Small Scale Sytem I put together

[Cecil]

I recently built this rotating biofilter, siphon tube, and clarifier thanks to the book Small Scale Aquaculture by Steven Van Gorder. The tank is an undersized epoxy coated stock tank, which will have to do for now.

Note: I got rid of the 't' and clean out (part of the siphon) as it was probably allowing minute amounts of air to get sucked in which eventually shut down the siphon. And there is no need for the 't' to facilitate filling the siphon for flow priming, as once the flow is established it can be kept going by capping one end when removal of the inflow end and cleaning of the clarifier is need. After removing the 't' and making sure all joints are glued property with no leaks, I have had no problems with the siphon.





I'm trying to get the tank cycling by adding ammonia. However I've just realized the "surfactant" added to the household ammonia that was purchased at the local grocery story is actually a detergent which is a is a big no no.

The plan is to plant into the tank fingerlings of a local native fish known as bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) to see what kind of growth I can get indoors, at a consistent temperature, vs. outdoors which is much colder than optimum this time of year. However, I'm going to have to add a heater as temps aren't getting above 19 C. due to the RAS being in the basement. Best temps for fast growth and for nitrification would probably be in the 25 C. range.

Anyone else build an RBC or is familar with the book? It's great softcover book and runs about $25.00 American dollars. It briefly covers Aquaponics, and various fish systems such as cages, flow through etc. I have no vested interest in plugging the book just think it's a great book.

I presently grow out several species of fish in my four outdoor ponds, but I'm very interested in RA systems for all their advantages.

[GaryD]

Hi Cecil,

I love the ponds on your place. What do you grow in them?

I've used trickling bio-filters extensively but I've never put together an RBC like the one in your photo.

What's the advantage of using such a device?


Gary

[Cecil]

Hi Cecil,

I love the ponds on your place. What do you grow in them?

The biggest pond, which is on the front of the property is for grow out of female only yellow perch (Perca flavescens), male only bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu). Ideally the bluegill and yellow perch reproduction takes place in the back two smaller parallel ponds in the spring. In the fall the offspring are seined out of the ponds and put into floating cages into the biggest pond. Edit: I no longer move them to cages but to RAS tanks into the basement for the winter.



Once they can be sexed a couple of springs later for the male bluegills and the following spring for the female yellow perch, these mono sexes are released from the cages and planted into the same pond. No reproduction in this pond ensures there are not a multitude of mouths to feed, and these particular sexes of the two grow the largest and the fastest. These fish have been feed trained in the production pond (I use lights to feed train the yellow perch), and are kept on pellets for the most part, although there are hundreds of thousands of free roaming forage fish in the pond (fathead minnows Phimepales promelas). That will probably change once the smallmouth fingerlings I planted become larger. Most likely the fathead minnows which are slow moving will be cropped down. Edit: That panned out as no fatheads to be found and even some incidental bluegills due to a some escapes from a cage and subsequent reproduction are not evident.

The back center pond (the one in front of the two paired ponds) was my trophy trout pond,



(This is my neighbor with a 12 pound brown trout my biggest trout from the pond)




but I may use it for the production of pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus). I'm going to pick up broodfish in New York state in the spring. I've been having some disease and predator issues with my brook trout and may eventually go with an RAS for trout production. Edit: Did not pick up pumpkinseeds and decided not to.

I produce trophy size fish for two niche markets: Fish taxidermists (frozen) and a chain sporting goods store that has large display tanks in each retail store. I'm considering raising fish for native fish enthusiasts that keep native species in aquariums. The fish growing is a sideline at this time with being a fish taxidermist my main occupation.

I've used trickling bio-filters extensively but I've never put together an RBC like the one in your photo.

What's the advantage of using such a device?

Gary

I'm new to this but from what I understand a trickling bio-filter can clog up over time? The RBC doesn't clog up and as it rotates it exposes the aerobic bacteria clinging to it's surface area to oxygen but not enough to dry them out. They do get heavier over time as the bacteria builds up but mine shouldn't be a problem as there is plenty of flotation.

[GaryD]

Hi Cecil,

I'm new to this but from what I understand a trickling bio-filter can clog up over time?

If you're putting so much in the way of solid material through a trickling bio-filter that it clogged up, you'd have killed the fish anyway.

They actually require very little maintenance when combined with some sort of solids removal device like a settling tank, swirl filter or clarifier, they give no trouble at all.

They ofter good nitrification and aeration.

Gary

[Cecil]

Hi Cecil,



If you're putting so much in the way of solid material through a trickling bio-filter that it clogged up, you'd have killed the fish anyway.

They actually require very little maintenance when combined with some sort of solids removal device like a settling tank, swirl filter or clarifier, they give no trouble at all.

They ofter good nitrification and aeration.

Gary

Interesting. It would have been easier to build too! Cutting those fiberglass pieces for the RBC with a hand held jig saw was hard work! I also went through several blades. I wouldn't do it again without a bandsaw. But I do like to watch it rotate and it does have 600 square feet of surface area.

Here's a packed column I used to aerate ground water and blow off nitrogen gas before it went to my trout pond. Pretty much looks like a trickling filter doesn't it? It has plastic media in it. Notice the iron build up. I'm using an iron filter with the RAS. Edit: The commercial iron filter was a disappointment. It didn't perform very long. I have since come up with my own by simply running borehole water that had bee sprayed into the tank via a garden hose nozzle (adds oxygen to the water) back and forth between two 55 gallon drums through filter material to trap the iron particles.

[GaryD]

Hi Cecil,

Here's a packed column I used to aerate ground water and blow off nitrogen gas before it went to my trout pond. Pretty much looks like a trickling filter doesn't it? It has plastic media in it. Notice the iron build up. I'm using an iron filter with the RAS.

With plastic media inside of it, that column would definitely function as a bio-filter.

Does the iron in your water affect the taste of your fish?

Gary

[Cecil]

Hi Cecil,



With plastic media inside of it, that column would definitely function as a bio-filter.

Does the iron in your water affect the taste of your fish?

Gary

I don't know I don't eat the trout. They are worth too much to eat. They are sold whole frozen to taxidermists and replica makers. If I can get a brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) to 5 lbs. or over I can easily sell it for a minimum of $100.00. Unfortunately some pond issues and subsequent stress induced disease with the brook trout this year precluded that. I have no problems with brown trout but brook trout are very sensitive and require colder water.

Here's is why they are so coveted by taxidermists. Aren't they a beautiful fish? I enhanced the colors on this one with astaxanthin premixed in the feed to bring out the reds.



The iron does stress them a little although the larger the fish the less it effects them. It irritates their gills as it collects on their gills.

My goal in the future will be to grow out my trout in an RA system in a building where I can mitigate pathogens, better control water quality and temperature, and keep predators away. I had a mink visit this spring and I had a number of trout come up missing. Whether it was him or disease I don't know, but I can't account for about 40 fish. Also if I need less flow I should be able to remove the iron before it gets to the fish.

[GaryD]

Hi Cecil,

I don't know I don't eat the trout. They are worth too much to eat.

And how's that working for you? The mink seems to have his priorities sorted.

Gary

[Cecil]

Hi Cecil,


And how's that working for you? The mink seems to have his priorities sorted.

Gary

The mink is no more. He was eliminated as soon as he was spotted.

Here is a link to where I'm selling them -- much less than if they were bigger:

http://www.taxidermytalk.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=1015

[kellenw]

That book is actually on my Christmas list this year. Hope I get it!

Absolutely love that RBC. I'm planning on building one for my new system. I have lots of winter work ahead of me.