Quote:
Originally posted by rbdesigns
From the header tank to the rearing tanks, what size pipe goes to each of the tanks, 3/4" also?
For the header tank were the dividers flow through?
How much space between each level did you leave?
|
I started out with 1/4" using John Guest fittings, and frankly there was not enough flow. I eventually ended up with 3/4" and lock line fitting for easily aiming the flow and defusing it.
While the 1/4" was OK for the initial night and the first couple of days, it was difficult to get a good defuse flow on the nest and later when you want more flow it is just not capable of delivering it. With the 3/4" with the flare tip I was able to move the outlet back away from the nest resulting in better egg motion without beating them to death. I would significantly reduce flow first thing in the AM after a hatching.
BTW, I got a lot better hatch rates for the first night, with the majority of the nest hatching the majority of the eggs the first night.
The rearing tanks where made from solid sheet and nothing was ever done for flow between tanks. That would be problematic as you go thru the food cycles with the fry.
I used a 7' shelving system with three shelves. The header was on the top shelf, rearing in the middle and the sump on the bottom. Top of the rearing tank was apx 2.5' from the bottom of the header tank.
After having done this, a couple of thoughts on the header tank overflow and gravity feed lines...
If I had to do it again, I would change my header tank design. I would build an external overflow that was the same height or nearly the same height as the header tank to insure more head pressure in the feed lines. Keep in mind that one of the benefits of this system is the critters in the header tank delivering their fry as food for clowns/horses. So you have to come up with some way to move the larva to the bottom of the overflow now too, likely just a strip of LEDs along the bottom of a clear overflow would do it.