Novellino (newbie) in Italy

[sissy]

The slower water goes into a uv the better it will work .

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

The slower water goes into a uv the better it will work .

Would you then advise to put a T on the output from the filter so to be able to regulate the flow to the UV clarifier? Can the flow be too slow so it becomes bactericidal and this may not be entirely useful? Thank you again for taking the time to give me the benefit of your experience. Ciao

 

[sissy]

I have one on mine .I use a ball valve to slow down the water so the uv can work better .

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

Great minds think alike...

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

Since last summer there have been some developments, fish-wise I have been busy with all my indoor tanks adding a further few (now 9 + 3 tanks) and lately adding another two 275 liter tubs to my ponds. The big 1500 liter tub with the 15 or so shubunkin/sarasa/canaries has overwintered well, occasionally temperatures have dipped to -10C. Come springtime I have started tinkering again, adding a few baskets as advised by Dr. Novak (anoxic filtration a.k.a. bio-cenosis baskets) with the clay cat litter and all... plants seem happy. I added the two extra tubs as mentioned, a top basin with a DIY sieve, the 3000 l/h pump (Sunsun CTP 2800) and a few days ago the UV (Jebao PU36) with a few ball valves to manage the flow as required. It has a year of free floating algae to clear so it may take a while... In the mean time I have kept thinking about stocking for the 3 smaller tubs. Still set on Aphanius mento for the 1st, thinking of ricefish (Oryzias latipes " yellow Ogon") for the second and rainbow shiners (Notropus chrosomus) for the third. For the first two species I tried to get eggs (Aphanius from Rumania and Ricefish from northern Italy) but have been unsuccessful hatching or arrived already mouldy. Today a breeder in Malta has shipped me 4 sexed pairs of Aphanius mento "Kirkgoz" so I am keeping my fingers crossed they will arrive ok. I am planning on putting 2 pairs straight in the tub and one pair each in two separate 10gal fish tanks so not to put all my eggs in one basket. If all goes well with this lot further down the line I will try and get some ricefish and the shiners. Ciao

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

So after 4 full days with the UV running the green tinge has gone and I can see the fish down to about 1'.

But the water is still pretty brownish, rigged up some additional mechanical filtration and when I rinse the floss I am getting lots of fine silt. Is it this that is not settling but dtays suspended in the water and making it murky? We are in the open countryside and the soil is rich in clay that the wind can whip up.
Any ideas

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

Things are improving, water is now pretty clear, slightly yellow probably still some tannins from the oak leaves. Fish seem ok, the raimbowfish are still a bit shy, probably the cat is not helping in this regard but he is blind as a bat so harmless. Today I put the Aphanius in their tub, plenty of hair algae for them (let's hope they do ok in the soft water). The wall planter pouches and a string of 4 pond lights arrived from China in only 2-3 weeks, the former seem good quality, the latter unfortunately are cr@p: not only the light is feeble but they also cycle through various colours without being able to stop it, oh well what can you expect for about 30 bucks.

 

[sissy]

you may need more aeration .kitty deems interested

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

Had a bit of an issue with some leaks from where one tub overflows in the next, so I emptied the two top tubs and added more waterproofing (food safe epoxy coating). Had to wait 3 days for it to fully cure, fingers crossed it will have sorted the issue. Put everything back, also small modification to the top trough, ready to be transformed ina bog box.

Rainbow Shiners spent 4 days in a bin, now happily back in their bin, they seem a little frisky to me! Is it true it is difficult to get them to breed successfully?

Got two other ?males? (Very vividly coloured) in the bigger goldfish tub, probably next to impossible to net without previously emptying the tub.

Hopefully the Aphanius are ok in the (undisturbed) 4th tub

Now looking forward to getting some more plants to put in the pots/pouch planters, albeit a bit late in the season, thinking of getting some iris, forget me not, creeping Jenny, marsh marigold and pickrel to add to the mint, rush and Egeria/anacharis already there.
Ciao from Italy

 

[j.w]

Wow somehow I missed this thread seeing your crop circle ponds,lol! Cool looking and neat how you hid the tubs. Looks like things are clearing up! Yep plants, plants and more plants will help clear up that water to sparkling clear. Cats are funny and you could have a nice fresh clean bowl of water sitting there and they would choose to drink from the pond

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

Thanks, still on a steep learning curve as up untill a year ago I was an indoor only fishkeeper. Glad I am learning on a small scale but considering if I will eventually go big, got plenty of room (about 10 acres) but a few adverse factors as well: budget (pet expense is already high with 31 dogs, 20 odd cats, 2 horses, 3 pet pigs, chicken and ducks, 12 fish tanks and these tubs), very hot sunny summers, winters can be cold and up to 5 ft snow, strong winds to blow leaves and soil in the pond, water and electricity costs are steep, hard clay soil but bedrock quite close to the surface. I do though already have a 24x15 concrete slab currently unused so the temptation is strong!

 

[j.w]

Once you get that temptation bug into your head you will not get rid of it till you just break down and do it, even if it takes you awhile to get it done! It is so worth it in the end when you are sitting next to it relaxing and enjoying all that you have accomplished. Sounds like you would do an above the ground pond w/that hard dirt to dig through. Whoa, you have a ton of critters! How did you end up w/that many dogs and cats? Guess you just love animals like crazy!

 

[Paul Sabucchi]

Professional disease...veterinarian on early retirement!