Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Looks like your putting a fair bit of pressure through that 25mm poly - you'd save a bit of power using 40mm PVC

This is how it is set up to run.

1x Tank 2500L
1x Set of grow beds totalling 1500L
1x 8000L pond pump low presure

The pump runs contiously and fills the beds which then drain back to the tank through a bell syphon.

No sump as the tank is below the grow bed level.

I am considering putting the pump on a timer and running it fast fill slow drain (FFSD) like Fayes system.

Then when i get to stage two i'll probably need to either:
A- Switch to a CLIT PIST system
or
B- use a higher pressure pump and sequential filling

Comments are appreciated.

Avoid sequential filling - adds complexity. Pump and timer = safe.

CLIFT PIST = Safe too.

And I'm not so sure that we should adopt this FFSD nomencluture.... Fayes system, as are all BYAP kits and many other systems, utilise a standard standpipe overflow and timer...

Yes, once the timer ceases, the growbeds continue to drain by gravity... so they could be considered a "slow drain".... but the flood is via an irrigation grid... and to call it a "fast fill" is stretching it a bit IMO....

Fast... compared to what....???

I know of many systems that are run, either with a timer or (usually) continuously... and drain via siphons that probably fill the same comparative volume much faster....

Of course they drain much faster as well....

Like I said ... faster than what....

I think it just overly defines, complicates and restricts the description... other than the apparant desire for "managers" to adopt abbreviations and "key words".... just dont see the point or the value... and don't understand the recent rush to "impose" new definitions on things...

Better in my opinion to just refer to it as it is... an overflow standpipe....

IMO... it's actually usually a "slow" fill....

Want to change mine over to a timer and drain(over time ) Going to use the same setup as now but not put the bell over the top and drill a small hole in the base of the siphon. Fast fill so it over flows through the siphon and then either re-direct the flow or turn the pump off.

Fast fill, overflow through siphon, drain over time.. eh ...

so that would be a FFOTSDOT system then ...

Can you find something smaller. I won't remember all that.

Well .. if it's just a fast fill system that we're concerned about... I'd probably just say ...

FFS.....

OK so its An Overflow Standpipe System.

Next thing is i drain back into the Fish tank so i don't think i need a sump however when i get to 5 or 6 GB

With 3750L of Gb or even 4500L of GB then when i flood I'm gonna use 1500L or 1800L respectively. Isn't 1500L out of the system WAY too much?

P.s When i said fast fill i actually meant if the usual Overflow standpipe system took 15 minutes to fill i intended filling in around 5 minutes so each bed could be filled every hour after i get to stage 3 ssuming i get to 12 beds.

Still got 50% of your fish tank remaining... even with a complete, all growbeds full at the same time, worse case scenario ...

In reality, some growbeds will already be draining back to the tank...

maybe when i get the 2nd tank and more Gb's i could get a second pump, then have half the Gb's from pump 1 on cycle A and the balance of Gb on Pump 2 cycle B that way the water level wouldn't fluctuate too much and there would nearly always have water return for aeration.

That sounds likt a plan what do you think?

Tis what I do.

+1 .... 12 growbeds for one pump ... would just be pushing things.... especially without a sump

1 pump for six growbeds is probably hard enough...

I think you might be right i'll add some grow beds and see how that gos then add pumps as required, i may end up with 4 pumps running consequetively for 15mins each.