Above the Tavern with Parka!

[Parka]

Still NOT a Parka Self Report, just an update on the Akron Situation.

I decided to go with a standard under gravel plate system. The main reason for using a specific product instead of DIYing one out of plastic egg crate for the Akron in particular, are that the 4 openings on the Akron are a bit too small for a full piece (24" x 48") to fit through and the new plates that I bought are just under 6 square inches each and they snap together really nice and perfect

The inside floor of the Akron 96" x 25" and the 64 plates that I dry fitted together measure 92" x 23". Each singular plate has 36 supporting rods or pillars, I have total confidence that these plates are way sturdy for the rocks I will use. It won't collapse. I bought a pack of 80 plates for 70 bucks and I still have all that egg crate for the Cleveland under gravel filter plus a bunch more for other projects.

Here is a picture of a dry fit. I'm gonna put some dinner plates and pots and pans on it overnight to help flatten it out and I think I will hit it with hair blow dryer in the morning to get some heat to also help flatten it. Being brand new each piece was slightly cupped and that makes it a bit difficult to snap together AND stay together.




I finished up rinsing the lava rock today while also sifting out the stray pea gravel that got mixed in during the removal. When cleaning large amounts of gravel, one always needs another large container to store it until using it. Using those heavy duty plastic groby bags was a great idea! I have a total of 12 bags and I think they weigh about 20 pounds each, maybe 25 tops and that will make it a simple breeze to use it by the bag, already rinsed (with fish tank water) and the best part, Already Bio-Loaded!



Here's my rinse and sift station, All Hands on Deck!



And finally here's a pic of my garden plot at the Community Garden. I planted radishes and beets for my early crop! I'm the Watering Manager this year and I gave myself 3 days a week to water the Pantry Beds, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. A lot of the other gardeners do a lot of other chores that I'm not capable of doing so it works out well. Mondays are work days when a group of us show up but on Wednesday and Friday, I like being by myself and water stuff!

In the heat of the summer those raised beds can dry out fast and they need watered daily and so as the Water Chief, I have to make sure the schedule is rigorously followed, GOOD EVENING! Oh yeah, I will be rinsing and sifting pea gravel tomorrow, even though it's heavier than the lava rock, it will go faster, dig that!

 

[Parka]

at one liter each 4 seconds, that airlift would be moving 238 gph. Will you be able to run enough airlifts with the 55w air pump to match the flow you were getting from your conventional water pump?

There are other variables to consider, one is, that measurement of 1 liter per 4 seconds was taken from the deeper tank. However, even though the Chicago is my deepest (tallest) tank, the water level was still maybe 8" from being full. So I would probably, almost certainly, get a greater flow when the tank is filled nearer to the top.

The 170 watt Pond Boss Water Pump is rated at 3,600 gph.

Also I want to point out, that 1 liter per 4 seconds was taken using the 40 Watt Pump and during the test, the air pump was also running 13 large air stones, 8 in Chicago and 5 in the Cleveland. So as an estimate I did 14 x 238 = 3,332 GPH. And I still plan to add 4 more lift tubes to the Akron when it's ready and that 40 watt pump might push that and more without any decline in flow. So I will be looking closely at flow rates when all three tanks are running from the same 40 watt air pump and if it falls off in flow rate, I will try the 55 watt pump.

I want to get all the gravel rinsed and sifted AND THEN Akron will be on the Move! Very Exciting!

 

[Sassafras]

You are a courageous (to use your term) "He-Man"! I'd be scared to death to take on the responsibility as Watering Manager of a community garden. Imagine the wrath of the community if you let even one radish wilt!

Seriously, the garden looks great and so does the work (lot's of work) on the tank. Really hate to hear about the heron taking your fish. I think I'd rig up some netting over the pool. Frustrate the ole buzzard. He'd be able to see the fish but couldn't get to them - sweet revenge.

 

[Parka]

You are a courageous (to use your term) "He-Man"! I'd be scared to death to take on the responsibility as Watering Manager of a community garden. Imagine the wrath of the community if you let even one radish wilt!

Seriously, the garden looks great and so does the work (lot's of work) on the tank. Really hate to hear about the heron taking your fish. I think I'd rig up some netting over the pool. Frustrate the ole buzzard. He'd be able to see the fish but couldn't get to them - sweet revenge.

If things go south on the watering on my days, I will blame it on My Inner Junkie! I'm in the Clear no matter what... However, if any other of the water volunteers miss their day, they will have to face the wrath of My Inner Junkie! I expect full compliance, NO exceptions, NONE whatsoever!

Furthermore, look what I did today, I moved Akron! I left it blocked up on the right side so that when I clean it tomorrow the water will flow to the opposite end and make it easier to remove the grubby water.





I got the car jack out again and got busy with the casters, I was moving it all by my clumsy self but I got my son to help me and it was very easy, I'm going to have it set up soon, every day I will work on it and it won't take long now AND I won't feel rushed at all, I'm pretty excited to do this, I plan to use a smaller 17 watt Danner water pump to run a smallish trickle filter and from the trickle filter it will flow into a section of gutter to be used as a hydroponic garden to grow houseplants, in the hopes of using up nitrates because this will be my Goldfish tank and the Goldfish are currently residing in the Posh Cleveland and that tank always has more and more nitrates than the Mighty Chicago. With all that Water Lettuce in the Chicago, I believe that is why the nitrates pretty much stay around 5 to 10 ppm. The Goldfish eat and destroy those real delicate roots of the Water Lettuce. Okay, Good Night!

 

[Parka]

I was planning to clean the Akron today but I decided to add these shelves first. They are 10" wide with a wide gap between them for convenience sake to drop cords and hoses etc. The shelf on the right side sticks out past the tank about 10 inches and that is where the trickle filter will go and the shelves will support a section of gutter that gets water from the trickle filter for the hydroponic set up. I had to go to the Garden this afternoon and this evening is my Son's 33 birthday so no work until tomorrow. Tomorrow should be pretty productive, no other priorities, Good EVENING!

 

[Parka]

Just a quick catch up on the Akron situation: It doesn't look like much has been done but I have been keeping at it every day.

On Tuesday I got the inside rinsed out and then with some help, we got that or those under gravel plates laid in place. I used my hot glue gun and glued every spot that intersected and all the outside edges where the plates meet. It worked like a charm to hold the entire structure together as a single unit.





And yesterday a made the Czech style lift tubes for the Hard Working Akron, these Czech style lift tubes really get it on!






And I also painted the shelf that I built to support a Hydroponics set-up in hopes of using excess nitrates from my Goldies! I'm still busy today too and I hope to hang lights for the house plants today.

I also drilled three more access holes in the top brace and I need to break out the Pond Shield and seal up all exposed wood. It is looking like the lava rock and gravel could be poured in as soon as tomorrow if I get enough done today.

 

[Parka]

About the Akron, it won't be too much longer! The Hard Working Akron sits on a tall stand, 36", making the 285 gallon tank appear larger than it is.
The reason for the taller stand is that I had three of the doors already built for a different project, I messed up and made them too wide for the other project so I only needed to make one matching door to have 'Four Door' stand for the Akron.

Picture Time!


My next door neighbor feed the deer, a small herd of 6 and they visit my yard on the regular after they get their fill of pellets. It is not a good idea to feed deer, it is illegal in some states but not here in Ga. I plan to train this one here to be my Attack Animal focused on the Great Blue Heron! Be GONE, Great Blue Heron!




Look how neat and tidy the bottom of the Akron has gotten, I filled the gaps with sponge foam just to keep any gravel from migrating under the plates.




I siphoned water from the Cleveland just enough to cover the lava rock, I didn't want it to dry out to hopefully preserve some of the bio-bacteria.




I got the overhead lights hung for the houseplants. That fluorescent fixture in front will be removed.



And finally, I been working my fingers to the bone! I can rest and recover soon, Good MORNING!

 

[Sassafras]

YES! Really neat install on those UG plates. A little A & D Ointment or Triple Antibiotic Ointment will help those cracked fingertips to heal.

 

[Parka]

YES!

I AGREE!

I can't Report that the Akron Project is finished but it is filled up and running. But CZECH this out, BIG News, I'm using the 40 watt air pump on all three tanks with a total of 18 airlines running 8 stones in the Mighty Chicago, 5 stones in the Not So Posh Cleveland and one stone and 4 Czech style lift tubes in the Hard Working Akron and the new lift tubes are literally gushing... Me Too! I'm stoked how well this is working.

As I said earlier, Czech this out, I got Pics for Proof!


I have been bustin my chops and I finally turned the pump on tonight and so I dint measure water flow but I will very soon and I will have that information, At My Convenience! I have a ton more work to do before I can relax and enjoy. I enjoy the work too. As soon as I can, I will configure a small trickle filter and flow it into the overhead gutter for the Houseplants. Look at that Flow!




For the Trickle and gutter Plant Filter I plan to use the small pump on the left, 18 watts 220 GPH rated. The Pump on right was running the old reverse flow, 110 watts, 1,400 GPH? I can't remember. But that step stool, I have been climbing up and down that thing countless times all day long for days on end and it can wear a Clumsy Cripple out! All's I need is a good night's sleep and I'm ready to do it again, Okay Good Night!

 

[Parka]

Good Morning Dumby! There's only a handful of us that visit this thread, Me of course, My Inner Junkie when he feels like, Sass Frassington, Sassafras and my two Great Cousin Helpers, Gusto and Vigor, the Albanians, ooh, I almost forgot one, the revered High Bishop Two Canes, he's all Godly PLUS he likes to party!

So yeah, I measured the flow of the new lift tubes using that slick Eastern European technology, from one tube, I have FOUR running, I was getting one liter of water in about 8 seconds, mind you, this is with 18 air lines between all three tanks using the 40 watt air pump. So I decided to try the 55 watt air pump and I got a good increase, I get one liter in about FIVE seconds...

When I eventually get this system in the Cleveland and the Chicago, the flow will be even greater because those tanks are deeper/taller and with increased water pressure at greater depth, the water flow will be significantly higher!

Today I will be working on the trickle filter/ houseplant gutter filter, very exciting! Here's a pic of the vessel to be used, 3 gallon container.


I also have to water the Community Garden later today and I will post up this evening with a progress report, Good Day!