Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Tilapitopia 3.0

Well we did it again this year!!

This time we set up Tilapitopia in our barn This version is a bit more advanced. We built an 8' by 8' by 6' "room" in the barn and added extra insulation and vapor barriers. There is solar power available for air pumps, lights, as well as water heaters. There is grid power being used as well to run a larger air pump and one extra light.

The setup uses two IBCs for the habitat areas ( I know round would be better, but they are what we had), three 55 gal. blue barrels for a poo collection tank, bio reactive tank, and water heating tank. The water is moved with gravity and air lift. If grid power goes down, we should be just fine on the two little air pumps and a single light.

Here is a little video showing the setup.



So far we have run into just a few issues and solved them using last years' experiences. We have seeded the system with a few Tilapia earlier today and will be checking the water chemistry often.

That's cool! I'll have to get on my PC tomorrow to check out the vid as my ancient Ipad won't do youtube anymore.

Yep airlift is the way to go to reduce power consumption and increase run time if the power goes out. The solar is cool too.

The 1 inch tilapia I had Fed Exed a month and a half ago are up to 6 inches now. They feed like gangbusters 3 to 4 times a day. As you know I originally had issues but that is over. Hope they're not too big by May when they will be sold wholesale for FA control.

I would try fix the channeling in the MBBR. You really need the whole thing to work like the active side.

Total FREAK!!!

Dang Cecil you are definitely King of the pond. That's nearly an inch growth per week. What are you feeding those guys, Wheaties, breakfast of champions?!!

Condello needs one of those setups for his fishes.

Oh yeah! Complete FREAK, but in a really good way! Well done, amigo!

I agree with JKB. Optimum would be your air and media coming up the center middle and the media going back down the sides.

Also, I would put a lid on top of your mbbr tank to keep light out with just maybe a crack facing away from the light to allow C02 to escape. (I cut my tops off the blue tanks where they narrow just below the top with a reciprocating saw. Then you can just flip the lid over and it fits perfectly as a removable lid.) Nitrobactors (the ones that convert nitrite to nitrates) will work much better in the dark. Actually the nitrosomonas (the ones that convert ammonia to nitrites) don't like light either. In reality there are lot of other species but you get the drift. Ultraviolet will actually kill them if it's sufficient.

The above two things can make a difference when your fish load increases.

I'm guessing you're using a couple of airstones in the bottom of the mbbr tank?



I'll see if I can find a picture of a barrel with an airstone set up on aquaponics nation that I thought was pretty clever.

Here it is:

Some other versions of moving beds:

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?69028-Birdman-s-Fluid-Bed-Filter

One of my moving beds: (Scroll down)

http://aquaponicsnation.com/forums/topic/8826-filter-media/

I use a smaller media now that has more surface area per square foot than even Kaldnes and MB3 and is the cheapest on the market.

I get it from these guys:

http://alliedaqua.com/moving-bed-bio-media.html

BTW here's a really cool DIY S & G filter that is used as a secondary filter in some koi ponds to produce gin clear water. I like how he cleans the solids out too.

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread...dman%27s+Filter

Bill,

I goofed. Time goes by so fast for me I am a poor judge of it. And I keep almost no records! Ask Bill Cody.

Anyway, got the fish at the very end of July. Had serious issues with them that I finally resolved about a month later with two antibiotic saturated in the feed treatments (first treatment was worthless as they weren't feeding actively), and three potassium permanganate treatments. I had 10 dead in the bag when I got them right off the bat, and ended up with about half or less of the 300 fish I originally ordered.

Anyway fish have been in the tank about 2 1/2 months from when they were 1 inch, which is 5 inches of growth in 10 weeks.

The survivors are extremely healthy and want to feed all the time. Not all are 5 inches but I'm guessing the females are the smaller ones.

Phil and Cecil,

Thanks for the tips.

The video was taken before completing the setup. Literally right after the glue dried. We now have the Moving Bed working very aggressively.

Cecil, I will add a lid, thanks for that one!! It is not that light in there, but if it helps, we will lid that tank.

Freak, Maybe.....

No doubt....
but in a good way...a way that still is making George proud!

It's time for a new name.

"HARD CORE FREAK"

That's what highflyer is now.....

Well done !!!!!

It reminds me of the early days when Meadowlark converted a hot tub to do the same thing.

Sunil does this guy look like a "HARD CORE FREAK"?


(@ George Funeral)

Well, no, he doesn't.

But he doesn't wear his dress blues when he's doing 'pond' things.

Or does he...????

true Sunil....he is madman!

HCF it is!

Wow wish I could still fit in my blues! But I'm working on it!

I can OWN "HARD CORE FREAK"

Nice setup high flyer! Get the system processing feed and take em through winter, then you can make the quantum leap to aquaponics with a garden wall on the outside of the room.

Here is a link: Bright Agrotech Garden Wall

I like that!

I would not worry about your IBC's for what you are doing.

IBC's are generally square tanks with no sharp right angles and that is where stuff builds up. You should be able to put in a center drain, being this small with adequate depth and introduce your water back in by diffusing it along two opposing sides. Should keep it pretty clean in the tank, but you'll have to tweak how you introduce the input.

I've been trying to find a couple IBC's around here, but they have all had industrial waste in them and the prices are outrageous. Hell, if there is still a quart left in them, it could cost hundreds to have it cleaned along with all the lab work to certify it.

I've seen some IBC's around here that had foodstuffs in them. Molasses and other stuff like that. IIRC the last time I searched, they were $50 each.

I've seen some cages without the totes (but I can find where they came from, and the place has them available with totes) and the label said Isopropyl alcohol.

JKB,

If you don't mind the drive, there is a company off of 1-69 here that sells circular polyethylene tanks with minor flaws at very reasonable prices. They will cut them down to whatever height you want. Most of the tanks are 4 to 5 feet in diameter.

I've purchased 5 of them now for not much over $100.00. They're white and show the fish and solids quite well. I cut a hole in the center bottom with a hole saw at pick up to aid in hauling (one of the straps goes through the hole), and the hole is also used for center drain by installing a 3 inch Uniseal. I prefer the Uniseal as a bulkhead fitting creates too much of a raised area IMHO and it collects solids. As far as hauling, the tanks are very flimsy so the strap through the hole insures they stay secured on a trailer.

The company is the Assman corporation in Garrett, Indiana (honest no kidding).

http://www.assmann-usa.com

Cecil, how long do you thing those tanks will hold up if outside in the sun?

Thinking for the future, and thinking about ways to hold smaller quantities of fish here before delivery or for customer pick-up.

No filtration, I'd use a flow thru system using pond water. I'd have to also figure out a bottom drain flush system to clean the poo out of the tanks daily.