My bell siphon doesn't suck :(

vlt

In this post is a pict of my siphon.

viewtopic.php?p=238423#p238423

Hope you get the idea. These work fine for my setup...only issue I have is that my pump is too strong to get a reliable "stop" during the siphon.

Decal

As mentioned above you may need to reduce the size of the stand pipe below the funnel. Cut a small piece of pipe then cut it length ways so it will slip inside.

Also to help see whats happening get a clear plastic bottle cut the bottom off and cut some V's to allow the water in and use that as your bell.

Check this video I did awhile ago. Really helps to sort problems out if you can see what's going on.

There are a heap more videos and photos in the link below about Affnan Siphons.

Be sure to let us know who you go!

:flower:

Decal

Once you have a affnan siphon working properly you won't need to have elbows on the outlet to get it started.

The restriction is more to make the water cut across the stand pipe at the bottom of the funnel, once there is a full sheet of water over the pipe it will start the siphon regardless of if the out let is straight down or runs off somewhere else.

If you do have elbows just make sure there are no up-hill parts as this will not allow air back up to help break the siphon at the end.
Hope this all helps?

:flower:

deegsta

kenour

Thanks all, will have a play when I get home... If the house hasn't washed away! This weather is nuts...

earthbound

Damn siphons.......

I think perhaps I might have it going here on our trial system.... I think...... :dontknow:

Had to give up on my dancing siphon for the moment just to get one working on the trials.

DecalsbyJT

I've been using overflow siphons on my outdoor system and the small portable systems and they work perfectly ..... water comes up to a specified height and they start... no worries about having the right height of a bell, no need to have an air bubble, etc...

jT

kenour

Decal wrote:

As mentioned above you may need to reduce the size of the stand pipe below the funnel. Cut a small piece of pipe then cut it length ways so it will slip inside.

I think yours is bigger than mine

The reducer that is, mines a 40/20, and watching it under a bottle like yours it just doesn't seem to make a seal to start the siphon. Maybe I have to get a bigger one and use a bigger bell. Is there a hard and fast guide with exact measurements for a bullet proof bell siphon on here?

Decal

Hi Kenour,

When the water comes over the edge of the funnel does it come over evenly or just at one point and stay there?

If it does that then you may need to level the stand pipe/funnel so the water comes over evenly and this will then cover the bottom of the funnel and start the siphon.

Or you may not have enough flow to get it started? This is easy to check once your GB is full and rolling over the stop just add some more water with a watering can to see if this helps?

If neither of these work I did have an idea once of running a bead of hot glue around the bottom of the funnel to help break up the water flow.

Check this video out it shows what I am talking about a bit better.

I don't see why what you have not working, as you can see pretty much what I through seems to work. I'm guessing it's one or both of the above issues causing your problems.

Please let me know how you go. Also if you can would love to see a video!\

:flower:

BullwinkleII

kenour wrote:

. Is there a hard and fast guide with exact measurements for a bullet proof bell siphon on here?

Almost any siphon will work if get the flow right, and have an exit from the standpipe that goes straight down, into fresh air. No kinks no air traps no anything but straight down into fresh air.

Once you have the straight down into fresh air bit done, try the following to get your siphon to stop and start.

1.Put a T junction on the flow and divert a bit of water back to the fishtank.
2.Put a cheap plastic tap on the end of that flow to the fishtank and turn it on say 20%..
3.Run the pump and see if the siphon starts.
4.If it doesn't start add more water to the growbed flow by adjusting the tap that diverts some to the fishtank.
5.If it wont start with all the flow you need to make your standpipe smaller and go back to number 2.
6.Once its starting ok, wait to see if it stops.
7.If it stops, and it might because you have changed a few things, chech it for 2 or 3 cycles and if works without needing adjustment you are all set.
8.If it doesn't stop, turn the tap down a tiny bit.
9.Keep turning ti down tiny amounts until it does stop.

If you use a tap, and follow those instructions, it will work and will be really reliable.

For a bell siphon to start and stop, it must have a flow rate that suits it. Thats why there is really no size that will work for everyone. Even if you had the same pump as me, and used the same size pipes, the different height the pump would have to lift water might be enough to make the difference between a success and a fail.

The most important thing to remember is only change one thing at a time.

There are a stack of different ways to make a siphon work, this is just my way.