Steve Goyne just a water based exterior house paint. Get a good quality one don't skimp. I use one called solar guard or solar shield or something like that. I use a light colour called raw cotton to reflect the heat. I scuff up the surface with sandpaper first so the paint has something to key into. I then wash it with soapy water and rinse well to remove oils and dust then roll it on. When I'm making wicking beds I also scuff up and paint the inside rim to just below where the soil will be so the sun does not damage the exposed inside top rim. Probably a little harder to do with aquaponics as you don't want the paint contacting the water in the system due to fish.
Naughty Goat Farm is there anything that you can coat the inside of the ibc with to ensure that there is no chemicals from the plastics leaking into the system..? Especially if one is limited to the non food grade ibc s?
Steve Goyne Not that I know of. What have your IBCs had in them? As far as I know the plastic that ibc's are made of don't really absorb chemicals so a good wash should work for most things.
I sand first then paint with 10% Bondcrete mixed with an exterior acrylic. The bondcrete contains hardening and bonding resins which toughen the paint. After 6 years the paint is still firmly attached and protecting the IBC.
Have you ever seen iron Fe toxicity? I unfortunately have. I had IBC grow beds above IBC sumps for more than 10 years. Trout did very well for 8 of those years but not the last 2 years. Cleaned the gravel, tested the water, bought new food and still trout had poor growth and died. The metal cages had a lot of rust and rusted metal was falling into the sump. Dismantled the system and using a magnet collected 320 gm of rusted metal from the sump, it looked like sediment on the sump floor. The IBC cages had complete loss of metal in some areas. This was discovered only after dismantling because the worst rust was underneath the sump tanks. I have no doubt that the fish were suffering Iron Toxicity. I now know that IBCs must never be placed above the sump as corrosion will always occur. Zinc, from the galvanized coating, and Iron are called essential trace elements and are only safe at levels less than 100 parts per million ppm.
I always paint ours with solar guard paint. About 3 or 4 coats with a roller. Gives many more years of service.
A good plan. I should paint this one asap.
Any solar guard paint do?
Steve Goyne just a water based exterior house paint. Get a good quality one don't skimp. I use one called solar guard or solar shield or something like that. I use a light colour called raw cotton to reflect the heat. I scuff up the surface with sandpaper first so the paint has something to key into. I then wash it with soapy water and rinse well to remove oils and dust then roll it on. When I'm making wicking beds I also scuff up and paint the inside rim to just below where the soil will be so the sun does not damage the exposed inside top rim. Probably a little harder to do with aquaponics as you don't want the paint contacting the water in the system due to fish.
Naughty Goat Farm is there anything that you can coat the inside of the ibc with to ensure that there is no chemicals from the plastics leaking into the system..? Especially if one is limited to the non food grade ibc s?
Steve Goyne Not that I know of. What have your IBCs had in them? As far as I know the plastic that ibc's are made of don't really absorb chemicals so a good wash should work for most things.
I sand first then paint with 10% Bondcrete mixed with an exterior acrylic. The bondcrete contains hardening and bonding resins which toughen the paint. After 6 years the paint is still firmly attached and protecting the IBC.
That is a great tip. Thanks Jim.
That is a great tip Jim, Thanks. I will give that a shot.
Have you ever seen iron Fe toxicity? I unfortunately have. I had IBC grow beds above IBC sumps for more than 10 years. Trout did very well for 8 of those years but not the last 2 years. Cleaned the gravel, tested the water, bought new food and still trout had poor growth and died. The metal cages had a lot of rust and rusted metal was falling into the sump. Dismantled the system and using a magnet collected 320 gm of rusted metal from the sump, it looked like sediment on the sump floor. The IBC cages had complete loss of metal in some areas. This was discovered only after dismantling because the worst rust was underneath the sump tanks. I have no doubt that the fish were suffering Iron Toxicity. I now know that IBCs must never be placed above the sump as corrosion will always occur. Zinc, from the galvanized coating, and Iron are called essential trace elements and are only safe at levels less than 100 parts per million ppm.
Thanks Jim, Excellent info.
@@MurrayPonics At least my paint/Bondcrete mix is still strongly coating the plastic.
We make a timber panel for it. Looks like a hot tub. Been running 8 years. No drama. But we bought brand new food grade tanks.
What’s you opinion on to Burry one underground, just leaving the top 100mm exposed
have you considered oiling it?
Exposure to the sun makes them brital shade netting works very well for this.
Yes that is a good suggestion. Thanks.
UV does hell on stuff...
Coverings are crucial
What size sump tank did you use and for 1 tote or multiple?
Just get some flex tape
Paint the bladder to protect it , in the past I've paint them green but the sun still does get them over time
Yes Gordon. A good idea.
I think I learnt that from you on a visit one time
A little paint goes a long way with the UV we get here in OZ :)
So true Paul.
Paint the Ibc with pond paint
A good plan Glen. Thanks for your input.
where I Come From under skin control has begun we are screwed
Not sure what you mean Jerry.