4 ms·

I love the idea, but as an Arizonian, evaporation is a serious concern - in the summertime, water evaporates out of pools at a rate several times faster than mo

by cheald 10y ago

I love the idea, but as an Arizonian, evaporation is a serious concern - in the summertime, water evaporates out of pools at a rate several times faster than more moderate climates (pool covers are big business out here for that reason). When we water lawns/gardens, it's generally in the very early morning or late evening, when we won't lose a large chunk of the water to evaporation. I'd also be concerned about water temperatures of a shallow pool during the summer. Water's a great heatsink, but that can be a problem when the ambient air temperature is 118F, and the intense UV out here will likely break down the pools quickly. Most anything made out of plastics is completely trashed after a year of exposure out here. PEX in particular isn't rated for continuous UV exposure, and would likely disintegrate rather aggressively out here. I love the idea, though. Turnkey aquaponics is a really exciting prospect, especially out here where we don't have particularly rich soil. I'd love to be able to run something like this in my backyard, if I could work out the location-relevant logistics.

ph0rque 10y ago
If evaporation is a serious issue, you could cover up most of the fish tank (but be sure to add an air bubbler so there's enough oxygen for the fish). Also, if you dig a hole for the fish tank (like I didn't) that should help with the water temperature. In your case, tilapia would be a great fish to grow, they are really happy with water above 85F. Also, it would be a good idea to cover up the plastic, perhaps even more than my enclosure does, to ensure it doesn't degrade as quickly. I'll help customers make these and other design considerations as part of AutoMicroFarm support.
- snuxoll 10y ago
  > but be sure to add an air bubbler so there's enough oxygen for the fish Not a serious aquarist here, but I did a lot of research before getting my little 10 gallon tank at home set up and everything I've read says the oxygen introduced by air bubbles in the water doesn't really dilute in the water well (most of it just comes up the bubble and out into the open air). In theory, as long as there is a big enough hole for a modest amount of air to be exchanged with the surrounding environment you shouldn't need any extra equipment, as the surface of the water should continue to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide just fine as long as there is enough oxygen present.
  - wtracy 10y ago
    What really matters is the surface agitation. Bubblers will do that, but so will any pump as long as the outflow is directed toward the surface. A better idea, I feel, is to just keep a layer of air between the water surface and the cover. The key issue is that oxygen has trouble crossing the air/water boundary, so you want that to be as big as possible. Meanwhile, if you keep the air holes in the cover small enough, most of the humid air will be trapped inside, and you will minimize losses from evaporation.
    - ph0rque 10y ago
      Another factor to consider is the air pressure. If you cover up the fish tank, and add the air bubbler, the pressure will increase, which will increase the dissolution of oxygen into the water.
- prawn 10y ago
  You might also need a mesh cover in some areas. In Australia, for example, magpies, crows, etc would make short work of the fish.
  - kordless 10y ago
    You should get some racoons.
    - prawn 10y ago
      We have possums. They don't go through our bins, but they scour leaves from trees (until the tree dies) and make demonic noises at night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHulXzuc_9Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHulXzuc_9Y Wish we had raccoons and squirrels!
      - apapli 10y ago
        OT I know but aren't possums just great. They look cute but would tear you to shreds. And you are absolutely right, they sound like demons. When I was younger they really freaked me out till my parents told me that was what the noise was.

by cheald 10y ago

ph0rque 10y ago

If evaporation is a serious issue, you could cover up most of the fish tank (but be sure to add an air bubbler so there's enough oxygen for the fish). Also, if you dig a hole for the fish tank (like I didn't) that should help with the water temperature. In your case, tilapia would be a great fish to grow, they are really happy with water above 85F. Also, it would be a good idea to cover up the plastic, perhaps even more than my enclosure does, to ensure it doesn't degrade as quickly. I'll help customers make these and other design considerations as part of AutoMicroFarm support.

snuxoll 10y ago
> but be sure to add an air bubbler so there's enough oxygen for the fish Not a serious aquarist here, but I did a lot of research before getting my little 10 gallon tank at home set up and everything I've read says the oxygen introduced by air bubbles in the water doesn't really dilute in the water well (most of it just comes up the bubble and out into the open air). In theory, as long as there is a big enough hole for a modest amount of air to be exchanged with the surrounding environment you shouldn't need any extra equipment, as the surface of the water should continue to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide just fine as long as there is enough oxygen present.
- wtracy 10y ago
  What really matters is the surface agitation. Bubblers will do that, but so will any pump as long as the outflow is directed toward the surface. A better idea, I feel, is to just keep a layer of air between the water surface and the cover. The key issue is that oxygen has trouble crossing the air/water boundary, so you want that to be as big as possible. Meanwhile, if you keep the air holes in the cover small enough, most of the humid air will be trapped inside, and you will minimize losses from evaporation.
  - ph0rque 10y ago
    Another factor to consider is the air pressure. If you cover up the fish tank, and add the air bubbler, the pressure will increase, which will increase the dissolution of oxygen into the water.
prawn 10y ago
You might also need a mesh cover in some areas. In Australia, for example, magpies, crows, etc would make short work of the fish.
- kordless 10y ago
  You should get some racoons.
  - prawn 10y ago
    We have possums. They don't go through our bins, but they scour leaves from trees (until the tree dies) and make demonic noises at night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHulXzuc_9Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHulXzuc_9Y Wish we had raccoons and squirrels!
    - apapli 10y ago
      OT I know but aren't possums just great. They look cute but would tear you to shreds. And you are absolutely right, they sound like demons. When I was younger they really freaked me out till my parents told me that was what the noise was.