Newbies

[Sylvia Bernstein]

this is a site for the aspiring aquapon to post their questions and have them answered by the more experienced members.  No question is too basic!  This is a great opportunity to tap into advice from some of the most experienced growers in the country.  Go for it!

[RupertofOZ]

David Hart said:

I learned to use Sodium Ascorbate (vitamin C ) for chloramines. It doesn't take much...seems to work.
Here's a few links about it...( I found them on a different aquaponic forum site. Sylvia, I don't know if I'm allowed to mention it's name ? )

http://www.sfwater.org/Files/FAQs/removal.pdf
http://www.swwrc.wsu.edu/conference/Papers/Greg_Peterka.pdf
http://www.dsm.com/en_US/downloads/dnp/51644_VitaminC.pdf

I'd really like to hear what Rupert thinks about it's use.....any pros or cons....?

Hi David, been following this method of de-chlorination research for a while...

And certainly both ascorbic acid and soduim ascorbate seem to effective in de-chlorinating water... with sodium ascorbate preferred over ascorbic acid...

But there's considerable doubt as to eithers effectiveness with chloramine treated water...

They "appear" to work... but, later, especially if then passed through RO units... seem to reconstitue....

Rather than try to post the chemistry and postulations... I'll just post a couple of links... the first general info of "chlorinated" water treatment...

http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/05231301.pdf

The second, a forum discussion regarding "chloramined" water treatment...

http://www.watertechonline.com/detail.asp?Parent_ID=137999

The references (and explanation in the first pdf) of the ORP readings are important to note.... "ORP" being a measure of "oxygen reduction potential"...

The reactions have the potential to strip oxygen from the water... as they a "reductive" processes...

[David Hart]

Thank you for the reply Rupert. Now I see why, you say you've been following this topic for awhile. Wow, no real set answer, the way I see it. Just more questions.

Ruepert, the next couple statements are 'my understanding' of some of the things I read. Do they sound correct ?

Chloromines can damage RO's....may pass through anyway.
Water treated with Vitamin C before going through a RO, chloromines reconstitutes ...maybe even at higher %
Vitamin C / sodium ascorbate seems to work, but may reduce oxegyen, especially in high doses.

A couple questions on what you said does work.....from an earlier post.

Activated carbon ...'.But' do you have to treat the water 'before' adding to the fish water ? Would 'real' hardwood charcoal do the same thing ? Maybe add some to the GB's, like they were talking about at Practicle Aquaponics ?
Certain spectrum UV wavelengths can also breakdown chloramine. Do the UV lights, I see for sale, for Koi ponds treat the chloromines ....and does it do it quick enough, 'before' the chloromines harm the fish ?

Thanks in advance for some more advice/input Rupert. Getting some 'usable and safe' water sounds like, the harder part of AP.


.

[roy]

work has been progressing rather slowly.

one question - why do we need the tank on top with the flood valve?

what if i were to pump the water directly to the grow bed - assuming the rate at which the water exits the grow bed is much smaller than the rate at which water enters - it should still function as a flood and drain system??

i tried it out today on my skeleton setup and it seemed to work fine. (still need to fine tune flow rates)
is there any flaw in my thinking here?

[Richard Wyman]

flood and slow drain on a timer works well, your thinking is right on track Roy. By eliminating the flood tank you also lower the head height of your pump, which could possibly save a few bucks too.

[Dan Brown]

Hi-

I'm looking for a couple of barrels, but for an indoor system I've got to find a way to improve the aesthetics, because a blue barrel is very limiting. I've got a particular design idea, using a barrel cut lengthwise as the grow bed with the other half of the barrel suspended above it with the lighting system inside, and then another barrel, cut in the more traditional aquaponic fasion, for the fish (obviously placed below the grow bed). So...the questions, 1. Does anyone know of any sources for a black barrel? 2. If not, is there any way I can change the color (paint, powdercoat, etc.) of the barrel and still have it be food and fish safe that you know of? I know it may seems as if I'm dwelling on a secondary aspect, but I think that a key design element that is lacking from the DIY systems I've seen is visual flow and grace. Not to knock anyone's work, because obviously functionality outweighs form in this developmental stages, but I think that to appeal to a broader market the lines on the finished design must be very clean, and that market is one that I feel needs immediate development and offers broad opportunity. Thanks in advance for your time!

[Richard Wyman]

Heya Dan,

There is a place in Longmont that recycles barrels and IBC's. Last time I looked they didn't have black ones, but the first time I looked ( couple months ago ) they had some black food grade ones. Maybe if you contact them they can get ahold of some. The prices on food grade barrels has risen by 50% already. :(

check craigslist for the location of the company, just search plastic barrels.

Daniel E Brown said:

Hi-

I'm looking for a couple of barrels, but for an indoor system I've got to find a way to improve the aesthetics, because a blue barrel is very limiting. I've got a particular design idea, using a barrel cut lengthwise as the grow bed with the other half of the barrel suspended above it with the lighting system inside, and then another barrel, cut in the more traditional aquaponic fasion, for the fish (obviously placed below the grow bed). So...the questions, 1. Does anyone know of any sources for a black barrel? 2. If not, is there any way I can change the color (paint, powdercoat, etc.) of the barrel and still have it be food and fish safe that you know of? I know it may seems as if I'm dwelling on a secondary aspect, but I think that a key design element that is lacking from the DIY systems I've seen is visual flow and grace. Not to knock anyone's work, because obviously functionality outweighs form in this developmental stages, but I think that to appeal to a broader market the lines on the finished design must be very clean, and that market is one that I feel needs immediate development and offers broad opportunity. Thanks in advance for your time!

[Dan Brown]

Do you have an address or contact information?

[Richard Wyman]

ok, just got the number , Colorado Zero Waste LLC Call us! 303-335-7540

Daniel E Brown said:

Do you have an address or contact information?

[Dan Brown]

Thank you Richard, that's outstanding!

[roy]

Thanks. That reduced work.

I got my first batch of goldfish today - wondering how many hours they last and how many batches i end up sacrificing


Richard Wyman said:

flood and slow drain on a timer works well, your thinking is right on track Roy. By eliminating the flood tank you also lower the head height of your pump, which could possibly save a few bucks too.

[Richard Wyman]

I lost 16 of 20 goldfish when cycling my system, the four that are left seem very tough, and I have recently learned they can live 10 to 15 years, producing ammonia like crazy the whole time :) 10 years for a 23 cent fish is not bad, I hope mine live that long.

roy said:

Thanks. That reduced work.

I got my first batch of goldfish today - wondering how many hours they last and how many batches i end up sacrificing


Richard Wyman said:

flood and slow drain on a timer works well, your thinking is right on track Roy. By eliminating the flood tank you also lower the head height of your pump, which could possibly save a few bucks too.

[bill garrels]

for a two hundred gallon tank, what size pump do I need to get?
is it better for a constant flow fill versus fill and drain?
Got my IBC crates and will be cutting, cleaning, and setting up system this weekend.
Want to make sure I have all the right parts.
I get the water testing kit at mcgukins?

All my neighbors are very excited to see our system up and running in the next few months.

Thanks.

BG