Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Not much going on here but a pic for future reference anyways.

PH - dunno
AMM - dunno
NITRI - dunno
NITRA - dunno
TEMP - cold
DO - yep














p.s. I think my piston pump has crapped itself finally, making some weird noises. Ill dissect it on the weekend.

Thought Id do a little fish vid today although I probably should have done it before feeding time as the camera has picked up all the floaties. But anywho, trout are looking good and looking to have almost overgrown the 3 yr old straggler perch.

Hey Charlie

Did you find out what the problem is with your pump?

Cheers

Been waiting on my new air pump to arrive, was hoping before the weekend but it didnt turn up so the disection will have to wait sorry Gwyd. Im looking forward to checking out its internals actually. *dont be dirty peeps*

Did you order the same again? I think more than 1.5 years is a good lifespan and maybe it's not really broken and you get a backup.

Jeez theres a lot of crap in that tank. But you don't see it till you put a camera in there eh. Yabby looks like he is shitting himself with all those fish shooting around

Gwyd - no Ive ordered a different air pump but yea, I think 1.5yrs is ok for a cheapo piston pump.


Mantis - yea mate, looks pretty bad down there with the camera actually. Cant see it when your looking in from up top. Maybe I need to back off on the feed cause I was a little surprised to be honest.

Why not get your own bee hive Charlie?? Is easy enough and our bees need all the help they can get as they have been obliterated in the wild the past few years.

Cool vid Charlie, so relaxing watching the fish hey

MAJOR HSM!


About an hour ago Mrs Charlie came in from out the back yard and said she heard a strange metallic 'clacking' sound come from the AP and then an unusual silence. My first thoughts were, oh well there goes the aerator Ive been waiting to die. I approached the AP and things seemed very calm and quiet... too quiet. Hang on, theres no water returning from the GB drains! WTF!

I had a gander in the FT with a flash light... the main water pump is dead. It has an extension cord between the power point and the pump cable so I removed that and plugged the pump cable straight into mains... nothing. Hmm, ok, removed the pump from the water to have a look, make sure there isnt a fish or yabbie stuck in the rotor. Nothing. The pump feels hot though.

Ok, first things first is the fish. I need to keep them alive. I have another water pump but its only about a 1500L/H but its going to have to do. Trying to make the little pump fit to the plumbing of the existig set up proves to be a task, its 9pm and everything is closed so Ive pulled every fitting out of my stash to piece together a working system. Ive got it and water is flowing again, albiet very poorly.

Ok, next step Im thinking there is no way Im risking all these fish to a poor water turn over and minimal oxygenation so I need air. Luckily I already have a second small pump in the FT that has a venturi so I have some air. Also, I remove my Pondone 4000 from my aquarium system and add that to the FT as well. OK Ive got air and water flow.

The DWC is offline because the little water pump just doesnt have enough. I may be in trouble because there are no decent pump supplies in town so Ive ordered one on line and will have to wait it out.


RIP Rio hyperflow 26HF. Born 23/11/12 - Died 26/8/13. Very disappointed.

I hope your emergency repairs hold the system together until the new pump arrives, Charlie. (Or maybe OBO has a spare pump you can borrow?)

Im hoping too, PJ. Luckily, I dont have a FT full of trout this year.

I may give OBO a call if the fish are looking sluggish tomorrow.


If there are any electrical minded peeps out there... the shaft I removed from the air pump body was steaming hot and there was a feel of magnetism as I pulled it out. Kinda weird.

Done what you can Charlie... air is the most important... you can always water change if you have to... if you can?

Thanks Rupe. Hopefully Ive done enough for tonight, temps here are quite cool at the moment so that should play in my favour till morning. Water changes are the next step, good point, hopefully Mrs Charlie has been watching me the last few years and can sort things whilst Im at work tomorrow.

Fingers crossed.

I hate loosing fishies.

I think that is normal, Charlie. I notice it when I remove or replace the impeller in my pumps. I think it is the induced EMF from the coil.