New plans - a demo for 4H

[Karen Matus]

Well, I was asked by my kid's 4H club to help them do an exhibit on aquaponics.    So I am drafting some new plans for a small demo system, and I'll have the kids make posters with information about aquaponics.    A friend of mine (Allison) shared with me a picture of a small start up system, and I'm thinking of doing something on this order.

   I like that it is see-thru, and people can see the fish, the grow media, etc. and it's not too big of a system, for the purpose of being a demo.   I think I'm gonna try it with some goldfish, and grow some lettuce, and maybe beans for the demo.   Already ordered a small pump,  a freshwater tester kit, and a timer.   I can use some of the grow media that I was planning to use with my bigger system (perilite).   Then what I need to do is build the plumbing and a bell siphon.     So I'm getting jazzed.   But a little nervous too, as I haven't actually started up my bigger system (55 gallons).   Mostly nervous about the bell siphon and getting it to work.   

[John Cubit]

@coty...no it won't and no it didn't.  Been there and done that and mopped it all off the floor. 

 It was a 6"x 6" x 6ft trough bed. Water enters one end and out the other.  The media slows the flow of the water to the point it will overflow at one end.  The total vertical drop of the siphon is 18", added a sump and made it 36" drop...no better.  Works best as a constant flow that maintains 2" of water and does well for the radishes and snow peas.

Once the snow peas die (if) I am converting to a raft or placing buckets in it.

[coty]

John if you make your drain pipe longer coming from the bottom of your tote that will make your syphon a little stronger. Also if you increase your in flow to the grow bed and use a timer itll engage easier.

[John Cubit]

Looks good.  One suggestion.  I did a small 5" deep bed with a bell siphon - not good.  siphon was only 3" and never could get a good flow to start or stop siphon.  It would do one or the other but not both. I turned it to a constant flow and works fine for water loving plants like snow peas and radishes.  I was successful with a siphon at 6" tall and taller.  The setup looks like a good one to use with some baskets.  If you need any advice on micro systems I have been doing a lot of work on mine and with advice from TCLynx and Vlad all is going good.  Successfully now growing 8 Cherry Tomato Plants, 8 heads of leaf lettuce, 8 beets and 2 broccoli in a 10 gallon tote and 2 Snow Peas.

[Alex Veidel]

Aw, bell siphons are easy; don't sweat it. They're my favorite part of a continuous flow system.