Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I was just referring to a temporary test to see if that breaks the siphon before you replumb things up that way with the T as described earlier. I've also seen folks use a shorter drain below the siphon that then feeds into a bigger pipe that is not tightly fit... like a 2" pipe stuck into a 3" pipe or a gutter-type canal so that gravity still carries the water to its final destination, but with an air gap made by the loose fit of smaller pipe laying inside the bigger pipe. That video will be great to see!

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Sam

Yes, that's how mine has run for quite a few years not. Yes it gets to the level of the top of the standpipe and continually overflows and stays at that level. The water is always moving. I don't aerate the grow beds or the fish tank any more than what the splashing and movement of water provides and have no problems. I carry light fish loads and grow catfish and bluegill. If you have trout then you may want to aerate more as the temperature approaches 75 F although it may not be necessary.

No idea on the airline size Ben

I have one constant flood growbed like scotty435 and one with bell syphon. Both feed from same fishtank and both work equally well.

To make your syphon stop, if not already suggested and tried, refusing water flow is the key. Might mean smaller pump or throttling pump or diverting some water back to the tank that the pump is in.

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Sorry. Can't edit on phone. That word above should be reducing.

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Ok so i tested all day trying to get it to break and it just wouldn't work no matter what i did i made a video and uploaded it to youtube for you guys to see. It is looking more and more like ill be doing what you said scotty and have it constant height.

https://youtu.be/H3mJez7Z43U

Hi Ben

The video is very helpful and I'm sure you'll get some more informed advice as a consequence. But I don't think there's much downside to going constant flood like Scotty. If interested, a search will find you a long thread where a long and fairly structured trial was done comparing the various methods... in the end, there wasn't a huge difference.

But if you're determined to get the bell syphon working because you're someone who likes to finish what you started or, like me, you like the sound of the syphon or just think that it's amazing that it works so well (when it does) my further suggestions are - but with the rider that I admit I didn't watch the video in its entirety so may have missed something:

1. Get a spirit level and make sure there's no part of the drain pipe going "uphill" between the bottom of the growbed and where it exits to the sump tank.


2. I finally solved my problem with a syphon not breaking (not stopping) when I redesigned my bell syphon as advised by Mr Damage. Have a read of the thread at viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26186 and particularly note Mr Damage's advice about the shape of the slots cut toward, but not right at, the bottom of the bell. Also have a look at the pictures on page two of the thread where Johnra has cut slots as per Mr Damage. My syphon has worked faultlessly since I cut slots like this.

Good luck... rest of the system looks like it will be a ripper (Australian for excellent!).

Hi Ben,

Yes, nice video!

Have you experimented with air-tube height? Looking at around 5:11-5:12 in the video I was struck that maybe it would help if the end of the air-tube was slightly higher than the cut-outs at the bottom of the bell. Here are a few examples that show higher placement. Also another neat idea of putting the end of the air-tube into a shot-glass (or something like that.)











It sure seems like you are one small trick away from this working!

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Sam

So after adding a shot glass to the breather tube it worked the first time and every time since! I got a shorter shot glass to see if it will still work at the desired water level. Also I have a few leaks in the system what's the best way to fix that? If glue what kind? And the only thing I worry about in constant height is the build up of soilds, how does that work? Is it more of an issue or no different?

Ben,



Way to go man! Yeeeeeehaaaawwwwww!!!



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Sam

Glad you got the siphon going . Using siphons, you'll have less solids buildup in the grow beds than you would using Constant Flood but those solids may wind up back in the other parts of the system, I don't think anyone's really sure on this . It does seem likely that flushing them out of the bed with the siphon action would break them up and perhaps create more suspended solids. The buildup is not a big deal in either system but buildup also depends on your fish stocking level so if you are lightly stocked it will be years before you need to clean out the grow beds. If you are heavily stocked for the filtration capacity then you'll be cleaning them very soon.

So how many catfish and talipia would you say is a good amount for my 250 system and my 4x8 gb? Also what's the best way to stop the leaks in the pipes? A glue if so what kind?

I'd figure your stocking density based on the information here - http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=6646

How you deal with leaks depends on how bad they are, where they are, how you connected the pipes and maybe a few other things. Some of the little ones just seal themselves over time. I managed to get all mine done with PVC cement and the small leaks I had sealed themselves within a day. I believe others have used a food safe silicone in some locations - http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=24209. Try doing a search on fixing leaks.

So I think the leaks will fix them self however I tried the siphon today and it starts and stops just fine however after the first siphon it starts about halfway from the level it should.

Do you mean that the water only goes up about half way to the normal high water mark and then the siphon flips back on, emptying the bed again?

Yep that's correct what would cause that?