Starting filter install

More ponds setup taking place...

More coverage happening...

 

The roof is now covered with shade cloth. Late afternoon shade is most welcome as already under the roof things feel slightly warmer than outside on a windless day which is encouraging. We're now adding the sides of the shed/tunnel with galvanised wire once again providing a framework for the shade cloth to be attached to. 

Slow going....

 

 It is slow work doing it properly. The shade cloth is held to the glavanised wire runs using thinner wire running the length of the supporting wires. So it is a lot of work, but we hope that the result will be a strong one.  

Shade cloth going up...

 

The wire framework for the roof can be clearly seen. We are using a 20% shade cloth to allow maximum sun penetration into the tunnel whilst still providing an additional support for the plastic that will lie on top of the shade cloth later on. In version 2 of the shed we will reverse this and put the shade cloth on top of the plastic. The intention is to protect the skin of the shed from wind - which is the most problematic of the elements beyond our control. A good wind storm can shred a tunnel in seconds and cause significant disruption to operations. We're trying to avoid that as much as possible. 

 

Skeleton up...

Now for wire and shade cloth....

 

This is the completed skeleton of the shed/tunnel. Galvanised wire now needs to be strung out to support the shade cloth and plastic skin. Note that the ground is only compacted for now. Laying a big concrete slab would be nice, but it is very expensive to do so. We have plans to have a concrete floor but for considerably less money. . 

Poles going up...

 

The ground poles are in and concreted. The balance of the poles are being installed to make us a big shed in effect. We opted for this route to cost it out in comparison to a conventional steel tunnel. A system like ours can be erected at what we hope to be lower cost, and certainly without specialist labour requirements and barely so much as a drill. The ground did have to levelled and compacted - which does require machinery. It is however a once off expense. In extreme cases terraced land can be used - tunnels or sheds like this one can be constructed in any shape or form and this is a big advantage.