Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Awesome!!! I need to re-check the nitrates in my system. I was running at 5 with 2 RSG filters, and I pulled one out. Of course my theory is that nitrates have risen.

Update on my RSG Filter:
Readings at commencement – Nitrates in all tanks ~120

Reading 2 weeks later (RSG filter kicking in)
Main Fish tank ~80
Sump with RSG filter ~40
Water in both tanks connected via a 40mm siphon pipe, so there is a continual ebb and flow, results seem to show that the RSG filter is “gassing off” the nitrates and is slowly pulling the levels down

Readings 3 weeks later (today)
Main Fish Tank 60 ( level still lowering)
Sump with RSG Filter ~40
Reading starting to level off, may be reaching an equilibrium...the RSG filter is only one stand pipe of 90mm (4”) working on 2,500 litres of fish water.

Next Step –disconnected the siphon pipe from the main setup, which is now:
Stand alone sump tank of 350l feeding the 100l GB and RSG filter only
Separate sump tank (350l) and main fish tank connected to 6 big GBs (~3,000l)

Results expected from this:
RSG filter setup – the nitrates should now continue to lower
Main Tank – due to the water volume, the nitrates will probably stabilise then slowly build up over a period of time. (or stay the same )

Forgot to add....Steve, took the nitrite level.....zero

That's great, Les.

My nitrates are still 5-10 with 1 RSG filter running.

RSG filter update:

pH 7.6 (started rising)
nitrites zero
nitrates 20

Left the filter network disconnected from the main system for a week, there is no buffer in that system and being new, the pH started rising - need to add some shellgrit

Nitrate levels continued to fall as I hoped - reconnected back on to the main system now and will continue to monitor

Looking great, Les!

This is my RSG. It is simply fed from a small hole drilled in the pipe that feeds the grow-bed. Unlike some others, I do not have a grid over my grow-bed - all the water dumps in the one place and any solids are distributed by the F&D action and worms.

Pulled down the small GB with the RSG filter and found a minor flaw in the design
- when I turned off the pump there was no water flowing through the filter (the 90mm pipe remained full even after the GB was "bell siphoned" emptry)
- a crust had formed over the top of the sand/charcoal mix (fish poo) and gradually reduced the flow to zero.

On initial startup (~3 months ago) there was reasonable flow which over the first month or so, decreased the nitrate levels from around 200'ish to 40 so the principle behind the filter works - now need to work out a maintenance program to keep it functioning

May need to redesign mine along the lines of vb's and not have the fish poo being dumped into the filter

jab a stick in it every few weeks

rofl....and check on the worms

remembered that I initially had a 90mm sieve covering the top of the pipe/filter...took it off coz it kept getting blocked up (filter was working fine up to that point).

Thinking of using a stocking as a sex filter and see how that goes...needed to re-locate the GB and filter to connect it to the new tank, so stripping it down and "updating"

a "sex" filter?

gone off the rubber, now into nylons

Will probably result in very fine children.

nice one hydro , heheh

LOL, bunch of nuts, well done.