Up & running.....

[Shane]

Well I finally got my system up & running this past weekend:)
Definitely got a tad confused about how it was all mean't to go together but thankfully Castaway posted some pic's for me & Murray emailed me down some to further explain & presto.....got there in the end....thanks for the help fellas.
Clay pebbles have turned the FT water 'tea coloured' (as I didn't wash them prior to loading them into the GB's). How long does it take approximately for the clarity to clear up?
Cheers,
Shane.

[Castaway]

Hi Shane - Good to see you got it up and running. Give it a few days before the water gets progressively clearer. I noticed the heavier particles of clay dust get recycled a few times before they stay in the Grow Beds. Start planting your seedlings right away and get some Seasol into the fish tank right away to get your system cycled. Might take a bit longer than normal due to the cooler weather so don't panic. Nature takes a bit of time before the bacteria colonise your system and start doing their thing. Take a few photos and start posting.

[Shane]

Start planting your seedlings right away and get some Seasol into the fish tank right away to get your system cycled. Might take a bit longer than normal due to the cooler weather so don't panic. Nature takes a bit of time before the bacteria colonise your system and start doing their thing.

Planted into the GB's immediately after hooking the system up & testing that everything was working. Added 1/2 a cup of seasol to each GB straight after. How long does it take approx for the bacteria to do its thing...3-4 weeks?


Take a few photos and start posting.
Yes....got some photo's in the camera before/during/after the build...I'll upload them to photobucket in the next day or two.
Cheers,
Shane.

[Castaway]

How long does it take approx for the bacteria to do its thing...3-4 weeks?

Depends on your water temperature. Get a thermometer and check you tank water. Might be a bit cold in Victoria and if you want to speed up things you might invest in some sort of heater. Make sure you are running air into the tank with the supplied aerator turned on.

Some useful info found on the internet:

The temperature for optimum growth of nitrifying bacteria is between 77-86° F (25-30° C).

Growth rate is decreased by 50% at 64° F (18° C).
Growth rate is decreased by 75% at 46-50° F.
No activity will occur at 39° F (4° C).
Nitrifying bacteria will die at 32° F (0° C).
Nitrifying bacteria will die at 120° F (49° C).

Nitrospira is less tolerant of low temperatures than Nitrosomonas. In cold water systems, care must be taken to monitor the accumulation of nitrites.

pH

The optimum pH range for Nitrosomonas is between 7.2-8.0.
The optimum pH range for Nitrospira is between 7.4-8.2.

Nitrosomonas growth is inhibited at a pH of 6.5. All nitrification is inhibited if the pH drops to 6.0 or less. Care must be taken to monitor ammonia if the pH begins to drop close to 6.5. At this pH almost all of the ammonia present in the water will be in the mildly toxic, ionized NH3+ state.

Dissolved Oxygen

Maximum nitrification rates will exist if dissolved oxygen (DO) levels exceed 80% saturation. Nitrification will not occur if DO concentrations drop to 2.0 mg/l (ppm) or less. Nitrospira is more strongly affected by low DO than NITROSOMONAS.

[Shane]

Thanks for the info Castaway...I currently have no idea what temp the water is (other than it seems pretty cold) so I'll grab a thermometer this weekend.

[Shane]

OK...lets see if I can get these pic's to load.

Currently had a disused triangular area down one back corner of the yard. This area used to be all lush green grass years ago (as was the rest of the yard).....but with our dams now down to 27% capacity due to the prolonged drought (& the consequent water restrictions we've found ourselves under for awhile now) all the grass packed it in died what seems a long time ago now.

Only a few sparse weeds grow now...but on the plus side I haven't had the lawnmower out since the middle of last year.

Two of my children grabbed some of their tools from the sandpit & decided to help Dad remove the bricks & assorted rubbish, level things out a tad & help put together the unit.

The 2nd hand bricks were leftover from a pathway I'd installed nearly 8 years ago...these were trailered to my Dad's house were he's now used them to pave a small garden shed floor.

Pic #1...looking at site.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020586.jpg



Pic #2...Alexander(Batman) & William(Robin) grab some sandpit tools to help out.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020584.jpg


Pic #3...different angle of site.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020577.jpg

[Shane]

Pic #4...underway


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020773.jpg


Pic #5...one GB hooked up...still going with the other one.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020769.jpg


Pic # 6...water into GB.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020791.jpg

[Shane]

Pic #7...Flow from GB back into FT.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020796.jpg


Pic # 8...both GB's emptying out.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020798.jpg


Cheers,
Shane.

[bunya boy]

Shane,
Looks like a great possie for the system. Although you seem to be a bit of a "switch hitter". . .VB and Carlton??
Glad to see the boys getting involved, just wait until they discover the fish when you put them in! You won't keep them away. Good thing the lids to Murray's systems are well constructed from HW decking section!!
Lots of good growth ahead, I can see.

Cheers IanK ;)

[aussieap]

Hi Shane, nice work.
You may find your water turns green thru the cycling stage. Don't worry about this, it is part of the process and clears up after a few days.
You have turned a bit of a dead spot into something that will bring enjoyment to the whole family. Keep us posted.

[Castaway]

Hi Shane,
Your system is configured a little different from mine. What are you going to do with the little covered tank about the fish tank? Is that a fingerling tank?
Also I noticed that in pic 7 above, that the water just squirts in from the Grow Bed straight into the tank without direction? Do you have any of those corner L -Shaped pipes connectors (see my system pics) so you can direct the flow at a 90 degree angle and raise or lower the water trajectory into the tank? This way if the water is flowing all at once from 3 different grow beds you can direct all the water flow in a certain angled direction, say clockwise, to create a swirl flow that creates a mini-current for the fish so they get good oxygen flow into their system. Mimics a natural creek flow. Worth a think if you have a few spare corner connectors laying around to attach them to the pipe coming into the fish tank. I know Murray suggested that adding those corner connectors also allows you a certain fine tuning of the water flowing out of the auto-siphons.

[Shane]

Shane,
Looks like a great possie for the system. Although you seem to be a bit of a "switch hitter". . .VB and Carlton??

Ha...I never noticed that. Never noticed it when I was drinking them either!



Glad to see the boys getting involved, just wait until they discover the fish when you put them in! You won't keep them away. Good thing the lids to Murray's systems are well constructed from HW decking section!!
Lots of good growth ahead, I can see.

Cheers IanK ;)

Yes Ian, I'm very pleased with the lids Murray supplies with the kits, think I'll add a couple of small padlocks onto them for complete peace of mind as my little ones are on the adventurous side.

[Shane]

Hi Shane,
Your system is configured a little different from mine. What are you going to do with the little covered tank about the fish tank? Is that a fingerling tank?

Yes Castaway, thats a fingerling tank on top (you have an additional GB instead)
Looking back at your pics in your thread yours also looks configured differently because compared to yours I have my tank facing backwards. Don't think its a big deal (I didn't even realise until now) but your way makes more sense now that I look at it as it tucks the float up in the back left corner rather than having it stuck up front in the bottom right one.



Also I noticed that in pic 7 above, that the water just squirts in from the Grow Bed straight into the tank without direction? Do you have any of those corner L -Shaped pipes connectors (see my system pics) so you can direct the flow at a 90 degree angle and raise or lower the water trajectory into the tank? This way if the water is flowing all at once from 3 different grow beds you can direct all the water flow in a certain angled direction, say clockwise, to create a swirl flow that creates a mini-current for the fish so they get good oxygen flow into their system. Mimics a natural creek flow. Worth a think if you have a few spare corner connectors laying around to attach them to the pipe coming into the fish tank. I know Murray suggested that adding those corner connectors also allows you a certain fine tuning of the water flowing out of the auto-siphons.

Nope I don't have those L shaped pipes but that idea seems like a good one. I'll have a look for something along those lines next time I'm at Bunnings.
Thanks for the tip.

Cheers
Shane.

[cyberfysh]

Looks great, Shane; glad you got round to posting those pix! :)

[Shane]

Pic of 1st water test...done immediately after filling FT.


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu241/Shane3137/P1020799.jpg

[Shane]

Got home late last night & wandered outside with the torch to see / check everything was functioning properly. Glad I did too.
Neither GB was flooding - water was flowing into the FT at the same rate as it was into the GB's on both sides:o
I reduced the water flow rate into both GB's & manually broke the seal on both auto siphons. Couple of loud burps later (from the auto siphons - not from me) & the GB's began flooding & draining correctly. They were still operating fine when I left home early this morning so I think it was just a case of a tad too much water flow?

[aussieap]

Looks like your system is in good hands.

[Shane]

Out the backyard with the torch again....left GB running beautifully....but unfortunately the right one was dribbling straight through into the FT with the same pressure as going into the GB as per a couple of nights ago.
Bit puzzling? but we did have some rain tonight. I returned home to find everything outside pretty wet, but exactly how hard the rain was I don't know as I wasn't actually in the area when it fell?
Got out the spirit level to once again check the GB 's were level....spot on... so as a result so I opened up the auto-siphon, pulled out the innerds & sliced approx 2mm of the bottom of the burpa tube....its since now running spot on.

Will keep an eye on it this coming weekend.

[fuzvulf]

I definately need to reload my browser. anyway good luck with the new setup.

[Shane]

Out the backyard with the torch again....left GB running beautifully....but unfortunately the right one was dribbling straight through into the FT with the same pressure as going into the GB as per a couple of nights ago.
Bit puzzling? but we did have some rain tonight. I returned home to find everything outside pretty wet, but exactly how hard the rain was I don't know as I wasn't actually in the area when it fell?
Got out the spirit level to once again check the GB 's were level....spot on... so as a result so I opened up the auto-siphon, pulled out the innerds & sliced approx 2mm of the bottom of the burpa tube....its since now running spot on.

Will keep an eye on it this coming weekend.
I think I may possibly have found the culprit behind the RHS GB malfunctioning a second time?

My system is located under a window that has a small roof over it (pics on previous page), this roof has a small drain from the guttering on the lower RHS that just points outward & downward....errr....directly above my RHS GB !!! Its possibly why the GB wouldn't function correctly after the recent rain we had.

I'll have to divert that pipe ASAP.

[Shane]

Everything working well & just motoring along nicely.
My water clarity has improved immensely & the bottom of the FT can now be seen.


....which is a good thing as I've now found out where the pistol nozzle for the hose has been hiding. I must have detached it when filling the tank for the first time. I previously thought one of the kids must have run off with it!

[Shane]

Well its 4 weeks yesterday since I turned the system on for the first time.
I was really hoping to have been able to put some fish into the FT this past weekend. System doesn't seem to have completed cycling yet though:(
The cold weather down here probably is impeding it too.
*Fingers crossed* it'll complete cycling before next weekend.

.....I have my doubts though.

[Castaway]

What are your readings Shane? Whats your water temperature?

[Shane]

What are your readings Shane? Whats your water temperature?


Hi Castaway,

Results as of yesterday arvo...taken approx an hour after a we copped a decent hail storm (had not seen one of those for awhile).

PH 7.6
Ammonia between 1 - 2
Nitrite between 1 - 2
Nitrate 5.0

Tank temperature at the time 12.7 deg C.

Weather here this past week has been cool...expected to be colder this week. They weather bureau were actually expecting the chance of snow on top of the mountains that I live in the foothills of today:( Not sure if it did snow up there though? No doubt the cold is not helping my bacteria to thrive.

....think its probably best if I just continue to wait & *try* to be patient.

[Shane]

Oh....on the positive side my plants have really taken off in the last two weeks.

Brussel sprouts have grown at least 3-4 inches in height in the past week alone:)