The Scruffs giving it a crack

[The scruff]

Hi Everyone, I am setting up my system and basing it on Pugos set up, I have a 3500 ltre tank and will be adding as many grow beds as i can,but to start with i have 4x 5mtr beds of 250mm pipes cut in half, and a 1000ltre sump, I will have the 2 brush filters that Gary first suggested for Pugo so you that it can be alternated when cleaning, I have two 180 litre wheelie bins (square) I thought maybe they would be easier to clean as there is no taper for the brushes to flick off????. and then the moving bed filter.Can you tell me how best to pipe the water from the tank while cleaning the waste on botttom of the tank? and Pugo mentioned a static media before the brushes is a good idea would this need to be as big as the mbf and does this need to k1. I have been reading lots of info on this forum, unfortunatly i forget half of it and spend lots of time trying to find it again, I think its an age thing ( please dont feel you have to help with that as well) cheers

[ande]

here for your plumbing http://www.koiphen.com/members/harve...i/plumbing.pdf
cheers

[Pugo]

Well I do recommend the setup I have, it has preformed well so far, The static media filter is a great idea, it is basically a bead filter. So your could use plastic beads or k1 as they are both floating media these would be the best there are other ways to do it to just not as effective. I used 2 inch pipe every where except from the pump there I used 1 inch which has worked well, but even the 2 inch pipe gets plugged with fish waste once in a while. The one thing I wish I had was a "Cetus Sieve" but even without it the system is far better than anything out there on the DIY side in my opinion.

[GaryD]

Hi Scruff,

...to start with i have 4x 5mtr beds of 250mm pipes cut in half, and a 1000ltre sump, I will have the 2 brush filters that Gary first suggested for Pugo so you that it can be alternated when cleaning.....

I'd be keen to hear how you get on with the 2 drum arrangement. Using the standby filter as an aerobic digester is a useful idea......and one that deserves to be tested.

Can you tell me how best to pipe the water from the tank while cleaning the waste on botttom of the tank?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. The valve layout should allow you to shut down one filter while opening up the other.

.......and Pugo mentioned a static media before the brushes is a good idea would this need to be as big as the mbf and does this need to k1.

K1 is very good for use as packed media......it will capture solids while resisting clogging much better than the beads.

Gary

[The scruff]

Thanks for responding everyone
Gary

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. The valve layout should allow you to shut down one filter while opening up the other.

Sorry I was meaning the main water outlet from the FT sucking the solids from the bottom, you appeared to have a good one on your 3 bin system, but i cannot work out if it will function with water pumped in from the sump and overflowing from the Ft on continuous flow

K1 is very good for use as packed media......it will capture solids while resisting clogging much better than the beads.

Is this a container of media within another container or just a single container packed fully with media
Gary[/QUOTE]

[GaryD]

Hi,

Sorry I was meaning the main water outlet from the FT sucking the solids from the bottom, you appeared to have a good one on your 3 bin system, but i cannot work out if it will function with water pumped in from the sump and overflowing from the Ft on continuous flow

The centre drain arrangement (which Paul dubbed a "suckeruppa") is designed for use with a sump tank system. As clean water is pumped from the sump into the fish tank, it displaces effluent which is forced up the centre drain and into the drain system pipework.

Is this a container of media within another container or just a single container packed fully with media
Gary?

Either way. It really depends on your set up.

Gary

[Joey]

Hi The Scruff

As Gary said a centre drain fish tank acting as a sucker uppera is the way to go. You pump from the sump tank into the fish tank. The fish tank drains via the centre standpipe sucking up solids and ideally depositing the waste into a swirl filter. The swirl filter will overflow into your grow beds then into your sump. You can give the sucker uppera a good boost every now and then by dropping an air stone into the pipe. It then acts as an airlift pump, leave it there for about 5 minutes you will be amzed how it cleans your fish tank.
Also I recommend you use a circular tank as a fish tank.

Cheers


joey

[The scruff]

Hi again Joey
That makes things clearer,the airstone in the pipe sounds like a good trick as well, yes my tank that i picked up (used) is round.I was going with the brushes rather than a swirl.
Cheers
Scruff

[jobney]

Can you tell me how best to pipe the water from the tank while cleaning the waste on botttom of the tank?

Earthan Group has good details on his site. If you look at the photos (#12) the air stone's placement on the outside of the pipe creates a current that draws solids to the center.
http://www.earthangroup.com.au/inter...plumbing/1082/
Is Suckeruppa "Crusty" Paul the same person as Earthan Group's Paul? Is the user Earthan Group another individual or Paul? I think I'm the last one to figure this out.

[GaryD]

Hi Jobney,

Earthan Group has good details on his site. If you look at the photos (#12) the air stone's placement on the outside of the pipe creates a current that draws solids to the center.

The placement of the air stone probably has more to do with stopping it from stirring up the bottom than moving the solids to the centre of the tank. That's more the product of water movement in the fish tank.

Is Suckeruppa "Crusty" Paul the same person as Earthan Group's Paul? Is the user Earthan Group another individual or Paul? I think I'm the last one to figure this out.

Yep......one and the same.

Gary