Starting small dreaming large!

[Eri B]

Hey guys,
I've been reading you forum and dreaming for a long while and have finally got my first small system running! I had to start small to prove to the Hubby that I can make it work and then later on I will build more on the scale of people like Gary and Murray!

First I have to say this is a fantastic site its so full of information that I can read all day and still not be satisfied that I've read enough!

Okay so my system! The rule was use things from around the house as much as possible and I only had a $50 budget to finish the rest!

First I thought I would simply move one of my 4 foot fish tanks outside and build off that but again Hubby protested due to the huge gap that would be left in our lounge room! So instead I used the rocks and fish and water from the tank ( as a bit of a protest as now there is a huge empty fish tank in our lounge ). The reason for this is that the nitrogen cycle was already fully established in this 3 year old system and therefore would not need long to adjust!

I also used an old tank pump I had laying around and some left over fish tank cleaning hose , I also grabbed a small piece of 25mm PCV pipe that was hanging around and a plastic water bottle both for the drain.

So all I needed was a tank and grow beds!

So thinking on the small side and wanting something that will last at least a year but also cheap! I went off to the local shops and got two of those plastic storage boxes one large 55L and one 40L container! Both with lids! Also checked that they were okay for food storage which they are according to their stickers so away i went!

And an hour later after shipping my 1 and 3 year olds off for their daytime sleep I set about building my set up and with only an hour to spare it was to be a fast build! Luckily the boys slept right through the drilling!

and anyway heres my description of how it works it's pretty simple because as I said like most others on here I am just getting an idea of how this all works before going bigger!

My pump pumps the water from the tank to the grow bed via the hose, The grow beds fill and as they do they drain back into the tank via the PVC pipe which drains from a height of about 40mm abovethe water surface in order to airrate the water (not the best way but thinking simple still) and as with all systems I feed the fish (goldfish) and they poo and the cycle continues!

The systems seems to run well so far and I haven't lost any plants or fish in the past two weeks. To my surprise simply because I thought failure was a certainty and the plants have actually grown!

anyway heres photos

Oh and its living on a table outside in our courtyard not in my house too many small hands! hahaha!!! I have also planted the rest of the seedlings in the garden bed next to the system to see which grows better over summer!

Feel free to tell me what you think!

Erica

[Jason Palenske]

That's great Eri! Small systems are harder to run from a cold start so it was a good start to use something already going. Your plants look good and healthy, are they from seed or transplants?

[Ravnis]

Great setup! Similar to what I had originally planned but the missus said if it was going in the living room it had to look good. Thus I used an aquarium instead of plastic totes.

Do you have air vents for ammonia to gas off? I remember a similar system that had a problem with that.

[Eri B]

hey thanks,

Your right is it a lot easier to start with the cycle already active! I've been keeping fish for about 8 years and have had everything from living coral reefs to fighting fish and everything inbetween! As well as having a big veggie garden growing lettuce, spring onions, brocolli, beetroot, totmatoes, potatoe, beans peas, cucumbers and herbs! not to mention all of my fantastic fruit trees! So I thought why not combine my love of fish with my love of growing my own veggies! Its just a simple and logical step! As well as an environmentally friendly one at that!

Sorry to answer your question yes they were seedlings to start with so I simply washed the dirt out of their roots and stuck them in! and they all seem to be happy now! I have put some climbing bean seeds in the grow beds to see how they grow. I just wasn't game on trying seed straight up!


I was thinking that if needed I could use worm tea as an extra boost to the system my worm farm produces a fair bit and the veggie garden just loves it! Wouldn't think it would harm the fish in any way!

Erica

[Eri B]

Hey,

Do you have air vents for ammonia to gas off? I remember a similar system that had a problem with that.[/QUOTE]

Yeah it has vent holes along the top of the fish tank to allow air flow as well as a larger hole for feeding purposes!

The fish are loving life and the system is very stable I'm just hanging out for the next few months to make sure it all works! So that I can start on a much larger project! I'm contemplating keeping fingerlings inside once I have built my big set up as they would make an amusing feature in one of my 4 foot tanks! I would just have to work out if what ever breed I choose would be happy inside or wether the temperature would be too high! But that is all in the future. For now its my small system!

Although I do plan on collecting the parts for my larger set up over the coming months and storing them in the shed away from Hubby's site until I get the go ahead on the larger set up! I'm pretty sure by what people have done on here and the hoarders(hahaha!) that I know I can set one up for minimal damage to my bank accounts! The only real lay out would be pumps, gravel and fish! The rest should be easily sourced from the garages of friends and the recyling station! But the fun will be in finding all these things!

Erica

***** At 23 my mates think I'm weird for being happier digging in my garden than drinking in a pub but they will all come around to my way of thinking eventually when they too realise that this world must survive for our childrens childrens children to enjoy!******

[Hamish]

Hey,

***** At 23 my mates think I'm weird for being happier digging in my garden than drinking in a pub but they will all come around to my way of thinking eventually when they too realise that this world must survive for our childrens childrens children to enjoy!******

Hi Erica - welcome! You have made a great little system there. Well done. Look forward to seeing your progress. You have now got the AP bug so there is no turning back

[Eri B]

Thanx I hope to post more picture once the plants are noticibly larger!

I spoke to my dad today who just happened to mention wanting to get rid of 2 old baths from his place so I have snapped those up as part of my future larger sytem I understand people use them as grow beds? I will have to consult with dad as to the best way to add drains to them. Now I need a large tank! Was thinking of going for an inground concrete tank lined with pond liner to stop any nasties from the concrete leeching into the water! Anyone have any ideas??? Also do you require pool fencing for large tanks??
My mum suggested I get some anyway because of my two boys and I would obviousely hate for them to fall in!

Looking forward to my next adventure! I sure was bitten by the AP bug! In fact I think im now infested!!!!

Erica

[Outbackozzie]

Pool is fencing is totally up to you - if there are kids around most definately. Children have drowned in Ap systems before.

Your beans will do well - see mine Got many kilo's off them.



I built a lined tank also, I used steel posts to keep the surrounding dirt away, and lined with sump liner.

[Jonty]

Outbackozzie,
Your system is definitely going great guns. Love that red soil. Wondering what colour your carpets are?
Regards
Jonty

[Outbackozzie]

heh, thats the only red dirt around our house, the rest is grass.