Flood and Drain Cycle Timing - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T14:38:29Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/flood-and-drain-cycle-timing?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A370213&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIf you're pump is too strong…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-07-18:4778851:Comment:3702132012-07-18T08:02:37.318ZRupertofOZhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/RupertofOZ
<p>If you're pump is too strong Mario.... cut a "tee" into the pump line, between the pump and grow bed... and divert some of the flow, (use a ball valve)... back to a spray bar above the fish tank/sump... it will provide extra aeration to your fish tank/sump...</p>
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<p>8 cycle times per day... probably isn't sufficient.... get a cheap 15 min increment mechanical timer... and set 15/45... and you'll have 24 cycles per day...</p>
<p>If you're pump is too strong Mario.... cut a "tee" into the pump line, between the pump and grow bed... and divert some of the flow, (use a ball valve)... back to a spray bar above the fish tank/sump... it will provide extra aeration to your fish tank/sump...</p>
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<p>8 cycle times per day... probably isn't sufficient.... get a cheap 15 min increment mechanical timer... and set 15/45... and you'll have 24 cycles per day...</p> OK, given those dimensions, y…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-07-18:4778851:Comment:3702042012-07-18T05:14:41.288ZMeg Stouthttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/MegStout
<p>OK, given those dimensions, your grow bed holds 120 gallons (if it is full to the top). For simplicity we'll call it 100.</p>
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<p>Usually you can put 25% of your grow bed volume in as water before the bed is "full" because the rocks displace the other 75%. So if it takes 2 minutes to fill, your pump is pushing water at a rate of 750-1000 gallons per hour.</p>
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<p>You could try using a repeat cycle timer (search them on ebay). They're relatively inexpensive and have pins so you…</p>
<p>OK, given those dimensions, your grow bed holds 120 gallons (if it is full to the top). For simplicity we'll call it 100.</p>
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<p>Usually you can put 25% of your grow bed volume in as water before the bed is "full" because the rocks displace the other 75%. So if it takes 2 minutes to fill, your pump is pushing water at a rate of 750-1000 gallons per hour.</p>
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<p>You could try using a repeat cycle timer (search them on ebay). They're relatively inexpensive and have pins so you can turn on or off in 50 second increments over a 40 minute cycle. I would put that in series with a regular timer that has pins for every 30 minutes if you don't want the bed flooding at night (when it's cooler outside and/or when people are trying to sleep).</p> Thank you for your reply Meg.…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-07-18:4778851:Comment:3701512012-07-18T04:53:35.227ZMariohttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Mario
<p>Thank you for your reply Meg. To answer your question my grow bed is 4x8ft and 6in deep with a hundred gallon fish tank. I cant remember the pump rate but it is fast, after restricting much of my flow with out bogging down the pump it takes less than 2min to fill and 4 to five min to drain. Was thinking of possibly taking my 1inch drain and putting a half inch nozzle on the end to slow it down. Also I am trying to find a digital pump timer that goes down to the minute and will allow for…</p>
<p>Thank you for your reply Meg. To answer your question my grow bed is 4x8ft and 6in deep with a hundred gallon fish tank. I cant remember the pump rate but it is fast, after restricting much of my flow with out bogging down the pump it takes less than 2min to fill and 4 to five min to drain. Was thinking of possibly taking my 1inch drain and putting a half inch nozzle on the end to slow it down. Also I am trying to find a digital pump timer that goes down to the minute and will allow for 24 cycles per day. My current hydrofarm timer only allow for 8 intervals per day.<br/> <br/> <cite>Meg Stout said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/flood-and-drain-cycle-timing?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A370201&xg_source=msg_com_forum#4778851Comment370201"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>How large are your growbeds? What is the capacity of your pump?</p>
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<p>Cycling only 8 times a day for only 5 minutes seems pretty infrequent. The rule of thumb for your fishes' sake is to cycle the entire volume of the water through the grow bed every hour.</p>
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<p>Good luck!</p>
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</blockquote> How large are your growbeds?…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-07-18:4778851:Comment:3702012012-07-18T04:47:48.487ZMeg Stouthttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/MegStout
<p>How large are your growbeds? What is the capacity of your pump?</p>
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<p>Cycling only 8 times a day for only 5 minutes seems pretty infrequent. The rule of thumb for your fishes' sake is to cycle the entire volume of the water through the grow bed every hour.</p>
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<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>How large are your growbeds? What is the capacity of your pump?</p>
<p></p>
<p>Cycling only 8 times a day for only 5 minutes seems pretty infrequent. The rule of thumb for your fishes' sake is to cycle the entire volume of the water through the grow bed every hour.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Good luck!</p>