, Natural Living Monday, Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

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