Reef-Farm operations - Page 3

raaden · #51 04/10/2007, 01:24 PM

Well last week was kind of a bust. The wind was pretty calm all week and I started to get my hopes up that I could still get the plastic up, but then Saturday morning sure enough the wind was here and the plastic stayed on the roll. How is it that the weather people are never right except the one time when they say it will be nasty the day you need to get something done.

So that the entire weekend was not a bust I did go out Friday and Saturday and look at some doors. I found a darn nice insulated glass double door that was $150 less than anything else I could find because it had some greasy hand prints on it... Sold!!!! Then I spent the rest of Saturday framing in the door and taking care of a sick kid.

The 'new and improved plan' is to try for this weekend on getting the plastic up. Sunday looks kind of rough right now with wind and spotty showers on the forecast, but Saturday looks ok as long as it doesn't get any worse. I really need to get this done pronto as it is holding up everything else I need to get done. Right now the list looks like this. I get the plastic up and then I can work the utilities, and mounting the equipment, but until the plastic is up I can't really do any of that.

Earlier I said that I think the key to this project was determination, I am going to modify it now to be patient determination. I have been trying to put things into perspective and find out what is driving my milestones and I think the big thing is that I would really like to get some sort of revenue by November when the heating bills start to kick in. With my growout plans, that would put me into May to have vats loaded and growing.

RedSonja · #52 04/10/2007, 01:46 PM

Yeah, we were trying to salve our conscience on not being up to helping out by saying it looked too windy to be fighting plastic "sails."

Today I am finally feeling somewhat back to human again, trying to catch up with a week's worth of tank maintenance, bta cutting, zoa fragging, and picture taking to try to sell some stuff. That's not even taking into account the second job - housework. :/

I won't answer for Greg, but if the weather's good this Saturday then I at least will be out to help. He probably will too but best to let him say so.

-Sonja

Nammy · #53 04/11/2007, 08:44 PM

Looking good Raaden,
I bet you're there everyday even if there is nother to do, I know I would

raaden · #54 04/12/2007, 08:21 AM

Consider yourself salved, while I greatly appreciate the help, I don't want you guys to feel obligated. there will be plenty to do and I can always use the help whenever it is available

.

Nammy, you got that right, unfortunately both parts have been right lately. With the plastic still sitting in the barn I am sort of on hold, and trying to get a bunch of little things lined up. These last couple of weeks are proving to be rough, I can go to the site and see the GH but there really isn't much I can do until the GH is covered. Once it is though.... watch out it will be fast and furious from there

Quick update (although there is not much to update

). The weather is looking bad again this weekend for getting the plastic up, so I am going to try to get started on getting the utilities run out to the GH. I hope to get the electrical and water out there this week, and will wait on the gas to see if they will handle the entire hookup to the heater.

raaden · #55 04/13/2007, 09:20 AM

Well, a bit of good news for once. I have someone that is going to oversee the electrical and water installs at the GH so that is a go for the weekend

YAY. There will be lots of hand digging (3 ft deep) and I get a chance to use a trencher for the majority of the run. This will work out pretty nice as it will leave me only a week behind on the overall plan.

If all goes well, and I can get a nice Sunday, I should have the mains for the Electrical and water in the GH early next week. While this is great I still have to get the plastic up before I can really do anything with either of them, but progress is being made.

In the "you knew it was going to happen department" next weekends forecast is calling for spotty showers all weekend although the wind should not be as bad. The temps are looking pretty warm and it may be a bring your raincoat day for putting up the plastic.

WarDaddy · #56 04/13/2007, 12:24 PM

"In the "you knew it was going to happen department" next weekends forecast is calling for spotty showers all weekend although the wind should not be as bad. The temps are looking pretty warm and it may be a bring your raincoat day for putting up the plastic."

sounds like fun, too bad I am busy this weekend :P

redox · #57 04/15/2007, 11:03 AM

by the looks of the weather I guess there are no reef farm opperations today

PokeHero93 · #58 04/15/2007, 01:15 PM

can someone please tell me how to make a reef tank....i haven't figured it out yet..there is a 50 gallon tank at my house, and i want to turn it into a reef tank and put seahorses in it..i need help........i have the tank ,sump,correct pipes and stuff, and everything else i need....i just want to turn it into a reef tank before i get seahorses. can someone tell me which corals are harmless to seahorses and post pictures of them PLEASE. THANX

redox · #59 04/15/2007, 01:34 PM

you might want to post that question in a different forum. sea horses are not really reef compatible. try the seahorse forum

PokeHero93 · #60 04/15/2007, 01:58 PM

THANX...i posted it everywhere on RC

BallaBooyeaH · #61 04/15/2007, 06:02 PM

try www.seahorseireland.com they have a list of what is compatable and not.

Radden - is the plastic up?

RedSonja · #62 04/16/2007, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PokeHero93
THANX...i posted it everywhere on RC

Try posting it just in the "new to the hobby" forum. Spamming the entire forum annoys people and makes your chances of getting help much smaller.

-Sonja

RedSonja · #63 04/16/2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BallaBooyeaH
Radden - is the plastic up?

Judging by the weekend's weather around here, I doubt it.

We're having a lot of wind still today and the electricity here has blinked off a few times. Eeeek. Glad we have gas for the generator.

-Sonja

hamburglar · #64 04/16/2007, 01:22 PM

Redsonja got to him first.

I wanted to at least say, have fun killing the seahorses!

RedSonja · #65 04/16/2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hamburglar
Redsonja got to him first.

I wanted to at least say, have fun killing the seahorses!

Hopefully they'll listen to the advice they get and not try seahorses right away. I'm only now feeling brave enough to try 'em, and just the dwarfs at that.

-Sonja

redox · #66 04/16/2007, 04:15 PM

good thing the plastics not up, it might have been torn off in this wind

I was up that way today and its good to be back at the beach

raaden · #67 04/16/2007, 05:29 PM

I'm glad I waited too, the wind was ridiculous today. The weather station was saying that there were gust up to 45 in some parts. I think it was Mother Nature telling me that my patience was a good idea.

Seahorses = bad idea until your system is well matured.

Well the electric and water are in the house. I will post more a little later tonight(once I get a chance to get the pics uploaded).

redox · #68 04/16/2007, 07:05 PM

I am upgrading to a commercial chiller unit this weekend. I hope it does what I need it to. I have gone 2 years without it and its time to go on and do it

back in fuquay for another 3 days

raaden · #69 04/16/2007, 08:05 PM

Water and Electric are (just about) on site and and things are finally looking good for getting the plastic up. Both days look like they will work and the conditions should be awesome, not much wind and temps cool enough to work in. I know what you're thinking "I'll believe it when I see it..." I am staying positive this time.

If I hadn't been forced to play a shell game with the wires and pipes, drain a 3 foot deep trench, and fight off the weather; this weekend would have been a huge success. As it is I got >80% of the work done to get Water and electricity into the GH, and the rest I should be able to finish up this week.

Even better I got to play with the biggest freakin chainsaw I have ever seen, and got to put my plumbing *ahem skills ahem* to use. I also found out how much copper has gone up in the last few years... had I used copper wire for the run it would have cost me almost $1,000 for the underground wire alone. Yeah I opted for aluminum

.

During the week I have to finish the hand digging (Mother Nature cut my weekend pretty short), wire up the breaker boxes, and fill in the trench. Should be doable, and will leave me in a great spot for getting the plastic up.

raaden · #70 04/16/2007, 08:09 PM

redox,

Was there a specific reason for the chiller decision or is it just the next step in the evolution.

P.s. Bill took me by your old stompin grounds this weekend on the way to pick up the GH mains. He also took me through some super high end neighborhood near there... I thought wakefield was outrageous; this place was ridiculous with how expensive the houses were.

BallaBooyeaH · #71 04/17/2007, 02:19 AM

Raaden,

Was the direction the greenhouse was setup due to the sunrise and sunset? Or is it just where iot is as it could fit on the land nice and easy?
I was wondering if there is any diffrence witht he way the sunlight penetrates the GH during the morning and evening?
Also are all the trees around the GH going to block out a huge amount of light needed for the growing? Have you taken light readings in the area?

I am getting ready to start more formal plannings for my GH in Ireland. I am looking for a grant and in meetings on thursday to see what are nthe next steps - As a general election is aroung the corner - nothing will happen till it is all over. But I will be there with my hand out once it is.
I have recently been denied my license for taking out saltwater from the sea. Due to it being a conservation area for birds - go figure?? still I can change my application and re-submit. They also are saying that they do not want me to import CITES listed corals - If we are looking at propergation - then CITES spicies should be included to eliminate the need to take these from the reef.
Do you have a list of the main coral you are going to propergate? Any idea's where the brood stock is coming from? I have seen some amazing coloured Zoo's - and some terrible ones. I am planning on a trip to the states to select the best of the best stock for Brood stock. Still along way away - but as you have showen - dREAMS AND PLANNING COME TRUE.

Keep up the work.

Steven Pro · #72 04/17/2007, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BallaBooyeaH
Was the direction the greenhouse was setup due to the sunrise and sunset? Or is it just where iot is as it could fit on the land nice and easy?

According to "Ball Redbook: Greenhouses and Equipment, Volume 1" greenhouses north of the 39th parallel should run north south while those below should be layed out east to west.

BallaBooyeaH · #73 04/17/2007, 06:46 AM

Steve - How do I find out where I sit on the whole Parallel? Here is my location of the site via google maps.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl...867&iwloc=addr

You can zoom out and see where I am in the world.

Can I ask where your operations are located - Just want to see if the light would be comparable to where your Steve and Radden are located.

Steven Pro · #74 04/17/2007, 07:06 AM

I am in Pittsburgh and am north of the 39th parallel. The line pretty much runs through Columbus Ohio here in the states.

raaden · #75 04/17/2007, 07:09 AM

I used a GPS to find my coords, but you can use this site to get the location for major cities, I also think Google Earth will give it to you as well.

Quote:

According to "Ball Redbook: Greenhouses and Equipment, Volume 1" greenhouses north of the 39th parallel should run north south while those below should be layed out east to west.

Steven is dead on with this. The reason for it is that you will get significantly more sun if the GH is North to South in the winter in Northern Latitudes. The reason you do it the other way in southern Latitudes is that you will get more even lighting as the sun travels through the greenhouse rather than across it. In reality most of the people I talked to suggested always going North to south even in the lower latitudes.

Balla, you and Steven are definitely north of the 39th Parallel (roughly located at the Mason Dixon line in the Eastern US), and I am south of it. The coordinates for Cork proper are Cork, IRE: 51n54, 8w28, Ireland, and my actual latitude is 35 and change. With that said my GH is Located 7 degrees off Magnetic East to West. In my case the the land was the biggest decider and where I could get the best sun with the given layout. I also was able to section out the GH and allow for a few shaded areas and a few direct sun areas. I am hoping this will alllow me to study light levels and how different species react to lighting.