Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey Rob - How well would you say your RFF filters out solids? And what flow rate do you reckon is going through it? I've got n old pool filter that is about the same diameter as your RFF bin (20L food bin I'm guessing?) and was wondering if it would be any good as a RFF and what flow rate would be too much for it.

Cheers
Matt

I think it works really well.. Now the feed rate has gone up with the warm weather I am having to clean it out every 3-4 days.. looking at making up an air lift vacuum to clean the base out.. Really wish it had a conical base about now



Tried to work that out the other day but got side tracked.. The RFF is 55L & has 40mm line in & out.. The pump running the system is a 4500LPH but would be running at about 3000L with the head hight from the sump to the FT & the venturi I think.. Shall look into working it out properly this week as I need to know if the lines will handle the new pump I have in mind..
I don't think that a 20L drum would allow the water to slow enough to let the solids fall out of suspension with the volume I'm pumping.. Could be wrong though ..
Hope that helps some & sorry it took a while to get back to you..



Back at you Matt

Siphon works well. I clean mine out with a hose and bucket.

Same method here too

Boxes in boxes
Cheers Chaps... Will use a siphon for the next clean..

Thanks Rob - I'm tempted to wack in a 200L blue drum RFF, though without a cone on the bottom I'll need to siphon and want to be able to just drain solids off with the turn of a tap. I'll hang fire and put a cone in the bottom...

Wondering if I can use expanded polystyrene balls to 'bulk' out the cement at the bottom for making the cone - Will then just paint with waterproofing paint....

Have you seen the "Urban farmers" clip on their filter with the cone base Matt ?


Might give you a few ideas..
Spoke to a member that was talking about getting a plastic welder to make some up.. I think it is really needed to make life easier.. Sick of wasting water trying to clean it out..

Another way I have thought about doing it for a flat bottom drum is instead of putting a bottom drain, put the drain pipe through the side (with aid of uniseal) close to the bottom then make a distribution arangement of pipework in the bottom on the inside (kinda like a SLO), and when you crank the tap open to drain the solids are forced by the water pressure out the drain. If pipes are sized well you could get a very large percentage out. Does that make sense, Im not typing too well tonight sorry.

Paul sets his up like that charlie but uses a DW floor waste flange. Find it is not very efficient, believe the cone is the best option.

Made sense to me Charlie & might just work in a small drum..

Still thinking a cone would be best

Tried to siphon the solids out today & stuffed it up Ended up looking like soup so just emptied the whole drum again..

My 200L drums have the drain going through the side with a 45 elbow on the end to suck off the bottom of the drums. The uniseals allow you to move the pipe from side to side to suck up across the bottom. Still need to give it a good flush now and then

Do you have internal pipe work on it as well Mantis ?
Any pic's ?

FYI, if you have another container handy and a bunch of aeration you can add to it, you can flush the solids and whatever extra water comes with it to that container and let it aerate heavily until the gunk doesn't stink anymore (basically means it's stabilized) then you can shut off the air, let the gunk settle and siphon off the clear nutrient rich water back to your system if you need or use it elsewhere you need really nutrient rich water. Then if you de-water whatever gunk is left and feed it to the worms, compost or soil garden, you make use of all that which is otherwise waste.

Similar to mine but a DW waste flange on the bottom. It Was but has fallen off so will have to empty it and the digester this coming weekend.