Aquaponics U-Siphon Retrofit to Increase Siphoning Time

In this video, I talk about how I increased the siphoning time for my U-siphon in my dual root zone flood and drain grow bed in my 500 gallon fish tank aquaponics system. The grow bed is 6'x12'x6" deep and has a 1.5" U-siphon. The U-siphon was only siphoning for roughly 30 seconds due to the enormous amount of roots in the grow bed slowing the flow into the siphon to the point where only the siphon reservoir was draining and then the siphon would break. Also because of the slowed flow in the grow bed, the filling of the siphon reservoir would take roughly up to 6 minutes to fill and initiate the siphon. No bueno! So this video is on what I did to increase the siphoning time in this grow bed so I could have the optimal flow through the grow bed for optimal filtration of the system.
#aquaponics #aquaponicsystem #diyprojects #garden #gardendesign
00:00 - the situation and problem
00:48 - pre-retrofit u-siphon cycle time
02:22 - u-siphon design and description
04:10 - u-siphon cycle times
04:46 - u-siphon retrofit strategy
05:42 - pre-retrofit grow bed flow rate
06:07 - the problem revealed
07:40 - finished u-siphon retrofit
08:32 - retrofitted u-siphon cycle time
10:05 - retrofit design explained
12:50 - more u-siphon explanation
13:40 - more siphoning viewing
15:18 - grow bed surface water explanation
15:50 - very nice siphon flow viewing
16:50 - future water flow rate check after a influent water flow increase

[@lhfagundes]

Thanks for sharing! What if you decrease the siphon output to increate drainage time to match the slow drainage on top? Maybe put a venturi, so that water drainage is slower and gets more aerated, so you'll get aeration both from drainage and extra venturi.

[@regenerativelifewayne]

Nice

[@eskunkel]

Thanks

[@gg-gn3re]

put a lid on your open cage and bury it so it stops light getting there to grow algae
You can get some pipe under all of the rock with holes might help the flow of water for the whole container