My systems.....

[Shane]

Maximus system powering along, good test result readings, producing plenty of lettuce, fish all OK & I'm noticing growth recently since heating tank.


No fish transferred into Megabin system yet, still patiently cycling this tank,

pH 7.8
Ammo 1
Nitrite 5
Nitrate 10
Tank temp (bloody cold, no heating in this tank)

Cheers,
Shane.

[Shane]

Main system still producing plenty of lettuce,
Broc's & Cauli's growing well but not heading just yet,
Snow peas getting bigger but not producing just yet,
Spring onions have gone nuts,
Two of the celery plants have perked up recently, other one looks sickly.
Aphids currently seem under control (sticky trap & garlic/chili spray used)
Cat's & Silvers eating well each night.


Megabin system still not yet cycled (& still currently fishless),
Plant growth in this system is still slowish.

Cheers,
Shane.

[GaryD]

Hi Shane,

If you pump a heap of water into your mega bin system (out of your other system), you'll accelerate the cycling......particularly if you can get the temperature of the water up a bit.

The mega bin cover will be good for minimising heat loss in your mega bin......so long as you don't have fish in it.

While it's not often discussed, ridding your system of carbon dioxide is no less important that getting enough oxygen into it.

I usually run covers on my tanks to stop the wind or draughts from blowing across it......but still allowing sufficient opening to allow nitrogen (in gaseous form) and carbon dioxide to escape.

Have you given any thought to solids removal in either of your units?

Gary

[Crusty]

Megabin system still not yet cycled (& still currently fishless)

I understand the temps down your way are cold. How cold? And how are you "fishless" cycling?

[Shane]

Hi Shane,

If you pump a heap of water into your mega bin system (out of your other system), you'll accelerate the cycling

G'day Gary,

I originally pumped approx. 200 litres or so from my main system into the Megabin just before firing the system up, + approx. another 200-300 from the tap. Only addition since has been from rainfall (of which we've had quite a bit in recent weeks)

Ammo now only barely registers (have been dosing with small amounts of granulated urea)
Nitrite has spiked & is now falling
Nitrate has risen....I really need to get that smaller GB online.

Its almost there....its not as if I'm in any great hurry anyhow.

......particularly if you can get the temperature of the water up a bit.

Yes, thats one of the problems with outside tanks during a Melbourne winter!
Sides of the megabin will be insulated (possibly this weekend if I get an hour or two)
I'll probably hold off transferring the Cat's into this tank until the weather warms up a bit in the next month or two. I'm already heating water in the main system, I'd rather not have to heat two tanks unless it becomes necessary.

The mega bin cover will be good for minimising heat loss in your mega bin......so long as you don't have fish in it.

While it's not often discussed, ridding your system of carbon dioxide is no less important that getting enough oxygen into it.

I usually run covers on my tanks to stop the wind or draughts from blowing across it......but still allowing sufficient opening to allow nitrogen (in gaseous form) and carbon dioxide to escape.

The megabin lids are good, although somewhat bulky when moving on/off.
I think I'll split my lid in half, the back half can remain on the bin (200 litre GB will be positioned over the top of this area). Holes can be drilled through the lid for plumbing etc.
The front half then can be removed for feeding etc.
I'll make sure I have sufficient openings for the above gases to escape (thanks for the tip)

Have you given any thought to solids removal in either of your units?

I've been looking at various barrels to build a swirl filter for the megabin system, hoping to get my hands on one shortly. I've got enough room to one side to position one.

The maximus unit is a different story, Since building a small fence on one side (to keep the smaller kids away from the tanks unless supervised), I now have very little room available here, just enough to squeeze around to harvest vegies etc.
I currently have small washable foam mats/pads under the two GB inlets, but I tend to find the bulk of the muck gets blown up into the fingerling tank above...I'm netting this up nightly with a fine mesh net.

I need to find something lightweight (& easily movable) that I can sit on the top of one side of the fingerling tank & pump through that.

Cheers,
Shane

[Shane]

I understand the temps down your way are cold. How cold? And how are you "fishless" cycling?

G'day Crusty,

Water temps with the lid on in the unheated megabin have been 10-11 Deg.C when checking each night (approx 8pm).

Fishless cycling using small amounts of granulated urea.
1.5 teaspoons was enough to initially get my Ammo up to 1.

Cheers,
Shane.

[Crusty]

I'll make sure I have sufficient openings for the above gases to escape (thanks for the tip).

If you need to cover your tank, it is helpful to put a simple U shape outlet int he lid. facing down. That will help with the ventilating and slow down the heat loss.

I've been looking at various barrels to build a swirl filter for the megabin system, hoping to get my hands on one shortly. I've got enough room to one side to position one.

How are you planning to make a swirl filter out of a drum? Perhaps you can copy what I built for Gary.

I need to find something lightweight (& easily movable) that I can sit on the top of one side of the fingerling tank & pump through that.

Sounds like a bit of mucking about mate. Looks like a simple thing to fix, though I can not remember how those things are plumbed. I am sure Murray will be able to let you know how to improve it.

Water temps with the lid on in the unheated megabin have been 10-11 Deg.C when checking each night (approx 8pm).

Fishless cycling using small amounts of granulated urea.

Perhaps just use some fish feed to get it going? Your plants will not be liking that urea in the cold weather.

[GaryD]

Hi Shane,

There's no reason why you couldn't put a packed media filter inside of your fingerling tank......like the one that sits in my swirl tank. If you reversed the flow to mine (bringing the water in through the centre of the filter) it would catch the sedimentary solids and much of the suspended solids as well. I cleaned mine yesterday and it had trapped a load of stuff.

Gary

[Shane]

If you need to cover your tank, it is helpful to put a simple U shape outlet int he lid. facing down. That will help with the ventilating and slow down the heat loss.

Hey thanks Crusty, I like that idea & will use it too.

Perhaps just use some fish feed to get it going? Your plants will not be liking that urea in the cold weather.

I only used the urea 3 times, half a teaspoon at a time, over a 9 day period (every 3rd day).
This was enough to get my Ammo a tad over 1.

Since then I've been adding small amounts of uneaten food/fish waste that I've been netting out of the fingerling tank (where most of it seems to get pumped to...more seems to end up here than on the filter pads of both my GB's combined).

But on the positive side, as of testing last night.....the Megabin is cycled, Ammo & Nitrite both at 0.

Cheers,
Shane.

[Shane]

Perhaps you can copy what I built for Gary.

Hi Shane,

There's no reason why you couldn't put a packed media filter inside of your fingerling tank......like the one that sits in my swirl tank. If you reversed the flow to mine (bringing the water in through the centre of the filter) it would catch the sedimentary solids and much of the suspended solids as well. I cleaned mine yesterday and it had trapped a load of stuff.

Gary

Still a little undecided at the moment, thanks for the suggestions,
I intend to look at a few ideas before progressing.

Cheers,
Shane.