Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

We've been playing around with a system using 6 half blue barrel grow beds, a 400L fish tank (now converted into a sump) and a 1000L IBC fish tank.
Veggie Boy had been giving us some advice over at the ALS site but I thought it was time to open it up to all suggestions as we would like to get as much done over the holiday while we have time.

Our basic problem at the moment is that the spray bar irrigation system was originally fitted to accomodate the pump pressure and now the u tube siphon system is not adequate to water all beds. At the moment the first bed overflows and only just reaches the fourth bed. We don't have any form of auto siphon in the grow beds. We would like to keep the system to one pump preferably.

What can we do to ensure that all beds are being watered?

ange

Hi Ange:

Maybe reroute the pipes so that the pipe comes from the sump and has a tee to split the flow at the halfway point of the bed row, then maybe split again into a tree-like thing so that the flow is split evenly at each split. I'm thinking like a tree that goes 1 pipe, 2 pipes, 4 pipes, etc. It may happen that just splitting the flow at the middle instead of on one end will be enough to even out the flow.

You could also do a distribution mainfold like EB has a picture of around here; it is a bucket with several outlets fitted on it, so that several beds get an equal amount of water.

HTH!

A tap over each growbed to regulate the flow to each one may help. So add in a ball valve where the pipe goes down into each barrel. See how that goes, and welcome!

Ange - I would personally be looking to add an autosiphon to each bed. This would allow you to run a single pump continuously and will not require you to get water flow to each bed the same. If your pump does not suit or you are not keen on autosiphons, then taps may be your easiest solution.

Can you describe how your system works a bit more fully. Is the pump running on a timer?

That clear bit of vinyl coming from the sump will fill with algae quickly - just stick it through some pvc pipe to shade it.

Ange, I take it that you pump back from the sump to tank...

then the growbeds seem to be filled when the tank "overflows" from the IBC.... correct???

To me if that's the case then I suspect that there's probably never going to be enough "pressure" to force the water to the left most growbeds... there just doesn't appear (from the photo) to be enough fall from tank to end growbed

Maybe raise the growbed feed pipe straight from the tank and run straight along with a small degree of fall to the furthermost growbed and utilise gravity.... if you know what I mean.....

Straight pipe from tank to end of growbeds, with supply to feed each growbed running down, preferably with ball valves attached so that you can control the flow to each bed....

Seems the simplest redesign of what you have.... with me???

Edited :

To incorporate ball valves into what you have might be a bit costly...

Unless you teed off into 19mm tubing (with valves) and feed to growbeds...

Think the idea of autosiphons is the way to go.... that way it doesn't matter how long it takes each bed to fill... each bed will eventually fill and drain via the autosiphon....

May have to run continuous flow or longer timer cycle to match though....

Thanks for the imput.
Veggie Boy the pump is an Orange (Davey) level switch control pump. It displaces 200L per cycle.
I thought auto siphons might be the way to go, but we need to read a little more about them. How would you fit the given that the base of the barrels is not a flat surface?
There is currently a u bend siphon running in the IBC to the grow bed piping - you just can't see it. It siphons off about 200L at present.
ange

Ange... just a slight modification required for autosiphons.... look here at Simmos New System ....

You can clearly see the autosiphons aren't that far away from what you already have.... not sure what your current arrangement is inside your growbeds.... PM Simmo ... he'll guide you I'm sure.

With 6 growbeds I'm wondering if 200ltrs from the u-siphon is enough to fill all beds on the flood cycle???

We've calculated that the grow beds need 180L of water to fill (roughly calculated) so am hoping that 200L is enough to fill them as well as any pipework. We'll go and look at Simmo's info now.
Thanks,
ange

oops double post

After a lot of thought and discussion yesterday, we have come up with these ideas.
I would guess that the auto siphons are also required to ensure that the water level in the grow beds (particularly the ones furtherest from the fish tank) actually gets to a height where it reaches the plants roots zone. Is this right?
We are thinking maybe we could have the pipe from the fish tank entering the growbed pipe system midway along the 6 grow beds with a T-piece splitting the waterflow and then perhaps using 2 taps on th first 2 growbeds to restrict the flow to them. Possibly also having these on a slight fall so that gravityassists in getting the water to the beds. We would also install some form of auto siphon to each grow bed (someone suggested the ones Simmo used.) Plus we could put a 3/4 stinger on the bottom of the siphon with siphon break at level in the fish tank in order to vacuum the solids off the bottom.

How does that sound?
ange & andrew

Ange, one way to put siphons on the blue drums is to put loops of 13mm or 19mm (which ever you have) pipe (black poly or garden hose) onto the elbows coming out of the drum. The water fills to just above the top of the loop and then drains out.

Sounds like a good plan to me Ange

and yes ...