Greenhouse Tied together
Come the second winter (we are now into the third winter of my aquaponics experience) I extended the greenhouse a bit and tied the tunnel over the monster bed in with the main greenhouse. Then I added some rain water collection and a hard roof section between the existing greenhouse and the side of the garage to gain some thermal mass from the concrete block wall. I tied in an entrance from the front porch. I was really nice actually.
solid roof
Having the greenhouse extended over to the side of the garage made for being able to work in the greenhouse even when it was raining and not get wet. It was still a bitterly cold winter though and any tilapia left out in the system died since I didn’t provide supplemental heating.
solid roof2
Had it not been such a bitterly cold winter I expect the tilapia would have survived it with the larger greenhouse size but last year had long spells of below normal temperatures and then we had multiple hard freeze nights in a row within a week of way colder than normal temperatures. See here in central Florida the daytime temps normally are in the 60’s and 70’s through most of the “winter” with only occasional days being in the 40’s or 50’s and a few frost/freeze nights through the winter. Well the past two winters have broken records for cold around here.
Entrance from porch
I did greatly enjoy my greenhouse last winter. It was a nice place to sit with the fish and plants and tinker when it was too cold to enjoy working outdoors.
Extended to duckweed tank
Unfortunately, last spring I got another visit from code enforcement and they told me I had to take it down since I hadn’t gotten a permit to build it. I suppose they would have let me keep the greenhouse if I were able to get a permit but getting stamped engineering drawings for it would have been impossible. I so wish to get out onto some Agricultural land.
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