Aquaponics - Drip control

Waking up can be a difficult time even when you don't discover your aquaponics system's water trying to escape.

But this morning it was extra tricky, because my water was falling out.

Trickier still, I couldn't figure out where it was escaping from.

This isn't something normal people have to contend with when operating an aquaponics system, this is just something special people like me have to contend with.

I'm special because I don't do things that I know I should.

Normal people would design all pipes running into their system so that the water exited on a downwards pointing section.

Not me.

I like to have pipes pointing very slightly up, so that water runs back along the pipes.

That way when a drip finally forms and drops off the pipe, I can be sure it's left the confines of my system and falls unsafely onto the concrete.

It's very easily solved, and the solution is one I've recommended to other people, just not one I actually put into practice for myself.

By far the most simple cure is to not have pipes sloping up (or even flat) at the point the water comes out, but if that's not possible for some reason, all you need is a place for a drip to form, and it stops being a problem.

I used some cable ties to create the desired result.

Now when the water runs back it drips off at the cable tie, and the drip falls back into the water.

I knew at the time I put the pipes into position that I needed to make them face down, because I've seen (and personally suffered from) the problem before.

I have no idea why I didn't just add cable ties before. I didn't even have to think of it myself. I think a solution like this even has a name. ie its a product you can buy, or something people setting up stock troughs take in to account.

Oh well.

One day I'll make stuff that works properly, but I have to design a boat to live on for my attempt at an epic river journey, so I have no time for designing, and building stuff that works, or is actually reliable.




120 Things in 20 years - This Aquaponics drip control post puts me in a position where I can safely bet that my dear old mum buys me a better life jacket for my birthday.