Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

If the roots don't go in at either end, there must be a split or hole in the pipe somewhere, so if it was me, I'd just replace it with a new length of pipe and not waste any time trying to clear the roots out.

+1

Probably the fastest and easiest - you can re-use the pipe the next time it happens if it isn't broken

+2
bypass with a length of black poly pipe.
deal with the roots later. Dig holes when it is damp and you need to burn off footy frustration...

If you've got trees anywhere near your system, that's probably where the roots are coming from.

Thanks everyone.
This is my main drain and has over 2500 litres of gb tee'd into it, all buried in clay beneath concrete slabs and paving... Yeah I know plana head... Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Yes I agree replacing the pipe and sealing the root penetration is the best course of action however it should be sealed and there are no trees within 5 meters. I'm of the opinion, and I may be wrong, as I frequently am, that the roots are stragglers from the system which have no top section. Seems a silly thought now spelling it out.....
Until it rains and cools off more I'll not be able to dig it up without dynamite. Digging the end and cutting in to clear the straight section where all the other pipes tee in is my somewhat flawed plan.
If only I'd been a proctologist.

if you can access it then you can probably hire the plumbers spin cutters that they use to clear drains/sewage pipe. But guess that comes at a price. those are pretty effective though chances are the roots grow back.
Sort of time when its handy to have a mate that's a plumber... (which sadly I don't).

sounds like something to have a few beers while thinking about......

Found it, roots got the n at the 2nd gb tee into the main drain. Obviously on the original join I was too miserly on the glue.....I dug up two tees and drilled a hole in the middle one revealing the root mass. Probably been in there for a while.
Now the task of repairing the holes and the tee where the roots penetrated. And the other tee where I dug and cracked another join during the dig.
Below is the root mass blocking the 90mm pipe, and a pic of a couple of gbs.

Wow that's quite the root mass to find in a pipe

That s a beautiful plug

I bet you're relieved you got that out!

There's a tree (?) somewhere nearby that's not happy about its lovely water and nutrient supply being cut off!

Nice work Skeg!

I'm still here, not sure what happened to my monthly updates....
The fact that the AP just keeps ticking over as time goes by I loose track of time.
Pic update coming soon......

Sooo summertime here and not a particularly hot one as yet.
The trout came out early Jan, I got 6 this year and only had one floater. A comfortable amount for us besides I've still got some of last years in the freezer... They were a bit neglected this year as the thrill is waning. 60 odd sp's in the large tank all incredibly greedy and working their way through the feed. I'm guessing the largest ones are +300mm now so getting to a harvestable size finally. We're still yet to eat one and taste their flavour, or lack of it...
We had a good Beetroot, broccoli, lettuce and celery crop through the cooler months but were disappointed with some of our other staples like silver beet, leeks and spring onions. Still can't grow garlic.
The one tomato in the bb's has gone ballistic as has the passion vine, finally. There's a rat eating the tomato's with whom I'm at war with The strawberries are also out of control but lacking in fruit, any ideas on how to encourage more fruit?
This system now has minimal maintenance and all I do is feed the fish each arvo, the sump cover is beginning to collapse so I really should reengineer it soon.
I'm up to 5 bee colonys now and as the marri is in full flower harvesting them is only a few weeks away. There's been some West Aussie honey tested for medicinal purposes recently and it reported that the jarrah and marri honeys are above manuka in medicinal qualities which makes our honey even sweeter.

[quote="skeggley"The strawberries are also out of control but lacking in fruit, any ideas on how to encourage more fruit?[/quote]

Hey Skeggley, are you adding any Potassium to the system at all? That should get strawberry fruiting underway as long as the other nutrients are at reasonable levels.