Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

hello
sory i haven't been on the forum for a while got myself a new toy to play with an r/c air plane. i'm going to learn how to crash.
to the point now i still have alage in my tank, but does not seam to affect the fish in anyway .plants are doing fine and growing well. i want to know if anyone has used a sand filter of any kind. i have been playing with the idea of taking a 2 in pipe, drill about 20 or so holes, wrap the pipe with a miteral so that sand can not clog it.and place it in the bottom of a barrel with about 100 pounds of fine sand. and use a pump to slowly move water from the bottom up. please tell me what you think.

I don't quite understand. You want to get rid of the algae?
Yes a sand filter could do that but you will need to clean (backflush?) it quite often or the trapped algae will just rot and feed another algae bloom.
How much sunlight hits your fish ponds?
Perhaps some sort of shading lid would work?
Or unless its gonna stuff up your plumming a layer of duckweed?
I like algae but ya thats just me.

i'm using a 60% shade cloth over the tank. the algae does not bother me that much, but i would like to see the fish. and it would make cleaning the bottom easier.

If funny, but I cant seem to keep the algae going in my fish tank My tilapia eat it all...
A sand filter will remove the algae, but design it to back flush it every day. I would mame the water flow down into the sand so it pack under pressure. They pump the other way to flush; which will require more than a slow pump. Make sure you back wash to waste and not into the fish tank.

If you are trying to convert the ammonia to nitrates, using a sand filter (aka fluidised bed biofilter) is a viable proposition. The sand provides a high surface area for bacteria, but it is important that the flow should be maintained at a level which has the sand "floating" in the water. If the sand settles, it may "pack down" and effectively set like cement, as far as pumping water thru it is concerned.

While this may be good for the fish, it may not impact on the algae population.

Tony

A FSB will not remove algae, but a normal pool type hydraulic sand filter will.

Alright my 2 cents....

Perhaps you could use some sort of flocculate? That is a chemical that makes the algae clump up so it can then be removed easier.

Or you could try a blue dye to limit the depth light waves that algae uses penetrate the water.

Or you could try using barley straw to slowly release hydrogen peroxide and inhibit algae growth.

Personally though I think you need more grow bed. The algae is a sign to me that either you don't have the optimum amount of bacteria in your growbed (filter) or you don't have the optimum amount of plants in your growbed. The plants are not matching the fish poo production.

Left over ammonia, nitrite, nitrate = algae.

Yea I know you want to keep up a certain level of nitrates, but I would be curious to see a complete test of the water.
I would also be a bit concerned about where the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate would go if there was no algae to soak it up.

[quote=
Left over ammonia, nitrite, nitrate = algae.
[/quote]
Nitrogen forms can help to promote algae blooms but not cause them in themselves.
Algae needs nutrients.
If you remove all nutrients from the water, algae won't form
If you were to place a small amount of sea water into the water, (one to two percent) algae will proliferate. This can be done with out any added nitrogen other than what is presently in the sea water.
A lack of algae would not be the best environment for fish and may indicate low mineral content in the water.
Where do I pay my "Two bob"

Graytell

i have seen a differance once i put the shade cloth over the tank to where it is almost clear again, but as soon as i remove the cloth for a day or two the alage returns. and looks like a thick pea soup. strange to me!

A few people have asked for you water test reults....?

Not surprising,,,water+nutrients+sun= perfect pant growing conditions.Inthis case , aquatic environmentit equals Algie growth.
Remove one of the 3 ,light and you no longer have ideal conditions are the growth slows/stops.

This is the very reason why most fish aquariums are not placed near windows.

If you don't want to shade your tank,then you need to add something that eats algie.

Any reason why you keep taking the shade cloth off CC...I keep my fish tank covered at all times except when I am feeding the fish - have no problems with algae whatsoever

Put it on .... no algae.... take it off .... algae... put it on ... algae...

Seems like an obvious pattern to me.... also seems surprising that your system is sooo sensitive to algal growth....

Sunlight and nutrients are the prime factors, along with pH .... too many nutrients probably means you're feeding too much...

What are your current water test values?