New tank!!!! .....and it's a big one

[Shawn Cruze]

So my friend donated his standalone swimming pool to me because he knew I would be nuts enough to try and grow fish in it and he thinks it's hilarious. Dimensions are 15x30x4....... almost 5,000 gallons.  I am into incorporating this pool into a commercial aquaponics system if I am able to pull together the resources.The obvious needs are land, growbeds, materials, man power, money, and much more. I have access too some of these. The most important part of this project is to sustainably produce food for Colorado. It would be nice to build a money making system but that is something to work towards over time. Is there anyone in Colorado that is interested in teaming up or throwing ideas back and forth?

[David Waite]

Hey Shawn obviously the 5000 gal is way to big for a home system. Might consider  erecting the tank and covering it with 6 mil and making a greenhouse or hot house. You could then build the aquaponics inside using the deep end of the pool as fish tank and putting growbed containers in the shallow end. Use pvc for a frame and cover to give 4 season protection. Could remove top in summer. Just a thought.

[Wayne]

Are the dimensions in feet? If so I am coming up with over 13,000 US gallons.

[Shawn Cruze]

Wayne said:

Are the dimensions in feet? If so I am coming up with over 13,000 US gallons.

 Yes it is in feet. I forgot to mention that it is oval in shape. The dimensions are at the widest points. Comes out to a little over 5000 US gal if I did my math right.

[Wayne]

I still come up with just over 10,000 gallons. If the converter I am using is correct. You could grow a lot of fish in there. Nothing says that you have to fill it to the top.

My tank is 1200 gallons but I am running it at 900. I figure as the fish get bigger i will increase the water level and add grow beds to match the volume of water.

[Nate Storey]

Where in Colorado are you at, and what is your aquaponic experience so far?

 

Nate

[Chris McMahon]

I am going to turn my pool into a Aquaponics garden if the economy goes south. It's a big one 35' x 15' x 12' in the deep end.

I am looking forward to getting the "The Urban Permaculture DVD" where they did this.

 

[Shawn Cruze]

I am in Denver. I am somewhat a newb in the aquaponic community. I was introduced to the concept two years ago by my instuctor Greg Cronnin. I attended the begginers course with JD of Colorado Aquaponics at the Grow Haus and started building many systems. I designed and helped build a bunch of IBC systems at the University of Colorado while studying biology and sustainability. I also assisted in building and maintaining a 600 gallon system with Rick from the Urban Farm in Stapleton. I have three systems cycling at my house right now. The tanks are constructed out of a bathtub, IBC, and blue barrel. All of my grow beds are ebb-and-flo with varying substates and strata. I use what I have access too which is lava rock, river rock, and hydroton. I have also help many students build desktop systems for presentations. 

Recently my experience in aquaponics has landed me a job as the a life support engineer at the Denver Aquarium. I am responsible for maintaining, operating, and troubleshooting commercial water delivery systems for aquatic life. I am also responsible for implementing and building aqua/hydroponic systems to sustainably grow produce for the exhibits and propogate the endangered species Greenback cutthroat trout. I work hand in hand with horticulturalists and fish breeding experts which I use as resources for all my projects. I am slowly building a network of creative, competent, and soulful people deticated to sustainable agri\aquaculture.  

Nate Storey said:

Where in Colorado are you at, and what is your aquaponic experience so far?

 

Nate

[Shawn Cruze]

I really need to set it up and get acurate measurements. I realized real quick that an inch or two makes a huge difference in volume calculation. My buddy gave this thing to me in pieces and was a little unsure on the size and volume.  It's deffinately much larger than what I am used to and it won't fit in my yard. How long have you been running your system? what do you use for heating/chilling?

Wayne said:

I still come up with just over 10,000 gallons. If the converter I am using is correct. You could grow a lot of fish in there. Nothing says that you have to fill it to the top.

My tank is 1200 gallons but I am running it at 900. I figure as the fish get bigger i will increase the water level and add grow beds to match the volume of water.

[Shawn Cruze]

Chris McMahon said:

I am going to turn my pool into a Aquaponics garden if the economy goes south. It's a big one 35' x 15' x 12' in the deep end.

I am looking forward to getting the "The Urban Permaculture DVD" where they did this.

 

Perfect! That's what I'm talking about. Let's get rid of the production of harsh chemicals like chlorine and give our concreted land back to nature. I'm going to look into the DVD as well.

 

[Earl ward]

here is what I did with a used pool 9' x18, 42"high

[Eric Warwick]

http://gardenpool.org/ These people used an old swimming pool as suggested earlier: "Might consider  erecting the tank and covering it with 6 mil and making a greenhouse or hot house. You could then build the aquaponics inside using the deep end of the pool as fish tank and putting growbed containers in the shallow end. Use pvc for a frame and cover to give 4 season protection. Could remove top in summer. Just a thought." (David Waite of aquaponic gardening)

[Wayne]

Just getting ready to add the fish, but will be heating with solar and wood heater(if it gets really cold)

Took a little more time to cycle than I thought. I dosed with too much ammonia.

Shawn Cruze said:

I really need to set it up and get acurate measurements. I realized real quick that an inch or two makes a huge difference in volume calculation. My buddy gave this thing to me in pieces and was a little unsure on the size and volume.  It's deffinately much larger than what I am used to and it won't fit in my yard. How long have you been running your system? what do you use for heating/chilling?

Wayne said:

I still come up with just over 10,000 gallons. If the converter I am using is correct. You could grow a lot of fish in there. Nothing says that you have to fill it to the top.

My tank is 1200 gallons but I am running it at 900. I figure as the fish get bigger i will increase the water level and add grow beds to match the volume of water.