Building of the Aquaponics Greenhouse: The Exterior

The Materials

The aquaponics greenhouse was started just before Easter in April 2012.  All of the materials were salvaged or recycled materials save three wooden posts and a few bags of concrete.  The rest- from the trash!

 

These boards of wood mostly came from beams in the attic of the abandoned house next door.  

Solid old hard wood that gave the saw-zaw some hard work!

Kids from our street making use of the wood: a see-saw!

 Additional posts came from the remnants of an old fence on the abandoned lot next door.  We used the concrete base at the bottom and all!  (Here, you can also see Nuva, our dog, supervising.)

AND THE BUILDING BEGAN!

First came the laying of concrete and putting the first three posts in.

The old attic beams look so beautiful as the main three structures of the roof.  This was a rainy Spring day, but the building continued!  All the boards are getting leveled.

Hammering away with a blue sky.

 As for the roof, Noah was lucky enough to have a connection with someone who works for a sound proofing company that cuts a thick see-through acyrlic plastic for sound proofing.  When things are cut to the wrong side- there is extra!  Which means trash!  Which means treasure for a greenhouse building like this one!  This material was ideal for the greenhouse structure, because it could be easily and securely drilled directly onto the greenhouse beams, unlike glass panes which would shatter or need extra attachments.  Perhaps it also does some sound proofing for the lucky plants, too!  They must hardly know they're in the city!

 Here the acrylite sheets are being attached of the roof.

                                     

Sideways view from above as Noah and Daniel measure the panels and attach them as they work into the early evening.

Close-up of the front of the greenhouse with acrylic plates attached.

And Voila!  The greenhouse exterior was built (well, this doesn't include the sides, which were made using old fencing and more scrap wood.  More on that in another post).  Keep posted for the Set-up of the Interior and more!  Wait till you see the plants actually growing!  woohoo!  So much to catch up on.

Till then,

Diana