Biofractionation on the Tilapia pond

[duanes]

Brought out and re-glued the protein skimmer today, it had been sitting in the yard all winter.
Added new lava rock, cranked it up and it was producing waste foam within about 2 minutes.

you can see the foaming turbulence in the vertical tube where pool water is pumped over the lava rock.


I had put the 7 Coptodon zillii in the kiddy pool about a week ago, but with night temps in the 40sF, I figured moving water wasn't needed. But with temps in the 80sF today, the agitation produced in the biotube really helps with oxygenation beyond the simple removal of dissolved organic carbon compounds.

 

[bbortko]

Didn't you have a pick where the foam is deep brown?

 

[duanes]

The photos above are from moments are getting it running.
I find it takes a few days of running for the fractionator get seasoned.
But even at 24hours, the foam is already starting to darken, and become dryer and more concentrated, below.

a pic below from last year, on one of my larger ones.

 

[duanes]

Day 3, after a couple minor height adjustments to the waste effluent line, seems to have seasoned sufficiently, because this morning I walked out to find this, and the pond 50% clearer than yesterday.

 

[duanes]

A large wind knocked it over a bit, so I zip tied the fractionator to my chain link fence below a peach tree. Is working much nicer, and now the foam is helping to fertilize the tree.




could be a good end of summer feast, Tilapia smothered in peach sauce

 

[Tilapia Store]

Nice pool.