Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi guys,
I have a few CHIFT PIST questions I need answers for:

(01) Can I run the lower growbed at the height shown in the diagram & photo? Or does it need to be raise and drain into the fish tank? I would prefer to run it as shown.

(02) Will I have problems with both growbeds siphoning at the same time? Aprox. 400-500? litres dumping in the fish tank at once?


(03) With that much water pumped out at once would almost empty the sump.

(04) Can I bring it on line and start pumping from the sump straight away or should I add plants and “Cycle” the new growbed & water from a temporary pump before connecting it to the existing system?


Any advice would be grateful

Joe

I guess your pump is pumping water to both grow beds? Can't see it in your pics.

If your grow beds are 300 deep then they will be approximately 300 litres each but with media I would only expect about 150 litres of water (per bed) will be required.

Your sump looks to be about 500 litres in size.

You may be cutting it fine running both beds as flood and drain if they both fill as drain a the same time. Having said that I have 1500 litres of grow bed and 800 litres of sump capacity and don't have any problems (although I have to keep an eye on the level and top up occasionally - weekly during summer)

I would trial it and keep an eye on it, specially in summer. If you have troubles with the water level in the sump getting too low and exposing your pump too much then run it constant flood or talk to Rupe about an indexing valve.

In regards to bringing the new bed on line, just start pumping to it now. Your system is cycled - you are just adding capacity/filtration.

This was my problem as well. If you are pumping the water to the growbeds then only half the water is going to the fish tank each time which wouldn't be optimal. Hopefully you'll straighten us out on the flow.

Thanks for the prompt reply ArBe.

Both systems aren't connect as yet, only the overflow from the fish tank down to the sump is connected. I'll plumb it all up first and then move the pump from the fish tank into the sump using a temporary pump to keep the Goldfish happy during the process.

I will also add a float valve to keep the sump level up during summer and an overflow to the fernery behind in case the water level gets too high.

I'll talk to Rupe about an indexing valve and do some research on ndexing valves.

Thanks for help

Joe

Hi Scotty,

I'm using a bell siphon on both growbeds, one drains into the fish tank and the other drains into the sump and then pumped back to the growbeds.

Joe

Hi Joe, thanks for the info. I can say that it's not how I would do this but it will work. As I mentioned before you won't have as much flow through the Fish Tank. In addition because you are bypassing the growbeds with water going directly from the FT to the sump you will be likely to have some solids accumulate in the sump. Solids might also accumulate in the FT depending on how you set up the overflow to the sump (if it's not drawing water from the bottom).

It's less cleaning if you let the growbeds remove the solids before the water winds up in the sump. If you have to do it this way and you find solids accumulating in the sump, then consider adding a swirl filter or just move the high growbed to the same level as the other and switch the system to how I have it below.

What most people shoot for;
Sump (via Pump) ---> Fish Tank (Via SLO)---> Growbed (standpipe) ---> Sump

I'd be looking to change the layout... Get three lengths of strong timber and place them on the ST and put the two GBs on these, then raise the FT using a few besser blocks, then just configure for "traditional" CHIFT PIST?

Scotty: I have one GB dropping directly into the fish tank and the other dropping into the sump.

The overflow to the sump is down to the bottom of the fish tank but because of the number of holes up the side of the pipe it wont be drawing water from the bottom of the tank. I will need to replace the pipe and only have holes at the bottom of the pipe to help remove the solids.

I will be adding a swirl filter at some stage and I agree with your
"Sump (via Pump) ---> Fish Tank (Via SLO)---> Growbed (standpipe) ---> Sump" suggestion.


Bunson: I think putting both Growbeds on the sump would be OK but would I need to raise the fish tank? If I understand you would the fish tank need to be higher than the sump? With the overflow point currently higher than the sump would I still need to raise the fish tank?


I'll replace SLO with a pipe with holes at the bottom only and see how things go with the option of placing both growbeds down on the sump.


The water level in the photos is down so I can work on the fish tank, the pump, tubing and filter are only sitting there until the plumbing is completed.

Thank you all for your information and I'll keep you informed on the outcome.

Thank You

Joe

Hi joblow,
I think you got some good advice here. If you simply replumb the system as-is you're always going to have the height issues between the different elements of the system. If you move parts around and create a CHOP1 or CHOP2 you'll be much better off in my opinion.

Whatever you decide that's a very nice system and if you move everything slightly to the right you could have room for another one.

Regards, Martin.

Most people doing CHIFT PIST with IBCs will line them up with the sump at one end and the Fish Tank at the other. Some have more than one sump but depending on how the system is run you may not need this.

To do CHIFT PIST the normal way,
The Fish Tank has to be higher than the Growbeds. The SLO determines the water level in the fish tank which has to be high enough to drain by gravity to the growbeds.

The Growbeds have to be higher than the Sump and must be able to drain into the sump. Your pipes can go down and then back up as long as the ending water level is lower than the starting level.

Cheers

Thanks Scotty,

I'll take everyone's advice and move the second growbed down onto the sump or even turn it around and plumb it so it drains into the sump, raising the fish tank would be a much harder job because stability the back quarter is sitting on concrete and the front 3/4 is on soft ground.

When I first set it up on timber the weight of the water sank it into the ground and I had to empty the tank and set the two front corners on concrete pads to stop it sinking. To raise it I would need to do some major construction so I'll need to look at that more seriously or weigh up the cost of running two pumps and even possibly run them as two separate systems.

Martin,

Thanks for your advice, the move everything slightly right and add another system will not happen as long as my wife is living here, the trouble with adding this second system is still not over yet. It would nice but it will not happen soon that I can assure you. Anyone who's married out there knows exactly what I'm saying.

Until the good woman is actually eating fish from the system it's a white elephant.


Joe

Nice neat system.

I agree with Bunson to have both GB's over the sump. You shouldnt need to raise the FT because it will simply overflow to the GB's.



Like this..

+1 for above. Dont worry about sump overflowing it will never happen, even with both GBs draining at same time. (That is providing you dont overfill the sump to start with).

Thanks Charlie... I was going to post a diagram today, but now I don't need to

Just from looking at the photos, I think the FT might have to sit atop a row of besser blocks or similar, as I think the SLO outlet from the FT might be too low and below the level of the top of the GB?? I guess Joe and his tape-measure will know the answer to that problem.

Thanks Guys,

You've convinced that I definitely need to put both growbeds down onto the sump and I like Charlie's diagram and the idea of not having to raise the fish tank.

Charlie:
In your drawing how do I control the flow to each growbed so that both bell siphons both operate and there's no water backup to overflow the fish tank?

Bunson:
You maybe correct and the fish tank may need to be raised just a little to take it above the growbeds, I'll check the height and see if it does in fact need to come up a little. If it does need to be raised it wont be a lot and I can cope with that or even lower the sump into the ground a little if need be.

Chainsaw:
I'll keep an eye on the sump water level and make sure it's not too high.

Thanks again Guys you're pointing me in the direction.

Joe