Is my water pump too big?

[venturajm]

Hi folks, Thanks for helping a newbie. I just got my two bell siphons set up, and they're working great (besides some hydroton getting underneath the guard and sucked down to the tank).

My question is this: My grow beds are filling up and draining every 7 minutes (=8.5x per hour). Is that too frequent? Will that cause root rot? Should I go buy a smaller water pump?

Thanks for the help.

[Larry Dietz]

I wouldnt go with a smaller pump, Just add a T, and divert some of the water back into your tank, for added aeration.

-Larry

[urbanfarmer]

Welcome guys!!!

Hi folks, Thanks for helping a newbie. I just got my two bell siphons set up, and they're working great (besides some hydroton getting underneath the guard and sucked down to the tank).

My question is this: My grow beds are filling up and draining every 7 minutes (=8.5x per hour). Is that too frequent? Will that cause root rot? Should I go buy a smaller water pump?

Thanks for the help.

It will cause the opposite of root rot. It will cause roots.

Since you already have it cycling that much, you might as well leave it. You can reduce the flow, but you can't hurt it with that kind of cycle. If anything, it's keeping your dissolved oxygen (DO) very high.

[stucco]

[/quote]It will cause the opposite of root rot. It will cause roots.[/quote]

[venturajm]

Awesome. Thanks so much for the quick feedback.

Now, any suggestions on keeping the hydroton from getting under my bell siphon guard? It seems to get shifted around in one of my growbeds (the other is fine). Unfortunately the bottom of the bed is uneven and glueing the guard doesn't seem to be an option.

[stucco]

Instead of drilling holes on my guards I use an angle grinder with a masonry blade to cut slits vertically.
If your bed is uneven Id uses the same grinder to shape the guard to fit better and maybe some silicon caulking.

[keith_r]

and put a brick on top of it to hold it down