The Combo System

[Earthan Group]

I have often thought of backyard aquaculture and aquaponics to be musical instruments because many, like yourself are masters of the fiddle......

[GaryD]

Yep......and as further evidence of that.....

I've replaced the 4500 litre pump that I had in the Combo System with a 2500 litre unit. It looks as though there might have been too much water going through the system.....the water is looking very clear now.

On another note, I was reading up on the Nexus Eazy Pod that I have attached to the system.....and it appears that I have been a little too enthusiastic when cleaning it.

I watched a couple of YouTube videos and the media in the filters in the videos was much darker than mine.

The filter is designed to bypass if it clogs up......and, given that I'm using it as a polishing filter, I'll just leave it to get a lot grubbier than it is. That will make it a lot more effective in trapping fine suspended solids.

I'm also considering exchanging some of the media in the Nexus 300 (which is appropriately discoloured) to assist the process.

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

A key feature of any solids removal process is that it should be easy to clean.

While the filtration module on this system was working, it was a pig to clean......so it's gone.

I've located the pump in the tank (not ideal) and it moves water up through the Nexus Eazy Pod (essentially a packed media filter) before draining back into the fish tank. To ensure adequate bio-filtration, I've cut down a 120 litre drum and drilled holes around the base and around the top. Water is drawn in through the bottom of the drum and flows out through the top holes.

Having the bio-filter in the fish tank causes the inflow from the Eazy Pod to move around the square fish tank in a circular motion. It also reduces the footprint of the system.....and the fish seem happy to have something to hide behind. Golden perch are shy fish.

The water is clearing up nicely.

This system will expand to include more mega bin fish tanks, so this is a temporary fix. In the coming weeks, I will design and build another filtration module.

Gary

[bigdaddy]

Hi Gary,

Your system is looking good.

How are the brushes working/worked?

I don't think I'll need them, but I'm interested in weather you think they are really necessary.

Cheers.

[GaryD]

Hi BD,

The brushes work very well. My only issue (and it was specific to the way I had them set up in my filtration module) was cleaning them.

They can be set up so that cleaning is much less of a issue......in which case, I'd be very happy with them. Pugo is getting good results from his.


Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

I've purchased a second mega bin for incorporation into my combo system.

Meanwhile, the modified filtration arrangement is coping nicely.

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

The water in the Combo System was OK....but still evidenced some turbidity. While I could still see the fish, some of their features were obscured.

Turbidity = particulate matter......so I decided to try a filter sock to trap some of the micro-solids that were obviously still in the water.

Initially, I just attached the filter sock to the outlet on my Nexus Eazy Pod.

After about four hours, it clogged up and squirted water everywhere and, by the time, I arrived home, it had deposited about 100 litres of water on the shed floor......and everything else in close proximity.

I decided to set up a bypass so that, when the filter sock clogged up with micro-solids it would just bypass back into the fish tank.

You can see from the photos that it's a simple enough device. The filter sock just hangs on the tee and I tie it off around the pipework.

A couple of days later, and sock gets changed once per day....and the water is crystal clear (with a very slight brownish tinge).

The filter socks cost $17.00 each (I have two), are easy to attach and take about a minute to rinse out in a bucket of clean water. They are 100mm by about 300 long (about 4" x 12").

The other sock filter is a 200 micron nylon mesh thing. It's OK for catching the really big stuff. It's about 7" in diameter and 15" about long.

The photo of my golden perch evidences the clarity of the water.

Gary

[Pugo]

I agree with Gary brushes do a super job.. Until it comes time to clean them, Just keep barrel of water around to rinse them after that take water hose to them and you are back in business.. But this has to be done once a week but far better than clean a growbed.

[chainsaw]

Hi Gary, Still fidling I see.

I found that filter socks were a real PITA, did a good job but had to be constantly cleaning them. Have been researching RDF's and with an engineering background cant see why I couldn't use a front loader washing machine (or dryer) that has SS bowl. Can be free standing in the sump and gravity fed. Cleaning nozzles could be fed from tap (house supply) with solenoid valve and timing device (say every hour 30sec spray) if want to get sufisticated could use a water level switch. Still a lot of research to do though. Rod

[mopa]

i,ve been thinking of something similar chainsaw. i am researching washing machines with 316 ss drums..