Hi All,

Does anyone know how to work with fibreglass?

I'd like to build my own fish tanks and grow beds for my aquaponics system I'm planning on installing this year.

I'm looking at building large-ish modules of like 1.2m x 1.2m growbeds and a round or conical fish tank of about 800 lt.

I can't seem to find any decent homebuilt methods on these large sizes on the internet/youtube.

Here's what i do know:

formulas for working out size, area & volume.

Resin has to be food grade

any help or pointers would be appreciated.

40 minutes ago, jasonvanwyk said:

any help or pointers would be appreciated.

Maybe THIS  or THIS can help. 

What I found with fiberglass is that a "mold" is needed.

3 hours ago, jasonvanwyk said:

Hi All,

Does anyone know how to work with fibreglass?

 

Hi Jason I have done some fibreglass repaires and body repairs on GSM sports cars . I had to learn because no panelbeater is willing to do this . It is not very difficult but takes some time and patience .  IF you want to make a new item you nead to make a mould like Jacko mentioned .  The cost of mould , fibreglass matting , resin , hardener , releasing agent , and cleaning material you are better off to buy the item unless your are planning to make a lot of these items . The amount of resin you mix depends on what you can apply in a time frame . Drying time is normally 20 minutes . The product you make consists of a few layers of matting and resin depending how thickness you want . Make something small and deside for yourself . a Real stickey job .

10 minutes ago, Chris Louw said:

The cost of mould , fibreglass matting , resin , hardener , releasing agent , and cleaning material you are better off to buy the item unless your are planning to make a lot of these items .

Thanks for an honest answer Chris. I won't be making a lot of tanks, just a few to get started. But looking around on the web, these items are fairly expensive. like R6-7k for the tank size i'm looking at. While it's still affordable, to my mind, it kind of defeats the object of being "sustainable" (might as well just buy veggies and fish for that kind of set-up cost). 

anyways, i was thinking about how I would build a mould. for a square and rectangular tank (the easiest method), i was thinking about building the tank out of cheap plywood - or even chipboard, and then laminating the fibreglass over that to make it waterproof. However the con with this is that squares and rectangles, don't circulate or swirl the water effectively, so the next best thing is to build a round or even better a slightly conical shape tank (much harder method). Here I was thinking, maybe to bend masonite around a circular piece of plywood, and then laminate over that with fibreglass and resin. Then i got to thinking, maybe an even cheaper way to build a mould would be to use some other kind of pliable sheet, like perhaps cheap vinyl flooring sheets? or maybe even builders plastic sheeting and just stapling it to a circular base and top? Let me know your thoughts guys, I would be really interested.  

just got a thought, maybe a porta pool or mesh vinyl pool, may just be the most cost effective solution?

If this project ever gets off the ground - i'll post pictures here

1 minute ago, jasonvanwyk said:

just got a thought, maybe a porta pool or mesh vinyl pool, may just be the most cost effective solution?

If this project ever gets off the ground - i'll post pictures here

Try to get hold of a damaged  Jo Jo tank at a good price and make a mould . 

1 minute ago, Chris Louw said:

Try to get hold of a damaged  Jo Jo tank at a good price and make a mould . 

Nice one! - thanks

ok...Thinking maybe welded mesh or even plastic welded mesh...

The below link has containers from R700 and complete aquaponic system from R2950 that might suit your needs.

http://www.flowbins.co.za/

Happy New Year

For the fish tank depending on how big you need it to be , about 1000l I would use an IBC tote if its larger volume use a pond liner and either dig a hole in the ground or use welded mesh as a cylindrical frame. Your grow beds, what type did you have in mind? Deep water or flood and drain. If its deep water you can use the same pond liner , if you use gravel as a grow media that can damage the liner. Do you have enough space to put the system in a tunnel, to keep the fish tank water warm enough in winter?

Have fun , it's quite rewarding when it all comes together

1 hour ago, seant said:

flood and drain

Flood and drain to start with, looking to put the system into a greenhouse 

I'd look at dropping probably 2/3 of the height of the tank below the ground it will make it easier for the return of the water from your grow beds.