Aquaponic Gardening

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So I started out with Rain barrels to water my plants.  Then later on, heard Ashfault shingles have bad chemicals in them...lead, oil, bird poo, etc.

 

Any input?

 

I picked up an old pool filter for free on craig's list and was going to make a cheap filter from it for the rain....planned to dump the sand in a barrel with holes on bottom to drain into another barrel.  Course I would never know if it went toxic after time unless I tested it, which costs $, and probably as much as water from the hose. 

 

Water from the hose is not all that expensive, but I liked being green with free water.

 

Pics of my old system below.  Have since changed to 55 gal drums, which had questionable polyurithan or something in them prior.  I power washed them and they have been rinsed like 100 times from rain. 

Did bleach and tons of dish soap too.

 

Course they could be putting toxic stuff into it for all I know.  I got the barrels free......

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For watering landscaping and trees I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

For watering soil veggie gardens it might be a little more questionable but if under water restrictions, I would probably still use some rain water.

 

When it comes to collecting rain water for drinking and aquaponics, than is when you need to be far more careful since in recirculating aquaponics, anything not taken up by the plants and fish (which you are eating) will build up to high levels in the system.  In places where they collect rain water for drinking, they have methods to let the first water rinse the roof before water starts getting collected to go into the drinking water tanks.  But you don't want to collect drinking or aquaponic water from asphalt roofing since the chemicals used there are often kinda bad to begin with but they are also good at grabbing pollution and imparting it to the water.  Like pesticides and herbicides that get sprayed in the area can collect on the roofing and then wind up in the water so asphalt roofing isn't a good choice for collecting rain water for drinking.

 

Now the tanks that rain water get collected in and some types of metal roofing can also be a problem for aquaponic water.  Galvanized (Zinc coated) tanks and roofing can cause zinc levels that can become toxic to many kinds of aquatic life.

Just saw this post and had to write because the contamination you talk about is exactly why I started RainSaucers.

Instead of using the roof for rainwater catchment, we use a food grade plastic cone that plugs right into your everyday 55 gallon drum. We wanted a clean approach because in developing countries the system will be used for potable water. I would be curious to know your thoughts on applicability to Aquaponic Gardening.

 

 

These would work great for topping off from evaporative loss.

 



Tom Spargo- RainSaucers said:

Just saw this post and had to write because the contamination you talk about is exactly why I started RainSaucers.

Instead of using the roof for rainwater catchment, we use a food grade plastic cone that plugs right into your everyday 55 gallon drum. We wanted a clean approach because in developing countries the system will be used for potable water. I would be curious to know your thoughts on applicability to Aquaponic Gardening.

 

 

Cool

To me the fact that you are saying
Water from the hose is not all that expensive, but I liked being green with free water.
My feeling this comment makes you a champion...
More people should think like this...
Here in South Africa the Province I stay in is going through the worst drought that I can remember...
Water restrictions....we are only allowed 500 litres per day per household...
The 500 litres per day to me is something that should be a permanent law...
This has made some people a lot more cautious and respect the fact that we have water...
The water tank industry is booming...
I have had my tank since 2006 and have never been sorry I went this way...
Not just for only the money saved ...... but....
Using the water from my tank and the plastic 210 l drums under my gutters I have been able to keep my garden green...
The fact that RAINWATER is free. Free for all and actually so few people catching rain water and reusing...
Here where I live it is no maybe that this will be our feature with water.
Water is not so freely around like few years ago....drought or no drought these conditions are here to stay.

 

Simple but very good idea...

i like this.

very nice

Tom Spargo- RainSaucers said:

Just saw this post and had to write because the contamination you talk about is exactly why I started RainSaucers.

Instead of using the roof for rainwater catchment, we use a food grade plastic cone that plugs right into your everyday 55 gallon drum. We wanted a clean approach because in developing countries the system will be used for potable water. I would be curious to know your thoughts on applicability to Aquaponic Gardening.

 

 

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