Wadly and I got the new growbed up and running. I am using the same Rubbermaid 100 gallon stock tank for the fish and bought a new (spent a whole $4.96) mortar mixing tray for the growbed. It’s about 20″ x 30″ and about 7″ deep. It doubles the grow area from the old bed.
I’ve got the dump tank (recycled 5 gallon bucket) set up and working, though a little more fine tuning will no doubt be required. I’ve got to address the water into bed distribution line as the dump does two things that it shouldn’t, it spills water over the side of the bed from the rush of water and it digs a big hole in the gravel. I need to moderate that and will pick up the parts today to make that happen. Wadly and I jury-rigged what we’ve got. It works but badly and I can’t fix it without a few more parts.
I also need to get a petcock valve for the tank side of the tee to regulate the flow to the dump tank. For now I’ve bent the tubing and have a knee-high nylon (my favorite filter medium) around it to pinch the flow a bit. That will work in the short term but in the long term I’d like to have a little finer control.
Wadly’s going to build a cover for the tank to keep the sun out and the algae growth (causes a big PH rise) down. I had the tank covered with a piece of white tarp last year, but he’d like something with better eye appeal.
If you’re interested in a growbed of your own, visit the barrelponics yahoo group for like minded folk.