Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

just a pointer - when I screwed them together there was a sizable gap between the 2 pieces so cut off about 5mm from the male, screws snugly into the female now

Steve... should I leave that one alone?

If you're looking for tank outlets, here's the deal..... http://www.hansenproducts.co.nz/product ... /SFTFT.htm
They make these things from 15mm to 100mm. They are an NZ company but they're bound to have Australian distributors.

In fact, they do.....http://www.hansenproducts.co.nz/reseller.htm

These are a bit more expensive than small tank outlets....about $14.00 each for 50mm ones, but they are excellent for what we're doing.

that one has gone right over the top of my head

maybe that's better

I checked out that site ( .....http://www.hansenproducts.co.nz/reseller.htm
) and like what I saw - they have every bit of info you might ever need on their produucts online and easy to read...

Yes - I used 65mm because I could get an end cap to fit but 60mm would work the same (with a fitting end cap)



this is now not required as the drain pipe is only just below the water level in the reservoir tank and air is pushed out there rather than the plastic flap, the plastic curled after a time and wasn't sealing properly so scrapped it for something more simpler.

The 3mm air hose still runs from the side of the grow bed down top of the down pipe - will get a picture of it tomorrow and show you.



I have increased it to about 15mm, mainly through fitting the connectors to strengthen hole around the drain pipe raised the pipe, also it is probably more efficient being raised above 10mm so as any litter can be easily sucked through and not restrict water flow, the level of water left in the grow bed after siphon is only slightly more than the distance set, so even 20 or 25mm would be okay

Good work Ell. Within a couple of weeks I will be needing a siphon for my big bed (have finished stand - second coat of paint went on tonight). I think I will give your design a go - but am worried I may have lost track of the design of the siphon itself. Is it still just capped 60mm pipe over the 40mm pipe with crenelations (or whatever). I see you say you have done away with the - hole drilled in cap with flap of plastic over top acting as a valve - in favour of a air intake in the pipe that empties the water into your reservoir tank. I am not to clear on this aspect as I cannot see it in the photos. Any chance of a picture or some more description. Also, I am a bit unclear on the purpose of the reservoir tank, is it just to add extra water to the system? The water siphoning from my growbed will run straight back to the fish pond, I take it that this will not change any of the principals? Another little question:
How much distance have you ended up leaving between the bottom of the bed and the 60mm pipe?

Love your work man.

oops - sorry ell, while you were responding I deleted my original message and replaced it as I realised that I had not read one of your updates properly.

I had intended for my water to have a free fall to the fish tank once it came out of a pipe running away from the grow bed to over the fish tank. Will the siphon not work if the outflow pipe is not submerged in water? (do I make sense)

Fantastic - I answered your questions before you asked them, I take it you redid it.

Having a good day also, answered all your questions then hit delete in error

See we are cross posting here which is messing both of us up so will start again

Les

Thanks Les - I really keen to here what you have to say.

les, maybe start a new topic under hardware and fully explain your drain system now that you have made it all up and its working a treat!

I don't suppose you have another one or pictures of its components you can also put up?

RE: AM, he's a dirty dirty boy! (The fact that he seeked permission from ME is another thing )

That got rather hilarious, I was answering questions that I had previously covered then saw another query so I highlighted my work and deleted it and thought "bugger", so here's attempt 13.

Freefall from the 40mm pipe won't work because of the size of the pipe, the down pipe needs to be submerged so that pressure can build to push out trapped air in the drain/down pipe and start siphon action, the res tank is used so that the water level can be set at a constant level, the down pipe can then be cut so it is slightly submerged and thus reducing the amount of pressure required to force out air and start siphon action.

Putting the down pipe straight into the fish tank will work but the deeper it is the more pressure required to start the siphoning and the pressure is increased with the water level rising above the end cap, the deeper the down pipe, the higher the end cap is submerged. If the down pipe goes straight into the fish tank then you lose on aeration, so its swings and roundabouts.

By having the down pipe around 5-20mm submerged, the siphon will start when the end cap is just starting to be submerged, if the down pipe is submerged further then this can be compensated for by increasing the height of the grow bed – checks and balances.

Pictures of the air pipe tomorrow.

I think that is how the pressure thing works, if someone can put it better please do

Steve - will do, this only started as a little system, I have now made it to "1 goldfish" and I have only done the siphon.

That make good sense to me Les..... I was wondering how you got it to work with the diameter of the pipe being so large, the water pressure at the outlet make sense...

Have you had it cycling for a while now continuously syphoning off and on?