Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

TBH, while it HAS been running all this time and will still run despite it, it hasn't worked to my expectations. I'm seriously considering changing those white containers and turning them into mini sumps with a flout in them... I'm so frustrated with the siphons I'm using now.

so generally speaking, I am not as far along as you think i am.

Keep tinKering

but i dont want to... well I do but I'm trying to make a point to my dad that I shouldn't have to. he keeps saying that aquaponics is not for the fainthearted and should be construed as a serious hobby for the obsessive compulsive.
guh! i'm so frustrated...

Whoot! You go girl!

That sounds like a lot of people I know in here me included, and always listen to your dad, dads are never wrong
Keep at it Jen, it will work in the end

thanks.. I'll keep working at it... I think! anyway, I am changing those containers and add a flout each, I want them to work properly so I can put plants in this weekend. When I finish I'll put up piccies.

I still say people can play around with AP with no probs, it doesn't have to be for intelligent people.

All right, I've thought about this. I don't really want to buy more things so I decided, why not ask you guys why a siphon would not do what its supposed to do... so here goes the description.... I'll describe just one growbed. two of them are the same anyway and they're the ones I'm trying to fix ATM...

1. the water flowing from the fishtank goes through 19mm reduced to 13mm. when the water flows into the fish tank the flow is full from the hole but not fast.

2. if I have the bell top of the siphon up from the bottom of the tank by about a centimeter or two, the growbed fills up right to the above of the siphon and it siphons when the level is reached.

3. when it siphons, it goes into a 1 inch wide pvc pipe with its cap (the bell bit) and then the inner pipe is half inch (18-19mm) black poly riser that is screwed to a tank fitting of the same size. it comes out of the bottom through a 19mm flexible black poly pipe that runs all the way to the sump.

4. at the proper filling and then when it starts to drain, it trickles about 4 minutes before it becomes a full flow and it really drains very well.

5. My problem is that after the growbed and its attached growbed partner (No Holes Overflow connection) has drained to almost the bottom of its siphon, it keeps going.. it doesn't stop. It just flows out the same rate as the water flowing from the fishtank flows in. I have to pull the bell bit up in order to break the siphon, so that the growbeds starts filling up the way they are supposed to. Then I put it back in after the siphon has broken. I can't be doing that all day!!!

I've heard about breather tubes and some people have mentioned fixing it with some aeration addition... I did a bit of research and I'm no closer to understand how this works... help? or other ideas?

Just saw one on UTube but I cant find the video!! was called syphon something but there are so many of them

Anyway the Idea is to hang a small bleed hose (about 6mm clear tube) from a 90degree barb fitting near the top of the bell to somewhere about 50mm from the bottom of the bell. when the water falls below this tube it starts sucking air but will not break the syphoning - when the extra air starts coming in from the bottom of the bell clearing the water the syphoning stops.


Hope you can find the video for a good picture of it

John

Here it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6mBjY7qsaQ

I would agree you probably need a breather tube. You could also try to decrease your fill rate a bit and that may be slow enough to get enough air to break the siphon. I would vote for the tube since you can vary your fill rates better.

Check this thread for a diagram I drew on how the siphons should work: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5192&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Also, my system thread has a photo of the internals for my siphons: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=5098&start=0

Thank you JohnH and Web4Deb, your links encouraged my habit into research and I spent the whole night looking into it... I haven't done it yet but will be doing it today.. thankyou for all the explanations.

quick update: the system is now running according to plan! the siphons did need the breather tube after all, and this is using a 1 inch bell outer pipe over a 19mm inner pipe. So anyone out there thinking of using a 1 inch... you will need a breather tube for it. oh and before I forget; you need to totally seal the top part of the breather tube to the pipe because it just won't work if it's got a tiny air bleed.

some photos of what I did today...

You cracked the bell siphon Jens... there's no stopping you now girl...

Persistence and perseverance, you have just demonstrated to your Dad that you are serious and not fainthearted. Good for you.

heh thank you guys for that but I was arguing that people who don't have a good heart and are NOT obsessive compulsive can do this... not the other way round... but then on another perspective I guess it is true that I'm just being serious and that's all it takes... just keep going and you're there.

Again thanks