Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So I have a pump that is larger than I need for my system. I've got valves to slow the flow of water and I have it working fine right now where it can run continuously and fill the grow beds slow enough that they are allowed to drain all the way. The question I have though is can I open the valves up to have the beds fill up faster and then just shut the pump off (with a timer) and let it drain. Say it takes 5 minutes to fill and 10 minutes to drain or something to that effect?

Or is it best to just do the continuous flow to keep the water circulating?

Hi Brandon,

My system is has a similar issue. My pump was overpowered and my system's siphon would only oscillate between 5-10 minutes to fill and 2 minutes to drain. Any slower on the filling and my system wouldn't start a full siphon and it would remain full but draining. Any more on the fill and the system couldn't break the siphon when it was drained so the plants would never get water to the roots since the water stayed drained. I decided to put the system on an electric timer so that I could let it pause for periods at night and in the morning where the temp wasn't so high and the extra cycles weren't needed.

My issue was that the bed may have filled to 99% of the capacity when the pump would turn off. So I needed a way to have the bed drain while the pump was off or else it could sit for 2 hours in the middle of the night fully flooded. The plants would drown.

So I put a small pin hole in the stand pipe inside the bell siphon. Not enough to affect the siphon much. It did slow my fill rate by 40 seconds but it allows me to turn of the power and drain the whole grow bed in 12 minutes or so. This solved my problem and my plants and system have been great since this small change.

Brandon, a couple of questions.
When you say you've got valves slowing the flow, is there at least 1 pipe with no restriction?
If not then you're wasting energy, this can damage the pump, and cost your more in electricity.

Second. Currently you restrict flow to your GB so the siphons work. All is well in the world then.
However if you fill faster and drain using siphons, then the drain rate is the same.
it is imho no different then if you use a timer (no different to plants or fish)

However, filling this fast you have the ability to overflow the beds. So get your times right.
Your pump will be running less of the time, so you'll save money.
You'll be switching your pump on and off regularly, some pumps are not rated for this activity and the contacts and brushes can burn out much quicker this way shortening the life of your pump. Conversely some pumps are not designed for continuous use, so you may lengthen the life of your pump this way.

I fear I have just given your more things to think about and confuse yourself with, but I hope this ramble, you find useful.

I have an open end back into the fish tank. So basically I have the valves to the grow beds set to allow me to change the rate of fill and the excess just goes back to the fish tank so that I don't burn up the motor.

You certainly gave me more to think about heh. Continuous flow works fine right now and I think the water should be getting a pretty good amount of oxygen in it by circulating back to the fish tank. Might just be best to do it this way.

But if I use more electricity than I'm comfortable with I might have to just go the timer route..