Bunk Bed AquaPonics.

[Lisa Big]

So today, Chi, Miguel and my husband Jesus started building our AP system. Chi and Miguel drove over an hour to build this "Bunk Bed" system, because that's what the kiddos said it looks like. Chi introduced us to AquaPonics as a way to supplement our diet with fresh veggies and fish. Miguel did most of the construction while Chi farted around :) The whole family is excited to embark on this journey to better healthier living through AquaPonics!

Here are some pictures:

 

No one was injured in the making  of this system.

 

Coming along...

 

Jesus, my husband. Men look so sexy with power tools.

 

My daughter Yasmeen.

 

Miguel the carpenter extraordinaire on the left. And the kiddos Yasmeen, Israel and Ishmael.

 

Chi and his commanding finger.

 

More pictures to come as we progress...

[Chi Ma]

It takes years of training to fart around as well as I do.

 

Specs on the AP system:

 

3'x5'x2' deep Tank

4'x6'x8" deep Grow Bed

Media will be something cheap 

[Sylvia Bernstein]

And those years of training have paid off, Chi, because you know that the important thing is showing up for the group photo at the end of the day. ;-)

 

The system looks great so far!  Is it going to be pond lined?

[Chi Ma]

The tank and grow bed will be lined with EPDM pond liner. It's cool to see that the whole family will enjoy it.

[Molly Stanek]

Love the sequence, it makes it seem like the whole system went up in minutes! Are you planning on insulating the beds at all before you put in the pond liner?  We have found in our climate that it helps to maintain the tank temperature.  I'm not sure if that's a concern out in the warm west coast, but it does provide a little bit of cushion for the pond liner, making it less likely to tear when you go to fish out the full size fish.

[Chi Ma]

Hi Molly! We will be using foil backed foam panels to pad the liner as well as insulate the tank.

[Molly Stanek]

That is some awesome looking stuff!

Chi Ma said:

Hi Molly! We will be using foil backed foam panels to pad the liner as well as insulate the tank.

[Chi Ma]

Liner is here! Yay! Now for a coat of paint to seal the wood and on goes the insulation and liner!

[Lisa Big]

Today we painted the AP system.

 

[Chi Ma]

Awesome. I'll be up there next weekend maybe to put in the liner.

[Dan Brown]

That is awesome.

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Looks great, Lisa.  Are you considering letting the kids loose with some paint brushes and seeing what happens?  Could be pretty cute, and definitely a personalized Big Family Growing System. 

[Lisa Big]

So today Chi and Miguel came up today to button up the Bunk Bed system. Next week we add 3/4" drain rock for the grow bed! This will be a constant flow system. Chi didn't want to mess with an auto siphon yet

 

Miguel getting it all framed up.

Kids getting REALLY REALLY excited.

Grow Bed fill.

Grow Bed drain.

Capped liner.

 

The kids are giddy with excitement!