How long to aerate chlorinated water ?

[vihalvor]

Hey guys .. just started to prepare a small tub of 50 L for my first hydroponic ebb/flow system, a VERY simple non-fish /aquaponics system ...

I made the choice of starting to aerate it today , just to safecheck there are no chlorine in it WHEN i add the growthbed ...
But my question is... for how many days should i aerate the water beforeit should be free of chlorine ? and ... should i ask the local fish store for a cup of their fishwater, jsut to get the bacteriaculture starting ?

[ande]

Hey guys .. just started to prepare a small tub of 50 L for my first hydroponic ebb/flow system, a VERY simple non-fish /aquaponics system ...

I made the choice of starting to aerate it today , just to safecheck there are no chlorine in it WHEN i add the growthbed ...
But my question is... for how many days should i aerate the water beforeit should be free of chlorine ? and ... should i ask the local fish store for a cup of their fishwater, jsut to get the bacteriaculture starting ?
12-24 ouers is norrmally fine, but it's the source water parameters that counts. Iff you are seriously getting in to this you should get some propper water testing equipment.
I can recomend electronic equipment value for money here http://www.americanmarineusa.com/ but maybe this is even better http://www.sensafe.com/micro7+/order.php#AquariumKit this you can expand.
You can use strips offcourse or drops test kit but it depends on acuracy price...........
Numoruos to choose from

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/chlorine-chloramine be awere off the difference between the two, check with the water company.
Yes you should source bacteria culture from fish store aquarium pet store hobbyist or like vise, if you can get (borrow) some biomedia(any kind) thats even better than water from their tank, or both media and water is better yet.
It dosen't matter iff the media is different from your type, the point is that the media is collonised with the beneficial bacteria(established) it will give you a kick start.
http://www.mankysanke.co.uk/html/fishless_cycling.html

[Pugo]

Aerate the water for 24 hours and you could add some vitamin C to insure that's clear anything..

[vihalvor]

yep will do .. and will continue this thread in the de-chlorification thread :P

[vihalvor]

biomedia . you mean filter sludge?

[Pugo]

As bacteria is a naturally occurring no need to get anything from the fish store, as their water may not be save for you to use in a system that is growing food. many chemicals that are used in Aquariums are not safe to be used in Aquaponic systems as the fish are not meant to be eaten and the chemicals not meant for growing vegetables.

Bio media, he is talking about the gravel or hydroton in your case..

[vihalvor]

ok... so your advice is to ( after the VitC ) aerate for a day or so, then add the hydroton( was planning to get that on wednesday or so ), keep cycling for a week, then add the plants ?

[ande]

biomedia . you mean filter sludge?

No not sludge gunk waste........
Japmat spunges K1 or any type off biofilter media(bacteria housing) you can get your hands on, the point is to transfer an established colony off nitryfing bacteria to your BOW (body of water) they will move or transfer collonise the new environemente iff they are fed and multiply in acordance with the ruling conditions in witch you give them, you can optimate such by manipulating factors like O2,tempF/C,amonium........,
its "simple" biology/chemistry

[Pugo]

Yes that's it.. but don't forget to start you nitrification cycle after the week is up.. which means you will need to get some pure ammonia to add to the system so the bacteria have food that way they will move in..:)

[ande]

As bacteria is a naturally occurring no need to get anything from the fish store, as their water may not be save for you to use in a system that is growing food. many chemicals that are used in Aquariums are not safe to be used in Aquaponic systems as the fish are not meant to be eaten and the chemicals not meant for growing vegetables.

Bio media, he is talking about the gravel or hydroton in your case..

The Q is how do I axcelerate or kick start the system, you don't have to source media/water, but it will most defenitly give you a head start, but the benifical bacteria is there by natural so it just takes you longer time to get cycled, thats why 2-20 weeks is a refrence. Iff you can start off with a established bateria colony manipulate tempC/F PH......... you are in the low end off the scale read 2weeks iff you start at zero and outdoors in the fall going in to winter it can take you 6 months or even more, it all depends.

I'm talkink about any media with the established bacteriacolony its irrelevant wich type off housing nitro bacter/somas as the dominating bacteria on or in the bacteria/water is the key factor

[ande]

Yes that's it.. but don't forget to start you nitrification cycle after the week is up.. which means you will need to get some pure ammonia to add to the system so the bacteria have food that way they will move in..:)


Hehe it's not static like in one week you turn the key!
You just start straight away so when the chlorine is deluted/airated or disapering it will no longer inhibit the nitryfing bacteria from growing.
I think you/we/me/all, tend to complicate the matter by puting strict time tables(theoretical) on this, it takes the time it takes then we can manipulate iff we understand how or have the tools/means nececary.
Iff you are waiting for K1 to put in your system, dont wait for the K1 to arrive before you start the system, the establishing off bacteria will hapen in the box/barrel what ever it will just run out off space available at some stage in time, unless you poor in some K1 or other, for the bacteria colony to expand its theretory on.

[keith_r]

yup, no specific "time" that it takes to cycle your system..
do you have a water test kit? if not, look for one that tests for ph, nitrites, nitrates and ammonia..
you first want to be able to detect the ammonia, then nitrites, finally the nitrates..
when your system can "process" the amonia from one dose in a day, you're cycled.. plenty of info on "fishless" cycling..

[Pugo]

All I was saying was to run the system for a week prior to starting the cycle, that give you time to deal with anything that may come up. leaks any or failures with his components, what have you. As far as the cycle goes there is not time for it to complete to many variables, But as he lives in a very warm climate I sure his cycle time will be quick... I am very prone to taking time to insure everything is working correctly prior to start up.

Waiting for my K1 is for only one reason, it has to do with assembly of the system, As I can't be sure until I see it to complete the filter arrangement. I'm not into doing re-work, putting it together and taking it apart over and over is not something I find enjoyable, once the system goes in to production I don't want to lose production time tinkering with it.. Do it right the first time and enjoy if you know what I mean.

[vihalvor]

All I was saying was to run the system for a week prior to starting the cycle, that give you time to deal with anything that may come up. leaks any or failures with his components, what have you. As far as the cycle goes there is not time for it to complete to many variables, But as he lives in a very warm climate I sure his cycle time will be quick... I am very prone to taking time to insure everything is working correctly prior to start up.

Waiting for my K1 is for only one reason, it has to do with assembly of the system, As I can't be sure until I see it to complete the filter arrangement. I'm not into doing re-work, putting it together and taking it apart over and over is not something I find enjoyable, once the system goes in to production I don't want to lose production time tinkering with it.. Do it right the first time and enjoy if you know what I mean.

yep .. i see your point completely .. since this is basically a fishless system ... as i dont really have a clearing system/ sump, ill most definately follow the advices here:smile: .
My system has areated about 24 hours now.. will continue doing so a few days until im ready to pick up the hydroton ... the supplier only have 50 LITER bags, so im not sure what to do with the rest ... hehe.. if any manila based member reads this, im more than willing to share half of the hydroton for half the price :D

The good thing thou, is that is we get this to work ( also have to engineer a battery backup ) .. ill be implementing it as an additional food source for my pinoy family in Cavite :D ..

-vidar-

[Pugo]

Be sure to wash the hydroton before you put it in your system. otherwise you are going to have a lot of red water..LOL

[vihalvor]

Oh yes .. TRUST me .. thats on top of the hydroton plan :p .. wash .. and was again ... then.. wash some more .and .. uhm.. did i mention wash ? :smile: hehehehhe

[Pugo]

Lol :) I really like your sense of humor.