Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have no idea if it's true or not, but I had read somewhere on the Net that plants don't take up nutrients while it's dark. I figured I could save a few bucks by shutting down the system (except the aerator for the fish). My stocking density is fairly low so...the fish don't seem to mind. It also gives the GB's a chance to fully drain and can reset the siphons if they got in some funky mode.

The only other downside I can think of is that the bacteria in the GB's don't get a constant supply of food....

My pump draws about 100 watts, so if it's down for about 10 hours/day, that's around 1kW... $0.25/kW * 30 days = $7.50/month savings. Better in my pocket than the power company's!

15 of 60 mins x 450w x 365 total cost of $176 running 24/7( still 15 mins every 60 mins)

On my system, the pump runs all day long....and I have a home-built 6-way sequencing valve in place...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7XGME4kdJc

Details on the sequencing valve?? Please?

CB

what if I have an auto siphon and the timer shuts the pump off just before it drains, would it drown my plants overnight? would I have to modify my drainage system?

No, I have a constant flood bed that does not drain when the pump turns off as it draws water from the bottom of the bed via and open bell. The plants are fine

You could always drill a hole at the bottom of the standpipe... which slows drains any water away...

Others have done this... but it's not essential...

How do your worms go in the flooded beds over night Mantis? I would have thought they might not like it.. Having memories of seeing the worms coming out of waterlogged soil with low DO, I wonder how the water in the beds goes over night for DO..

They dont seem to have any problems. Everytime I pull something out the roots are covered with worms. Its sort an experimental bed to see how the plants etc would handle it.

Before I go drilling holes everywhere, is this where you meant, I dont want to stop my siphon from working.

yep

My tank temps have been up lately and the silvers feeding well so have been checking the ammonia, and tonight it showed trace. So pumps on 24/7 now

Can be a bit of a juggling act at times..

Would have to plan the sump tank size to accomodate this drainage. I have two beds that do this and have the sump running low because the tanks when they drain add about 40 gallons to the sump.

Everything is running CF. I could see no difference in plant growth between the beds that drain and those that don't when I was shutting down at night. Currently running 24/7 so can't say if that would have continued.