Elronmaynard
04-02-2013, 12:32 AM
I am pleased to finally start this thread. I hope this forum serves as an interactive blog to document and educate anyone interested.
A friend and I rented a 10ft uhaul truck to transport this IBC water tote aquaponics system from its former owners establishment.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e98/boofer22/IMG_0355_zps3d5b5406.jpg
It is pictured here, set up in my backyard, in Southeast Las Vegas.
The purchase proved to include everything I needed including about 25 five to six inch long gold fish. I transported the fish in a relatively small cooler full of their native water. They did not have much room to swim around but I did offer them some oxygen through an aquarium air pump.
After assembling the system to its pictured setup I began filling the middle sump tank with water from my rubbermaid garden hose and attached boogie brew chlorine filter. I began to pump the water from the sump into the grow bed. I wanted to make sure the plumbing and bell siphon had no flaws. They passed my testing and inspection, so I began to fill the fish tank.
After letting the water acclimate to air temperature overnight I decided to move the fish into their comfortable new 250 gallon home. I added some new found tank water into the cooler and waited one hour before I moved them over. I'm not sure if fish should be added to the system just yet but I feel I must get them more space quickly. Later I noticed they were closer to the surface. I threw in a small handful of koi food and watched them happily eat away. 9 hours later they still look happy.
Since this picture, I have plumbed the swirl filter into operation. It drains into the sump tank.
My water testing for today
PH = 7.6
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrites = 2.0 ppm
Nitrates = 0
Considering how much tap water I added, I am very surprised to see such a high number of Nitrites in the system. The PH level seems to be pretty consistent with our tap water. A brief google search made me think 2.0 ppm nitrites shouldn't harm my goldfish but I will keep an eye on it.
A friend and I rented a 10ft uhaul truck to transport this IBC water tote aquaponics system from its former owners establishment.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e98/boofer22/IMG_0355_zps3d5b5406.jpg
It is pictured here, set up in my backyard, in Southeast Las Vegas.
The purchase proved to include everything I needed including about 25 five to six inch long gold fish. I transported the fish in a relatively small cooler full of their native water. They did not have much room to swim around but I did offer them some oxygen through an aquarium air pump.
After assembling the system to its pictured setup I began filling the middle sump tank with water from my rubbermaid garden hose and attached boogie brew chlorine filter. I began to pump the water from the sump into the grow bed. I wanted to make sure the plumbing and bell siphon had no flaws. They passed my testing and inspection, so I began to fill the fish tank.
After letting the water acclimate to air temperature overnight I decided to move the fish into their comfortable new 250 gallon home. I added some new found tank water into the cooler and waited one hour before I moved them over. I'm not sure if fish should be added to the system just yet but I feel I must get them more space quickly. Later I noticed they were closer to the surface. I threw in a small handful of koi food and watched them happily eat away. 9 hours later they still look happy.
Since this picture, I have plumbed the swirl filter into operation. It drains into the sump tank.
My water testing for today
PH = 7.6
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrites = 2.0 ppm
Nitrates = 0
Considering how much tap water I added, I am very surprised to see such a high number of Nitrites in the system. The PH level seems to be pretty consistent with our tap water. A brief google search made me think 2.0 ppm nitrites shouldn't harm my goldfish but I will keep an eye on it.