Concrete Tanks For Fish

[canuckamuck]

Looking pretty good, but what compelled you to use bricks for a ring?

I hope to be getting My tank started in about a month. So reality is will probably be two.

I will have questions for you when I get closer.

[leo202]

I had the small bricks kicking around so I just wanted to use them up, also to get the hight I want. There's 2 cement rings going on top of that. I could just have cut a ring down but I've got loads of blocks and bricks around the home and just wanted to use them up.

[leo202]

Started on the bottom of my 3rd chamber today, also started on the cone bottom for the second chamber.

[canuckamuck]

Is the pipe an inlet or an outlet?

[leo202]

The pipe that's fitted at the moment is to drain the filter, I want one drain for each chamber. The inlet for the first chamber I'm building will come from the radial flow. It will be clearer in a few days when I get the cement rings up and the pipe work fitted.

[leo202]

I'm going to remove the scrubbies from the radial flow as they just clog up after about 5 days so I have to clean it or it just overflows, it still removes a lot of solids without the scrubbies. The second chamber will have volcanic stone using a vortex bellow and the third will have scrubbies also using a vortex bellow. The fourth chamber will filter through the biofoam that I already posted a photo of. You'll see what I mean in a few days time.

[canuckamuck]

Sounds quite intricate. Can't wait to see it.

[leo202]

Not too intricate, I was looking around a koi store back in the uk, I got the idea from there. The only difference is that I added 2 vortex in the middle 2 chambers and its on a bigger scale.

[leo202]

Finished the base for the second chamber with the dished bottom. Moving onto the third and get it to the same hight.

[canuckamuck]

Some nice concrete work there, looks really good.

[leo202]

Canuckamuck, got the wife's dad around today so I got plenty work done.

[leo202]

Can you see the idea better now?

[canuckamuck]

I only see the three tanks so far, but I kind of get it. I think my curiosity is more about how you worked out the flow. Is the pump lifting the water to the first column and then gravity runs it through back to the tank? Or do you have a pump pulling it through.

I would love to see a schematic with labels, even a sketch would do.

Looking good though.

[leo202]

Yes the pump is in the middle of the pond pumping the water into the first chamber then gravity does the rest. The fourth stage of the filter will be rectangular. It's probably me who hasn't explained It well enough, it is quite simple. I'll do you a sketch tomorrow.

[leo202]

Been working on the biofoam pipe work today and the pipe work from the 2nd to the 3rd chamber. You can see the outlet of the second chamber leading to the inlet of the 3rd chamber.

[canuckamuck]

It is all looking really good. At what height does the water leave column 3?

[leo202]

The water will leave the third chamber at the same height as the second, I've left 7 cm from the top of the chamber to the top of the outlet, there both level so it should flow through fine. Sorry about the skech, I'll sort that tomorrow.

[leo202]

Got the bottom half of the 4th chamber done today. I put the biofoam pipe work on top so you can see we're the outlet will lead to the spray bar.

[leo202]

Canuckamuck, got most of the brickwork done on the 4th chamber. Took a few picks so you can see the inlet and outlet of the 4th chamber and a few of all 3 new chambers. Got the father in law round tomorrow to do the rendering, he's much better At it than me.

[leo202]

Here's another photo showing you the outlet of the 4th chamber that will lead to the spray bar.

[canuckamuck]

Nice stuff. What is the pipe in the middle of the final chamber for?

[leo202]

It's to drain the chamber if I need to clean it out. It will be rendered tomorrow when it's dry I'll cut it down to size, best to leave it long and cut it after so no concrete gets onto it. Do you see how it's going to work now or do you still want a sketch?

[leo202]

Canuckamuck, got the 2nd and 3rd chambers painted up today. The 4th chambers not dry yet so I'll have to leave it for a few more days

[canuckamuck]

Looks really good, where did you get the helicopter for the overhead shot

[djayz]

Canuckamuck, got most of the brickwork done on the 4th chamber. Took a few picks so you can see the inlet and outlet of the 4th chamber and a few of all 3 new chambers. Got the father in law round tomorrow to do the rendering, he's much better At it than me.ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1420969199.731103.jpgImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1420969219.721581.jpgImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1420969239.524280.jpg

I've followed this thread for a long time now as I'd like to get into aquaponics - I think it's really interesting and has potential.

Thank you for sharing the photos and information. All very informative and helpful.

I understand the set up, but I'm a bit confused by the 4th/rectangular chamber. I see the pipes lead up and out to a bigger pipe on the outside of the chamber which, if I understood it correctly, leads to the spray pipe/nozzle. Are you going to use a pump to suck/pull the water out of the 4th chamber or how does that work?

Thank you.

[leo202]

Canuckamuck, got most of the brickwork done on the 4th chamber. Took a few picks so you can see the inlet and outlet of the 4th chamber and a few of all 3 new chambers. Got the father in law round tomorrow to do the rendering, he's much better At it than me.ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1420969199.731103.jpgImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1420969219.721581.jpgImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1420969239.524280.jpg

I've followed this thread for a long time now as I'd like to get into aquaponics - I think it's really interesting and has potential.

Thank you for sharing the photos and information. All very informative and helpful.

I understand the set up, but I'm a bit confused by the 4th/rectangular chamber. I see the pipes lead up and out to a bigger pipe on the outside of the chamber which, if I understood it correctly, leads to the spray pipe/nozzle. Are you going to use a pump to suck/pull the water out of the 4th chamber or how does that work?

Thank you. [/quote. The pump is in the middle of the pond and pumps the water into the radial flow filter, the water will just flow into each chamber and then back into the pond.

[leo202]

Started the filter up today, the second chamber almost flooded so I cut 5cm of the height of the outlet of the third chamber and that solved the problem. It works very well.

Thanks canuckamuck for putting me on to the idea of radial flow and vortex filters.

I've still to buy the volcanic stone for the second chamber and try to find some of the grates you used, off into town looking tomorrow.

[ignis]

"I've still to buy the volcanic stone for the second chamber and try to find some of the grates you used, off into town looking tomorrow. "

The volcanic stone for the 2nd chamber I bought from the wholesaler at the Fish Market, as I did the 1st tank with Oyster Shells... I use the same sort of 'grates' but there strong plastic and used for plants, bought mine at a big place that sells all the pots and things for flower gardens,

Interesting what you have done and what is used..[or not used] myself use the Foam [also can buy at the wholesaler at the Fish Market] have Black, Light Blue, Dark blue different grads and thickness of Foam, and the White Fiber in the last tank... had mine up and running about a year..

​Other than it looks a bit of a mess, think your round chambers will work better....... mine are oblong made so the in each chamber 2x clothes baskets fit, so have 2x baskets fitted in No1, with Oyster Shells, on the top the light blue and bigger foam, 2 nd one same but volcanic stone and 2 x black Foam, 3 have baskets with sacks of carbon + 3x blue Foam and 3x white fiber. all works well, but every 2 - 3 weeks clean all = why I used baskets, easy to clean use a high pressure wash..

Looks like yours and 'Canuckamuck' you do not need to clean them all out ?? [have around 100 Koi, some are many years old and very big, most are 30 - 40 cm]

Thinking about building a bigger main Pond...... so if less or no cleaning maybe pinch your idea of filter construction.

Bit surprised you have one 1x tube between the tanks ? I used 2 x 2½ tube between each...

[leo202]

I've used 3 inch tube between the chambers and 2.5 leading to the spray bar.

[canuckamuck]

Good to see it up and running Leo. It must have been exciting after all the work you put into it. Very well thought out. Now that I see it running I don't have so many questions.

One thing I would ask is about the spray bar. I have used similar before but I have come upon the realization that a single strong force of water has more pushing power than several smaller ones moving the same volume. This is important to me because I like to get the water in the tank in motion. More action in your water causes more water to get exposed to the atmosphere where the O2 exchange occurs. It is my opinion that a tank full of rolling water gets more oxygenated then you can get from just spraying the water in (in many tanks there are dead zones where the water is O2 poor). And if you tweek the outlet, angle, and drop (I put a reducer on mine at the end to make a stronger jet) you can get a single strong jet that really gets your tank moving.

That being said, it is just my opinion on the oxygenation. I have no way to prove it.