The ultimate Hobbyist California Blackworm Keeper

[DanCBW]

The ultimate Hobbyist California Blackworm Keeper, thanks
to Jose Dieck in IL.

Photos below thanks to Leo Ross , aka "roundfishross"

Dan
California Blackworm Co.

[roundfishross]

Dan ,
host to a site like photobucket. the photo's are too small to see

[DanCBW]

I am so much a Worm Guy, not a computer guy.
Dan

[roundfishross]

sending you a pm

[roundfishross]

[roundfishross]

it took me a few minutes to get it figured out the zipped file woudnt load but I finally got it

[DanCBW]

Thanks Leo,
looks great.

Dan

From Jose in IL

The idea is to have a system to provide mechanical and biological filtration while providing circulation and make easy to harvest the worms. I have not tested it's full capacity but at the start it worked well with about 1/2 a pound of worms with no mortality.

The way it works is to re-circulate filtered water to a tray containing the worms. The tray provides for barriers (Bulkheads) to keep most of the worms from draining. The water is drained back to a section of the aquarium with some glass marvels were any worms draining down form colonies that can be easily extracted with a turkey baster. The marbels help prevent the worms floating out while at the same time are easier to clean than say, sand. The worms are further separated from the filtration system by a divider.

The filtration system consists of: a Fluval submersible filter to provide for mechanical and bio filtration with some carbon to prevent odors and water discoloration. A micron bag full of porous bio-media for added on biological filtration and finally an air wand (or air stone) to provide aeration.

The diagram can give a better idea of how it works. You can see from the pictures that I have little worms left :>)

The items used can be found at a Pet store and a Lowes or Home Depot.

1. Aquarium: 20 gal long

2. Stand: DIY with some closet shelving.

3. Tray: I found the tray at the kitchen section in Lowes, it is supposed to be used as an organizer for cutlery or utensils. There were many models, I selected this one because a) it provided for no dividers on one side which is convenient for the installation of a straight spray bar, b) the dividers within the tray are shorter than the sides of the tray so the water can overflow the sides without overflowing the tray, c) It has a four sided divided section convenient for the drain and d) Is expandable making it easy to fit the width on the top of aquarium frame.

4. Filter: Fluval U2

5. Powerhead: Maxijet 1200 although a smaller one can be used. The powerhead is held to the side of the aquarium using magnets, as I do not really trust the suction cups that come with it.

6. A micron bag used for chemical media

7. Bio-Media: Fluval large sized.

8. Air pump and air wand

9. Aquarium Divider cut to half height. The water level is kept about 1" above the top of the divider.

10. 1/2" insert valve to regulate the flow going into the tray and spray bar. Too much flow and the worms will overflow the tray dividers so it is adjusted to as much as it prevents the worms from overflowing. I feed the worms some small pellets a couple of times a week. When I feed I close the recirculation valve to stop the flow and prevent the worms to overflow because the worms get all excited and they swim around dislodged from their ball colonies.

11: The tray drain is made out of a 1" PVC threaded socket to male threaded adapter and a female to insert adapter plus a short length of 1" hose to the bottom of the aquarium. I cut the male adapter to adjust the height on the drain side so it is about 1/4" shorter than the height of the tray dividers.

12. Spray bar made of 1/2" PVC with 3/16" perforations every 1" One end is capped and the other has a male PVC adapter that screws to a 90* elbow PVC female to insert adapter trough a side hole cut on the tray, a soft silicon packing to seal any potential leaks.

13. I used 1/2" hose from the powerhead to the valve and from the valve to the spray bar. The powerhead comes with a short piece (nipple) that has a hole in it for an aeration hose. The piece that holds the fan like piece that provides for redirecting the flow. I used this nipple so the hole allows to keep circulation through the powerhead when the valve is partially closed so the powerhead do not overheats.

14. Transparent glass marbles which I got from the local hobby store. Got enough to cover the bottom of that section of the aquarium with two layers of marbles.


Let me know if you have any questions, Enjoy!

Jose

[ericatdallas]

Wow, nice, I think my wife would be okay with this more than worms in the refrigerator... hmm...

Is that aquarium divider porous or just a sheet of plexi/glass?

[roundfishross]

I balieve its just plexi glass, the worms might crawl through a perforated divider

[DiscusOnly]

Thanks for the post Dan. Do you know how the worms are fed? If worms are in room temp, wouldn't they need to eat or it will die off?

Van

[roundfishross]

Van the author says he feeds them small pellets a few times a week. I have always kept them at room temp in a 20g L. tank with lotts of airation if I want to culture them them toss in a small piece of burlap and feed them flake food every other day or so. the water will foul after feeding so they will need a water change. the most important thing I have found is that they need room to spread out if they have to bunch up too much they will die off. I can keep two to three lbs in a 20 g L.

[DiscusOnly]

Van the author says he feeds them small pellets a few times a week. I have always kept them at room temp in a 20g L. tank with lotts of airation if I want to culture them them toss in a small piece of burlap and feed them flake food every other day or so. the water will foul after feeding so they will need a water change. the most important thing I have found is that they need room to spread out if they have to bunch up too much they will die off. I can keep two to three lbs in a 20 g L.

Thanks for the reply Leo.

I've tried 2 lbs on an 180gal with sands and CRS last year but they eventually died off after 1 month. I had lots of circulation in the tank (2 eheim 2026 and 2 ac110 along with air stones). Maybe they did not get enough food cause the tank was too big. I was looking to try to culture them again this winter so I may try this DIY with a 50 gallons tank.

Van

[roundfishross]

yeah, when you feed em prime reef flakes they turn a nice red color! I usually stock a cluture alot lighter than I mentioned in the earlier post. they dont reproduce really fast even when you break them up from time to time. so I always end up running out. if you only had a few fish it might work.this book has a little info on the subject

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0793806550/...l_94dv48elda_e

Leo

[Apistomaster]

Very nice set up.
I think it would work just as well using a MaxiJet 600 since you are throttling back the flow of the MaxiJet 1200 anyway.
The flow rate would be enough to keep the biological filtration working well and drive the spray bar.

[jimg]

do you keep that in a refrigerator?