INFINITE FARMS

02/24/2019

Wanted to keep a work isle an did a half trough in the middle. The single, unseamed roll was so easy to work with. The double troughs took a full day each to lay. No creases from doubling over before folding or lost material from the seams and only had to trim the two small edges. I did forget the corner trims, so will have to lift some staples to fix. Highly recommend to go with the single wide roll.

02/21/2019

Pump dock and filter area poured♾

Reused the failed trough boards and the bottom block layer from the sand wall for the frames. Don't tell me if anything looks wrong, it's too late and no going back. 😄

Interesting info: the rebar spacer blocks are called dobies.

02/21/2019

Infinite sky today. 😍

02/16/2019

⚔🛡Field journal, day infinity:

Tanks arrived on the battlefield, delayed from the snowmageddon. After an intense fracas that involved nearly destroying the deadblow hammer and spreader clamps from sheer frustration, reinforcements arrived in the form of internet suggestions. Had to jurry rig a water cannon to bust them up. Sure glad for the support. The Atlas 8' ceilings in the greenhouse made rolling them in a snap.

Looking less like a sandbox and more like an aquabox. It would be nice if life were more like a box of aquaponics. I hope I can finish before the pvc glue finishes me.

Stay tuned for more updates, but don't get too excited just yet as it will be a few months still before being operational.

On to the next battle.

02/05/2019

Sometimes it's better to scrap an idea before it creates more problems as hard as it is to admit and undo. Like my terrible trough idea, setting the tanks in sand sounded good, but looked like a nightmare if any maintenance were needed and verifying leaks would be impossible. Stands are being designed and made, but will put the project back a few weeks. Sand needs to go.

01/30/2019

Original system blueprint. Enjoy. 😁

01/30/2019

🎵And eye would drill 500 holes and eye would drill 500 more just to drill literally 2000 holes and deburr with my tool 🎶

So decided to glue the slip fittings (they may not need it due to the uniseal hold.) After feeling comfortable the tanks wouldn't crack, the strap wrench and deadblow hammer helped seat the pipe into the coupler. (Reused the coupler photo.)♻️ The hammer was used on the top of the pipe sticking outside the tank, not the strap to clarify.

Scrap trough liner made a good glue drip catch.

The trough was finished off with some cedar trim. I just coudn't wait to see a finished version and didn't want the edge staples pulling up.

You may ask why the troughs run cross bays? Or not. I will tell you anyway! It was not the original design, but after looking at the space between posts, the troughs fit better and would make workflow easier as the end cables would only be on the outside aisles instead of hopping them to get to the between ailes. Or is it isles? 🌋⛰🗻🏔🏖🏝

I blame the PVC glue for this post.🤪🥴

01/29/2019

Shot of the hook knife cleaning up an edge. Used the PVC stub to flare a uniseal from the outside while trying to force another pipe from the inside. Didn't work. Yes, I caught the knife with my thumb and got a gusher. 👎

The saw cuts, although quicker to make, didn't work. They tore the uniseal and flexed the pipe making it hard to push through. Pain to undo. 🕳💣

Thanks to friend suggestions, the pipe was able to work by coupling then drilling the set pipe on the inside. I used 4 bits to progress to 1/2 to prevent pipe crack. 2 didn't work. Also turning down the drill speed helped. ❤💔

The pipe wiffling will create aerodynamic vorticies for the system. 💨💦
But not really.

I have decided not to post detailed pics of the completed filters as they are not my design. If interested, check out the college of aquaponic engineering and design when they enroll again or source designs for up-flow and radial flow filters online.

If there are any fans with systems, it would be awesome to see pics posted.

01/25/2019

For my 3 or so fans still tuning in: Today's jury rig, Red-Green, duct tape lesson: a quick clamp can work as a bulkhead wrench. It's safe for the plastic liner too. 😉

01/24/2019

Lessons learned lining troughs.
1) tack corner trim first so you don't have to slide it under later.
2) if doing a double trough, cutting the center, double corner first is much easier than trying to guess where to cut later.
3) don't do this in Jan unless you are in a warm spot or don't mind wrinkles.
4) A 6'wide roll may have fewer wrinkles as it is not seamed or folded before rolled. Single trough lining would be much easier as well.
5) fill the the first one with water to test and make sure your frame holds before cutting the other troughs. I couldn't sleep until I tested it.
6) 3/4" ply was a good mistake. More ridgid than 1/2" for less wabble when filling. Also, 2" and 3" bulkheads fit perfectly through. 3" for pass through with set of rubber washers and a second lock nut rather than pvc run exterior.
7) iTech Aqua has excellent products and pricing. http://itechaqua.com

01/23/2019

Happy morning! Shredded coconut for breakfast? No. It's a bowl of pvc...of pvc. 😋 Plumbing is happening. Electric will be another month or so to get to the greenhouse. Will post pics as progress happens.

Some tips with pvc, a debur tool works well with inside corners, but a hook knife or side of a large drill bit works better for outside corners as it won't swivel.

12/09/2018

Wow. 1 lb of feed for 10 lbs of produce and about a pound of fish. 90% less water than conventional ag. Nice ratios.

HIXTON, Wis.