A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Leaking IBC

I went to feed my fish this morning and it seems my IBM has sprung a leak! Anyone have experience with this. It is lest than a year in service, I would not have expected a failure this soon.

Thanks,

Art

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Arthur King, Jr. on May 9, 2014 at 6:24am

Jim, You can't see it in the pics, but there are additional cross members under the tote to help keep it from sagging too much. When I first test filled it before gravel, I didn't like the way it was looking and added some additional support.

Jim Fisk said:

FWIW I am a bit concerned as to the support under the GB. Keep in mind that GB weighs about 900lbs when full of water and gravel and they will sag without enough support. I am hoping I simply cannot see it. I used PT Southern Yellow Pine decking planks but my GBs are not over my FTs so I am not concerned with the PT chems dripping in.

Let us know what you find and how much water you estimate you have lost. I am still betting on some fitting, etc. rather than the IBC itself. They are designed to take one hell of a beating during shipping and are used to haul some pretty nasty stuff that shippers do not want leaking.

Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on May 9, 2014 at 8:04am

Great news Arthur. I have had my share of leaks and it has always been something loose, something clogging up causing an overflow, etc. It never ceases to amaze me how much water can be released from a 2000g system over a 24 - 48 hr period caused by a trickle that is so small you can't believe it could be the cause. Drips add up. Never been the totes so far.

Let's hear it for totes

Permalink Reply by Jeff S on May 15, 2014 at 6:56pm

Jim, I have been looking at your GH layout and was wondering if you separate the water between the FTs or does it all run together at the sump?

Jim Fisk said:

FWIW I am a bit concerned as to the support under the GB. Keep in mind that GB weighs about 900lbs when full of water and gravel and they will sag without enough support. I am hoping I simply cannot see it. I used PT Southern Yellow Pine decking planks but my GBs are not over my FTs so I am not concerned with the PT chems dripping in.

Let us know what you find and how much water you estimate you have lost. I am still betting on some fitting, etc. rather than the IBC itself. They are designed to take one hell of a beating during shipping and are used to haul some pretty nasty stuff that shippers do not want leaking.

Permalink Reply by Jeff S on September 24, 2014 at 11:28am

New development: I put a grow bed size IBC top in my basement a few months ago mounted on a pallet for some breeder Tilapia and all was well. About 6 weeks into the project I was getting a leak so I put a temporary gutter under it to my floor drain and started making plans to replace it. In about a week the leak stopped and hasn't shown up again so it's on hold for now. More of a winter project anyway LOL.

Permalink Reply by Michael Osman on February 11, 2015 at 1:19pm

I know it's overkill...but I've put a pond liner in my IBC.

Permalink Reply by Jeff S on February 11, 2015 at 1:38pm

My leak never showed up again so if it ain't broke I ain't gonna fix it. My first IBCs were ones that I had had for years outside in the weather. They did get brittle and I broke the first grow bed by just dropping it while fabricating but once the others were set up I never had any problems.

Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on February 11, 2015 at 3:06pm

Wow, sorry Jeff, I never saw this before. My 5 FTs all drain to a common drain running in front of the IBCs. Mine (FTs) are set on a cascading cribwork so the drain is 3.5" lower at each tank for great drainage and at the far end of the 24' fish room that flows through the wall (tarp at present) into the hothouse side of the AP GH and then runs down the backs of the 5 IBC growbeds. From there the bell siphons all drain into a 1 1/2" common drain that goes underground as it leaves the far end of the GBs and then under the walkway and into the buried 275g sump where it is again pumped up to the 5 FTs.. I hope that answers it.

I agree on the IBCs. 3 years running and never a single problem. They are after all designed to carry all sorts of nasty chemicals all over the world on ships and trucks and they are very well tested. SUN is the enemy and it takes years for even that to cause problems. I see them all around here at any garage that changes oil and 9 times out of 10 they are sitting full of old oil right in the Sun. Waiting! Just a matter of time and we will be reading about a 300g oil spill.

@ Michael: Yeah it is (overkill).

Jeff S said:

Jim, I have been looking at your GH layout and was wondering if you separate the water between the FTs or does it all run together at the sump?