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  1. #1
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    Dec 2011
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    Size of bell siphon

    Hello All!
    I am from the central part of GA and have just purchased a 32x96 greenhouse. I am interested in doing aquaponics. I have several large round tanks that I plan to use for the fish and intend to build two grow beds per tank. My question is, how do I determine what size pipe that I need for the bell siphon? My first two grow beds will bed 660 gallons each and I will use the clay media as a filter. I read that a 4x8x1 bed would require a 4" bell and 2" stand up pipe. Do I need a 12" bell and 6" stand up pipe for one grow bed that is 660 gallons?
    Thanks for any input.
    Kim

  2. #2
    Members bsfman's Avatar
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    Re: Size of bell siphon

    Quote Originally Posted by kkedge
    Hello All!
    I am from the central part of GA and have just purchased a 32x96 greenhouse. I am interested in doing aquaponics. I have several large round tanks that I plan to use for the fish and intend to build two grow beds per tank. My question is, how do I determine what size pipe that I need for the bell siphon? My first two grow beds will bed 660 gallons each and I will use the clay media as a filter. I read that a 4x8x1 bed would require a 4" bell and 2" stand up pipe. Do I need a 12" bell and 6" stand up pipe for one grow bed that is 660 gallons?
    Thanks for any input.
    Kim
    No Kim, you don't need one that large. A 3" pipe has more than twice the capacity of a 2" pipe (that whole Pi X r^2 thing). The tricky part about bell siphons is balancing the input flow rate to the size of the siphon. Too little flow and the siphon won't kick in, it just acts like a regular stand pipe. Too much flow, and it won't break siphon at the end of the cycle.

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