Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Japanese bamboo water feature.
Couldn't help being reminded of a gentle auto-siphon (in terms of flow and aeration).
Anyone use them?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCOZ3mUOfuE

Never knew what it was called. But I've been thinking of something along a similar line for sending a jet of water to move solids on the bottom of a tank. Just fill a large version with 30ltrs ish and when it tips into a funnel that directs the flow to the bottom of the tank to push solids in the direction of the pump inlet. No added power needed. And it would look pretty.

As long as the tank isn't too deep. probably OK for a sump tank.

Was thinking of the funnel approach. Fill the top of the funnel and have the water drain down to the bottom of the tank through a smaller pipe. Gravity helps with moving the water and creating the pressure. And best of all it uses water movement that has already been pumped. Another idea is to have it outside of the tank and have the water come out of popup jets in the bottom of the FT. Like the auto pool cleaners that push solids toward the pump inlets. Photo is of a pool popup jet. But a cheaper one could be made to work with the lower pressure. Would not work for my pool. But anyone using tanks it could be incorporated as well as side jets.