Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am working on a redesign for my small system, converting to a CHIFT PIST.

See below. Pencil is existing: blue pen is proposed tie in to existing (replacing timed flood and drain with a bell siphon).



Maximum water surface elevation in the sump is approximately the same as bottom of the grow bed.

FT will empty directly into the GB. GB will have a new bell siphon, following Mr Damage and University of Hawaii guidelines (1.5" dia. stand pipe with 3 or 4" diameter bell).

Almost everything I have found online shows the bell siphon emptying to open air. In order to maintain adequate water volume, I will have to drain into an existing closed loop. The below thread seems to indicate that I can do this, provided I have a snorkel at the outlet.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29970&hilit=bell+siphon+drain+into+water

Will this work?


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Should work providing the growbed is high enough

Make sure the snorkel is supported and secure .

Thanks, Terra. I’ll give it a shot


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May be too late now but in the parts I highlighted red below maybe use pretty large pipe like 3-4" and 2" vertical air pipe at the end to help reduce back pressure, may help it be more reliable? (Assuming the horizontal part is completely above the water level of the sump so it's empty, if it has water in it probably won't do much.)

Not too late - I've been overwhelmed with work and unable to do more than feed the fish and pull a head of lettuce every day or two. With current FT position, maximum water level is about even with bottom of GB. The current FT will be converted to sump in my more recent design, and it looks like I need to try to bury it at least a few inches. Thanks for the advice!