Making your own concrete tanks

[jobney]

I guess I could try this. I'd still have the problem of removing solids after aerobic digestion is complete. How thick is the leftover sludge? Can it be easily siphoned out?
When the process is finished and settled can I just get the liquor back into the system by returning the swirl filter to normal operation?

While I agree that a cone-shaped bottom is good, a less complicated approach is make another one - like your existing swirl filter arrangement. Whenever you want to clean one you simply divert the water through the other one.

Rather than just dump the watery solids, drop an air stone into the drum to convert it to an aerobic digester......and mineralise them. A day or two later, you remove the air stone and allow everything to settle (for at least a couple of hours).

The clear liquor is a plant elixir.....containing inorganic nutrients well-suited to plants and a host of beneficial biota. The sludge that remains should be used on your compost heap or worm bins.

The good thing about having two basic (flat-bottomed) swirl filter barrels is that you can easily take one off-line whenever it needs cleaning.....without disrupting the operation of the system.....allowing you to mineralise the solids efficiently and at no risk to the fish.

If I've posted all of this before, ignore it......I'm still recovering from jet sickness (sick of being on this jet).

Gary

[MingJohan]

Maybe if you adapt it .... to be used as a clarrifier/vortex filter......

[MingJohan]

JohnMc, thanks for the info.

[GaryD]

Hi Jobney,

I guess I could try this. I'd still have the problem of removing solids after aerobic digestion is complete. How thick is the leftover sludge? Can it be easily siphoned out?
When the process is finished and settled can I just get the liquor back into the system by returning the swirl filter to normal operation?

The spent sludge is very fine sediment.....if you stir it, it will just discolour the water.

It can be easily syphoned out.

Having removed the sludge, you could (as you've suggested) simply put the filter back into service.

Gary

[jobney]

If anyone was wondering the reason I posted this in this old thread is because it originally was about the food safety of raw concrete.

[benjaca]

hey guys, I see a lot about the round tanks, anyone give any thoughts about poured concrete floor, cmu block bonded with mortar bond( a caulk like product it has been used to bond fish tanks in the ornamental fish industry) it is waterproof and rated for the strength required. obviously you will have to reinforce the corners and walls. seal with a non toxic sealer. I have seen some working models of this method. If building on the ground you will need to take ground movement into account.
It is cheap in the states, it is fast to build, and requires no forms. Non circular tanks obviously but with some rebar bending and a skim coat of cement and bird wire you could cut block to build round tanks. setting the first row of block into a wet floor tied from the floor to the top of wall gives you good strength and eliminates separation.

[ande]

This thread http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...51#post2066951 on koiphen is a werry detailed (pics and vids) form the "plan" to the "finished" koi pond inkluding the detailed plan and build of the filter Waddys ERIC - filter (Endless River In Concrete).
It's buildt like benjaca describes.
Not AP but a werry nice "learning how to" thread iff you plan to DIY in concrete fishtank (pond) and filter do to the detailed documentation.

The link is were he (terje) shows how he mount the brushes in the DIY filter (nice and easy) to clean the brushes with that way to install the filter brushes.
Iff you have time read the thread from post 1

cheers