Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Today's Nute's
pH = 8.2
NH3 = 0.25
NO2 = 1.0
NO3 = 10 - the seedlings and silver-beet must be taking some up.

PM from Joel tonight, my tank will be at the shop tomorrow.
Saturday to pick it up, looks promising and then 2 days to set it into the ground a little, add water and get the plumbing working.

Exciting!

So the w'end planned - go for it Tony

Today's nutrients & pH:
pH = 8.2
NH3 = 0.25
NO2 = 1.0
NO3 = 5.0

The NO2 is still a bit high for my liking (hasn't moved since yesterday), but the NO3 has come down quickly from the reading a few days ago.
Here's a photo of my readings and some of growth in GB1

I have been busy with the new fish tank and 1KL sump (aka Marron tank). EB and I loaded it onto my BIL's 8*4 trailer on Saturday arvo. (EB, Please post the photo you took of it during the tie down process.)
The trip home was uneventful and even roundabouts were no cause for concern. As I was taking it easy (read - Slowly), I did not notice the effects of the additional drag it was providing.

When I arrived safely home, my BIL (watching a sporting match in Melbourne - I think it was called "Pasting the Port") assisted the relocation of this tank to the garden. Here is a list of the issues we found:

1. The gates were 1.05M wide, the tank is 3.3M wide and 1.06M deep. It wouldn't go thru any of the gates we have into the walled garden.
2. The eaves are 2.4M above ground level. - the tank would not go under the eaves, even if we could get it thru the gates.
3. The tank is heavy. We tried to go over the woodshed (2.1 M high) but there is no way that we were able to lift the tank onto the woodshed roof - It would most likely have collapsed had we succeeded.
4. While trying to lift it onto the woodshed roof, it slipped and half rolled behind the woodshed. For a moment I thought that it could be jammed there forever due to the 60° slope of the ground there and only 600mm of clearance from the woodshed wall. We were eventually able to roll it though and rolled it past the woodshed to behind the walled garden (900mm rammed earth wall).
5. We then had to lift the tank, sliding it up the 60° slope to put the base on top of the wall.

I then started digging. The base of the tank is 2.4M diameter, so I dug out a circle of around 2.7M diameter, around 300mm deep. I barrowed the sand and clayey gravel 30 M to fill alongside my workshop. After about 80% complete, I stopped for a beer or 6. This ended the labours of Saturday.
Here are some photos of the new fish tank:

I did manage to test the nutrients in the current system before the beers took effect.
I had:
pH = 8.2,
NH3 = 0.25,
NO2 = 2.0 and
NO3 = 5.0.
This was with water temp of 22°C

I hit the hay at around 9:00pm and awoke sore, but alive (I know I was alive, I hurt to much to be dead) at 7:00am.

I levelled the hole and then, with the help from all present, eased the tank over the wall, into the hole. The hole was around 300mm to big all around, and so, I was able to optimise its location to ensure access behind it for weeding and maintenance.
Here are today's photos:

So, this afternoon was spent visiting family, checking out the local Tip Shop for aquarium parts and GB materials. We found a planter box on castors which may convert to a GB for indoors, and nephew gave me a pool pump from a cheap above ground pool. It may be worth checking out, but I think that I need something bigger and more reliable.
A friend called and advised of another trampoline frame, which we collected and took home for GB frame construction.

Here are tonight's readings:
pH = 8.2
NH3 = 0
NO2 = 2.0
NO3 = 20, up from yesterday's 5.0
Temperature is 18.9°C
Here is a photo of the readings:

levels looking good, tony, almost!

Wow, so much happening all at once Tony.... I'm jealous of the tank man...

Nice days work....

Looks like your bacteria have been busy as well.... so how long has it taken so far Tony... 2 weeks + ??

Well done mate!

lol, just saw the pic! looks like one of those asian transport emails i get

So the tank is there to stay then Tony

My first post on the this thread was on Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:24 pm. By my reckoning that makes it 5 weeks to the day.

Now the detail work starts:
Planning the location of the new 1KL sump
Locating the pump from the FT
Making a suction line and strainer for the FT pump
Laying out and fixing the flow pipe from the FT pump
Laying out and fixing the Return pipes from the GBs to the Sump
Laying out and fixing the Return pipe from the sump to the FT
Making it work!

Need to install a new 240V outlet near the FT for the timer and pump.
Perhaps an electrical fish harvester as well 240V thru the FT ?? Just joking! It would certainly be easier than chasing them with a net in that tank.

I hope that the circulation system will be in place and operating by the 28th when the WA members are gathering at my place. until then, I will maintain my existing set-up to maintain the GBs.

Here are today's Nutrient numbers:
pH = 8.2
NH3 = between 0 and 0.25
NO2 = 0.25
NO3 = 5.0
Temp = 21.2°C

Here is a pic of the test.

Now that's a tank :-)

yeah, what a beauty

I wanted the tank to be big to give me more time to react to changes in Nutrients and pH. I am sometimes needed to travel with my work. if I can leave it for 3 days, then deal with the issues on my return, then with low stocking levels, I should be able to make this work for my circumstances.

Thanks for the kind words,
Tony