What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

[metatron]

I thought I'd share a photo of the siphon system I have settled upon in my IBC aquaponics project. I had tried a bell siphon and an Eze Tee siphon but I've settled upon an external U siphon. The first part of the U is at a 45 degree angle to get the water level right in the bed. It's been a lot of trial and error to get to this point and this has been running for three days now without fail. One of my first designs was to have a second 45 degree bend to complete the U shape but I found this did not siphon, so I tried a 90 degree bend and this does siphon but I do not know why, I just know it does.



I may post a new thread on aquaponics. It won't be a how-to, there's a multitude of videos on the intertube offering how-to advice, I'll focus on how-NOT-to and list the trials and errors I have overcome on the way. As you can see in the photo there are some holes in the lower tank, these were too high for the siphon to work effectively so I had to lengthen the vertical section to maximise the siphon effect. It really has been a case of try it and see what works.

The upside will be that if/when I do IBC number 2, I will be able to learn from my experience and obviously share info with anyone on here who is thinking of doing this sort of project. If you're already doing this, then perhaps we can share our knowledge.

Briggs.

Very cool, I have a system here for cleaning rain and wastewater, are you planning on using fish in your system? if so what types as I know Tilapia (the American favorite) has issues in our cold climate.

[Ahastyatom]

Thanks Jansman and Stasher .

@ Stasher, the kit comes with some rennet in tablet for although not all cheeses apparently need it. I'd does not say that you can't use pasteurised milk either, I will let you know how it comes out once I have tried it.

Today I've started off some seedlings kits for kids in my kitchen window. This is the first time that I have had a garden so I am starting small with strawberrys, sweet and hot peppers ant tomatoes.

*Edited stupid autocorrect!

[ForgeCorvus]

Re: Cheese.
Pasteurised milk should be OK as the treatment kills the bugs in the milk to slow it going 'off' (and to prevent any milk borne diseases)... I think the 'Cheddering' process involves heating to milk to 70+ degrees anyway.

Some cheeses use an acid to split the curds & whey rather then rennet

And lastly, rennet comes in two types.
True rennet is extracted from the stomachs of very young calves etc and any cheese using it is not really vegetarian.
So called 'Vegetarian Rennet' is the other type, this tends to be used for Veggie friendly and Kosher cheeses
Wikipedia has more the enough on the subject
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet

One of many listings on Ebay

Not tried making cheese yet, but I have done a lot of research

[Stasher]

Ahastyatom & Forge Corvus

Mmmm, thanks for this, food for thought!

[Arzosah]

Looks like my prep for today will be phoning my insurance company - Storm Katie has pulled off part of the hip or ridge, whatever its called, from my roof crashed onto the paving at the front. Some of my fences are waving about in the wind, and some of them are lying on the neighbour's driveway. There's a built in wardrobe thing just below the storm damage, and I'm gradually getting things out of there to safeguard as much as I can...

[Yorkshire Andy]

i'd ask a local builder / roofer to take a look first before ringing your insurance as it will go down as a "claim" even if you don't end up making a claim and put your premium up...

if its just a end ridge thats come off it will only take a decent roofer 30 mins or so to rebed a new one plus a hour or so to get a matching ridge and half hour set up and clean down

http://www.buildingsheriff.com/hip-ridge-tiles.html

http://www.checkatrade.com/

the ridges them self are only £4-10 each depeding on type

https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/bro ... tiles.html

unless they all need doing and in which case insurance will probably put it down to natural life of the roof and not pay out..

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/p ... enance.htm

if you have under felt there will be very little if any water able to get in



and probably cost you less than your excess if its just one ridge (as long as its easy to get a ladder up to it..) ............ (not to mention the hike next year at renewal)


most of the time fencing is not covered...

[jansman]

I am supposed tobe taking a tree down today for Father in Law. No chance in the wind ,rain and snow! It will do him a favour as he wants it gone, and me as I can use the firewood. Maybe tomorrow. For now,I have greenhouse work and the pantry needs sorting. We had all the family round Sunday,and our daughters seem to trash the place every time they descend! Also,our eldest seems to use our walk in pantry instead of the shop! Just wish she would leave it tidy.

[Arzosah]

i'd ask a local builder / roofer to take a look first before ringing your insurance as it will go down as a "claim" even if you don't end up making a claim and put your premium up...

if its just a end ridge thats come off it will only take a decent roofer 30 mins or so to rebed a new one plus a hour or so to get a matching ridge and half hour set up and clean down

http://www.buildingsheriff.com/hip-ridge-tiles.html

http://www.checkatrade.com/

the ridges them self are only £4-10 each depeding on type

https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/bro ... tiles.html

unless they all need doing and in which case insurance will probably put it down to natural life of the roof and not pay out..

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/p ... enance.htm

if you have under felt there will be very little if any water able to get in



and probably cost you less than your excess if its just one ridge (as long as its easy to get a ladder up to it..) ............ (not to mention the hike next year at renewal)


most of the time fencing is not covered...

Thanks for this, Andy! I confess, I didn't see it before I actually got through to the insurance company, and I can't face ringing a builder and getting them to quote. Its about 5 or 6 feet of the line of hip tiles thats come crashing down - tiles and cement. There's not been much rain round us, and not a horrendous amount forecast in the next week or so, so I might get away with it. The excess is quite large, you're right

There's a bit of fence at the back thats sort of waving around, I might try to get out there before dark, as otherwise next door's German Shepherds will be in my garden exploring the mysterious new space thats just opened up but resisting a lurgy comes first

[7 lives]

Yay-having been somewhat poorly am now on road back to prepping!
Have been soaking seeds ready to plant-so chuffed to be able to.

[Yorkshire Andy]

i'd ask a local builder / roofer to take a look first before ringing your insurance as it will go down as a "claim" even if you don't end up making a claim and put your premium up...

if its just a end ridge thats come off it will only take a decent roofer 30 mins or so to rebed a new one plus a hour or so to get a matching ridge and half hour set up and clean down

http://www.buildingsheriff.com/hip-ridge-tiles.html

http://www.checkatrade.com/

the ridges them self are only £4-10 each depeding on type

https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/bro ... tiles.html

unless they all need doing and in which case insurance will probably put it down to natural life of the roof and not pay out..

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/p ... enance.htm

if you have under felt there will be very little if any water able to get in



and probably cost you less than your excess if its just one ridge (as long as its easy to get a ladder up to it..) ............ (not to mention the hike next year at renewal)


most of the time fencing is not covered...

Thanks for this, Andy! I confess, I didn't see it before I actually got through to the insurance company, and I can't face ringing a builder and getting them to quote. Its about 5 or 6 feet of the line of hip tiles thats come crashing down - tiles and cement. There's not been much rain round us, and not a horrendous amount forecast in the next week or so, so I might get away with it. The excess is quite large, you're right

There's a bit of fence at the back thats sort of waving around, I might try to get out there before dark, as otherwise next door's German Shepherds will be in my garden exploring the mysterious new space thats just opened up but resisting a lurgy comes first

was talking to a friend in insurance earlier and he's putting a claim in for a leaky gable end but he has a high level of cover beein "in the trade" he says it all depends on your level of cover he has some "home emergency" add on that gets a roofer / builder out with £0 excess so he was saying it depends on your level of cover and if you can sweeten the assessor or builder with tea and cake lol