Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

A TXI representative in Dallas called me back and left a message. On behalf of the Houston rep.
I need to return his return call...
How much are we looking for, for the Houston AP club, if they can send some half-to-5/8-inch aggregate our way?
How does the pH look in your water after running thru expanded shale for a frustrating abount of time?!?

Who else is lurking in Gr Houston that needs to buy in on a major load of Texas expanded shale?

Rick

I still have not put it all back together yet - so no water as of yet. The silicone should be cured by the weekend so then we will see if I got the leaks fixed or not. If fixed it will be ready for gravel and testing. If it is still leaking, I'm just gonna put cheap liner in it and move on. I know the wife gave me the approval to get all my gravel now, but I'm not sure I want a whole load of it sitting around in the back yard. So for now I need about 1/2 a yard.

Mark

OK, you can scoop that much out of my initial order. The two tubs I have will need 1.5CY each = 3CY, but you know transport will be a big factor in the price. So don't want to reorder to fill the next two RMSTs.
I left Rene at TXI a phone tag with more pebble-size details, and a quantity of 6 yards. Pebble size I said would be in the 5/8 to 3/4 inch range.
Oops, forgot to stress that I really don't want it to dissolve in pH 6ish water.

This meeting of the Houston Area Live Fish And Seed Society is adjourned till next time...

Hi voodoo

Just built myself an ibc system
Found it much easier to cut tank by taking top supports out and removing tank,cutting frame then tank, much neater
Siphon filter works better in the middle from research going through screw on lid with grow bed mounted sideways on top of tank.
Weight is relevant to litres/gal
1000lt is 1 tonne
plus weight of unit
good luck let us know where your at I'll post some photo's of mine it's 2 weeks old got silver perch and heaps of seeds sprouting already

Redrilled the overflows in the fish tank today to two inches. 1 inch overflows just don't cut it. The new overflows can keep up with the pump much better and I do not have to divert nearly as much water back to the sump. Would probably need 3 inch to keep up with sminfiddle's monster pump. Noticed my syphon was not emptying as fast now that there is some gravel in there. I need to find a better way to keep gravel away from the syphon.

So back out to HD to get another 2" elbow, more PVC cement. more solicone and some gaskets. Will stop by the garden center on my way home and get some gravel also.

Everything reassmebled with larger pipe. 3 1/2 minutes to flood, and 5 1/2 minutes to drain. Will have to fine tune it with a smaller pump and some valves to get it to match up to a timer. Tomorrow I get to wash gravel....oh joy!

OK - now I see why the standard for fill times is 15 minutes....anyone have tips for timers that are programable to 5 minutes?

Hea,

i have a couple of these, for my GH Lights, to help extend the days light duration, and like them real well....
http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/ite ... egoryName=

i seem to remember that they may only have 20 on off times per day though, but i bet a timing schedule could be worked out around that limit

OK - so I got some of the gravel washed and started cycling the system. Have not taken reading yet, but will probably have to add some more humonia once I do take some reading. I also have an aquirium water change well overdue, so will add that water to the system in the next couple days. I still need to get a timer, I have just been running out whenever I think about it and turn the pump on - dream of things to come for a few moments and then watch like a little kid in a candy store as it drains. I also need to get some more gravel as only 2/3 of the 1st bed are done. I figure I can get the second bed up and going anytime as long as it is while fish are still small.

Some pictures...crap - have to remember to add in reverse order next time.

Keep it continuous

Washed 5 more bags of gravel this evening. GB #1 is now full and cycling away. I need another two or three bags to get a layer on top that stayes dry. There is still a lot of visible puddles. But no rush on that. Anyone know a good way to get the gravel to settle a little more quick so I do not need to top it up later. Got lots of humonia in there, perhaps a little to much as it really kind of smells like a fish pond now. It is convenient though while washing beer and drinking gravel.... ....err washing gravel and drinking beer.

Scored a free timer from the neighbor today. It is an industrial sized one made to turn signs on and off. It only has one on and off per day, but I think I may be able to modify it for mre on/off times.

If not, you can combine it with another timer for some kind of process that you only need during the day (or night). Like supplemental aeration at night. Or an intermittent mist system during the day (for rooting cuttings).

Or a neon sign over the ICB:
deja... VOODOO... dejaVOODOO...
yeah the HOA will just looove that. Better send it to me.

All going well for you, DV?