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I am using a 275 gallon IBC for a fish tank. Do I need to cover it from light. What do I cover it with? Do I need to cover the surface of the water with anything?

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Jim 

looks like your useing gravity from fish to sump? & pump back to fish tank

Jim Fisk said:

I should have added that my 275 gal sump is buried all the way so I am using the ambient soil temps (about 55F here) to help regulate the system both Summer and Winter. I set it right on the ground and in the ground with no insulation and back filled it right to the top so I have good contact. In the Summer I may trickle soak the ground around it for more contact cooling effect as well as some evaporative cooling. There are lots of ways of controlling temps if you keep the fish separated from the hot house. Commercial chillers tend to be very expensive but used freezers can be cheap. Regretfully I threw out a chiller a few years back as I had no use for it and we were moving. They can be energy hogs anyway though.

Below you can see the buried sump in the foreground and last of 5 FTs in the background during construction. Be sure and use sand or sifted soil under the sump IBC to avoid damage from sharp stones as it gets real heavy when full (2000#)

I tied the entire structure to the heavy tanks and grow beds in anticipation of high winds. We haven't had a tornado here in over 60 yrs but they have hit Bristol on one side and Mtn City on the other in the last 3 yrs.. If the skin blows off that's an easy fix but I doubt the structure is going anywhere fast.

Brad Moreau said:

Jim,

trying to design system to use trout in warm temp, any pointers, i live in Oceanside ca average temp 70 to 80 on hot days

was thinking about 1 1/2 '" foam w/spray foam around my tote & cooling my return line by using 1/2 soft copper ran through an old refridgerator ( like a keg cooler). was wondering about how the plants would take the 65* water ? just kickin the can right now, any input

thanks Brad

That view above is just the fish room.

Here is my floor plan. Only change from this will be those heat storage barrels along the S side will now be a row of barrelponics grow beds. Clean sump water is pumped up to fish and it is all down hill from there thru GBs and back to sump. That way you are pumping only clear filtered water. Saves your pump. Avoids clogs.

I should have mentioned above that the freezer I refer to would be a chest freezer full of water and could even house Trout as well right in the freezer.

JIm 

where is the freezer in system??

Jim Fisk said:

That view above is just the fish room.

Here is my floor plan. Only change from this will be those heat storage barrels along the S side will now be a row of barrelponics grow beds. Clean sump water is pumped up to fish and it is all down hill from there thru GBs and back to sump. That way you are pumping only clear filtered water. Saves your pump. Avoids clogs.

I should have mentioned above that the freezer I refer to would be a chest freezer full of water and could even house Trout as well right in the freezer.

It will sit above the buried sump if I need it and the pump will head there first.

BTW Brad when you reply you can edit out the pics so we don't see them over again. Just select and delete.

Here is an update:


Jim

think i got the pic deleted right

where do the solar storage barrel fit in / hot tub

let me know if you got my 5 questions

thanks

Brad Moreau said:


Jim

think i got the pic deleted right

where do the solar storage barrel fit in / hot tub

Jim, 

Let me see if I have your layout correct:

1) from sump tank pumped to first fish tank, gravity fed to all other fish tanks, gravity fed to grow bed, gravity back to sump tank.

2) for raft system from sump tank pumped to fish tanks to swirl filter/bio filter to raft bed to sump tank

3) For trout: from sump tank through freezer to fish tank (to trout tank only or all tanks?)

4) What are the solar storage tanks and hot tub for? 

5) Keep fish tanks in shade, separate from grow room

Hey Brad,

1) from sump tank pumped to first fish tank, gravity fed to all other fish tanks, gravity fed to grow bed, gravity back to sump tank. I now flow to each FT individually

2) for raft system from sump tank pumped to fish tanks to swirl filter/bio filter to raft bed to sump tank

Yup

3) For trout: from sump tank through freezer to fish tank (to trout tank only or all tanks?)

Most will probably be Trout the way things are going. Cooler water fish at any rate. And only if we need a freezer

4) What are the solar storage tanks and hot tub for? 

Solar heat storage. / Us.

5) Keep fish tanks in shade, separate from grow room

You got it.



Brad Moreau said:


Jim

think i got the pic deleted right

where do the solar storage barrel fit in / hot tub

 

Jim
thanks for info. 
do you split fish tanks up like 2 to gb 2 to raft 1 to barrels
WOW! Very impressed that is all I can say. I never thought that water temperature would be a variable in growing my veggies. And, I also thought that the fish would just eat the flying bugs. I am sure to learn a lot from all of you! :D

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