Ebb and Flow business plan

[BR]

I am doing research for my business plan for a school project.  I have been having diffuculty in finding the proper equipment for a large ebb and flow system.   I have spent many hours looking on google so I've come to the conclusion that my googlefu is not very good.  Large long grow beds at least 12 inches deep to place side by side in a greenhouse. So my question is, does anyone have any links or suggestions where I can go so I can cost out the beds and other hydroponic equipment to be used in an aquaponic system?  Thank you in advance if you can help.

[TCLynx]

Finding big plastic containers that are sturdy enough to support media being flooded and drained is actually a really tall order.

I've tried to get some quotes for 200 gallon grow beds (about 4' by 8' long) of 12 inches deep and it would probably cost between $16,000-$24,000 just to get the molds made and then the cost per bed would still probably be $200-$500 depending on which company and how many beds ordered.  And then there would be the support structure if the beds are not resting directly on the ground.  And there is not guarantee that those beds won't need extra support to keep from bulging.

 

This is why most commercial operations are raft beds on the ground since you can build that with liner and frames which is much less costly.

 

I suppose if you get really heavy duty liner and termite proof frames, you can do media beds on the ground built with liner and frames.  Trying to flood and drain large beds like this with use of siphons may be nearly impossible unless you can drain to some sump tank placed at a lower elevation since siphons like a bit of drop to function smoothly.  FLOUTS may be a bit better for such a purpose but you still have to drain down which gets tricky when the beds are on the ground.

[Sylvia Bernstein]

BR, this is what we sell - http://www.theaquaponicstore.com/Aquaponics-Grow-Bed-3-ft-Square-p/....  They work extremely well both outside and in a greenhouse.  We have them in both 3' sq and 4' sq configurations, but 3' is best for greenhouses when you need to push them up side by side, and against a window or a wall because 3' is the outer limit of what most people can comfortably reach across.

[nyfloristics]

Try looking into dutch buckets. They are modular and may provide you with a solution. If you are dead set on using long containers, fiberglass raceways may be a cost effecting alternative to plastic.

[BR]

Just a follow up, I did get an A and I decided to use totes side by side.  Thanks y'all.