The greenhouse has some interesting design features.
- It has water tanks. Always looking to have infrastructure serve more than one purpose the same tanks also serve as
- Thermal mass to store and regulate heat. Ground level tanks that are partially buried in the earth collect heat from both the earth and air in the day and release it at night.
- Upper level tank to transfer heat between levels. Water is pumped to a upper level tank through a spray which accelerates the temperature regulation by increasing surface area. The spray action also increases the oxygenation of the water for the fish.
- 12″ diameter, upper level, PVC pipe with hydroponic plants. This holds water thermal mass and fruit bearing plants.
- Catfish tanks
- Reservoirs for the hydroponics system. Each tank is gravity fed from upper water systems in a manner that oxygenates the water for the fish.
- Warm water floating nurseries to start seedlings before last frost date
- Water reservoirs to irrigate the plants in the greenhouse through the pressurized perimeter pipes and multiple hose taps and short garden hoses
- Heating. Water is pumped around the perimeter of the greenhouse, upper and lower, through 2″ pipes to release heat from the tanks (which have temperature controlled electric tank heaters) for temperature regulation
- The greenhouse is 2 stories tall with walk ways around the perimeter walls. This affords height for tropical fruit trees.
- We collect water off the roof into outside tanks to refill the inside tanks
- The roof is slanted in one direction so that heat rises to the large venting windows which are opened in summer and assisted with a fan causing a vacuum which draws in cool air through lower level openings.
- Temperature stable goat/poultry safe pen that can be used to house goats that birth kids in winter or to start raising chicks in early spring.
- Electrical power for tools, pumps and lighting
- The ground level soil was formed from compost 4′ deep during early construction
We use the greenhouse for many things. Among them:
• Growing tropical fruit • Aqua-ponics • Home heating • Goat/chick nursery • Summer crops all year • Starting seedlings • A fun place to relax • Many herbs • Fish • Mushrooms
