Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So, been busy with the big system plumbing so the pp sys has been somewhat ignored the last few days. I did add a dose into the gurgle bottle sometime between the last readings and tonight (yesterday March 1 I think.)
Must have been a strong dose as the readings this evening around 6:30 pm March 2, 2008 were as follows.
pH 7.6
Ammonia 2
Nitrite 5 or more
Nitrate 20-40

So I guess that with the feed/starve I may have slowed the bacteria down a bit and the water level probably needs a top up but it looks like the max dose for this little system is probably around 200-300 mL of aged urine per day. I've usually been dosing between 400-500 mL but the system is usually not ready for another dose at the same time next day. I'll let the Ammonia get back down below .25 before I dose again (provided the Nitrite is comming down too) And then I'll see how the system reacts to daily dripped dosing at a lower strength.

For the gurgle bottle I usually add the dose of urine and top up with system water so it will dose at a nice rate.

3/3/08 6:30pm
Ammonia .25
Nitrite 2-5

Dosed 200 mL in the gurgle driper

3/4/08 4pm
pH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 2-5
Nitrate 40

will dose again at 200 ml this evening in the gurgle dripper.

Must be a pisser of a system

LOL.

Oh I finally got some Iron for the system. I dosed at about half strength I think and will wait a few days to see if there is any effect.

Keep up the good work, but be careful who you get the P from, antibiotics are likely to kill off your good ones.

Just two of us who live here will be donating and mostly just myself. Probably not a good idea to donate while taking antibiotics or any other really strong meds.

TC, saw this yesterday and thought of you, maybe you could eat more spinach to add iron:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Vegan-S ... ine-into-/

I have to wonder if the public that was served the cabbage was told how it was grown? LOL

It looks like a performance art piece - did you see the table?

I hadn't gotten that far before. LOL, some people are strange. I suppose I can't talk though. That table makes it all look so terribly high tech and complicated though. Ah well, I'm not about to switch to being a vegan just to grow my veggies but cool link anyway!!!!!

Today's pp system update
Is it a sign that a system is maturing when you start seeing odd clogging and flow rate changes? I had to clean out the siphon into the flush bottle today when I noticed that the system wasn't flushing.

Anyway
3/5/2008 5:45 pm
Ammonia 0
Nitrite .25
Looks like the system kinda likes the steady lower dose.
I dosed again at 200 ml

I am hoping to have the Nitrites get back to 0 and I will see if the system can hold steady for a while at the lower drip feed dose before testing the limits.

results 3/6/2008 4:30 pm
Ammonia 0
Nitrite .25 perhaps a shade more
Nitrate ohh High 80 perhaps a bit more?

Yep yesterday was a strong sample. Wow, I think I need a young tomato plant in that system to suck down some Nitrates!

Dosed again with 200 ml of what will again probably be a strong sample.

Not much exciting to report.
3/7/08 5pm
pH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40-80
I dosed with 200 ml in the gurgle dripper.
I added some water to the system which means of course it is pouring out now and I'll probably have an overflow.

0-0-40 to 80 might not be exciting but its matured well

It would be interesting to see how many veggies can be produced from a persons pee.