Dave's Phase II

[badflash]

The small intex pumps do 530 GPH at 5' of head. My big one does over 1500 GPH at over 8'. I do not use the filter, but I have a screen on the pool intake.

Badflash, you'll have to keep us up-dated about the intex pool pump.
Will you use the filter...?...or, are you just using it to transfer water ?

I'm looking for (a min of ) 500 gph @ 5 ft of head
....Any suggestions....input...advice?

[davidstcldfl]

The small intex pumps do 530 GPH at 5' of head. My big one does over 1500 GPH at over 8'. I do not use the filter, but I have a screen on the pool intake.

Hmmm.....I'll have to do a search....wonder what the watts are for the different sizes ?

Still wonder about their 'life span' ?

I saw one for sale at Lowes. I think I saw a sign saying $43....?
I'll have to stop by, if I'm over that way, and read the box.
E-bay might have some good prices on them.

Seeing as how yours was 'FREE'....your way ahead of the curve...

[badflash]

Join your local freecycle and post a wanted for one. The pools get split all the time and I'm sure you can get them for nothing. That is what I did. I watch for pumps, sand and DE filters, etc.

[davidstcldfl]

Join your local freecycle and post a wanted for one

I tried awhile back, to join.....I guess they didn't like my introductory letter, they wanted me to write....?

I watch Craigs list often...never saw one there.
But, that's a good idea.... to make a 'wanted' request there.

[davidstcldfl]

I'm making a little head way.....here is a start on the troughs for the rafts.
They are all 4 feet wide and 1 foot deep, the lengths vary, so they fit in the yard better.



I'll still use my solids separator, then the water will gravity feed to some media beds, which hopefully will remove more particles. Form there it will flow to the troughs.
I'll grow larger plants in the media beds...most likely bell peppers.



Just as an experiment, I'm trying two different size river rock. The smaller, was given to me.... IMO...it's a little on the small size.
I guess I'll check the bottoms of the grow beds in 6 months and then again in a year, to check on any build up.
I plan on adding red worms to the media beds.

[jackalope]

My little pond pump will pump 11 feet ...... it's a 350GPH that I bought from Lowes (they don't well them anymore, I looked. It's a great little pump, and I've never had any problem with it ...... I don't know if it makes any difference, but I always look for a pond pump, rather than a fountain pump ..... they're less cost, and they seem to pump to higher levels

[jackalope]

[quote="davidstcldfl"]
Just as an experiment, I'm trying two different size river rock. The smaller, was given to me.... IMO...it's a little on the small size.
I guess I'll check the bottoms of the grow beds in 6 months and then again in a year, to check on any build up.
I plan on adding red worms to the media beds.

IMNSHO, the smaller the better, if you'r looking for it to emulate a biofilter ... i.e. the smaller rocks will give you more surface area, therefore more area for the good stuff to grow on I have read that putting worms into the GB isn't much of an accomplishment .... they actually only eat microbes, not the solids, and then they leave castings/feces, which will eventually tend to clog up the works, if you get my drift. This is someone else's research, not mine, so don't kill the messenger, I'm just reporting/repeating Too many worms, would eat too many of the microbes that are 'grinding down' the solids, therefore defeating the purpose of the whole exercise!

Just my 2 centavos ......

[davidstcldfl]

the smaller the better, if you'r looking for it to emulate a biofilter ... i.e. the smaller rocks will give you more surface area, therefore more area for the good stuff to grow on

Good point on the surface area. I'm wondering about it plugging faster, which may mean it's actually filtering better.

I didn't mention it....I'll be using bio-filter(s), just before the troughs. They have netting/screen in them, which will be the last chance for any solids removal.

I have read that putting worms into the GB isn't much of an accomplishment .... they actually only eat microbes, not the solids, and then they leave castings/feces, which will eventually tend to clog up the works

Too many worms, would eat too many of the microbes that are 'grinding down' the solids, therefore defeating the purpose of the whole exercise!

That's interesting Jackalope, I never heard about them eating microbes....I thought they would eat the solids, rotting roots, ect.
Do you happen to remeber where you read that ? I'll have to do some research, to see how worms feed. I always thought they ate rotting veggies ect...?...

I can picture the tilapia 'pooh' plugging up the works, but 'itty-bitty, tiny little' worm pooh, is hard to imagine...

[jackalope]

They eat the microbes that break down the solids I don't remember where I got the info .....

There is an interesting thread here Clik about Vermiponics - Aquaponics using worms rather than fish! - that might also interest many of our members here!

[Brier]

Worms do eat the bacteria, and fungi that break down organic matter, but I think your nitrifying bacteria would be safe. I am not 100% sure on this, but would imagine that nitrosomonas, and nitrobacter are too small for worms to be interested. And if they do remove some bacteria from your media, it will open up new areas for bacteria to colonize. I cannot see how this could be an issue.
You should do an experiment, with and without worms. I would bet the worms will be a positive. Oh if you plan to use excess worms for fish food, do not buy the commercially available red wrigglers. Fish really do not like them. They are rumored to be mildly toxic, and some reptile keepers have actually reported mortalities from feeding them. A quick Google search will turn up some results, though I have not seen any studies.