Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello All from NH...just started my first system with a 100 gal stock tank and a grow bed ( unknown size ). so far had some trouble getting bell siphon to start, then got that fixed and moved onto getting it to fully drain, then getting it to stop and start fill cycle. I think the fill rate is too fast for what I have as the time it takes to drain and fill back up is less than 10 mins. but alas, it seems to be working and I have since added a very small grow bed from an old rubber maid container that am currently using to float seed baskets...
Will have pics up soon and probably many questions for you experts....

Welcome to the forum

Welcome to the forum.

The siphon can be tricky to get working. However, it's usually too much flow, or too little. If you've got a valve, you can control how much water is going into the bed, makes it easier to tweak.

Thanks for the replies...yes put a valve on pump line that fills grow bed...made some tweaks and not is running fairly smooth...still do not like the timing of the entire cycle as I still fill and empty at around 10 mins...will this be ok? will the roots get enough oxygen between fill and drain?

Hi mate, welcome aboard!

a couple of questions...

1) How many gals an hour is your pump capacity?
2) Is your GB above your FT?
3) If you have added a valve to your pump line, can't you ajust it to minimise the flow?

Looking forward to seeing those pics.

There is no golden rule with fill and drain times. Ten minute cycles will work fine.

And I wanna see pictures too!