Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

That picture above also shows the actual aerator drain pipe hole height compared to the band on the swirl tank where in earlier pictures you could see the stand pipe , just thought I mention it since there was some confusion before where the optical illusion made it seem like the aerator pipe was higher then the stand pipe

1 and 2 don't let you do what you want. On number 3, I think you could get this done with a single sump and pump.

Number 4 you would have to replace the pipe between the two disconnect fittings if it didn't work. I considered that replacing the elbow with a T and extending it way above the water height in the swirl filter would work as well. This would be the way I would go first but see below.

When you tested it with the pipe level coming out of the Swirl filter and disconnected from the rest of the riser, did it slow up. If it slowed up then the bubble is forming nearer to the Swirl Filter and I doubt number 4 will help unless there's more than one blockage.

on #3 I can get another tank the size of my FT to use for a sump but sump would need to be lower then swirl tank and swirl tank would need to be lower the FT and I just don't have the height unless I move the whole set up out side and risk the critter eating stuff like they do my pineapples

#4 the thread 2" coming out of bottom of swirl tank is glued to 90 then glued to pipe then glued to another 90 then glued to reducer then glued to discount fitting


for example looking at the picture the small 1" hole you see the end of the 2" stand pipe flows fine smooth right there but if I start raising the end of the 2" pipe a couple inches the water starts bubbling (not air bubbles) and the water starts backing up at the stand pipe.

ok I take that back on number #3 I have been out looking at it again if I drop the swirl tan down about 4" and spin it around then use something small like a 55 gallon drum or 30 gallon trash can (would have to buy either one) then buy a 12v boat pump with a float switch and place it in the sump tank to pump up to the FT aerator pipe..... not ideal but mite work but have to wait until I have the extra money to spend again would cost me the $25 in fitting I trash, a trash can maybe $40 and a 12v boat pump $25 plus float switch $20 then maybe $20-$25 in new plumbing.

To do number 3 you would need a short container for the sump because everything else will flow down into it. A cutoff water barrel, a lilly pond bucket or a large 17 Gallon Muck Bucket might even be big enough. You should be able to use Sch 40 PVC pipe and a through hull fitting into the container and that will allow you to hook up your existing pump using an adapter (and you should only need one pump). That way you don't need a new pump and float switch. It will be tight on Sump capacity.

I'm not sure what you can do on the swirl filter right now, to get 4 going. There's no air bubbling up inside the swirl filter? I can't really tell what's happening with it.

if I use the current pump to go form the sump to FT then how do I connect that same pump for Ft to Gb ?

I see your point. The thing is we're stuck on the Swirl Filter and if we can't get it working then that pretty much leaves option 3 with the pumps if you want crayfish in the Swirl Filter.

Going the route with a Sump even though not ideal for what you're wanting with the solids, would be cheaper and work well except for the solids going to the grow beds, they would be reduced since they have to pass through the swirl filter. My understanding is you'd lose half or less of the solids this way. They should wind up in the swirl filter where you could collect them and add to other parts of the system if desired. So in a way you haven't lost much going this route, it's just not automatic.

Anyway, something to think about.

The more I think about this the more I think your swirl filter behaves like the water level inside it is near the bottom. It makes me wonder, most people draw water out of the swirl filter through the side but it looks like you're drawing it out of the bottom through a standpipe, could this have something to do with the difficulties your having? The water level in the standpipe would have to reach high enough before water could get to the spray bar in the FT.

yes that's about right, it drains into the stand pipe witch connects to a 2" pipe under the tank then goes up the 2" raiser pipe on the outside an as the water level goes up it spills over into the aerator pipe as it is now, but with in the experiment picture I turned the 2" raiser pipe down so the water level coming out of the 2"to1" reduction was just below the bottom of the water tank and it seemed to work much better that way

So that's likely why the swirl filter is backing up. If this is true, I don't think the Swirl Filter situation can be fixed as it is.

Right now I am thinking I am going to do like you said earlier and turn the 2" raiser down like the experiment picture then turn the swirl tank around and have it dump into a sump tank then put a bilge pump in the sump tank with float switch to pump it back to the fish tank. I'm hoping I can get away with just one sump and one extra pump, that 8d battery should be fine to run both but I'm not sure how well or fast that little solar panel will charge it yet either

I haven't been able to work on it at all today an it may be a bit before I can go buy the extra stuff so unless I can find something laying around here that I can make work for the sump and the pump

Probably best to give it some time anyway and think on it a bit.

Hey, do you have any large tees? Perhaps swap the 90 at the top of the pipe that you set the water level with, with a tee instead.

nope I don't have any big tees here, but my biggest mistake was I glued all the pipes already (didn't really think about taking it apart and changing it at the time)

Yea, glue is not your friend. Not only does it make it hard to modify things, it makes it hard to clean things.