Aquaponics System, Passive Solar Greenhouse build - Page 15

jeff5may · 06-03-15, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevehull

I looked up this 18W 12 V air pump with the link you sent. I see it puts out 38 L of air/minute (~ 10 gallons). Do you know what pressure it can achieve? I want to put the far end of the air hose down about 30 feet (about one atmosphere; 15 psi).

Because it is a piston driven one, I think this is positive displacement and I bet it can put out a lot of pressure. This would be PERFECT for my pond aeration needs.

If you get a chance, can you see what it will put out in terms of psi. I don't see any psi vs volume graph in the online specs.

Thanks,

Steve

You could rig up an air lift column to the pump cited to save energy but still circulate deep water. I used a corrugated lateral line section that hung from about a foot underwater to about a foot from the bottom. The cold water gets aerated, then falls right back down low. We used rubber diffusers to keep the back pressure low. Works like magic.

stevehull · 06-03-15, 12:25 PM

Jeff, - that is exactly what I was planning to do. I may put the air stone as deep as possible to get additional lift. This air column concept looks superb as it can bring up deep water, without having the air stone down that deep.

Thanks!

Steve

pinballlooking · 06-03-15, 12:35 PM

Ok we made it back home with 30 tilapia about 4-5 inches long. This is a good size to start with. We had to transfer them in 5 gallon buckets down a bunch of stairs one jumped out of my sons bucket.
This fish fell about 15 feet to cement and was flopping around. I put it back in the water it seem fine.
They all made it here safe into my fish tank. My new air pump ran great we had it runing for about 2 hours.
Here are the fish in their new home.

The water is this color from the iron added to the system.

pinballlooking · 06-03-15, 02:21 PM

Here they are in the tank it is only 18 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8NWijf1sWo

pinballlooking · 06-04-15, 09:23 AM

They all survived the night. The fish that took the big jump to the cement. Was looking very bad but he is still hanging on. I will be surprised if he makes it.
I did not feed them yesterday but I just tried to feed them today but they are not ready to eat just yet maybe later.

Water is @ 69 deg
All the water test are very good.
PH it is about 7.2
Ammonia is about .0
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate is showing up at about 30

This is my first time raising fish so it may take a few days for me and the fish figure it all out.

We tried again and we got a few of them to eat a little. The others look like they want to but are just not brave enough to come to the top just yet. They get hungry enough they well come up and get some food.

pinballlooking · 06-05-15, 08:48 AM

Ok bring on the plants.
The tomatoes are not doing so good.
Broccoli are doing better they have grown at least an inch since we got the fish.
Cucumber has gotten greener and grown some.

The water is really too cold for the fish right now 65 deg so they are not very hungry.
It has not been very warm or sunny they last couple days.

pinballlooking · 06-05-15, 09:27 AM

The floating fish food I have is a very nice size for these small fish.
I just need warmer water to so they will want to eat.

It was inexpensive I think it was $14 for 40 pounds.

The guy I got the fish from was very cool he just gave me the fish to get me started.

Daox · 06-05-15, 09:30 AM

Wow, very nice!

How warm do the fish like to be?

pinballlooking · 06-05-15, 09:34 AM

82-86 is where Tilapia want to be. That is why I will probably switch fish at the end of the summer.

"Bluegill try to spend most of their time in water from 60 to 80 °F"
It will be a lot cheaper to keep the water at the right temp for Bluegill. The catch is the plants like warm water on their roots.

"Tilapia culture is limited by their temperature-sensitivity. For optimal growth, the ideal water temperature range is 82 to 86 °F (27.7 °C to 30 °C), and growth is reduced greatly below 68 °F (20 °C). Death occurs below 50 °F (10 °C). Therefore, only the southernmost states are suitable for tilapia production."

jeff5may · 06-06-15, 08:26 PM

Day twenty-something update:

I have basically done nothing with this since I added acid to balance the pH. It has been cloudy and rained a few times, just got sunny this weekend.

Maybe I'll add a couple goldfish this weekend. Or mosquito-eating minnows.

06-03-15, 12:25 PM	#142
stevehull Steve Hull Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: hilly, tree covered Arcadia, OK USA Posts: 826 Thanks: 241 Thanked 165 Times in 123 Posts	Jeff, - that is exactly what I was planning to do. I may put the air stone as deep as possible to get additional lift. This air column concept looks superb as it can bring up deep water, without having the air stone down that deep. Thanks! Steve __________________ consulting on geothermal heating/cooling & rational energy use since 1990

06-03-15, 12:35 PM	#143
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Ok we made it back home with 30 tilapia about 4-5 inches long. This is a good size to start with. We had to transfer them in 5 gallon buckets down a bunch of stairs one jumped out of my sons bucket. This fish fell about 15 feet to cement and was flopping around. I put it back in the water it seem fine. They all made it here safe into my fish tank. My new air pump ran great we had it runing for about 2 hours. Here are the fish in their new home. The water is this color from the iron added to the system. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 06-03-15 at 01:20 PM..

06-04-15, 09:23 AM	#145
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	They all survived the night. The fish that took the big jump to the cement. Was looking very bad but he is still hanging on. I will be surprised if he makes it. I did not feed them yesterday but I just tried to feed them today but they are not ready to eat just yet maybe later. Water is @ 69 deg All the water test are very good. PH it is about 7.2 Ammonia is about .0 Nitrite 0 ppm Nitrate is showing up at about 30 This is my first time raising fish so it may take a few days for me and the fish figure it all out. We tried again and we got a few of them to eat a little. The others look like they want to but are just not brave enough to come to the top just yet. They get hungry enough they well come up and get some food. Last edited by pinballlooking; 06-04-15 at 02:51 PM..

06-05-15, 08:48 AM	#146
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Ok bring on the plants. The tomatoes are not doing so good. Broccoli are doing better they have grown at least an inch since we got the fish. Cucumber has gotten greener and grown some. The water is really too cold for the fish right now 65 deg so they are not very hungry. It has not been very warm or sunny they last couple days. Attached Thumbnails

06-05-15, 09:27 AM	#147
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	The floating fish food I have is a very nice size for these small fish. I just need warmer water to so they will want to eat. It was inexpensive I think it was $14 for 40 pounds. The guy I got the fish from was very cool he just gave me the fish to get me started. Attached Thumbnails

06-05-15, 09:30 AM	#148
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Wow, very nice! How warm do the fish like to be? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-05-15, 09:34 AM	#149
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	82-86 is where Tilapia want to be. That is why I will probably switch fish at the end of the summer. "Bluegill try to spend most of their time in water from 60 to 80 °F" It will be a lot cheaper to keep the water at the right temp for Bluegill. The catch is the plants like warm water on their roots. "Tilapia culture is limited by their temperature-sensitivity. For optimal growth, the ideal water temperature range is 82 to 86 °F (27.7 °C to 30 °C), and growth is reduced greatly below 68 °F (20 °C). Death occurs below 50 °F (10 °C). Therefore, only the southernmost states are suitable for tilapia production." Last edited by pinballlooking; 06-05-15 at 10:34 AM..

06-06-15, 08:26 PM	#150
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,428 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Day twenty-something update: I have basically done nothing with this since I added acid to balance the pH. It has been cloudy and rained a few times, just got sunny this weekend. Maybe I'll add a couple goldfish this weekend. Or mosquito-eating minnows.