Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Several reasons for monitoring upper and lower levels of water growbeds,
*To check that the grow beds are filling/draining
*Ensure i don't flood and lose water again
*Check flood/drain times.
*Because I can.
I made plenty of mistakes in the water control, this should hopefully stop problems.

Will get some more photos up soon, won't be home for a few more days.

I think that no other method (syphon, timer) can lead to level of control such as solenoid system. Even than, there are two important isues:

1. Lower fish tank water level fluctuations in a system with more than one plant tank. If all plant tanks happend to use syphon draining at the same time, water level in fish tank will fluctuate much more than solenoid system. So, fish tank (one of the most expensive component for intensive fish farming can be less volume than in syphon systems.

2. Electricity costs can be reduced. There is no need to use water pump while syphon is draining. If a system has only one plant tank, pump (the greatest electricity eater) can be off 2/3 of the time (in a 15/45min system). This is VERY desirable in off-grid systems.

Sorry for my english.

You still will want to turn over the volume of your tank though at least once per hour, or otherwise stock a smaller amount of fish.

Have been trialling an small IBC off grid timed solar system with battery backup here for the last few months, 15 min on, 30 min off. I found there was not enough water turning over to stock more than 30 goldfish

For larger aquaponics systems, I reckon the most economical and efficient would be to run solar pumps during the day on auto siphons, no batteries, and off-peak mains overnight if available. Ideally using a relay or flow switch to start the mains pump at night (instead of a timer) which would also kick in on heavily overcast days giving a bit of redudancy.

I've found the newer monocrystalline solar panels to be excellent - oversize them a bit to the pump and they will continue to run through overcast conditions

Deep cycle batteries, solar charge controllers, low voltage timers all add to costs. They have their place but are best suited to pure off-grid applications in my opinion..

batteries are full of lead and are a consumable item needing replacing after a few years

If you have grid power available it's most economical and efficient to use it at night

I'd go with a bell or loop siphon to deal with your water, and then add some electronics to monitor it.

I'm all for the electronics caper, but there's nothing quite so reliable as an auto-siphon.

Actually that's wrong.

There's nothing quite as reliable as constant flood.

I use a one way valve connected to bottom of the grow bed and the other pipe going to the top of the grow bed so that all the water and poo is delivered to the top of the grow bed.There is a overflow so that it doesn't overflow the GB.When the pump stops the water drains back through the pump.The only trouble I have ever had is when a bit of blue metal got stuck in the valve but everything still worked ,just less water going to the top of the grow bed.

you can use gems floats and some relays, and that will do what you want. I have something similar.