Its a Slow Saturday

Testing of 20mm siphon with home made funnel still going on, field trial is more like it. This is the longest test to do, actual utilization on growbed. I'm happy with it, due easier and cheaper to make.

Tidying up the backyard and I'm throwing most stuff that I don't need. I'm closing the chapter on siphon experimenting so a lot of stuff to get rid, a recycling scrapyard nearby makes things easier to dispose.

Its planting time again, will start fresh batch of plants. Its so difficult to get good quality seeds. Those that came foil packed, may not germinate at all.

Vegetable Yam (Keladi) doing great, more leaves coming out and they have recover from their market shelf hibernation.

I will transplant these few into growbed below that I have been testing the siphon. Its should be ready by next week, being an addition to existing system does make it cycle faster. It won't be fully matured but should manage to sustain these few yam plants.

Caught few more Tilapia earlier today about 15 altogether from the holding tank, gave it to the neighbours. I think about 10 left in this tank, many more in the main tank growing from earlier this year batch of fry.

Outside my back yard where the home kit is located, more Tilapia fingerling and some gold fish.

Okay, so much for a slow Saturday.

If You Can't Buy 'Em Make 'Em - Almost There

Previous Post on This : Here


Made another standpipe today, a quickie. Back home after work takes me about 10 minutes to make. I use two step process to do it.


First step, just like previous use a wooden mandrel, to get the funnel done.

Then second step, use a shorter piece with minimum tapering and make the final shape. Both steps requires heating of PVC with a hair dryer.

This wooden piece is about 25 mm in diameter. Not exactly precision engineering but it does the job. A third step with a bigger piece should do it, that's next to do.

Walla as below, I choose a bright background to show the final shaped of this standpipe.

The three in a row as previous, the right most is the latest addition.

Now the openings.

Fitted inside siphon housing.

Minimum inflow needed to start it.

Currently the maximum it can cut off that I have tried, in this short test.

It getting better, the last funnel that I did also works. No big problem, I will now test its reliability over a period of time.


I got few feed back from regular visitors, and thanks for all the comments.


I choose to do the low Tech way of making this and try not to use any couplings or adapters for one simple reason. Sustainability, in order to achieve this we must strive to do with minimum we had and try not to rely on others.


A machined steel mandrel will surely got the job done far quicker and better, however there are those that don't have this option. Same goes with adapters or plastic funnel, there will be places that can't get those items.


So I choose a reasonable primitive way of doing it, so that if I manage to do it.. others surely can do it too.


A short video of siphon on test.

Cheers.

Time Out - Got Two New Toys Today.

My ChiPad arrived from Hong Kong, this to test out. Don't compare to Galaxy Tab or the Ipad.. this item cost USD 96.00 inc shipping, I can't complain.

Update : 16 Apr 2011
After few days of extensive testing, its not suitable for my field work. Too slow for any serious job. Its okay for casual web browsing, youtube and facebook, so I just gave it to my daughter to use.


On a bigger note, our latest aircraft arrived. The Airbus A330-300 Enhanced, will add headache to my already tight schedule.

Going to be launch tomorrow.