Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmychao
HungryJack,
This greenhouse/hoophouse/high tunnel will be built in Piscataway, only a few miles from Staten Island. Although I can grow veggie year round, I can start in early spring, and transplant outdoor in summer.
one inch thick of ice is better than 1 ft thick that I had on my koi pond in February, it kills most of my koi.
I am currently using my 9x15 ft sunroom and run out of sapace. Also watering hundreds of cups takes me a lot of time. I can't use any irrigation system, my sunroom is not build to deal with water.
KOI- you have it backwards actually, one foot of ice is better than one inch of ice on your pond.
Research it, you will see I'm correct.
If your fish are dying, it because of two reasons,
either your pond is not deep enough, you need a section that is 3.5 - 4.0 feet deep
for the fish to overwinter.
Or, lack of oxygen.Easiest solution to this problem is get TWO heavy duty air pumps,
you want air stones that throw LARGE bubbles, not fine ones.
Place airstones into the pond, it will help keep the surface open for most
of the winter, even if it freezes over occasionally, it doesn't matter,
you are pumping fresh air under the ice with the airpumps.
This systen has worked for decades in this area.
GROWING - you have to realize that green house, high tunnels, hoop houses,
unless they are insulated and heated, DO NOT RETAIN heat at night.
Temps inside will be only a degree or two above outside temps,
you will eliminate the wind chill, wind, rain, etc, but these structures
do not hold heat. So your plants will experience large shifts in temperature
unless you section off part of the structure and heat it early in the season
to start plants.
You can purchase insulated high tunnels, they use two sheets of plastic
and a couple of air blowers to inflate the plastic, this creates an insulation value.
I suggest you research high tunnels, green houses, hoop houses
and understand what they can accomplish for you,
and what it will cost you in electric to make them do what you want.
Without careful consideration in design/use, you can easily spend $1000-2000 per year
for energy to heat/cool your structure.
PS- you are correct, its more economical to purchase a high tunnel kit,
than bending your own. Bender for high tunnel are $400 each,
you can't use the benders they make for EMT tubing ($50), EMT is not strong
enough for larger structures.
If and when you are ready for a high tunnel, send me a PM,
I can give you a local supplier that will save you considerable $$$.