Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

FYI - the packed media filter seems to work very well and the MBBR portion on the outside of this filter is now functioning. The air delivery would work better with a different bottom shape for the 15 gallon barrel so the air is turned up a bit more than I'd like but still OK. I'm using a 70 LPM air pump at roughly 1/4 of it's capacity. Cleaning the static media chamber is a breeze with the air and very little water is wasted. The solids collection is much better than with the RFF in my opinion but I have no way to test this. May have to try out some micro beads

I like your filter and glad its working out. In my opinion if you can do away with an RFF your winning. What air pump are you using?

Good links, thanks. The paper by Ebling is fantastic.

They seem like a really good filter with excellent capabilities. The one I have lined up comes with a Onga 413 pump which is 9000L/H @ 15m head @ 400W which isn't ideal for power use, as well as the large aerator I have also is 400W so Ill be pushing near 1kW in power draw for my main two components. I may be over that depending on my sump pump size. I need to do some calc's to work out if this is feasible.

What I do like about them (because I work away a lot) is if I can automate the back flush it will give me piece of mind.

Oh, and the media is Nitrotech polyethylene beads.

I'm using one of the Hydrofarm commercial pumps, this one, but the colors different - http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-AAPA70L-60-Watt-Commercial-Outlets/dp/B002JPM91W

You're further along than I thought you were. It sounds like your going to have a spectacular setup when you're finished . Are you setting this up with an AP system or is it going to be straight Aquaculture?

Polystyrene is Styrofoam. The beanbag beads would likely be hard to contain.

That's actually what they use in some of these Ron .

http://www.e-fas.org/Upload/files/E-FAS/18_%EC%A1%B0%EC%9E%AC%EC%9C%A4_2011_135_2011_12_26.pdf

The beanbag beads are larger than the size used though.

Bugger I missed all this, if I was you scotty I would go with virgin HDPE pellets, hardish to contain but won't break down better SG also.
If that was the paper I read that was what they were using. I would be really unhappy with polystyrene beads they do not have the mechanical strength.

I've got big plans Scotty, just taking longer than expected. Also have bub on the way now too.

It will be a combination of RAS and AP. by combination I mean I can isolate each to run on its own.

Mostly trying to help out Charlie by giving him some links to information Sleepe. Good to know about the HDPE beads Sleepe . Sounds like Charlie is likely using the right stuff. I'm pretty happy with my packed bed filter as it is. If I did add some of those HDPE beads I could filter out smaller particles but I'd have to change the exit openings because the beads would flow right through, still it is tempting .



What's "bub" Charlie - Is that an aerator? Sounds like your going the same way I am (probably doing it better though). I'm trying to connect the old AP system to some DWC beds and connect the new RAS system to the same beds but with timed or intermittent pumping. I'm going to pump out a set volume from the RAS and let it slowly flow back in to the RAS sump via a float valve. Still easy to isolate the system if needed. This will let me use a single top up valve in the AP to fill both systems when it's operating (I hope ). I've run into some problems in how I set up the filtration on the AP side so I'm working on other things for now .

"What's "bub" Charlie - Is that an aerator?"
Sort of scotty except you have to put them over your shoulder and pace up and down for a while to get the air out

From time to time they turn into an air lift for milk as well.

Sorry if this had been answered before, but what is an RAS??

Regards

Are you getting any residual ammonia or nitrite readings with the new filter Scotty? I've just put in a RFF and MBBR to operate my barra system overnight as a RAS (to prevent temp drop) and am finding I get residual ammonia and nitrite readings in the morning.

Over the day the system runs as a conventional F&D media growbed system (to increase temp and feed plants), with the RAS loop running in parallel with it - the ammonia and nitrite decrease to just measurable by the end of the day. The MBBR has been going for around 7 weeks now, so may not be fully cycled, OR I may be getting denitrification due to build up at the bottom of the MBBR. Its a combined MBBR and sump so I was hoping the pump at the bottom would prevent excessive build up.

We call those ankle biters Sleepe - of course if one of the parents is an Extraterrestrial it's a different thing entirely - better hope Charlie's the father or you Aussies are in for a rough go




I've seen how that works but prefer not to get to close

RAS stands for Recirculating Aquaculture System - No plants just fish, solids filtration, and bio-filtration (although we tend to cheat a bit on the plants).



Not that I can tell, I'm running with just 20 3 to 4 inch fish, a light load, and I haven't got the algae under control in this tank. We'll see, I'm on day 2 of running a UV clarifier to kill the algae. The algae tends to sponge up any excess for growth so it screws with the results. The tank has a canopy but gets sunlight from the West.

Sounds like an interesting setup Mattyoga, it might not be cycled but I think it should be by now. My first MBBR collected more solids than the RFF so I got rid of the RFF and put this new packed media filter in. A significant amount of solids were getting by the RFF but even with them collecting at the MBBR I had no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates - I suspect the breakdown was to N2 gas because some oxygen was getting to the bottom so it was anoxic not anaerobic. I was seeing phosphates at about the 3 week point and took this as a sign to empty out the solids from the filters. This is all with the packed bed followed by an MBBR - the old setup - now there is a packed bed followed by two MBBR's in line but it's only been running like this for a few days.