Mini Aquaponics Set

Been toying on this for quite a while now, ever since knowing that I will not have any space  for a bigger setup. Using siphon on smaller set may not be feasible, multiple growbed with one master siphon is do able but will be difficult to maintain due piping and space required.

Drawing below of a single flower pot type of setup with its own loop siphon. Siphon must be reliable 99.9999% of time otherwise it is useless and not practical as a water controlling device. This loop siphon below is a conceptual and as rule of fluid dynamics should be able to cutout without problem (touch wood).

It will be made from 15mm or 1/2 inches PVC tube all the way, with an enlargement to make the down spout bigger to reduce it effective length hence making the length of D less than C.

Flower pot below is ideal for this project. Hole already there, just hook a siphon to it and you are done.

Aquaponics - Loop Siphon with Multiple Growbeds

Hi, just arrived from Istanbul, and finished checking my setup, all is well.

This is for Frank from Carolina, we had a quick conversation on skype about a week ago, and he's trying to set up 14 half barrel with loop siphon. Roughtly something like this should be the setup.

Roughly, I would recommend about 20 ~ 30 watt pump (1000 lt/hr) per siphon, so you require about 40 ~ 60 watt pump (2000lt/hr) for 2 loop siphon.

The best arrangement would be one pump per siphon, this is easiest to requlate and provide fail safe arrangement, one big (reliable) pump can do too. I've made a mistake of using a big pump, its works just that water management/division is a bit more difficult.

In Frank case, the pump is more then required, the excess water can just be dump back into tank via the third ball valve, or you could send it to a filter.


On using timer, its all depend on how fast the water will fill up those half barrel, I would recommend switching off the pump at night. During day time operation you just have to see how it goes.


The setup should not have problem with or without a timer, as long as you don't forget to incorporate a small leak/drip hole at each siphon.


Additional Note;
BTW Frank, as per your note on skype, "15 min ON and 45 min OFF" cycle with a Timer, with this setting you don't need a siphon system for flood and drain, this timing is for flood and slow drain using stand pipe in each half barrel and a small leak hole at bottom of each stand pipe to slowly drain water out.


This arrangement is more simple to do, and in one of my Aquaponics How to Start, I did briefly include this method.

Bell & Swivel Combi - A Wild Idea

This is just an idea, I never done this. What if the bell valve is combine with a swivel valve for multiple grow beds or a large bed with multiple Bell Valve.


The idea is, synchronization of bell flush will occur due to swivel valve is the one that start the flush. This is made possible by making the High Water level of the swivel valve higher then the level for the Bell Valve.

Bell valve will not flush as water reaches its high level, just overflow, since the high level of the swivel is not reach yet.

Common manifold will be filled, but no flushing action yet. Once High level reaches on the swivel valve the flush started. This will cause the bell to assist swivel flush and continue till finish.

As I said its just an idea... I'll try this out one of this days. I am toying with this idea because if you have large grow beds, you can use more then one Bell valve to make the water flow out faster and where synchronizing the flush is required.

Bell Valve - "Bend Over"

This is one type of siphon that I never tried.

Ok for Dexter this is theoritically how it should be made. If you decide to make this one, give some feedback on it.

Above another variation of same.

Swivel Valve Photo

Here are photos of the swivel valve (loop siphon modified) that I'm trying, reason for using this valve is that I have a few smaller growth beds, needed to be incorporated into my aquaponics system. Being small its a waste to use individual valve and pump on each bed.

Therefor I am experimenting with this valve setup. Its an adaptation of existing auto siphon others use, and its is a siphon system in which the siphon part is moved out of the growth bed.

 Growth bed in a row.., side view of the same.

Above picture show the setup, where all the growth bed link to the valve with a common manifold via a "Tee" joint. You can use 50mm (2") Tee only without the need to use smaller pipe towards the growth bed.

Picture from above the growth bed, this I use water tank adapter with excess threaded part cut off to ensure lower water drainage. If you can use kitchen sink outlet then its a better option.

This outlet need to be screen from growth medium. On this container its already provided, as shown by the black panel, it suppose to cover lower part of the grow bed. On bigger bed, you can try those plastic bathroom interlocking mats, below the gravel.

This is the siphon part, there is a drip, a tiny two milimetre hole on lower end cap. This is to ensure during pump cut off, water will slowly drain out. If you don't need this features just use an elbow joint instead of Tee at this point and only concentrate on that siphon part.

As in picture, there is a reducer this is 50~25mm reducer (2"~11/4") this will cause a better flow out of water. Length of that 50mm pipe from the elbow to reducer need to be adjusted for better result. Final outlet is a 25 mm pipe drilled... this drilled holes is to make water cut off better.

I am still experimenting with this design... there are few things to iron out. Design for my Bell Valve is already done... that valve works without fail... this one I am fine tuning it and trying out various sizes and length.

cheers.

Swivel Valve - Multi Mode :)

Updates : Loop Siphon Basic : Here

Today, I've make that new valve setup. Here's the video. Its an adaptation of an already available loop siphon I just take it to next step and make it use able in the aquaponics community.

I hope with this second design, the aquaponics enthusiast will have a better option in making their own system Next I'll try to design a "Prefilter" that will remove fish solid waste that are not needed in aquaponics.

Quote from aquaponics.com.au "When solids are allowed to enter grow beds, over time build up occurs and can cause anaerobic areas within the grow beds to develop, which in turn causes toxic substances to develop." 

Updates : After practicing Aquaponics for some times, I do not use a pre-filter anymore.  My earlier Bell Valve design is Here cheers.