Comment

Comment by Arlene Baker on November 4, 2014 at 8:19am

Has anyone heard of the concept of "garbage enzymes" ( especially Dr. brooks, since this would also be a great teaching project for kids, schools, and STEM PROJECTS)? I ask, because the finished enzyme product when diluted properly, acts as organic pesticide, and I am plagued by those darned leaf miners and other bugs. Or , as a second question, has anyone found a good method to control the pests that eat the leaves of my squash, beans, tomato and pumpkin plants?

I just added a heater to the tank outside. I also wonder, do any here in Phoenix have their IBCs outside, and how will you protect themfromthe soon cold weather? This will be my first winter.

Comment by John Malone on November 4, 2014 at 6:58am

The weather has certainly cooled down, and so has the water in the fish tank.  Here's a chart of the last 6 days of temperature in the AP tank.  And down she goes...

Comment by Arlene Baker on November 3, 2014 at 9:20pm

Thanks, Jeff; Scott.

Yes, I would be moving it on concrete, simply one part of the patio to another. However, I will be using one of those hand pallet jacks. I think I'll be able to move it.

Comment by Scott Bloom on November 3, 2014 at 5:22pm

Those are just cheap plastic pots that you get when you buy a plant.  I put them in the bedding deep enough to keep the compost moist/wet.  The worms love it and turn it into castings.  Easy way to add good fertilizer to a new system.  I also added a dose of seaweed extract and bringing in a bag of sea-90.  That should keep the plants going while the bacteria colonize the system.

Comment by Jeff S on November 3, 2014 at 4:52pm

I am in the middle of moving my IBC tank full of fish. I used a fork lift. A pallet jack would work if you are on concrete, will lift high enough to clear the ground, and has the capacity to lift that much weight. I pumped out about 25% of the water into containers just to minimize the sloshing effect. Now that I have the new tanks in place I need to transfer the fish.

Comment by Arlene Baker on November 3, 2014 at 4:36pm

Wow Scott! Impressive! So, the cups in the center of the two grow beds, what are they made of? It looks like they are plastic potting plant containers, but I would have thought the pressure from the rocks would cause them to collapse. 

On another train of thought; I put my IBC under the awning last year, to protect it from the summer sun. Well, that wasn't successful, since the heat caused nothing to grow. Now, I want to relocate the whole thing about 30 feet away. Has anyone ever rented a pallet jack, and moved their full IBC tank?

Do you think it would work? I DO NOT want to take it down, or drain it, or relocate fish. Too much work. Hubby doesn't like to bother with it as it is.

Comment by Scott Bloom on November 2, 2014 at 4:51pm

I have spent the last month building a small 200 gallon equine/aquaponics system and here is the result.  The 3 barrels on the other side of the fence are 55 gallons each buried half way and connected with 4 inch pipe, this is where the fish are and where the horses drink.  The black bucket is the solids filter.  The 3 barrels in the front are half 55 gallon drums and are the sumps for the 2 pumps and returns from the grow beds.   The grow beds are using external siphons that are connected to a central return to the sump.  With this setup I can use the entire bed.  The cups in the center are compost for the worms.

Comment by Kim Romen on October 19, 2014 at 2:10am

actually, Stephanie, i had a brain fog for a moment.  u raise Koi.  how does your system do in the winter?  do u need to stop feeding them?  did u tell me once your hardest time is the summer?  thx!

Comment by Kim Romen on October 18, 2014 at 10:10pm

regarding Koi, wouldn't it be hard to do AP with Koi in the coldest of the winter since they stop eating when it gets too cold?  no eat, no poop. 

Jim, haven't tried to sprinklers, it's been so busy.  tomorrow!

Comment by Nick on October 17, 2014 at 8:39pm

Anyone in or near Maricopa?

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