What is a Bell Siphon and Why We Use it in Aquaponics

A bell siphon is a very important component of a media based aquaponics system. It is responsible for regulating the entire system's water flow and efficiently helping move the water from the media bed into the fish tank. If you're planning on setting up your media based aquaponics system, it is important that you know the function of a bell siphon to be successful. This article will explain what a bell siphon is and why we use it in aquaponics.

What is a Bell Siphon?

A bell siphon is a device used to efficiently regulate the flow of water in a media based aquaponics system automatically without human intervention. The bell siphon maintains a minimum water level in the grow bed as it drains the excess water. The siphon allows the water to flood the grow bed and automatically drains out the water when it reaches a certain level.

How Does the Bell Siphon Works in Aquaponic System?

Bell siphons use a mechanism that leverages the forces of pressure and gravity. As your grow bed fills up with water and reaches the top of the standpipe located inside the siphon pipe, the water will flow through the reduce placed at the top of the standpipe and out through the standpipe into the fish tank at low pressure.

As water drains slowly out of the standpipe, the water builds up inside the bell and pushes the air out through the standpipe. The pressure inside the bell falls as a result.

The resulting low pressure in the bell will lead to a pressure difference between the bell and the atmosphere, making the siphon fire. The siphon pushes out and dumps the water rapidly through the standpipe at a higher pressure until the water level reaches the grow bed base.

As the water level approaches the siphon pipe base, air will enter the bell through the holes at the bottom of the siphon pipe and relieves the pressure difference between the bell and the atmosphere, which causes the siphon to break and halt the drain of the water.

As the pump continues to pump, the water will keep pouring into the grow bed, and once the level reaches the top of the standpipe, the siphon will be triggered again, and the flood and drain cycle will repeat until the pump is stopped.

Benefits of Using a Bell Siphon 

1. As the bell siphon drains out the water regularly, the plants' roots are exposed to air regularly, allowing the plants' roots to remain hydrated and absorb all the nutrients in the water and the air that is beneficial for the overall health of the plants.

2. The bell siphon allows the water's constant and consistent movement, which improves oxygen in the water that prevents stagnation of the water.

3. The bell siphon process works automatically. Once the bell siphon is working, you don't need a timer, additional drainage equipment, or manual draining to use the bell siphon in your system. The continuous cycle prevents extra work on your part.

4. Bell siphons are easy to maintain and simple to use.

5. Bell siphons are also easy to set up and require no electricity to function, which enables your aquaponic system to function efficiently.

Bell Siphon Placement Consideration

Before you drill a hole in your grow bed to install your bell siphon and piping, first, consider where you want to put it. The preferred placement is in the center, corner, or farther from where the water enters the bed.

Bell Siphon Size Consideration

One of the questions in using a bell siphon is, what size are you going to use? The rule of thumb is, your main siphon components should be equal to or slightly greater than the water inflow components.  

Just think, if you have a high volume of water entering your grow bed through a 40 mm pipe, but your standpipe and outflow are only 20 mm. Your 20 mm could not cope with the volume of water, and your grow bed would overflow. But if you reverse the situation and use the 40 mm outflow, it will easily handle the amount of water that the 20 mm pipe could put into your grow bed. Your grow bed will not overflow. 

So it is essential to consider the amount of water flowing to your grow bed, your pump capacity and how fast the water will flow, how many flood and drain cycles you will need to do in an hour in choosing the size of your bell siphon. 



Components of a Bell Siphon

The components of a bell siphon are simple and available at most local hardware stores. The media guard can be drilled or cut, depending on your preference. These are the components of a bell siphon. 

1. Bell Cap: When water overflows into the standpipe, low pressure will eventually build up under the bell cap. This will force out the water at a higher rate until the air enters the bell.

2. Reducer: This is placed on top of the standpipe, which helps the siphon discharge pipe create a smooth transition; a 2:1 ratio in a reducer is optimum. (if the standpipe is 1 inch in diameter, a reducer should be 2 inches). 

3. Siphon Pipe: The siphon pipe should have a diameter twice as big as the reducer. Bell siphon pipe creates a barrier between the siphon and the atmosphere and prevents air from entering inside. It also allows the siphon to build up a negative pressure that creates a vacuum that keeps the water flowing in the siphon. 

4. Stand Pipe: This is placed inside the siphon pipe and acts as the discharge pipe. Standpipe also regulates the maximum water level in the grow bed. Water flows out through the standpipe once it reaches the top of the standpipe. It also connects the bulkhead to the reducer.

5. Media Guard: The media guard prevents the growing media in the grow bed from clogging the standpipe and bell siphon. 

6. Bulkhead: Bulkhead holds the standpipe in the grow bed and allows the water to drain through the standpipe without leaking back to the siphon. 

7. Outlet Pipe: Also called a drainpipe, this extends from the bottom of the bulkhead into the fish tank. 

Putting The Bell Siphon Together

1. First, drill a hole in your grow bed and put an uniseal in the hole and then place the standpipe. Ensure that you have the right size drill bit for the PVC fittings (bulkhead) you are using.

2. Push the standpipe through the top of the uniseal until the standpipe's top is at the height of the bottom of the bell cap on the bell siphon.

3. Connect the drain leading to the fish tank by using a 90-degree elbow into the bottom part of the standpipe below the grow bed.

4. Position your grow media around the standpipe. Fill up your grow bed with grow media to the height of the top part of the standpipe. To check if your grow media are high enough, fill your grow bed with water; These will expose low spots.

5. Place the fish tank under your grow bed and fill up the tank with water once you have ensured that your grow bed has siphoned all the rinse water.

6. Place the pump and pipes in the fish tank. Make sure it is stable.

7. Turn on the pump to make sure your siphon works properly.

8. Once you have completed the setup and cycled your system, you can start adding your fish and planting your crops. 

Conclusion

Getting your bell siphon to work in a way that you want takes a bit of work initially. However, using a bell siphon in your media-based aquaponics system is an excellent way to ensure that your system runs smoothly. Bell siphon works automatically and keeps the water in your system  moves efficiently. Thank you for reading our article. If you find our articles helpful, read our "Guide on Choosing the Right Aquaponics Grow Media."