Quark_VI Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Hi, Just thought I would share another idea for something to use as bio media in a trickle filter. If you have any dairy farming friends ask them to keep the dry cow treatment syringes for you. These syringes are completely plastic. Dimensions are typically 8cm long and 2cm diameter but depends on the product used. This is the time of year to get hold of these as cows are starting to be dried off and you use 4 syringes per cow (1 per teat). I would suggest just using the plunger and end caps, if you can get enough, as else you have to clean the label off of the tube and probably chop it up to get a decent surface to volume ratio. IMPORTANT: Note that the syringes contain antibiotics and will probably be covered in some muck when you get them so make sure you clean and sterilize them well. Will try and borrow a digital camera to post some pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberfin Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Interesting. I can get untold amounts of syringes from a vet (urban not rural). They are the same as what you would find in a chemist; mls marked on the sleeve. I assume you boil them first, then place them in the bio-media space of filter, then pop in a couple of fish in the tank and see what happens? I can't imagine there would be a problem but then I don't know what is used to indicate mls on the syringe. I'll try to find out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quark_VI Posted June 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 I have just completed the filter and started running water through it. Landed up just using the plungers from the syringes as too much trouble getting the decals off of the outer and they would need to be chopped up unless you have a very large volume. Washed them by making baskets from gutter guard and putting them through the dishwasher a couple of times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 can you try and upload and let us see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Because they are smooth and impervious, they will not have a great surface area to culture bugs compared to other more porous materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserole Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 I agree with Alan4304, the plungers don't have much surface area compared to many other media. It probably will work just fine if your filter chamber is large enough for the water volume of your system. I still prefer porous rocks for mine.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 porous rocks...hmm....thats good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat692 Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 what about chopped up bits of pvc plumbers/electrical pipe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 would still work, but you would have to have a heap of it, very little surface area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magenta Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Excuse me if this is a newbie response (maybe I'm not DIY inclined enough) but in comparison to using ceramic noodles, which have a surface area of approx 1350m2 per liter of media - isnt it better to just not DIY, and buy the noodles? (they're only $20-$30 a kg right?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Some people will do anything to save a bit of money magenta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Excuse me if this is a newbie response (maybe I'm not DIY inclined enough) but in comparison to using ceramic noodles, which have a surface area of approx 1350m2 per liter of media - isnt it better to just not DIY, and buy the noodles? (they're only $20-$30 a kg right?) could you tell me where to buy them? i need quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stompa Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 i got mine for $6 a kilo off trademe brand new.... i must have got a steal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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