Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Pretty looking wood. What sort is it?

It is redwood. I grew up around the redwoods so it was a pretty easy choice for me. No need to stain or paint it and it lasts forever.

A quick question. On my first system I ran water tests all the time once I got it up and running. I did that for the first few months then testing tapered off to pretty much never doing it. The other day I was curious to see what the ph levels looked like so I did a test of the water. The ph is was around 7.6 to 7.8 range. I looked at the chart and it says it is slightly alkaline and boron is really the only thing that is lower on the chart. In other threads I have seen people say that a PH of 6.0 to 6.5 is ideal.

So the question is, should I be buffering my ph and trying to get it to the 6.0 to 6.5 range? I haven't had any really big fish issues and my plants have been growing at a decent rate. I have noticed a few lighter colored leaves, but when I do I usually toss in some MaxiGro. The only other thing I put in the system is organic fish food.

Don't worry about it. It is fine at that ph.

Thanks, Ron.

End of day update. Today I finally got to see the system work. Like I planned I was able to get the PVC put together and everything plumbed and glued. I also managed to do more of the wood working. Both beds fill and siphon! (I was worried about the siphons). Now for the pics!

Sensational !! I love the use of space

Any tips on getting a bell siphon to break siphon? One of two of mine works fine, the other not so much. I see some people add a hose, should I do it too?

More slits in the media guard. There is simply not enough flow through them. I see it all the time. Think more hole than PVC. You want just enough PVC to hold back your media.

I hear you about the media guard. I have read other posts where you said that and it was the solution. Not in my case unfortunately. I think my flow in is too fast and it is keeping the level just barely too high for the siphon to stop. I just get stuck in limbo. I'm going to put a valve on the input so I can control the flow.

The good news is that I got one of the beds up and running. Here are a few pics. Ron, you will see my new media guard with a TON of slits in it.

Is it chift pist? - put a return to sump tap and T to also adjust flow

It is. I already have a return to sump T with a valve in the sump side of the T. I should have put the valve on the grow bed side. I figured there would be more flow to the sump since it was lower. I figured wrong.

I love the wood. Really cool look. Nice work!

That's strange - all of mine are the same as yours and work fine. So with Tap off full it doesn't adjust flow to GB
s enough?

You could also increase diameter of standpipe ??

Yeah, ill get it figured out. I added the valve and it is still not breaking siphon. I have some reading to do tonight.

Constant flood it is for awhile ... awwww