What is this??

[Davi]

Hi!, how's things goin with everyone and their aquaponic endeavours?
I'm new to the aquaponics and wanted to ask a question.

When i look at most fish tanks i see a vetical PVC pipe about 5" in diameter at the center of the tank and protruding just about a few inches above the water.

Can someone tell me what this is and what purpose it serves?

Thank you,
Davi!

[JCO]

Welcome to the show....pull up an easy chair, relax and stay awhile. New voices are always a welcome addition to our family..! Whatever questions you have on you mind, this is the place to get the answers and one of our members will answer your question shortly. Enjoy.

[urbanfarmer]

Greetings, welcome, and enjoy your stay!

Most likely you are seeing what is called a Bell Siphon. It is a basic device that leverages physics to facilitate the automation of flooding and draining your grow bed. There are many designs and implementations, some simple and some complex. The basic idea is that it does not activate until it reaches a specified height. Once it does, it creates a siphon and drains out the water down to another specified height. From there, the device is designed to break the siphon so as to allow the bed to fill back up. Flood and drain systems have a serious advantage over other systems when it comes to oxygenation. Even at 8 PPM (parts per million) dissolved oxygen, you can't beat sitting in air, which as you know is 21% oxygen or 21,000 PPM oxygen; that is great for the bacteria and plant roots!

I randomly selected a video on it; check it out and look around:

[Davi]

Thnx JCO and urbanfarmer, checkin out that Bell Siphon as we speak!

[keith_r]

the one in the growbed is usually the siphon, if it's in the fishtank, it's probably a solids lift overflow

[urbanfarmer]

LOL he DID say fish tank!!!

[Davi]

Yes, the one I saw was actually in the fish tank. I looked at the vid that was posted and did some research and saw that the bell siphon is used in the grow beds but the thing i saw was in the fish tank.

What is this solids lift overflow and what does it do. I googled 'solids lift overflow' but didn't get anything.

Thanks
Davi

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Davi, Water is coming into the fish tank....it leaves the tank by going through the SLO.

It 'looks' like the water is flowing uphill. The water 'does' flow up the long vertical section, carrying solids with it.

The water is actually seeking it's own level....it has to go up the vertical section. Check out the drawing here....
Flow or the water

The top of the tee 'inside the tank' is 'open'....otherwise, it would be creating a siphon.

[urbanfarmer]

David, I have never told you, but you are a fantastic artist!

[davidstcldfl]

Thanks UF.
I think you might be going out of your way to be kind...or you need to have your eyes checked..

I wish I had a CAD program (and knew how to use it).....my monitor has lost one of the primary colors....BUT, I'm an AP addict....all my money goes towards that !..... ..