Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Trial System Data & Progress Photos 23-05-11

Trial System Chilli Harvest 23-05-11

Harvest Weights
Bed 1 198g
Bed 2 366g
Bed 3 570g

Why Constant flood? It seems that the best plant growth and harvest is coming from system 3 which is the timed F&D.

Probably because constant flood has other benefits and the plants are doing almost as well.
Like bio-filter cycles up fastest
Aeration advantages of constant pumping
Water quality advantages of constant pumping
Temperature advantages of constant flood
no worry about timer failing

What do you think the "Aeration advantages of constant pumping" are? I would think it's the opposite since the media is never draining. I still would love to see if there are any variations on the Trials in DO.

The aeration advantage would be in the fish tank actually more than the grow bed/filter.

as the water is constantly draining back into the FT, aerating it.

I think it was mentioned that the drain pipe on GB's on these systems in not conventional and actually terminates in the water of the FT, correct me if I'm wrong but this would not be providing any aeration at all.

The constantly flooded bed, and timed bed just splash down from a height. The siphon has a pipe down into the water, but every time the siphon goes it bubbles profusely and there are aerators on all the systems running 24/7..

Why the pipe into the water for the siphon bed, was that when you were having trouble with it. Mine all splash into the tanks.

when we ran the pipe into the water it worked brilliantly... we played with lots of options and pipe into the water seemed the go for us... Our chift pist system has worked without a hiccup, I think, since we set it up like this..

my understanding of this aeration business (from irritating aquarium shop owners from the age of 10) is that its movement of the surface as much as anything. Turn over the bit of water that's exposed to the air and you get aeration. I was told the main function of the old style airlift within a tube that all aquariums had at the time was to create a current within the system.

If anyone in the Adealide area has a DO metre I would love to test my powerhead , and see how it compares to an air pump

If it works it works eh

Yep, breaking the surface and exposing it to oxygen/air contributes the majority of the oxygen. Very little is actually absorbed from bubbles passing up through the water.

Ah so by irritating the aquarium shop owner they splash the water and it gets aerated?

Sorry I couldn't resist.