Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi, as i've said before in a couple of other sections of this forum i'm ver new to aquaponics, this is my first set up i've done. Going off pictures and youtube videos this is what i have come up with.

started out with an old ibc which i cleaned out thouroughly, cut it down so the grow bed is on top of the fish tank and wooden frame and door between the too. Today i purchasded the plumbing and knocked up the grow bed inlet plumbing, the bell syphon and drain (which i dont think works as well as it should or as well as i thought).

this was the beggining



taking shape



you get the idea,

Now this is the plumbing i got upto today (please if you can offer as much feedback about it as you can, because i have just winged it)

this is my bell on the syphon



syphon and bell



drain

pump and inlet







also my fill time was 15 minutes and drain time was 7, i dont think the syphon effect started quick enough it started spilling over and could see it come out the drain, it got a bick quicker but then didnt speed up any more so i lifter the bell about 2 inches off the surface and it just poored out so am thinking of making bell 2 inches taller?

please not its not finished so there are some leaks in the photo's etc due to it not being glued and placed correctly.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help with some feed back.

Hiya action I don't use a siphon so I can't help, sorry.
But I can say welcome to the forum.
There used to be another ap'er in Kal on the forum who had quite a reputation, can't remember his name, Chuck or something.
Good luck.

looking good and welcome i like how you used the pallet

add more slots to the bottom of the bell

Thanks for your comments guys I will play with some more holes in the bell tomorrow, I gather that is to let more water flow through?

Welcome action_87

Most definitely make more holes on the base of the bell tube Or the other option is to castle the base of he tube. I took the simpler approach and added four legs to the tube giving it about 10 - 15mm clearance at the bottom. It allowed me to play with the size gap at the bottom.

Why? you ask, because I could.

I have found about 50mm clearance between the stand pipe and the inside of the bell top is good.

Very funny, Skeggly

So adjustable with simple vertical and horizontal cuts?



Thanks - Was looking for this info for ages.
What size pipe do you use? I have 100mm guard and 30mm standpipe

Hi Action,

In that photo of your drain it looks like the last elbow is glued, I would not have glued that elbow, you leave that one unglued too be able to adjust back pressure and control the flow of the siphon.

It may not be a problem but if you have any issues with siphoning that would one of the things to look at.

Otherwise it's all looking great and it's good too see when the main man leaves town they have a replacement

jayendra : 40mm stand pipe with a 150mm bell. The bell does not need to be that big but it was good for experimenting with varouse size stand pipes. Because it works I just simply reproduce the same design for each bed.

With the clear top I can check them for clogging.


I never tire of watching he siphon work.


Supports at the base

Got the system running today, gold fish are in for trial/cycling and few veges in too, I prob should of washed my grow media first I now have a very cloudy fish tank, oh well things ya learn trial and error I guess

Hi joblow

Thanks for the tip, do u think that may be why it's slow to stop the syphon? I have the syphon starting from the first trickle to full flow in about 15 seconds but the shut off is a bit slower and gurgles a bit. Not even really sure if that matters might just be nit picking now.

Don't worry about the dirty water that will clear up fairly quickly, on the elbow that is just away of fine turning your siphon by adjusting a bit of back pressure on the flow.

The gurgling and a bit of shaking is normal it's just when it breaking the cycle by sucking air.

To adjust your siphon, if you don't have enough water flow, the siphon will not start and too much water flow, the siphon wont stop.

As long as the siphon is making a complete stop and not continuing to dribble it is OK, if doesn't make a complete stop back the flow off slightly.

(Anyone who has a hole drilled in their stand pipe, you'll never stop the dribbling)

Just an update on my system, been going for nearly 2 months now, I have since put SP in about 3 weeks ago, to find today 3 have died, before this had goldfish with out any problems, the temp here in Kalgoorlie on some nights can get down to about 5 degrees, do people think that this may be the problem of the SP dieing. Also my few veges that I have planted aren't really do much either maybe also to do with the cold nights?