Aquaponics - Cheep Bell Siphon with Plastic Bottles

[CAVITYFIGHTER214]

great help

[Clicklc1500]

Isn't your grow medium going to crush the pop bottle?

[decalltd]

@Clicklc1500 If you were to put the medium straight in yes it would crush the bottle. If you look at some of my other videos you will notice we put a PVC tube around the siphon to keep the clay/stones away. Thanks for the question.

[MultiIncredulo]

fantastic! is exactly what I was looking for. I am trying to not use PVC or other toxic plastics. I aslo thought in make the grow beds and fish tanks with expoxi or polyester resin witht glass fiber but they are also toxic and is not easy to find these resins for alimentary purposes. Same problems with plastic membranes... the only type that I could buy is EPDM.... Also I will make the plumbig with reticuate ployethylene and brass pieces.

[decalltd]

@MultiIncredulo Thanks for the response. Just be careful with the brass fitting as I think the can effect the fish? As a general rule you should try to keep all metal out of the system. So I have read.

[enticed2zeitgeist]

What glue did you use? This looks mighty simple.

[ScalerWave]

Very nice ! I'll have to try that one.

[decalltd]

@ScalerWave Hi, thanks for your question. I used hot glue from a hot glue gun to join the PVC to the bottle. Just keep pouring it in till it's all filled up.

[MokuPueo]

It's really nice that the bottle is clear so you can see what is going on in the bell siphon. I have used PVC but it is sometimes difficult to explain how it works when you cannot see through like yours. Great job

[decalltd]

@MokuPueo Thank you, it's nice to know that the video is providing useful.

[thersten]

eggcellent!

[beawbeejk100]

bean sprout is my next project . Thank you for idea.

[birdman070]

GR8 vid very informative. could u tell me do you just have the water trickling in so it doesn't fill fast but empty's quick ? is that rite ?

Thanks

[decalltd]

@birdman070 Hi Birdman yes that is correct, fill slow and empty fast with the pump running 24/7.

[birdman070]

@decalltd Thanks Heaps

[Tuxedo748]

did you glue down the bottle?

[dxn283]

Amazing! I've been researching Bell siphons before I start my first project in aquaponics, and this is so simple compared to the complex systems I've seen so far! thank you for a very clever solution.

[decalltd]

@dxn283 Good luck with the project, if you post a video of your system please come back and let me know.

[Carlodimaximus]

Simply beautiful. Thanks for the video and congratulations. Great job.

I hope to soon start with this here in Panama Republic

[decalltd]

@Carlodimaximus Good luck Carlo, I have subscribed to your channel look forward to seeing some videos of the progress!

[Songy23]

Thanks for the vid. So clear and simple and effective. Awesome

[decalltd]

Thanks for the kind words.

Brett C

[whitedawn007]

I never knew it was this simple to make a Bell Siphon..exactly what i will use to make my system.. thank you for this beautifully explained video..

[TheTubecharlie]

Beautifully explained !!!!

Hats off to u mate

[decalltd]

c. The space in the bell (outer bottle) doesn't make a huge difference as long as there is a few mil between the funnel and the bell for the water to get past.

I hope this helps?

If not let me know at what stage it's not starting or continuing.

Regards,

Brett C

[decalltd]

Hi John,

It won't be much stopping it from starting, I just have a couple of questions:

a. As the water flows over the top of the funnel does it appear to be covering the hole at the bottom or just running straight out? If not your inflow needs to be increased.

b. Do you have an elbow on the outlet below the tank? This can sometimes help.

[JohnLeeMD]

I may be missing something quite obvious, but I guess I still don't understand how a siphon works. I'm currently testing my little one, and I have the "green bottle" set up. I have cut another bottle to go over it. I put the bottle on top, as you've seemed to. But I'm not getting the siphon effect. Is the remaining space in the top part of the bell the thing that causes the siphon effect? I'm quite dense as you can probably tell.

[PalmBeachRealityTV]

THAT WAS SO FRESH.....THANKS A MILLION. IF U HAVE FACEBOOK PLEASE JOIN GROW COUNCIL OF AMERICA. THANKS SO MUCH.

[Maccaism]

awesome man!

[decalltd]

Yes you are correct, there are hole in the PVC to let the water through but not the media.

[KirstenLeahy]

LOVE THIS VIDEO THANKS....AS FOR THE PVC THAT THE UNIT SITS IN TO PREVENT THE GROW MEDIUM ENTERING, I ASSUME IT HAS HOLES DRILLED INTO IT...

[KirstenLeahy]

LOVE THIS VIDEO THANKS....I ASSUME THE GROW MEDIUM WILL HOLD THE CLEAR BOTTLE IN PLACE...

[decalltd]

Hi,

If you are talking about the out side bottle nothing stops it from floating away, as the water rises the air inside gets pushed out the pipe attached to the funnel. Normally the whole unit would be inside a large PVC pipe to stop the media from getting sucked up. Hope this helps?

[ForPropertyInvestors]

That's unreal!

[decalltd]

Glad to be of help, if you have any question please do not hesitate to ask.

[unioncreekkid]

what keeps the soda bottle from floating up as the water rises

[rocketinthesky]

Short, sweet, simple, brilliant! This was exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

[decalltd]

Yes the green bottles sets the height of the water in the grow bed. The water level should sit about 3cm below the top of what ever media you are using.

[trainguard77]

Hi. Fantastic little video. Just 1 question, is the water height set by the green sprite bottle? Im pretty sure it is but would like to know exactly. Thanks

Drew

[decalltd]

We use this sort of siphon to drain grow beds in aquaponics. They fill slowly then with the siphon they are emptied fast so the next cycle can start. If you do a search for aquaponics or look at some of my other videos you will what how it works.

[drethedog]

I love the backyard ingenuity but pardon my ignorance, what is the siphon used for? couldn't you just open the bottom valve??? Thank you....