econet | Econet / PhotoHistory

Photo History

This document presents a photographic record of some of the projects that were instrumental and formative for the theoretical structure of the Relational Symmetry Paradigm and the TimberFish ecotechnologies that are derivative from it. They include bench, proof of concept, field trials, and prototype systems as well as full scale operating systems.

The Microbial Tank Farm prototype (1973)

This is where it all started for me in 1973. Here I am working with the Relational Systems group at the Center for Theoretical Biology at the State University of New York at Buffalo. However, I am living in the country so in my spare time I am doing a backyard project to demonstrate that unused plant material such as weeds could be degraded by microbes to generate a microbial biomass which could then be used to feed fish. I used 55 gallon drums, five gallon pails, one gallon jugs, and a variety of other bottles, tubing, and pipes to use goldenrod and other weeds in a microbial process to feed fish, minnows in this case.(this is the first prototype that would eventually become TimberFish).

Here are more photos of the Microbial Tank Farm. MTF Photos

This led to a first round of entrepreneurial startups focused on environmental issues. But this was the 1970s and outside of wastewater treatment there was not a lot of interest in environmental biotechnology so in 1979 I went to work in a municipal wastewater treatment plant in the Town of Amherst, Amherst, NY. In 1989 I left the Town and cofounded Bion Technologies with my brother Jon Northrop. In 2008 I left Bion and cofounded TimberFish LLC with Aaron Resnick. An extensive photo record of these years is contained in the following,

https://www.math4wisdom.com/files/Photoresume.pdf

Here are some more photos of some of the preliminary projects that eventually led to the TimberFish ecotechnology.

Basement/garage systems

Tabletop systems will be in the 10 to 20 gallon range but they can be expanded to 50 to 100 gallons that can be installed in basements, garages, or barns. This example shows a typical system that was initially installed in a basement but subsequently moved to a garage. It comprises a wash tub containing wood chips and plant materials, a large storage bin which serves as an aerated bioreactor, several 5 gallon pails for liquid transfers, a 10 gallon aquarium, small storage bin, a number of small containers, and an aquarium type aerator. In this implementation water transfers were done manually. At this scale some water testing equipment for pH, ammonia, ortho phosphorus, temperature, and a dissecting microscope are helpful.

Here are more photos of the Basement Garage System. BG Photos

Woodland pond system

This shows how the basement/garage sized systems can be scaled up to 1,000 gallons plus. At this scale larger fish can be grown that eat only the food produced within the system. This application is located in a natural environment and demonstrates how this ecotechnology is fully compatible with the existing environments of our native forests and wetlands.

Here are more photos of the Woodland System. WP Photos

Woodland tank systems

Just downstream from the woodland pond we installed a tanked version of the TimberFish Technology. This was fed by a gravity stream from the overflow standpipe in the woodland pond. This flow could be reduced if desired with a bypass valve or more precisely controlled with a variable speed feed pump from the woodland pond effluent stream. The tanked version allow us to feed commercial pellets, meet high quality discharge standards, and supplement the fish feed with natural food that was grown within the system. This comprised snails, worms, insect larvae, and a microbial biofloc. The system comprised two 1,000 gallon tanks with an auxiliary 55 gallon drum and/or a 60 gallon supplemental tank. Aeration and recycle pumps we also used. Various configurations of this system were operated from 2008 to 2015.

Here are more photos of the Woodland Tank Systems. WTPhotos

Freshwater Institute Field Trial

After the success of the Woodland Tank System’s initial run in Westfield, New York, we contracted with the Freshwater Institute, a division of the Conservation Fund, to do an independent field trial of the TimberFish Technology. This was performed in 2010 and 2011 at their facility in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.