Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

the original float switch came from some where else, no brand on it.

Okay, the sequence of events
we were upstairs putting kids to bed and such. The computer and all other items that were plugged into power points all went off. The main power (lights etc) stayed on. Alex checked the switch box and flicked over the safety switch. It stayed tripped off. There were a few heavy draw items running at the time (pool pump, food dehydrator) so we assumed it must have overloaded things, and they were switched off. Flicked the switch again and it all stayed on.
From the house you can hear the fish pumps running (water splashing etc) so we thought all was okay up the hill. we didn't go up in the dark with a torch and shine it in the system (jade perch sleep - who knew? ) and sudden light causes them to panic and crash into the sides of the tank (concussion seems to occur).
We finished the night, went to bed. in the morning the usual checks of the tanks happened, with about 30cm of water left in the monster tank and both the main pump (Bertha) and the sump pump running non-stop.
Bertha would have run all night, and the water would have flowed back to the sump, and been pumped back in as necessary. The sump pump is smaller than Bertha and would have been overwhelmed a few times and the water would have overflowed the sump (the ducks liked it).

The system is currently running on a timer, while we wait for the float switch, which got left off the bloody plane in Sydney . Monday.

Bugger. Is there any way of sitting the bigger pump on a bit of large dia PVC. allow it suck from the bottom. But give you some more room if something happens.

that's an interesting concept Duff. I'll have to think about that one. Only real issue is the pump isn't round, it's kind of triangular

One could set pump on stainless or plastic support (rod or bolt or whatever) in pipe high enough that it can not suck below safe level.

Alternative: blue barrel is set outside fish tank with pump is in blue barrel and modified SLO in fish tank.

Please forgive my sketches and scanner....

Jaymie, was in the B store today gathering more bits and came across a radio controlled rain tank monitor which will work up to 200mtr's away. Straight away I thought of your problem, would be ideal cost about $145. sends an alarm back to base when too H or L. Why wouldn't that wor

Here it is. http://www.rainharvesting.com.au/how_it_works.asp

I like that a lot

Good find chainy.

That is pretty cool.

I like alarms. Before I upgraded to an alarm that rang my mobile the old one would keep going until I turned it off. Was a bugger when I was away for a day and a mouse set it off. Really bugged next door to listen to the siren for 14hrs.

the new float arrived yesty, by coincidence looks to be the same type as the last one We will keep an eye on it.

As a treat for not dying, the fish got about 15L of duck weed yesty. This should help with the clean up, and provide some food for those who are hungry.

25kg salt today, to treat the still wounded fish it looks like some have holes in them that could have been burns?

Not hole-in-the-head or lateral-line-disease?

They kind of look like ulcers....?

yes, and fin rot also

Bet no one is game to what the water tests are

Water tests... has Jaymie finally got a test kit....