Cc Bears First System

ccBear

Starting this to follow my own advise to new members, may be retitled to simple stupid stuff ups to start with. Mainly a rant on my mistake yesterday.

The system

2200 litre fish tank

2 x half IBC grow beds with 4 more to be added after Christmas.

IBC sump with 8000 lt pump on 15/45 cycle

System will be CHIFT PIST with a 90 mm SLO reducing To 50 mm.

I started cycling with the 2 GBs and sump a week ago so I would have a bit of a start when I had finished the tank set up. Going well untill GB with lid sprang a good leak. This had been sealed and scewed tight and water tested. Crawled under the bed and checked said leak. Cap had slipped a thread with the weight of the gravel, no problems ,tube of silicon ,pore it in and give a couple of days to cure. Yesterday tested again and water following the path of lest resistance pored out again.

Ok no problems I need something to do next week so unloading 500 kg of gravel and fixing a GB is it.

Finshed for the day and checked the radar, storming coming so get A into gear. Moved feed line to GB and placed surround over top, pack up all tools and put away just as it starts to rain. Attempt to get feral chooks in pen no luck, head to house as rain falls.

Woke up this morning had coffee head to feed chooks and check system. First thing I noticed is the water feed line laying beside the GB. Quick calculation and sump would have emptyed on first cycle after I went up to the house. So it is 7am and I am standing in the rain refilling the sump tank. All the benifits of a weeks cycling down the gurgle. :upset:

Looked at the bright side of a overcast rainy morning and thought, well the water tanks are filling up again. The rest of the day is new for new things to happen, will place support straps around fish tank, fill with water and start again.

Photos and commentry will come during the week just had to note the crappy start to the day, rest of the day looks good through the rain.

Would like to thank every one here with special mention to Chainsaw and Onehellofafishetman from another site for all the advise on my journey with AP.

Cheers. Ccbear :flower:

ccBear

Another day and another lesson learnt, fill the tank and finished the feed line from the SLO. Started pumping to test the system and water p!ssing out of my 90 to 50 reduction and from the sealed end of the 50mm pipe.

Closer inspection and I soon found out why, I had used some 50mm pipe that had been here for a few years to save a bit of money and recycle what I could. The pipe had flat spots and was not creating a tight fit. Down town and purchased a metre of new pipe and replaced the end piece and glued hell out of the piece of pipe in the reduction fitting. Fired up system and all went well, so it pays to check any old pipe or second hand stuff you pick up to ensure it is ok.

Sunday, feed the chooks and checked the system, no leaks and every thing running well. Just need to fix the second GB and wait for the system to cycle. Cheers

Charlie

Looking forward to your system bear.

ccBear

Thank you charlie, have just emptied the grow bed but can not lift the bladder out by myself. Will have give a yell to someone but will get there. Cheers

Ronmaggi

Good to see you have a thread going! :headbang:

My only question is where are the pictures? :dontknow:

ccBear

Plenty to come Ron but have to get the laptop going ok, hoping this week.

ccBear

Managed to get the bladder out and with the help of a glass of red cleaned of all the old silicon from around the cap. Had a tube of Sicafex so used that to ensure a good seal.

Will reinstall tomorrow and water test again, then the gravel. Trust it all goes well I will have two beds with close to 500 litres in each. Will build the next two in early January when we get back from christmas in the Territory. Cheers

chainsaw

No photos, it didn't happen. Best of luck

neogenix

What chainsaw said!

ccBear

Yes but he was here for dinner on Saturday, will try to put a couple up of the finished first bit tonight.

Just finished refilling the second bed after repairs. All going well at the moment. Cheers