Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm sure you don't need more.

Try searching 'mega siphon' ... One big siphon for all your GBs, but external so no loss of growing space

So shouldi build a resevoir or filter?

Hi Jahsun,

You could go either way. SAR was right that you need to keep an eye on the water fluctuations. Your system will work as is but the water level will get down to 90 - 100 gallons in the tank with each cycle of the siphons. The filter would hold additional water and so would the tank option but how they are plumbed might make a difference and I think that's why he was asking about your plan.

You could also skip adding a tank or a filter and divide the growbeds into two separate units by plugging the holes between the center units with a stopper (don't cut them out you might use them later). You could setup one or both portions to do continuous flow. If you only do one this way, the other could be run as a siphon system (only 25 gallons from the main tank now). The thing with siphons is you have to raise the water level for the siphon to activate and this water has to come from somewhere (in this case the fish tank).

My vote would be to add some type of filtration but split the system as well, with one side doing flood and drain with the siphon and the other using continuous flow.

thanks for your post scotty.

Glad to help Jahsun.

If I run the pump for 2 minutes, just long enough to fill the beds every fifteen minutes or so throughout the day would this be enough flooding for the plants? When I run it constantly the siphons dont kick off all the way.. How often is optimal for the beds to be flooded and drained?

How long is a piece of string..? Every 15 minutes would be fine for your plants. All plants are different and some prefer more water than others, but that should be right for pretty much everything..

Tell me what you think!

I am using a 1200 gph pump so I got this spendy outlet timer that switches it onn for 2 minutes thirty seconds every 14.5 mins, so I used those pvc pipes to spray water back into the tank, initially I had just the pump running thirty mins on thirty off just to get it going. I just put in the fish yesterday, now i fear to mess with the ph much but its like almost 8 most the time..?
um yeah let me know what you think.

Well heres another video of the end of the season here in minnesota


Also one I'm sure most of you will like to a see, this is a terrarium with aquaponics combined into the system

I could see Mr Bass was thinking he was going in with the guppies (little did he know but his fate was sealed). Nice vids Jahsun, liked the music in the system take down.

I actually set him free back into a moderately sized lake a couple days ago. I'm a raw vegan and noone else really wanted to fillet him so hopefuly he lives another year

I respect that you are a vegan and I'm glad he's still alive (for his sake) but I had a stifle a groan when I read that since it sets a bad example.

My advice to people is to eat the fish (if your inclined toward this) or humanely kill them and use them as fertilizer in your dirt garden or under a tree. Do Not release them back into the wild.

+1. you should never release a fish (even native), for several reasons
1- may not be native to that area
2- may introduce diseases not previously seen in that lake, and wipe out the entir population of fish
3 - may not know how to survive, and simply die from stress
4 - sets a bad example for those with non-native fish

IMO - kill it, eat it, or re-home it to another tank. and this is coming from an avid wildlife conservationist