Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

18 to 20 deg during the day

Thanks Freoboy i also found one from sgivan, so safe at the moment but if it pushes towards 2 and the temp warms - then i stress

you could try dropping ph with HCL?
not sure on the mehtodolgy, i have never used HCL, but i believe its a few drops into a 9l bucket and let it mix, then poor it in

I had PH of 7.6 and use HCL 3 weeks ago

added 25 ml into a 9 litre bucket of tank water (FT), stirred and added to the sump. I have an IBC + 500 litre sump and this dropped it almost 0.2 in PH. I brought it down to 6.8 - only doing ths once a day - very safe

Just check my pump/ timer. It is set to come on for 15 minutes every hr (timer set)
and the pump is only coming on for 10 minutes at a time. It is the second timer i have used and i'm suspecting it's something to do with the pump?
Has anyone experienced this problem?
Cheers
Wal

Funny you should say this. I got a Arlec timer a few weeks ago, installed it on the weekend, the timer is definitely advertised as 15 mins interval timer, and has the normal 15 mins interval switch settings, but it only runs the pump for 10mins. Timed this with a CASIO stopwatch. I reckon I trust CASIO with time more than ARLEC...

The quality of these mechanical timer these days are worst than crap...

same deal here. my first would run for a hour, stop for about 3, then run again. didnt pick it up for agaes and couldnt work out why my ammonia was high

now onto the second one, and i think its slipping aswell . . . .need to find a better alternative

Here's your alternative: put a bell over the top of your standpipe and leave your pump on 24/7.

Heck - I'll even make you one!

BTx

hey bt
stand pipe all the way

Well I was just thinking about that... with unreliable timers these days... siphon might be the way to go...

8 siphons here working like clockwork

Well system been trying to cycle now for about 6 weeks at a guess

latest test result, could i start feeding the fish a bit more now or wait a bit longer, at the cross roads at the moment so suggestions would be great - thanks

Amm 0
ph 7.4
nitrite 1
Nitrate 15

Yep... light feed... if the ammonia pushs 1+... skip a feed until it comes down... repeat...

The Arlec style timers are usless imo.
I had 2 (Chinese made) that had exactly the same case as the Arlec one, eventually the little AC motor inside runs out of steam and cannot reliably push the wheel round.
Get a digital one if you can, no moving parts, mine doesn't even have a relay, works faultlessly, every time, 1 min settings, 140 programs.
Costs slightly more iirc, but well worth it.
No idea about distributors in Oz tho, got mine in Thailand.
Failing that, Panasonic make a very reliable mechanical timer, but it is expensive, especially as you have to buy the pins separately.

I am interested... maybe you could ship them to us here in Oz... I am sure many people would pay for a timer with 140 programs...

http://www.getprice.com.au/Greenpoint-Power-Timer-with-LCD-Display-4-PACK-Gpnc_582--50012861.htm

Looks very similar to the one I have, same specifications too, they probably all come from the same Chinese factory.
Mine has a label on it saying "Mu Electronic"
Model - C9-GIMEPLUG-2

Google didn't help, but I suspect the one in the above link is from the same origin.