Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok I tried looking around and really couldn't find anything. I'm sure there's a simple answer but this is out of my realm.

I'm considering running 2 growbeds with only one pump. The thing is I want to be able to run one growbed at a time. Is there some sort of electronically controlled valve where it will switch flow between GBs? Is there a sprinkler part for this?

Thanks guys

Hi,
Your "controller" to the 2 GB's can simply be a matter of timing your drain cycle in one GB to be different in the other GB.
That is; Use 1 valve to control each bed.
Use Bell or Loop siphons to drain each bed. I have 4 grow beds to be hooked up in this manner from one pump.

While pump is running, turn off one valve to a grow bed and leave the other open.
Wait until the GB with the open valve is about half full, then open the other valve.
This will mean that only one grow bed siphon will be discharging at any one time. You can then adjust both valves to give you the required (equal) flow rates for your Grow Beds and Siphons. This means the pump is continuous and water is always flowing into both GB's.

If you don't want to split the flows in this manner, just have all the pump output going to one grow bed at a time, then a small, three way, 12V solenoid operated valve will suit your purpose, although, I don't like using electrical controls because of power outages and the failure rates.
There have been other suggestions on this forum for flow splitters, flow diverters and the like. Just do a search on them.

Cheers IanK.

Hi hawaiinewbie, does it have to be one pump two valves?

The garden variety solenoid valves operate on mains pressure and are no good
for our applications, actuator operated Zero Pressure valves are EXPENSIVE.

I have found it easier to use multiple pumps.
Until recently for some months were using two pumps in the IBC on cheep mechanical timers.
One timer on even hours 15min on, 45 off, same the other timer but on odd hours.

There are some other ways but will require a lot of tinkering and some electronics knowledge.

ok thanks steve. I was trying to avoid 2 pumps hoping that there was a inexpensive valve/controller that could divert the flow. Thanks for the input.

there's no such think as an inexpensive low pressure valve.

Some1 was using car central locking door locks, and some simple (leaky) homemade valves. The leakyness doesn't matter, cos you only want to divert the majority of the water.