Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Not aquaponics, but...

I'm looking at making one of these

I already have a pump and fittings, and can't justify the price of buying one, so I'm going to buy a wheelie bin and make my own.

The one question I have is does having the pump outlet at the top of the bin effect efficiency? Should I bother making the hole down at the bottom of the bin, thus reducing head height, or is it not an issue given that the water will be flowing down to that level anyway?

Making one of what?

Oops - "grey water gator" type grey water system

http://www.greywatergator.com.au/greywa ... logue.html

Using a submersable pump in a weely bin top bottom not much difference its where you want to pump it that counts in my case up to the front yard
If you are on a level block up top in easy less chance of leaks

If the pump is around the size that they use in those bins then the head to the top of the bin is going to make little difference, they move a fair bit of water...

As F&F said, keep the exit near the top, anything low is another chance of a leakage point. No sense in spoiling the integrity of the bin if you don't have to...

The size of the pipe or hose you use will have far more impact on the efficiency of the pump than the level at which the pipe exits the bin.