Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

1 or 2 bales would do the job, and running the water through a suitable filter would speed the water clearance up even more.

It's currently running through the sand filter 24/7 plus 2 large biofilters. I really didn't want to have 2 bakes ôf straw rotting away in the pool bit worried about the allo baby aerobic activity but I'm running out of other options. Although I don't see straw in the pools in the natural pools mags.

Pool is usually clearer in the morning than at night so I assume the filters are clearing algae but it is still growing in the heat of the day. This says to me I don't have a clearance prob.

Lol apple needs to sort out their auto spell sorry readers

How often do you see models with curlers in their hair? They take the bales out for pictures...

I don't know what mags you read Ron, but don't they always have the curlers?

Colours- you could just put a bale in a wrap of shade cloth to contain it- 15mins on the sewing machine, or even just have your return water filter through a bale- filtering + cyanobacteria destruction all in one!

Yah just for youse guys I will try to source some barley tomorrow. I have since discovered a mob in orstraya.

http://mynaturalpool.com.au

Check out their designs, they're breathtaking. If my bale of rotting barley straw doesn't fix my prob might call these guys in for a consultation. Wish my pocket was substantially fuller.

You funny

Thanks hairy camel. Have done the ring around and my closest supplier of barley straw is in qld. One bloke getting back to me tomorrow but not looking promising.

I know of a couple of bales that could be picked up from Woy Woy next weekend for $10/bale if that's feasible for you. It's a bit closer than Qld anyway.

Unfortunately I have a christening on next weekend Gordon would have been good tho.

BUT I just got a call from my husband who has returned home and realised that I have been turning my UV lights off when I turn off my pool pump which I have done every so often to save a bit of power or if kid wrangling gets in the way of my projects and I don't make it back to my pool area for a couple of hours. Or all day or night.

Don't think the UV lights work very well when they're off.

In his words, "whoopsy, doopsy, ditzy, do".

They're on now, that is all

Hey Love the thread.. Got a Question How handy with Tool's is Hubby..

-- If your pH is high you need 2 thing's..

And No I'm not talking about anything that is hard to make..

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?69030-Birdman-s-Sand-Gravel-Filter

Now instead of the sand you use Shell Grit..

I have one of these on a small pond that I have and I have not had any issues with Pea Green Water since I installed my first one...
- In fact when I first got my pond up and Running. I did not have one installed and about 3 days after I had the fish in the system the pond went Pea Green..
I made and installed my first Sand filter and after a period of 2week's I went from Pea green to crystal clear..



3yr's later..

- The only Issue I have at the moment is string algae, but then I have been letting the system power under it's own steam..
No fancy expensive Filter just a Settlement tank and the Sand filter..
Over time I flush the filter out, but after 3years of operation it is in need of a major overhaul..
- Repack and cleaning of all media in the system..

The shell grit needs to be topped of when ever it needs to be..



So If you make a system as Birdman has explained.. you should be able to do OK..
- 1 of the things we don't have all the fitting that they have in America so just make sure that you pack the Air manifold off the Bottom of the barrel..
- also if you don't Feel comfortable in drilling thru the Bottom of the Barrel, as long as the Main Inlet pipe goes to the Bottom of the barrel it will be fine..[Ie a T at the end on the Bottom..]

Make sure that the Outlet flow is Large enough to flow Gravity Feed back into the Pond, you could even use it to make a Water Feature that drop's into the Pool..



There is another Filter I would recommend..

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?69028-Birdman-s-Fluid-Bed-Filter

Do I trust this filter, yes I have one of these on my large AP system an it has been working full tilt for over 2+ years now..

>> A few Modification thou..

- 1 I flow the Water into the barrel via the top.. I don't come in via the side..
- 2 I have replaced the Large air disk in the system with 2 large 50mm round Air stone's.. They have enough action to boil the water and keep the K1 moving around..



If you want any photo's of what I have in my system's just ask..

Juergen

Psst if you can FLow 25-30k of water thru your system it should be good..
- If you can have a Look at the Pool Pump Power usage maybe think of replacing it with a More Efficient Pump...

I'm not sure on the Power usage of the Pool Pump but from memory they use about 4-5 time the power of a efficient Pond Pump..
- Maybe even run 2 pump's.. say 10,000lt for 80w each..

J

Wow thanks snowt! Right now I'm at the tail end of school hols so will wait til that's finished before I give the time to that reply of yours that it deserves.

In the meantime BAM! Look what happens when you follow the manufacturers instructions! (Ie Turn power on unit)

Needs a bit of a sweep but other than that pretty impressive. See my koi at the bottom?

Kids happy, mum n dad happy.

Looking forward to seeing some nitrates so I can use the water in my orchard.

Excellent Colours,

"-- If your pH is high you need 2 thing's..

Now instead of the sand you use Shell Grit.."

Umm SnowT, doesn't shell grit raise pH?

Smack

I received my SP today, approx 20 for the pool pond and 90 for the AP. Fish immediately started picking at the filamentous algae on the pool walls. They are hungry and I have no food yet so win win. Koi although somewhat bigger seem to not bother them so far. Looking forward to seeing what sort of growth I can get b4 winter when it will slow. Kids now happily swim in the pool pond for hours every day and mum n dad dangle our legs in and watch the fish with a bottle of cider after a long hot day at work.

This IS the life!