1)
The purpose behind cleaning is to remove both
uneaten food and feces from the troughs to prevent disease outbreaks from
bacteria build-up.
2)
Large amounts of uneaten food usually indicate
overfeeding. If you notice this occurring, please mention it to Bill, Glen or
Mel.
3)
Each trough has its own cleaning equipment.
This is to prevent cross-contamination, in the event of a bacteria occurrence.
Please keep to the regimen with the gear.
4)
The edges of the troughs and the screens need
to be cleaned regularly to prevent build-up of food. Care in dispersal will
help prevent this, as well.
5)
The tendency is to overfeed. Not a good plan !
If in doubt, underfeed, they won’t suffer.
6)
After Morts are collected, be sure to dispose
of them directly into the creek. The Manifold overflow and the trough at the
Inc.Rm. door are not great places to do this, they tend to stay inside the area
and attract vermin. Over the bank or into a drain that is running directly into
the creek are the best bets.
7)
If you opt to pull the plug and drain the
grunge from the troughs through the bottom of the trough, avoid dropping the
water level too far before you shut it off. Until the trough refills, the next
one in line is not getting a flow. Better to do it two or even three times over
a period, than all at once.
8)
Keep the area where the feed is measured as
clean as possible. Spilled and forgotten food gets really “hummy” after a
while.
9)
If you find a suspicious rise in Morts from the
previous couple of days, be sure to notify one of the names listed above. It
may be the sign of a growing problem. Better safe than sorry !!
10) Watch for fry on the wrong side of the screen at the bottom of the
trough. It may have moved and what you are seeing may be the start of the
“Great Escape”
11) Once the cleaning is done, turn off any lights you don’t need to see.
The young ‘uns do better in low light and don’t spook as much with movement.
Its cheaper, too !!
12) When time allows, spray the screens with the hoses at the end of the
day. This will remove food buildup from the days feeding.