Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

TC is right.
The work required is constant, with out without electricity. You can't change that.
The only option is to dream up other ways to supply power.

Musing foolishly I was thinking of a cukoo clock with chains and weights.
You could set up such a system that for each click of the gears was one GB watering. Then you'd only have to get the weights back up there again.
This is where my bicycle idea was coming in.

I KNOW there has to be power input. Never for a minute thought it could be done power free... what I want to solve is how to run the system without a grid tie. PV may be necessary for some pumping, but a large system should be able to use other mechanical advantages to move water.. I've pondered the cycling route, but know how much power it takes to move my behind up mountains... (and, I prefer the fresh air and downhills to pedaling in my GH...)

I have some barrels that I may try to build a small system with.. Have to think things though a little more. Want to see how small an input can be made to make it work...

CB

decrease the power and increase the duration.
Work Done = Power x Time

Work done must stay constant + losses but neither power not time must.

Also re cycling your but up mountains... you need a minumum speed to maintain balance. in a static system (Outside your GH - it's too hot in there) you could drastically change the gearing such that it would take longer, but be more sustainable.

Perhaps you could reset my cukoo clicks weights by jumping off the second story of your house each morning holding a rope to reset the ballast on your way to work... providing your behind is big enough to counter the counterweight

Unfortunately no matter how you do it there always has to be a power input. Think how much its going to cost to build a frame that can support say 2000Liters each side. Then still going to have to try and move it.

You could always go the gravity feed header tank --> growbed--> to sump arrangement. Pump water back to header tank via windmill. Big cost in large tanks however.

Or you can invest in a solar array. Don't know what rebates you get in USA but a 1.5kW system costs around $2800 au after $6000 rebate. Winter unless your in a really overcast area average 4kW a day production.
A 65watt pump can move up to 6000L an hour eg http://www.creativepumps.com.au/zpumps/clearpond/barracuda/filt-pumps.htm Total power use about 1.56kW a day.

I have a 1.8kW solar array, produce an average 5kW winter and 13kW summer from the solar. Total house usage with a 24/7 computer, 1 fridge, 2 freezers and 1 pump 24/7 is 12kW average.

While you make it totally grid free with batteries its cheaper to have the pump hooked up to a standby battery and charge that from the grid. Fully grid free requires a bigger battery bank and a solar array that at points will be generating more power than your using only to be dumped to prevent battery overcharge.

Here is one old thread along similar lines:

viewtopic.php?p=79753#p79753

This would be expensive but how about one of these( http://www.airwellpumps.com/products-borepumps.asp ) and insted of a compresor use a modified wind mill to pump air

why not simply use a windmill to pump the water?

The aeration windmill would probably be good to have going for aeration and perhaps the tank and compression would be handy to store up some air for when the wind isn't blowing.

How about a Ram Pump?
http://science.howstuffworks.com/question318.htm

Bear in mind that I'm actually off the grid right now and am perfectly content to used my (little) electric water & air pumps & digital timers.

There is a hill rail lift thingy in England which ran before electricity and engines. There was a stream up the top of the hill, and a pulley system with two carts on rails. They diverted the water from the stream into the base of the cart at the top of the hill, it became heavier than the bottom one and it went down, pulling the one at the bottom to the top. As it neared the bottom the "driver" would release some of the water, slowing it's descent. At the bottom he would void all the water and then the system would repeat for as many trips as required.

Of course, requires you to have a stream - but I found it remarkable that it worked so well back in the 1800s and is still working today.

I really like the dunk-the-GB idea. Put it on a large cam shaft, and you'd only have to move the ratcheted counterweight once a day a la glockenspiel.

Of course, to make sense, the GB would have to weigh less than the water you'd otherwise pump.

The weight of the GB is a good point Tamo, you'd not want to be doing it with Blue Metal beds eh?

Hurm... this theory could work.
Just need to think in terms of a Big Drinking Bird

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy4yRrOw2Ww

Perpetual Motion Water Pump.

Hi,
Was only talking to my Step Dad about this last night.

His uncle used to have on of these when he was a kid back in the 50's.

They are called a billabong pump. Not sure how they would work in an AP system
as I think you need a good head of water to make it work?

They have a few pages on the site showing how it works and what numbers you need to make
it work?

http://www.wdmoore.com.au/OtherSystems/ ... fault.aspx

Yep billabong pump they neeed a good water supply and they waste 90%
they are only good on a flowing stream
Saying that i have seen one pump to 200 foot up a hill