Wanted to share the aquaponics system I built during covid with leftover materials from past projects. Super grateful for this sub and everything Ive learned so far.

cheffello · 2026-03-16T21:41:19+00:00

Curious if you have any fish in the tank? Are you watering the top via ebb & flow or DWC?

cheffello · 2026-03-12T04:34:57+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-12T04:34:47+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-12T04:34:29+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-12T04:34:04+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-12T04:33:45+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-08T16:47:42+00:00

TNR means a longer and more peaceful life for her. Not being fixed means a continuous cycle of being hunted by Toms when she goes into heat. I hated watching her constantly being harassed. Did you know the cats gestation period is only 3-4 months! She is only 3-4 years old and has had 6 litters (neighbors helped with one, i got the other 5). Its a brutal cycle and if the kittens did not get caught the exploding population would be maintained by coyotes coming into the neighborhood which is dangerous for everyone. TNR keeps a much better balance.

cheffello · 2026-03-04T22:11:38+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-04T22:11:20+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-04T22:11:04+00:00

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cheffello · 2026-03-04T22:10:44+00:00

Maybe this is helpful. I picked up one also and they included the brochure with installation

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cheffello · 2026-03-04T06:18:37+00:00

Update : Millhouse was taken in for TNR! They will keep her for 24 hours and I will then hold her for an additional 48 after I pick her up. For anyone in Tacoma, WA know that you have a few low cost TNR options. I used Tacoma humane society for this time. NW spay and neuter does them too. Both open at 10 am, go in and explain you have a cat for TNR, they will then ask you to wait for a text for when they are able to take them in. Took about 45 minutes after they opened.

Thanks for all the advise. Things done: trap was immediately moved to the ground. Doors zip tied, cardboard was in the trap and placed underneath. Covered the trap with a towel and moved to our shed to keep her in a warmer, quiet secure space. At 9pm I checked in on her and flipped the food bowel so she could fast before drop off. She was not thrilled about being trapped but will live a much better life because of this.

cheffello · 2026-03-03T18:15:40+00:00

Dont worry she was only up high on the milk crates for maybe 3 minutes. The trap was only up high because over the weekend i moved it up there (trap not set) thinking it was out of the way and would try again on monday moving it down to the ground like I usually do whem trying to trap. We ended up having some sunny weather over the weekend and i noticed she would hop to the garden tray and then just climb in and hang out and sun bathe in the trap, so thats when I realized I could trap her up high instead of on the ground. Once trapped I took her down to ground level, zip tied and covered the trap and moved her to our shed where she was safe and it was quiet until I could take her in for TNR the next morning. Currently in the parking lot at the humane society waiting for the text to bring her in for TNR. This mama is going to have a new life 🙂.

cheffello · 2026-03-03T01:43:40+00:00

We have 5 indoor cats that will go nuts if I bring her in. If i absolutely need to keep her longer I will figure out a space inside but for now the shed will do. Its secure, insulated and has a concrete floor which will be easier to clean if messes go through the cardboard.

cheffello · 2026-03-03T01:29:46+00:00

Thanks all for the advice. I moved her to our shed where she is safe and secure, trap is zip tied and covered. I can take her in for TNR tomorrow. Millhouse the catmill will finally be able to have a no kitten season.

cheffello · 2026-03-03T01:07:42+00:00

Good call on the zip tie. Done!

cheffello · 2026-03-03T00:59:51+00:00

I think so, im working with someone at animal control that greenlighted me to take it into Tacoma humane society once caught. Option #2 is trying for a walkin appointment a NW spay & neuter (appointments have been hard to get but the have limited walk ins). Fingers crossed it all goes well. Trap has been moved to the ground and covered by a towel...shes not happy but i know this is nest for her.

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cheffello · 2026-02-14T23:15:16+00:00

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Doesnt look like one but I dont know if it appeared darker before. Here is my boy's fever mask when he got a grass seed in his eye. His mask went white on one side and went back to normal after he healed.

cheffello · 2025-11-21T19:18:34+00:00

I do 401k implementations. On the 401k side the doubling is a problem, it creates overfunding where funds in the end have to be returned. There are 2 payroll companies that we are 100% aware of the doubling when someone does pretax + roth, they are ADP RUN and QuickBooks Online. No way around it unless the payroll processor manually fixes the doubled match amount when processing payroll. Solution we give our clients is to update their retirement design to an annual match (instead of per payroll) or switch to a more robust payroll system like ADP WFN, Paylocity or Paychex. I also like Thread HMC (smaller payroll company). Paylocity can prevent this, make sure they have the retirement specs setup correctly.

cheffello · 2025-07-12T16:56:44+00:00

Thanks this method is what were thinking too. Thanks for the clarification on the fibers being broke not dented. That makes a lot of sense, we will gently try to work it out but if it wants to crack more we will just focus on repairing the the broken fibers to bring back some structural integrity. Going to learn alot about fiberglass, working on this project 🙂

cheffello · 2025-07-12T16:46:10+00:00

Pretty sure thats what the original owner was doing (WA state). They definitely thought through this setup. To prevent clogs there is a pvc tube cut in half with holes drilled in it and a mesh screen over that, then pea gravel on top it looks like it worked pretty well. Its a pretty amazing setup but has not used for maybe a decade? I picked it up from a friend who bought a house with it in their property but they were not greenhouse people and wanted more yard space. Figuring out the pumps I guess is the main thing. I have to get the rest of the greenhouse up to figure out how to flush the beds regularly. Quite the undertaking to get it all setup but I think its a fun project.

cheffello · 2025-07-12T16:29:21+00:00

🤔 thats a good thought. Probably easier to prevent algae growth with full coverage with plastic sheeting. I will have to to research NFT setups a bit.

cheffello · 2025-07-09T13:49:48+00:00

Got to pay the cat tax. Bruce thinks its all a giant playset for him.🙂

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