IBC is here

My lovely new (recycled) IBC was delivered today. I have put
it in amongst the stock to hide it away while I get down to planning. I’ll
put a photo of it up tomorrow, hopefully.
 
Phil made a very good point about making it climbing toddler
proof. I will clad the sides to make sure Max can’t climb up those
convenient steel bars. While I was thinking about this

I am new to this forum but have been on
BYAP forum for a few months.
I have just prepared an IBC to use as a sump tank.
I dug half of it into the ground to get good fall from the grow beds and then I
put some wooden strips around the outside of the cage, wrapped it in foil
insulation and then clad it in old weatherboards.
I will be doing this with the grow beds and fish tanks too.
I believe it is important top keep sunlight off the liner as it will
disintegrate thru UV light and algae will grow on it where the sun shines. Plus
fish like the darkness.
I will try to show a photo but not sure how to do that yet.
 

 
I like the idea of insulating the tank against the cold (and
heat!), and it also improves the appearance of the tank while making it
climb-proof. I will certainly consider this as an option.
 
This was picked up on one of the forums relating to
Aquaponics (called AP by the cognoscenti). It seems these are based mainly in
Oz, where they are seemingly much more committed to permaculture than in the UK. Possibly
lack of water, more sunshine, possibly historical reasons, or maybe just a lot
more room! No one there seems to be trying what I am in a small English
suburban garden!
 
Anyway my continued exploration of the forums while I try to
find a UK
based source of information. So far I have found Gary Donaldson’s forum
very helpful. Although the idea above was culled from the seemingly competing
forum run by Murray Hallam. I am finding the friction between them quite
distracting at the moment, but there is so much information there…