MINERALISATION TANK

Integral to Victoria Hortus HC-Mk1 Flexible Aquaponics Systems, is The Mineraliser Tank, or Mineralsier. The Mineraliser is engaged twice per week to transition the macronutrients; Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, better known as NPKs, into the systems nutrient fluid. In short the Mineraliser Tank harvests NPKs from fish waste.

Heterotrophic organisms cannot produce their own food, instead they take nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, mainly plant or animal matter. The Mineralization Tank is designed to provide an ideal habitat for Heterotrophic organisms. 

These organisms, molasses and compressed air, convert fish waste into NPKs, that can be discharged back into the system. Mineralisation of waste is significantly faster than allowing sedimentary build up at the bottom of the fish tank, to decompose anaerobically. 

Fish waste is very nutrient-dense, the conversion of it to plant food increases the efficiency of the system. This means more performance per kg of fish, faster growth and greater crop yield.

SYSTEM OVERVIEW

This is the fish tank!

The fish tank empties out into the clarifier.

The clarifier, as the name suggests, removes solids by allowing the matter to fall and collect on the bottom. 

The solids at the bottom of the clarifier are syphoned into this pipe that feeds into the mineralisation tank.

According to Pascal’s principle, pressure is uniformly transmitted throughout a liquid within a hydraulic system producing an equal increase in pressure within a connected tank.  In more familiar terms, "water seeks its own level". 

The solids on the base of the Clarifier Tank are drawn up into the mineraliser inlet pipe,  and then proceed to the Mineralisation Tank.

This valve applies air pressure to the Disk Diffuser sitting on the bottom of the mineraliser tank. The air bubbles create an aerobic environment to the solids, converting them as you’ll see in a moment…

PROCEDURE

 When the factory technician installed your System, the mineraliser was pre-filled as part of the plumbing test. The mineraliser will never fall below half full during its operational term. The mineraliser is drained dry for transport however.

1. To Drain the waste matter from the bottom of the Clarifier Tank to the mineralisation tank; open clarifier outlet valve. Sludge from the bottom of the Clarifier fills the mineraliser tank;  because water finds its own level.

2. When the mineralization tank is full, close the Clarifier outlet valve.

3. open the air inlet valve to put apply air to the air disk, which is at the bottom of the mineralization tank. This applies generous levels of oxygen, over a 48 hour period.

4. Add molasses to increase Aerobic Heterotrophic activity. Sugar Cane Molasses contains naturally occurring bacterial catalysts, that are without synthetic agents, or synthesized compounds. 

5. After 48 hours we close the air inlet valve. Allowing the mineraliser to operate for longer periods results in diminishing returns where by nutrient density declines to increase. The Clarifier requires clearing every 3 to 4 days for optimal operational performance.

6. Leave the Mineraliser for one hour to allow for the solid material to settle, providing clear liquid. While this is happening, feel free to go do something else. 

7. To discharge this macronutrient rich tonic into the system Open Mineraliser outlet valve. The NPK rich solution is sent to the primary sump, for distribution to the plants.

8. Once the Mineraliser Tank is Half Empty, Close Mineraliser Outlet Valve.

9.  Repeat the process in 3 to 4 days time

Engaging the Mineraliser Tank  twice per week will keep both CLARIFIER and MINERALISER operationally clean for 2 years.

 From the list of steps, we can add up the total operating time for the mineraliser as 14 minutes.  Twice per week is a total of 28 minutes. Taking into account the quality of this living fertiliser, the Mineralisation Tank is both easy to use and a very economical, productive unit. 

Step  1 open Clarifier outlet valve 1 minute 

Step  2 close Clarifier outlet valve 1 minute

Step  3 open the air inlet valve 1 minute

Step  4 Add molasses 8 minutes

Step  5 close air inlet valve 1 minute

Step  6 allow solid material to settle -

Step  7 Open Mineraliser outlet valve 1 minute

Step  8 Close Mineraliser outlet valve 1 minute

Total Operating Time 14 minutes

Step  9 Repeat process in 3 days time 14 minutes

Total Time per Week 28 minutes

Each fish tank is set up the same way, meaning on a QUAD HC-Mk1, four Mineraliser Tanks will need attention twice per week, totalling 1 hour and 52 minutes, let's say 2 hours per week. However, a QUAD system represents 105 square meters of growing area which equates to approximately 3,300 holes for your plants.  

The Mineraliser runs for over 88 hours per week transitioning NPKs, while you're busy doing something else.