Comment

Comment by Tony Gilliam on May 3, 2012 at 12:40pm

The heart of this system is the air compressor, not only does it supply air to the tote and biofilter, but it also pressures up the barrel in the bottom of my sump. Using a timer valve much like in a lawn sprinkler system. The barrel is labeled air pressure pump, it has a check valve near the bottom and allows water to enter. It also has a small hole in the top to let air out. When the timer valve opens, a volume of air is forced into the barrel, A pick up pipe is located at the bottom of the barrel the air forces water out this pick up pipe and out to the grow beds. From the grow beds the water will exit through a few bell syphons and fall into the totes. The water then flows out the bottom of the tote and carrys anything that has settled with it. It will overflow an elbow which has a small vent pipe to break the syphon, into a basket (not drawn in yet, my bad) clarrifier the large parts will be caught in the basket and the heavier stuff will fall out in the clarrifier. It will be blown down daily to remove this stuff. The clarrifier will overflow to the biofilter which is burried in the ground, this keeps everthing moving down hill and also will help to regulate the water temp. The biofilter has a de-gassing vent that will let air out and also break the syphon. The biofilter will overflow into a 4" drain line that is also buried for the same reasons. This is a common drain that i can hook multiple totes to, thats why it is 4". The common drain will go through a water seal and dump back to the sump. My sump is inside my greenhouse already, it has a sealed lid to prevent radon gas from escaping and filling the greenhouse. It has a vent that is located outside to let these gasses out. My sump has an open bottom (dirt), thats why there is a concern for radon gas. The sump was installed way before i discovered AP and was intended to be a ground water well. It is too late to change that now. It will fill with ground water so this could replace water as it evaporates automatically. OK thats my plan it is set in jello so it can be changed. Any thoughts?

Comment by Tony Gilliam on May 3, 2012 at 12:07pm

Ok guys, its been really crappy weather out today so i've been doing some drawing and thinking about my system. Here is a pic.

Comment by David on May 3, 2012 at 11:19am

Tony now you're braggin'! I think Im developing aquaenvy about your water quality.

Comment by Tony Gilliam on May 3, 2012 at 8:08am

My water is very good. My well is over 130' deep. No sulfur at all, it is a 7 PH, with a slight hardness, and a little iron. Just about perfect for AP.

As far as the molassis totes, i think i will put some tide and bleach in them and through them in the barn loft and look at them in a year or so. If i need them at that point, i will try to clean them.

Comment by Sheri Schmeckpeper on May 3, 2012 at 7:46am

Hey, David, it sounds like this was a molasses feed, not just molasses. Molasses was just a part of it, and they do add antibiotics to some feeds (chick crumbles, for example).

But I agree with you, what we get at the store and what's in our water are as much a concern (or more) than what we will ever grow at home, particularly in AP!

Comment by David on May 3, 2012 at 4:05am

The molasses won't hurt anything other than the appearance of the tanks.  It's used as a supplemental ingredient for livestock feeds.  It has been many years since I handled horses but if memory serves correctly it's black-strap molasses and is used as an iron supplement in their feed.  Getting it cleaned is like trying to get spaghetti sauce removed from the wife's Tupperware once it's been microwaved.  I can attest to the fact that I will never make that mistake again with her.  Anyway, hormones and antibodies are not usually added directly to IBCs.  That usually happens at the farm.  So you don't really have to worry that someone put drugs in them.  Even if a feed manufacturer decided to mix those in to the IBC before pouring into the meal oats I wouldn't be greatly concerned about it.  There are far more hormones, chemicals and antibiotics in your store bought fruits, veggies and dairy than you will ever experience from one of those molasses IBCs.  A good washing is fine so long as it's not hazardous materials being used and the bigger problem really is getting fresh water into the system that doesn't have radiation, flouride, antibiotics, arsenic, psychotropics etc.  Reverse osmosis and solar distillation will help to remove these but now we are talking about weeks to produce enough fresh water to get your system going.  Like I said before, if we are true purists then this whole technology just would not work for the average man.  It would be too cost prohibitive and time consuming. You are on the right track.  Get it going then start tweaking once it's running.  The water contaminants in my area are my greatest concern.  I wonder how many people would keep showering knowing there were toxic levels of alpha radiation and fluoride already in it.  - David

Comment by Tony Gilliam on May 3, 2012 at 2:56am

Well the 6 totes that had acid in them is enough to get my system started. I spent 3 hours cleaning the one molassis tote and dont really want to spend that much time on the other 4. Im sure the hormones and antibiotics would be minimal once the tanks are cleaned and cycled, if there was any to begin with. But the bottom line is i dont have to use the molassis totes to get the system started.

The possibility of hormones and antibiotics / 3 hours to clean / still need to build cages for them. I don't think they are worth saving.

Comment by David on May 3, 2012 at 12:01am

Hey Tony, I wouldn't let people scare you on what could leech into your system when you use your totes. If we all tried to be organic purists in aquaponics it would never work because ALL plastics leech into the system.  The point being if they were used for feed it won't kill you once they are cycled.  I would be concerned if they were used to move MEK, Diesel or harsh chemicals around but not animal feed.  Yes a very little will leech out during the cycle but srsly, there isn't that much in the plastic that will do harm to you or your wife because you are not adding animal feed to them every week.  The most important thing here is that you clean them out with a good base and then move on with your project and taking care of your wife. Food grown in those containers you have will be better than any food that can be bought at the store.  And that is the whole point of doing this then correct?  You have to make decisions on what is tolerable and acceptable for you, not what someone else thinks.  Hope this helps and send in pics of your systems.  I would love to see them!  - David

Comment by Sheri Schmeckpeper on May 2, 2012 at 11:41pm

10 years is wonderful, God bless your wife! No, probably not worth the risk. I don't know if those things can permeate the plastic, and I don't wish to spread any undue fear, but there are times when the risk isn't worth it.

Comment by Tony Gilliam on May 2, 2012 at 7:36pm

WOW i didn't even think about hormones or antibiotics. I'm not sure if they had organic feed or not. I think i should just give up on them. The one with fish in it, has fathead minnows in it that i intend to use for bait, so it will be totally seperate from my system.

My wife is a 10 year survivor of breast cancer, so i dont need to add anything to our diet like hormones and antibiotics. Thanks for bringing that into view.

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