Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I would suggest a really short travel on the piggy back float

Ok, I think I've got it...

Timer starts pump to growbeds and continues until timer stops pump at which point growbeds have sufficient water.

Low level float still "on".

If return pump doesn't pump back from growbeds to fish tank...

When the timer starts the next pump cycle, the float drops below "on" level and turns "off" stopping the timer and pump to the grow beds.

If the timer fails for some reason then fish tank pump would turn off when level reaches maximum float level after growbed draining back to fish tank.

can't chat long, ging to anoher job, there are many ways to implement fail safes. The safest in my opinion is by having your sump capable of holding your grow bed water AND raising the pump say half way off the bottom of the tank. takes float switch failures out of the equation as well, but then you'd burn your pump out doh, will give it more thought when i get home.

Steve

Had to laugh stu, "water, my precious water" gollum gollum

you got it Rup

Hi Monya the next system its hard to beat the fish tank in the ground and the old flood and drain the only thing can happen is dry grow beds that ss tank lends its self to being burried also pump from the bottom outlet my tanks are perfectly clean [ no gunk] been running 2 months no problem

steve if you rase your pump how are you going to pump solids

good point F&F. Although, I seem to be getting a bit of solid build up on the floor of the tank anyway.

I had been wondering about that F&F, maybe they forgot that part of the equation


(10)

F&F I would need a friggin crane to move it LOL. Damn thing weighs a tonne! I think system 2 is going to bed flood and drain without a sump, just have the growbeds higher using some already raised retained garden as base.

yes if you look at my thread you will see the pump bypass shooting down the wall on an angle pushing the junk over to the tank outlet that yellow pump i have i wood recomend to anybody

A backhoe for the day will dig the hole and lift it in nin 2 hrs work also think of the insulating propertys of being burried

Here's a question that I am working on (for a satisfactory answer):

If the tunk is "sunk", how do you siphon out the "gunk" ...(kiwi speak )

Been looking at gravel cleaners and hand pumps but can't find anything to do the job, maybe next project (after the Janet's sprinkler system )

Not to mention the breathing problems - lack of light - claustrophobia........

Hi el with my old fishpond setup i have sucessfuly used a jabsco pump with a 3/4 hose and on the end a peice of 90 mil pipe so you dont pick up stones ect i used to run it threw a drum of fine gravel back to the pond like a grow bed

Les I've been using a little contraption that you stick your hose on, and black pipe on the outlet, to vac the tank floor. Have only done it twice. Have vac'd into the growbeds. Keep it all in the system