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Parrothead

Mistakes I made in my build.

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Parrothead

Mistake 7: Attach water level float switch to sump BEFORE burying it in the ground. :D

Edited by Paul
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scoffer

Thanks for the updates,  you are taking all the pain on this as we learn from your mistakes.

One day I hope to buy you a beer.

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Parrothead

Thanks for the updates,  you are taking all the pain on this as we learn from your mistakes.

One day I hope to buy you a beer.

 

Well, I knew I would be making mistakes in this build. As I have stated countless times - both on forums and in direct conversations, the whole idea was to learn. I will make my mistakes on this build, learning what I need to do right on the next, much LARGER build. Here, it will only cost me a small amount of money for mistakes. Later, it could cost tons. 

 

Since I lose things I write down, it is much better for me to create a thread that I can keep and use as a reference later, and others can hopefully use as well, if they decide to go a similar route. 

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andy

Like I have said to you before Paul! Mistakes are a good learning curve, but also frustrating and at not least costly. Youtube videos can give information, but many are far from correct.

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Parrothead

Like I have said to you before Paul! Mistakes are a good learning curve, but also frustrating and at not least costly. Youtube videos can give information, but many are far from correct.

Yeah, I know. To be honest, none of the "mistakes" I have made, have been anything major. Just things that would make the system run a bit better, or more efficiently, mostly. Or, they would make doing so a bit more convenient for me. 

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Parrothead

Mistake 8: Never install check valves on water lines where high volume, low pressure pumps are cycling the water. 

 

(Stupid me thought I could prevent back siphoning on these cheaper pumps that way.) 

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Mikala

Why didn't the check valves work out Paul?

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Parrothead

Why didn't the check valves work out Paul?

 

High volume, low pressure pumps have a difficult time pushing the flapper open in the valve. It caused the flow to slow down considerably on a 3,800 liters per hour pump. A 2,300 liters per hour pump was cut back completely. This was a free swinging flapper, not even spring assist.

 

My little 12vdc Shurflo pump, at the farm, pulls water through a 1/2" check valve like it's not even in line.

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andy

When I visited you recently. Quickly overlooking your system. I commented on why was you using underpowered cheap Chinese pumps! Also tried to give you advice and knowledge of my previous large system's pumps I had used in Thailand. I had only ever used the type of pump you are using on a very small indoor educational unit. I even told you where and what to buy in Battambang. For only 25usd.

I can't understand why you would use the cheap Chinese pumps on the most essential part of a working system?

 

And to be honest with you Paul. If you hadn't have rushed me off, and also told me to phone you if I wanted a prior appointment! I would have gladly drove you to the shop in my car. Plus gave you more of my experience of system running and building.

Edited by andy

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Parrothead

When I visited you recently. Quickly overlooking your system. I commented on why was you using underpowered cheap Chinese pumps! Also tried to give you advice and knowledge of my previous large system's pumps I had used in Thailand. I had only ever used the type of pump you are using on a very small indoor educational unit. I even told you where and what to buy in Battambang. For only 25usd.

I can't understand why you would use the cheap Chinese pumps on the most essential part of a working system?

 

Firstly, I don't see you running anything, Andy. I saw you talk about it. I saw you start it. I saw you abandon it. My system is completed, running - and growing vegetables. 

 

Secondly, this is my first system, as I have stated countless times. Piping a check valve into the system was merely a mistake I made, having only used high pressure pumps in the past. The idea was solely so I could prevent back flow if the power were cut. Aside from that, this system IS and "educational unit". That was the entire reason it was built. Not to make money. Not to do anything but to teach me what I needed to know, prior to moving on and building a much larger system.

 

I'm not completely sure if the pumps you are talking about have back flow (check valves) prevention, or not. Either way, it wasn't a major issue. We took the valve out of the pressure side we had on that system. The pump increased flow to the beds, just as I expected. It is rated higher than the fish tank pump (I believe it is 3,900 LPH) and cycles the water in the grow beds quicker, keeping more nutrients available to the plants. However, that is not even necessary. I could cycle that pump on and off, to where it only runs about 12 hours per day - possibly less, if I chose to do so.

 

Thirdly, the pumps are not "underpowered". I have a single, 2,300 LPH pump turning over my 1,000 liters fish tank twice per hour. That is certainly sufficient for the fish tank. Well, that's what I am told from the people who have been doing this for much longer than you and I have. 

 

Bright AgroTech (Chris Michael): "You'll also be turning over the fish water twice every hour"

 

Murray Hallam: "The "idea" or "rule-of-thumb" is just a guide. If you have a 4000 ltr tank and you hook up a 4000 lph pump, the theory or rule-of-thumb is satisfied. The reality is that there will be only half that amount of water going through the system due to pump and plumbing inefficiencies, pipe friction and the like. The system will work just fine under these circumstances."

 

Need more sources? I have a list full of them.

 

 

And to be honest with you Paul. If you hadn't have rushed me off, and also told me to phone you if I wanted a prior appointment! I would have gladly drove you to the shop in my car. Plus gave you more of my experience of system running and building.

 

Where I come from, it is rude to drop by someone's home unannounced. I ask everyone to contact me prior to dropping by, first. I have also asked you to do so before. How difficult is it to pick up a phone and ring someone ahead of time, that you would like to come by? We were busy working on the system and I was not prepared to receive visitors while we were doing so. When I am working on a project, I don't like to stop working to have to entertain unannounced visitors.

 

In fact, I was trying to be polite in letting you know we were working. I have been much more abrasive with others in the past, I assure you. If you were offended, that is not my problem, Andy. If I had never mentioned it to you before, I would apologize for doing so. But, I had done so previously. So, that is that.

 

This is not personal. Again, that is how I am with everyone.

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