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Werdna's Ap Thread


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#21 scottyhooton

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 07:15 PM

Lotus blossom Andrew local , easy you can probably sort some trade as I mentioned to you get in touch and I'll come with you for face value

#22 werdna

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 07:19 PM

Deal, might catch up Friday if you are free smile.gif


#23 Neakit

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 07:27 PM

i have a solution to your plumbing issue, barrel unions. Install them everywhere, then you can pull your plumbing apart.

#24 werdna

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 07:31 PM

Yeah, I thought about barrel unions, but am keeping them as a last resort, I know they will work but are so expensive!
I have already spent well over $300 in pvc fittings! Hard to justify spending more now!

#25 scottyhooton

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 07:36 PM

Yeah I'll be free Friday if it's before 3 , my wife works after than and I've got the kids

#26 Neakit

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 08:32 PM

another thought is glue now and then put the unions in a few at a time over months and not feel the pinch straight away. I understand the feeling of spending soo much on plumbing my 3x1.5x1.5 has had the plumbing redone 3 or 4 times now and im well over the 300 mark.

#27 Ivan Sng

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 09:03 PM

Werdna, you should have PM me...

And yes, you shouldn't use pvc glue on returns but the method I am teaching you, will probably not be easy to remove as well.

Most importantly, get yourself some silicon suitable for outdoors and UV. I used the roof and gutter type.

Okay, next apply a ring of silicon on the end of the pvc pipe you want to put into a pvc fitting... say about 5mm away from the end and a good sized ring. I usually use the chaulk type so the size of the bare nozzle.

Next, put the pvc fitting on, align well (ie if it is an elbow, point it in the right direction), take a mallet, wack the fitting in. What's has happen is that the pvc fitting would push the excess silicon further down the pipe, take your finger and smooth it out or remove the excess. I usually just leave the ring of silicon that has formed at the end of the fitting there...

Within 24hours drying, I can almost guarantee you will not have any leaks...

I also know a place to buy pvc fittings and pipes real cheap... most are at a fraction of what you pay at Bunnings... but there are some special unions that they don't stock, so just design your system to use what is available cheaply... Just an example since we are talking about barrel unions, 25mm (1") barrel union $4.38 each +GST.

Edited by Ivan Sng, 21 June 2011 - 09:04 PM.


#28 werdna

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 09:29 PM

I got Bunnings to price match... all good! The guy I normally use isnt open Sundays. sad.gif
Its still expensive when you are buying sooooo many elbows etc!
And I found out after I put ball valves in that my pump has enough power that with all 3 fully open the beds fill up in about 5 mins anyway!
But atleast I can turn off one bed this way if I need to.

Your method is pretty much the same as mine Ivan, but I have never had silicone make a good bond to pvc, maybe its the silicone I use.
The only type I have is aquarium safe, for pretty obvious reasons!

I am actually pretty shocked at how everything just worked so easy.
Scariest part is drilling the hole in the growbeds!

#29 mattt

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 09:35 PM

coulda got you trade on fittings!

anyway looking good, more pics biggrin.gif

#30 Ivan Sng

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Posted 21 June 2011 - 09:38 PM

I reckon the amount of water that would be in contact with the cured silicon (if you were to used an outdoor type roof and gutter) is so minimal that it would not be a problem... I used it on all my systems and my fishes are still alive...

Well yes, an AP system is actually pretty simple to setup. Filtration is part of the growbed and you can harvest veges as well as fishes... Water consumption down, food production up...

#31 werdna

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 09:54 AM

I have aquarium safe silicone at home because thats what I use on tanks! Not because I am worried about what it will do to the fish in the AP system smile.gif

What do you want pics of Matt?

#32 mattt

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 03:35 PM

what method for filling / draining growbeds?

#33 werdna

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 03:41 PM

Flood and drain with 15 mins on, 45 mins off atm.
I was thinking of building a timer circuit with 10 on 50 off connected to battery back up directly onto the pump, so even with a 12 hr power outage the whole system will keep running as normal. But dont know if I will find the time.
Until of course I have a power cut and lose all my fish probably smile.gif

#34 mattt

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 04:32 PM

i ran a 2nd line out from my shed connected to my fishroom air circuit. not sure if thats an option for ya? UPS on air pump so power outage still = air for fishes.

#35 werdna

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 04:50 PM

Ha, thats an easy option! The shed is right next to the tank. But I dont have my air on a ups.
I dont bother as all my tanks are so lowly stocked that they could run 24 hours without power no probs.
Also, my air pump draws 100w all the time, whereas the water pump draws 80w for 15/10 mins every hour. ALOT less battery thirsty!
I would need ~8.5 amps for every hour I want the air pump to run, compared to ~2 amps for the water pump.

A standard, non-modified ups generally has a 7ah battery in it. That wouldnt last my air pump 1 hour!

#36 Den

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Posted 23 June 2011 - 03:25 PM

Very cool project, look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour,

I will have to look at doing aquaponics again one day, but I find my vegi garden so easy to maintain and it costs me no power, what attracts me to ap is the fresh fish, if I want some I have to go try catch them because the fish they sell in the stores here are old and not fit for animals to eat.


#37 werdna

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Posted 23 June 2011 - 03:29 PM

I am looking forward to the fruits of my labour too!

I agree about the fish you buy here, but I am never very successful catching fish, so look forward to just scooping them out.
My nephew is already asking when he can come by with his fishing rod!

#38 werdna

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Posted 25 June 2011 - 09:07 PM

Fish added, beds planted

Bed 1


Bed 2


Bed 3


Fish. There are actually 50 here. I added another 25 later when I saw how small they were.
I havent got a polarising lens or polarised sunnies big enough, so difficult to get the photo.


Now to wait for the small ammonia spike, then long nitrite spike... Why cant fish just poo nitrate. Would be so much easier tongue.gif

#39 scottyhooton

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Posted 25 June 2011 - 09:29 PM

Lol, you added another 25 Andrew , did you go back to the same place ? Or try another

#40 werdna

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Posted 25 June 2011 - 09:38 PM

Nah, same place.
One has a bent spine angry.gif
But if I only lose one fish out of 75 I'll be pretty happy.

What annoyed me the most is that I spotted it straight away, spent 5 mins trying to point it out to the wife, caught it, and got yelled at for trying to kill a fish that could swim ok and that I should just leave it alone.
So it had to go back in. But just quietly, I think it is going to be a jumper
All the way over the side fence probably!

So I learnt to just keep quiet next time and wait till she isnt looking! tongue.gif




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