experimental picture for uploading

[brother of feeeshpond]

Try this

[brother of feeeshpond]

Yes

[brother of feeeshpond]

Possibly another

[brother of feeeshpond]

Thats great!

[eds]

Well done!

Nice QT. I like the watercress in the tray; does it grow much? I'm trying to get some tropical plants to grow roots down into my QT (mainly to save me having to water them!!!) but I've got some watercress outside that could be a good addition.

[brother of feeeshpond]

Ed
Just doing a couple more, then I can talk.

[brother of feeeshpond]

2 more and thats it.

[brother of feeeshpond]

1 more

[brother of feeeshpond]

Ed that particular batch of w/cress is 3.5 weeks old.
I used to grow it in the top tray of the shower, but it went balistic and started to clog up the shower.I can only assume there were more available nutrients in the water before it went through the shower. I just keep a small piece in there at the moment untill I work something else out. .For info, thats 4" slotted pipe.

[brother of feeeshpond]

The fishing net you can see in one of the phots resting over the w/cress, is a 100-200 micron net which is very effective as a sieve, It gets cleaned once a day. Certainly helps the clarity of the water.
Any questions? Please fire away
Any suggestions? please feel free

[eds]

I've got Watercress outside in my stream but it's not done very well this year. I might have to try it in the QT. Not sure where though as I don't want it rooting through my BHM!!!! Something to ponder, thanks for the info.

[Gazza]

Well done see now you can post loads of pictures

So can you give us the low down on the QT and set please and what have you got growing on..apart from the cress

[brother of feeeshpond]

Gazza
Brief description of this set up.
TOTAL GALLONAGE INCLUDING VORTEX = 525 GALL/
Vortex holds 75 gall on it own.
2" bottom drain with aerated spindrifter(fed with a Secoh 40 ltre) situated at front in the middle comes to 2" pipework.
2" pipe work T's off to drain via ball Vv, and also runs down the left hand side of tank through an isolating ball Vv to what is now a 14000 drymount aquamax (fitted after destroying 4 x 12000 eco aquamax).
From the pump, feeds into the vortex into a slotted spraybar, approx 2/3s the way up.
Overflows from the vortex through 4" pipe and 2 rubber elbows into the top of the homemade bakki.
The first tray you can see in the phots, the last tray is toppers with alfagrog, the middle 2 trays are a secret (but work brilliant), secrets can be brought with beer (all I can say is:- IMHO, it works as well as bhm)
I think the rest is self explanatory.
I have just put some tell tale holes on the trays to let me know if they start clogging up with cress again.
There are 4 koi in there at the moment which I have grown on from 6-8".
The koi went in end of may last year at 6-8", and were shown at the end of may this year at the top end of size 4, with fairly predicable results.(bearing in mind (which is another secret--ooooh goody, more beer!)the object of that particular exercise)
The 2 Danitchi kohakus are certainly over 60 cm now, but I will not be netting them until April next year.
Of the 2 Showas, 1 is ok, the other has turned into a nice fish, but not a showpiece. Anybody want it?(for a very, very small fee?)(I haven't got room for it in the main pond).
So, anyways, there we go, any questions? fire away!
P.s I have got some k1 and k3 to put in the vortex but I need to work a couple of things out 1st.
Oh yeah, the contents of the vortex can be dumped straight down the drain when required.
PPS. Forgot, the tank is insulated from the ground by breeze blocks and polystrene sheet, which then lifted the tank of the floor and enabled me to fit the bottom drain.

[Gazza]

Looks like i will have to buy you a beer at the SE Show then

Well sounds like it all under control and working well and the best thing about these type of set up is aren't they fun

[brother of feeeshpond]

Gazza
To be honest, if it wasn't for the probs with the 4 x ecos, it has been an absolute breeze and very educational.
Looking forward to the beer (I owe you one, so we had better have 2)