Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Andrew

The reason we were interested in the pump size is that we have two new projects on the drawing board for next year and we were looking to upgrade the pumps we normally use so keep us posted on how your pump performs.

Your source water may cause you some problems initially. Ours,which comes from a local lake, through a treatment facility can sometimes measure 10.2, yes 10.2!!! However it does come in handy for topping up the fish tanks when the ph has dropped. This time of the year we use rainwater and as you know,we ain't short of that,so I am hoping that your ground is not too soggy and causing the growbed supports to sink in the mire.

WD and OH

10.2 ...

You wouldn't need to add any washing powder when you do the laundry then.... if fact how come your cloths just don't start dissolving each time they're washed????

Rupe

Most people wear collarless shirts - I wear shirtless collars.

I once followed the tanker that takes the chemicals to the water treatment station and it had HAZARD written all over it. Makes you think. What Andrew's water is like is anyones guess.
WD

I'll have to do a test straight out of the tap - should be interesting.

Hi Andrew
Put your postcode in the box on this page and it should tell you all you need to know
http://www.unitedutilities.com/waterquality.htm
It looks like you may have very soft water

Just tried it: 'The water supply to this area is very soft. '

Good guess!

OK, we're almost "finished" I know that's optimistic, but it feels like we are getting there. Hopefully the leaking sump joints are sealed, and we can get on with it! Here are the latest pics:



You can see my beautiful brick path – good thermal mass to help with moderating the polytunnel temperatures, and much nicer to walk on than the mud! The large buried sump at the back has a timber deck covering it that the kids can stand on to reach the back beds – so I think those will now be their spot for planting.

And here’s the right hand side:



The timber “paving” is over the new link between the two shallow sumps – designed so that I can lift it up to check for leaks.

Now it’s all “cycling” again – building up the bacteria that’ll clean the water. Soon I’ll start planting – but in the meantime we have our first Aquaponics workshop on next week, so time to tidy up!

Looks great Andrew - I can certainly appreciate how much work has gone into setting that up !

Interested to see houw your course goes next week.

Woohoo

We finally have a nitrite reading. And plants are coming up (Rocket)

Off to get a Nitrate test kit, and then time to start planning for fish!

Big day is nearly here in Manchester . . . 100 10g Rainbow Trout expected tomorrow morning!

The readings are all looking OK I think:

pH - 7.5
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite < 0.05
Nitrate - 0
Cl < 0.05
O2 = 14-15
Temp = 19c

Will have pics of them for you all when they get here, and I should add some pics of the polytunnel - it's crazy at the moment!

OK, here are the pics!





Some Water Chestnuts we've just "planted":


And the bubbles from one of the 6 Airstones just added:

Hoping all goes well for you today with the trout arrivals.
Looking at your pictures we can see that you have put a great deal of hard work into your set up, so well done,mate and good luck with the fishies.

WD and OH.

Thanks WD &OH

The fish are in!

We now have 100 10g rainbow trout in our system - they're about 4" long. Feeding them about 2.5% of body weight a day (about 30g total).

Plenty of paranoid testing to be done now!

One thing we've noticed is that our air compressor is running very warm - is that normal or are we over-taxing it?

At last, the circle is complete and you have a total set up.

Our aerators all run warm and I think that the reason they have the finned exterior is to provide greater surface area to dispell the heat build up from the constant working of the motor. Start worrying when you can fry bacon on it.

WD and OH

Surely you mean when I can fry Trout on it

The fish where happy and splashy this morning, although they all disappeared when we started to feed them!?! off to take the readings now.