David Waite

Welcome David,

Thanks for joining the Aquaponic Gardening community!  I hope you find it a fun place to explore aquaponics.  There is a real blend of experienced and new aquapons in this community, so please don’t hesitate to get in there and start asking questions.  Everyone is quite happy to help out new members – no question is too basic.  

A great place to start is to read the “How to Use This Site” link on the upper right corner, “Start Here” section of the Main page.  You might also find the “Aquaponic Gardening Rules of Thumb” guidelines helpful.

Please participate and check in with us every day!  We are constantly posting news about aquaponics and the good food movement.

Thanks again for joining us, and I look forward to getting to know you.

Sylvia

David, you're greenhouse looks like it will be awesome.  I'm excited to see how it progresses.  Where are you located?  I'm high desert too (Laramie, Wyoming).  It can be a challenge to keep a greenhouse going when it's -35F and 50mph winds. . .

The modine is backup heat in case the main boiler fails.  My greenhouse wasn't at all designed for what I'm doing, so I've had to improvise.  I have put up a blueboard skirt around my tans that leans out to the solid wall.  There are radiators along his solid wall so the heat from the radiators gets trapped around my tanks and heats my water. . . Ideally I'd have more control, but it really ended up working quite well.  I 've managed to squish quite a bit of production into a really small space, and I still have a lot of room to expand if I have to. . .And I'll have to if my business plant isn't a bunch of hooey. : )

I've driven through your area, I think you'll have a great experience once your greenhouse is cranking. What'll be your square footage?  It's looking really good!  I wish I could do in ground stuff here.  maybe someday.  Well, keep up the good work.

David

I am heating my water (and air) with an outdoor wood boiler. There are 2 separate loops, one for the air and one for the water. Each fish tank is a separate zone in the loop and has a coil heat exchanger, zone valve, and thermostat with a temp. probe. pretty simple system. Only problem is everyone stopped carrying the coil heat exchangers and i need to replace a couple. i will probably be converting to a shell and tube heat exchanger over the summer. $1,200 - 1,500 initial investment but it will be more efficient with less plumbing and zone valves. I have 2 10,000 gallon systems. One i heat the water for tilapia and the other has hybrid striped bass and they stay consistant with the air temp..

Hi David

Extremely Impressive! I see a great amount of dedication went into this.I also think that you're very innovative, keep up the good work.

one leg of a pair of nylons--i squeeze the peat once a day to get it to release a little faster.  You can use vinegar with molasses  about 2 tbsp each add daily until it drops to 7.0  Radical change will kill fish and plants.

Hey David,

Yeah, I just start them in rockwool cubes in a tray then transplant into rafts when they have popped up. Works great, you just want to make sure you dont leave them in the master slab too long because as the plants get bigger, roots will want to grow into the adjacent cubes and when you pull them apart, you will break roots which slows growth for a few days.

I would more your response bck to the fourm so other people can learn also, but at 5 weeks I woud just ley the PH be it will work its way back down with the nitrification process

Hi Dave.

It was a pleasure to make you as a friend.

I am very interested and have enjoyed watching the various videos.

I am not sure if this is the place to leave a message.

Send me an email.    bigchieftw@yahoo.com

Hay David, what are your temperatures?  The small varieties of tomatoes have an easier time setting blooms and fruit even as it gets too warm for most other larger tomatoes it might not be nutrients giving you trouble.

Hi David, great to hear from you.  I'd like very much to meet-up and talk.  Your systems are definitely further along than mine, perhaps I could visit your place?

Pls let me know if I can give any suggestions. Break a leg and have fun!