HCC Greenhouse (Pic intense!!)

[Dkarc]

I thought I would post up pictures of our greenhouse. The greenhouse is owned by Hillsborough County Community College and is setup at the University of FL Tropical Aquaculture Lab site in Ruskin, FL. The greenhouse is a key teaching tool that we use as part of our Aquaculture degree program. We were breeding malawi cichlids for a while at the greenhouse, with the sole purpose of educating students (real hands on experience working on a fish farm).

Over the past few months we have been phasing out malawi cichlids and switching over to discus and angels. Because of this we have been very busy building 2 new systems for these projects. The pics you will see will be starting with the growout system structure already built and in place. The growout system has been running for several weeks now cycling and the breeding system went online today. I need to get updated pics (and maybe a vid) of everything. Enjoy!

-Ryan

http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_04172.jpg

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Blower line installed
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http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_04292.jpg

[Dkarc]

Breeding system going up
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_04381.jpg

http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_04391.jpg

What the growout system will look like with tanks in place
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_04411.jpg

The arrival of our BIG shipment (sorry for dark pics, it was raining)
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0475.jpg

Doing a test fit....
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0483.jpg

Yep, it fits
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0482.jpg

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Myself installing the bulb on one of our 150W HO UV's
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Big work day...everyone busy!
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Hooking drain lines together
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UV being installed.
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0501.jpg

Bioreactor in place, along with UV and sump
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0506.jpg

[Dkarc]

Tank fittings installed
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0515.jpg

Return lines being put together
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0516.jpg

Pump installed (no unions or check valve...they "forgot" to install them :swear: )
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0517.jpg

New tanks with old to complete our system
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0622.jpg

Breeding tanks
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0623.jpg

Breeding system filtration
http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0625.jpg

http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0626.jpg

In the midst of all the fun going on, work must go on...
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Wheeling the filter to its new home
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http://gi92.photobucket.com/groups/l32/HNBCKER402/100_0634.jpg

I really need to get updated pics, as the most recent ones are almost a month old.

PLEASE ask questions!!

-Ryan

[mudskippers]

Looking great!

Thanks for sharing ;)

Keep up all the hard work... and please keep us posted... ;)

[duyisalilaznboi]

wow thats awesome! I want one too xD

[Alexandrian]

That is simply the perfect setup
I wish them all the luck in the world
Well done

[smartdog126]

holy smokes this is sooooo sick!!!!!! where is this located! (where in orlando)

[ProAquatics]

COOL BEANS

[Dkarc]

holy smokes this is sooooo sick!!!!!! where is this located! (where in orlando)

This is in Ruskin, FL....just South of Tampa on 75 at the UF Tropical Aquaculture Lab where I am finishing up my degree.

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

awww i thought it was in the orlando area im in ft lauderdale... (i was born in tampa)

[jm1212]

i want one!

[smartdog126]

how big of a green house is this? like L X W?

[Dkarc]

how big of a green house is this? like L X W?

I believe it is around 80x40', give or take a few ft. It is 1 of 4 greenhouses on site (we only occupy one).

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

i say get em all!!! lol how do you keep the tanks chill buy a chiller?

[jenazen69]

nice. cant wait to see them up and running.

[smartdog126]

how long till they are going to be up and running btw? i never did ask that major question

[Dkarc]

i say get em all!!! lol how do you keep the tanks chill buy a chiller?

Dont need to run a chiller...if we really get concerned about high temps we just flush the systems with well water to control the heat.

The larger growout system is fully functional right now and is in the middle of it's cycle. The breeding system became functional today and we have 1-2 small things to tinker with before it stays running full time. We intend to start bringing discus broodstock in within 2-3 weeks.

I'll try to get updated pics this weekend.

-Ryan

[bettabrat]

HOLY COW!!!

:clap: amazing just amazing

[Slappy*McFish]

Very interesting thread. I've been wanting to setup something similar for quite some time now. Your rack system is so simple yet effective. I like it.

[smartdog126]

i deff agree works perfect and not expensive (i think i have a new person to buy from) :/

[Dkarc]

I can honestly say it took 3 of us to assemble the main growout system block/4x4's in less than 30 minutes. The plumbing of the system is what took forever as we had to wait on some specific parts/equipment to come in. But once everything was there, it was just labor and time to put everything together.

-Ryan

[FISHSHROD]

Thanks for sharing , really neat to see the setup . Please keep the pics coming with the progress. I can imagine today it got pretty hot in there right ? :)

[Arkangel77]

i want one!


MAN I just wana come hang out and pitch in!:headbang2:

[smartdog126]

i say you take a video and upload it to youtube and we can all actually watch it

[Dkarc]

i say you take a video and upload it to youtube and we can all actually watch it

I plan to do that. Hopefully I can get more pics tomorrow, but we'll see.

-Ryan

[Dkarc]

I want to thank everyone for the compliments....its not all done yet. We are just starting with our projects. We still have to get fish in systems and start the real work. I will do my best to get updated pics (vid?) this weekend.

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

awesome!!! i cant wait

[67chevelle]

That's awesome.Looking foward to updated pics.Make sure to take lots of pics when you get the fish!

[ibr3ak]

Nice! How big are those grow out tanks? The footprint looks awesome :)

[new2tanks]

Ryan,

great great info.
I wish I could go to "fish school" too :).

Pleaso post pics of the acclimation and introduction of the discus and angels to these tanks. Id love to see that.

Keep it up!
N.

[Rbishop]

Terrific! Thanks for sharing this!

[Dkarc]

Nice! How big are those grow out tanks? The footprint looks awesome :)

They are custom 30's. I believe they are around 30"x18"x12" (give or take a bit).

-Ryan

[Hurley]

I want one! :D I also really like the tank racks. The cinder blocks don't look like the are attached to each other. Do they wobble at all?

[Dkarc]

I want one! :D I also really like the tank racks. The cinder blocks don't look like the are attached to each other. Do they wobble at all?

They are simply stacked ontop of each other. Once the 4x4 rails are installed the whole system is fairly stable. When the tanks are on and filled with water everything is solid as a rock. No worries here.

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

i would hate to see a crash ):

[Dkarc]

So would I.....im not worried about it though. They have several systems on the farm with the exact block structure for many years with zero problems.

New pics coming and hopefully a video too!!

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

make a video adn walk around the whole place

[Dkarc]

make a video adn walk around the whole place

I made a video about an hour ago of me walking around the front half of our greenhouse showing our new systems...it starts off with me outside showing a quick view of a part of the farm. Vid should be up in a little bit.

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

awesome!!!

[Chromes03]

Ryan,

That is one awesome setup. You guys keep up the good work. What other fish beside Discus are you guys pllanning to keep/breed? Is this setup provided by your college for your degree?....

[Dkarc]

Ryan,

That is one awesome setup. You guys keep up the good work. What other fish beside Discus are you guys pllanning to keep/breed? Is this setup provided by your college for your degree?....

In the past they have bred fire mouth Meekis, and most recently malawi cichlids (we still have a few vats of them left to get rid of). Yes, the college paid for the greenhouse to be built and over the past few years it has been slowly built up into what you see now. It is a critical teaching tool for the degree program. It is ran like a commercial hatchery and as such students receive real life hands on experience and learn techniques to use in the industry. For now though, we only plan to breed discus. The back half of our greenhouse is being used for other projects.

-Ryan

[Dkarc]

Here is a vid of our greenhouse/new discus systems!! Be gentle as this is my first video and quality isnt the best. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-5lDw4dHA8

-Ryan

[kyryah]

The blocks and 4X4's are simple and yet ingenious... I'll be stealing that one if I ever set up a major breeding system, lol.

Kristina

[thrak76]

That's quite the elaborate system you've all set up. Are the goldfish feeder stock? Was that whole area with the goldfish previously set up?
Going to be really neat to see those tanks full of Discus!

[Arkangel77]

:headbang2:VERRY Nice!!!!!!!!!!

[pinkertd]

Nice Ryan! I want one too and I want to go to fish school!

[Dkarc]

That's quite the elaborate system you've all set up. Are the goldfish feeder stock? Was that whole area with the goldfish previously set up?
Going to be really neat to see those tanks full of Discus!

Not goldfish....malawi cichlids. Mostly red zebras. The back half of the greenhouse you see with the big vats was previously used to breed all of our past projects. They work perfectly for mouth brooders. But with discus we had to change gears and systems, hence the new systems you see in the vid. The large vats in the back will be used for new projects that will start very shortly. No breeding, just studies/research/grant work.

-Ryan

[67chevelle]

That's so cool.Great "fish room" you guys have going there.Can't wait to see it with discus.
Did you say previously that there would be angels as well?And what do you guys do with all of the offspring?

[Dkarc]

That's so cool.Great "fish room" you guys have going there.Can't wait to see it with discus.
Did you say previously that there would be angels as well?And what do you guys do with all of the offspring?

We have a few angels now that we are just doing whatever with.... As far as the discus fry. That is a whole other subject in itself. The goal with all this is to develop/establish nutritional requirements for discus and backing up our claims with scientific publications. It'll happen mostly through nutritional studies and using what is already out there (information wise) and just perfecting it. Ideally, we would like to develop a pelleted diet made specifically for discus (meaning nutritionally complete, having no need for other supplemental foods). By doing this, we have the start of a baseline to establishing standard discus techniques. But for now, we just want to establish a good discus-specific diet which is nutritionally complete.

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

holy smokes how much does this type of thing cost you per month? im thinking about doing this in my later years to come

[67chevelle]

If you have to ask,you can't afford it, ;)

[Dkarc]

holy smokes how much does this type of thing cost you per month? im thinking about doing this in my later years to come

Cost to run per month?? Just those 2 systems alone (without heaters) it can be run off a single 10 amp 120V breaker. Now this doesnt include the blower or any of the other systems. I honestly dont know what it costs to run the greenhouse because we dont pay for any of it....UF does :woot: I do know what it cost to build those 2 systems, and it aint cheap to build it with the quality equipment we used.

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

no not that i mean how much is it to rent/own a green house like i havent ever looked it up

[Dkarc]

The other week the farm manager was pricing out a new greenhouse for a grant proposal. If we did the concrete slab work and put everything together ourselves (everything but mixing the concrete basically) it was under $20K for a 3,200sq ft building. That is just the basic structure, not including power or water hookups. It is definetly an investment. You could very easily sink $50K++ into a single greenhouse outfitting it with all the systems necessary to grow fish....and that's just for the extreme basics. :22_yikes:

-Ryan

[smartdog126]

oh yeaaaa about that i thought it would only be maybe 1 or 2 dollars a month :D lol rofl

[BoCoMo]

AWWWWWW YEAH!!!!!!

[FISHSHROD]

Cool vid, keep them coming.

[jpappy789]

this is cool as heck!!!

[Arkangel77]

this is cool as heck!!!


YES it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:woot: