Ken's Beginnings starting with the Water

[KenR60]

Hello Everyone, I still have a bit to do but have my water and fish ready.
Have posted this just to help others see that a task this size isn't as difficult as it looks ( The Wife was more Difficult with her set Budget of $70 per week!!! Which of cause I blew every week!!)

Below is a link of some of the images I took before I began beginning to after I filled the 8,000 litre Pond. I spent lots more time to research before buying anything because of the fact it wasn't going to be started and finished in a weekend.

All Concreting was done in an old wheelbarrow until it finally collapsed and then by Bucket. Digging was done with my trusty Spade. Below is a list of some of the expences ...

Used Sliding Door to replace the Window - $270 ebay
New Pond Underlay 48m2 - $316.80 Water features Online
New Pond Liner Xavan 12x4m- $912 Water features Online
2 Month old 18watt PondMaster UV Clarifier - $51 ebay
New 16 Deck Lights 30mm Green - $70 ebay
Timber for Deck Construction - $466 Stratco
Water - 7,000 Litres - $150 Fast Water
Concrete, Gravel, Post Anchors etc. - $410 Bunnings
Pond Plants - about 20 Various - $80.00 ebay
Moss Covered Rocks 70 for $26 ebay
Man-Made Decking ( Still to Buy ) around $1500 - CleverDeck

As you can see I didn't compromise on the Liner or Underlay, actually used two layers of underlay. Liner was the most expensive brand but spec's showed what you got for your money compared to others. Thats the good thing about doing a Project like this over a few Months, no rush or hurry to source and buy everything.

The Final Decking is about 3 times more expensive then Hardwood but with no Mantenence, Staining, warping or splitting it makes it cheaper in the long run.

The Plants have been potted using Aquatic Potting Mix and sitting on Blocks under the water while I complete things further before eventually relocating them. At the moment I have around 30 Potted plants and increasing this weekly.

Hope these photos helps others who may have a spare side of the house that doesn't get used. Once finished this will be a very much used part of the house compared to before when only the Mower saw it.

I hope to begin planing the next stage over the next few weeks where I can have around 18metres of PVC pipe and planting using the valuable help and tips that will help me master this final stage ;-)

Here is a link to view the Before and After photos.

http://www.kenrussell.info/ourphotos/album.php?folder=Pond%20and%20Deck

Thanks

Ken

[djs-sa]

great ken,
I will post up some pix later today because i made a greenhouse out 100% recycled materials from around the yard which i was in no rush to finish and I found things in hard rubbish from next door weeks later and it still aint cost a cent :):)

[KenR60]

Further Thoughts on the Design side.

I'm trying to remove any visible Inlet and Outlet piping so its all hidden. Will look at hiding this in the 40x40 Box Sections and use a 25mm PVC tubing for both the Inlet and Outlet. I have drawn up my ideas and attached them below for any improvements or advice given. My wife calls me the 'Idea's Man' because I can always visualise something in my head before beginning and here I am trying to give a nice clean look without too much clutter.

1) I don't want to use the existing Fence so intend creating another infront of the existing leaving about 75mm clearence between.

2) Using the 40x40 Box Section I thought I could add both my Inlet and Outlet including the Drainage into these by using 25mm PVC piping.

3) The 40x40 would be fixed to the New Fence by a back plate to eliminate having to add angled supports. Caps would be fitted to the open ends of these Brackets.

4) Within the Deck I would add a Trapdoor to house the Electrical and Inlet/Outlet Pipes complete with Taps so that I could regulate the Water Flow/Drainage if ever needed.

5) New Fence will be covered in a Bamboo Screening, would be nice to have all other materials in a light shade of Green rather then bright white ( PVC )

I know everyone will think this is too much work or that I am going overboard but because its going to be the first thing anyone see's when they walk out on the Deck I want it to be Simple Looking and also very impressive.

Ken

[GreenCow]

Hi Ken,
Great project and drawings. The only question that came to mind is, what are you planning on growing? Some plants will quickly overtak you system and cover your wall from the bottom up. Looks really nice so far!

[KenR60]

Thanks GreenCow, At the moment just looking at the normal stuff like Lettuce and other Vegi's, I figure that 70% of the time the plants will be small enough to still show the background ( Bamboo Screening ) especially between re-Planting. Thinking of adding to the design by putting a planting section underneath using the Clay Beads. At each end I'll add a section to hold the inlet and the outlet and any other hardware.

[Hamish]

You might like to put in some water chestnuts - would grow well in your large pond and yummmm in asian stirfry!

The clay ball grow beds at the bottom are a good idea for larger rooted plants (cucumbers, beans, tomatoes) but they will grow up and take over the planters above.

You could possibly use this to your advantage and use these climbing plants to shade your lettuce in summer. Perhaps leaving a gap up the back of the grow tubes to grow these larger plants?

Just not sure about the bamboo screening if you went this way as things like cucumbers send out these curly suckers to hang onto things - they would love to hang onto the bamboo but might not want to let it go later on when you want to remove the plants?

If you get a chance to come and have a look at my system it might help in designing your wall with regard to the space that plants need vertically.

[anniefish]

Hi Ken,
looking good, blast budgets why can't we win the lotto? :D

Hamish, just got the new Diggers catalogue, they have water chestnuts $5.50 retail or $5.00 club. The blurb is - With a wild range from inland China to tropical Australia, water chestnuts can be grown pretty-much anywhere. Grow them at the edge of a pond, in a trough or in an old bath tub, but make sure they stay wet. One corm can produce up to 2 kilos in one season. They grow up to 1 meter high and 50 cm across and can be in full to part sun.
I'll be getting a couple I think.
Ann

[Hamish]

Yes they seem like a very easy thing to grow. I purchased 10 corms and have planted them in a broccoli box willed with coco coir flooded with water. Will see how they go. I might have to get a few more boxes and split them up.

[KenR60]

Thanks Hamish and Ann, whats the 'Diggers catalogue' you are talking about?
Would like to get some of the Chestnuts. I have a few different Types of WaterCress but they haven't been too successful as they seem to sprout their roots over the full length of plant so looking forward to trying them in the tubes once I'm setup. Have a container of Common Mint growing well but still these are all just in the pond and not in any tubes yet.

With the 2nd Design I did Hamish, maybe I'm better removing 1 of the Tubes so I have 2 instead of 3 and then allow more height for Possibly Tomatos/Beans in the Clay Beads. 2 Tubes will give me 12 metres of growing area so I guess thats a lot more then it seems. Also beginning to agree the Bamboo Backing may be a waste of time, I may be better off leaving the extra room behind the Tubes to allow things like the Beans to climb up behind them.

[Hamish]

If you can leave a gap behind the tubes large enough for the toms beans and cucumbers to grow up behind then you may still be able to have all the planned tubes. Once you get a chance to have a look at my system it might give you more idea of the space the plants tke up. The lettuce will certainly apreciate the shade in summer.

[alexmac]

Hi Ken,
do not put the mint or water cress into your tubes you will have blocked tubes and spend hours removing roots at a not so later date. comfine them to their own containers do not even put them in with other Vegs they will take over.

Alex

[KenR60]

Thanks Alex, no intensions in adding the Mint to the system ( just growing it in a Pot in my pond ) WaterCress I did want to try and get growing better then I have managed so far.

If I remove one 6 metre length of tube to give a larger area for the below Grow Bed as well as extend the tubes out further, that still gives me 12 metres of growing area so using 50mm Holes what spacing is normally recommended?

Ken

[Hamish]

I spaced mine 24cm apart (between centers) - but could have gone closer in hind sight.

Then again if you are growing things up the back then perhaps wider spacing would be better?

[KenR60]

I spaced mine 24cm apart (between centers) - but could have gone closer in hind sight.

OK so that means I can have around 25 Plants to each 6 metre run. Using 2 lengths means I have up to 50 Plants able to be grown in the two 6mtr tubes. Does this sound a little overboard? I know its advisable to begin small and work up to the Monster System we all dream of so am I dreaming or does such a large pond justify what I'm doing?

The amount of work to add the two 6mtr Tubes and the Grow Beds under them isn't going to be much different to trying to do a small system of say 25 plants but again it comes down to the question, "Am I going to be able to support 50 Plants" with the amount of fish I have.

I'll buy a Testing Kit over the next few days and get some readings back to show what the pond reads, at the moment we are having lots of Rain so I guess the readings are going to be slightly different to last week when we had no rain for the past 8 weeks or longer. Any suggestions on the best place to buy a Testing Kit and how large a one is required?

[Hamish]

You can always put the grow tubes in - you dont have to plant it out fully just yet. You can add plants as your fish grow and multiply. And you can supplement with seasol.

You can grow lots of things in the grow tubes - even flowers if you want. I recently started some bok choi in my tubes and they are going really well.

Also - if you have lots of plant spaces you can grow from seed without any special seed starting system or having the expense of seedlings.

I say go big!

[KenR60]

Thanks Hamish,
Just so new to this so excuse the possibly dumb questions, the pond project was designed and thought about for Months before I began digging the first hole, I had the Aquaponic idea right from the start but never researched any of it cause I thought ...

"Yeah stick some PVC pipe up, drill some round holes in it, throw in those little pots with all the holes around them add some plants and pump the pond water through the pipes .. Easy as Pie!!!"

Boy was I wrong in thinking like that!!!! Just goes to show everything isn't as simple as it looks but at least I am learning from this forum and appreciating any advise I get. Began re-designing my last concept, adding an angled section above the top tube to allow for a ShadeCloth for protection.

[Hamish]

Thanks Hamish,
I thought ...

"Yeah stick some PVC pipe up, drill some round holes in it, throw in those little pots with all the holes around them add some plants and pump the pond water through the pipes .. Easy as Pie!!!"

Boy was I wrong in thinking like that!!!!

Id say you are not too far off in your thinking - most people make this AP thing more complicated than it really is.

I would say that your system will work just fine once you get it set up.

Have a look at Outbackozzies system - he has quite a large tank/pond.

[djs-sa]

heres my pvc system still got to connect up will post more i my thread later

[KenR60]

Very nice photos, Amazing how everyone has their own variations to how they put this together. ;-)

[djs-sa]

like i said was all 2nd hand stuff from arond the yard except the 500lt tank $69 stratco and $14 in pvc fittings

[Hamish]

I think we may have had this conversation before but those water tanks are not food grade - something to do with lead leaching? But you probably already know this as it has been discussed in the past.

[djs-sa]

we have in thats my personal testing area so to speak as why i havent plumbed it up waiting to find a similar food grade 500lt.

so I was thinking, so many people use them, so many people are put off by the stamp on it"not suitable for drinking water" so i will run a little trail and if its possable I could get the reseach place to test (costly part but will suss it out) and see the outcome. the reseach place is adjoining the barra hatchery it's called S.A.R.D.I

well my theory is

its recycled plastic and the manufacturer cant trace all plastics thats needed to make them at that price, so a cheap mould for the stamp in the design "not suitable for drinking water"
saves there backsides in court over one tank in so many that may cause a risk.
legel bull**** it what I think.

Also with my experience in the past with my dogs they wont drink out of cheap plastic bowls, so i will fill up the big tank and see if my pup drinks from it.
Or it could be a doggy spa bath lol

[Hamish]

You could be right about it just being a legal thing. I hope that is the case because these tanks are very good value for money if they are safe to use. Even come with a nice lid :)

[Marilyn]

Hi Hamish and Dale, just reading about lead leaching from these tanks. Not sure if we have the same brand but we got our 500L tanks from Bunnings and currently using it as the sump tank. I don't think it has any stamp on it saying not to use for human consumption. Where does yours have it stamped and I will go down later and check ours out.

[djs-sa]

marilyn how r u today it is stamped near the lid around the top edge,