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new heli chamber

  • #181
Ap,

Not sure what is different, but the only maintenance I do is change the tubing about once every six months.
Is it algae growth in the tube itself, or algae from the tray?

Butch
 
  • #182
I'm thinking of placing the drain line about 2cm from the top of the pots, and the feed line below the drain line so it can more effectively scavenge if the pump goes too long. Thoughts?

Yes, feed line is lower than drain line... and drain line is approx. that from top of pots as well. This is for the exact reason you stated

Can you guys "explain like I am five" why you want the tubing from the pump that pushes water into the tray to sit below the siphon-drain tube? For the siphoning to begin the water will need to rise to the level of the drain, meaning higher than the pump line, also meaning there will be even more back-pressure from water trying to flow back (siphon) through the same pump line?
 
  • #183
hmmm good question Gill,
I know I had a good reason but now I'm not sure what that reason was.

I think it was to prevent overflow if the main storage reservoir held more water volume than the plant tray could hold.
But I need to go back through the thread and revisit my thought process at the time

classic absent minded professor syndrome :p

- - - Updated - - -

another possibility would be reduced static head on the pump....
 
  • #184
I have my first Heliamporas on there way. I now have a project to build this spring. Thanks for all of the info!
 
  • #185
Enjoy Yu, they are not that difficult and can grow like weeds when happy.
 
  • #186
Hi Butch - The algae growth is mostly on the tray as a film and peels of clogging the uptake, and allowing bubbles in the edge, thus breaking the siphon earlier than I'd like. I'm going to try a modification to hold the tube down better. The lower, feed line is bent itself up as from the pressure of the flow as it enters the tray. Something I suspected might occur, but it means I can't rely on the feed line to drain the tray fully. I'm suspecting with your smaller tubes, you are using a lower pressure pump? How do you hold your tubes in place?

Hi Gill - Solid question! Can't speak for Butch, but for me the drain line being higher ensures that I can reach and maintain a particular depth for a few minutes to get a good soak. The pump is adjustable, so I have it set to a flow rate that roughly balances the drain line siphon (a little less just for safety). If I had the feed line higher, the siphon would start earlier and either I would be forced to maintain a higher flow rate to get the depth I want, which could result in overflow if the pump didn't kick off properly, or I would hold the water quite low on the pots, and face the prospect of not soaking the media enough. The feed line is lower just in case the pump kicks off too soon, allowing it to act as a back up siphon draining much (though right now not all) of the water. I wasn't worried about head pressure. The increased cost of the more powerful water pump was negligible, especially given the decrease in potential catastrophic possible failures. Does that help? If not, let me know and I'll give it a second go (sometimes the details in my head don't make it to the page).

Hi Yuusui - If you are going to go for a build, let me know. I can tell you where you can get all your supplies locally, and you can borrow my drill bit to make the holes for the tubing. Despite my need to tweak my build, it's really a brilliant system!
 
  • #187
Ap,

I use a very low pressure pump. It was actually salvaged from a cheesey desktop fountain thing.
Your reply to Gill is spot on.... my brain is dead lately, its approaching finals and I just got back from a presentation at Purdue and now preparing for another at the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced manufacturing in Seattle, Wa.
( I get to tour Boeing woohoo)
For some reason people think I know what I'm doing and want me to teach them (facepalm)
Very cool but omg very stressful..... a major grant is in play

I have pots near the hoses, so basically the hose is forced down by one of the pots.
The aquarium tubing is very easy to hold in place.

If it were to be an issue I would probably take a short section of pvc, notch it and use silicon sealer to attach it to the tray.
Then simply stick the hose in it. Aquarium foam could then be placed around the notched circumference to act as an algae filter.

But that is just an off the top of the head idea, not anything I've tried
 
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  • #188
[MENTION=12009]apoplast[/MENTION], [MENTION=6193]Av8tor1[/MENTION],

Thank you both! Your explanations make sense, it is clear now! Ok so now that I have it as a post here, when I get to experiment with a similar setup I know where to find it!!
 
  • #189
Hi Butch - Boeing?! That's awesome! I've always wanted to see their capacitor system that reputedly allows them to chard off the grid at night and power their operations during the day when power consumption is higher, helping stabilize the grid. That should be awesome, I'd love to hear about it!

Hi Gill - Glad if it was useful! Good luck, and if you have any questions I'll try to answer (but always defer to Butch).
 
  • #190
Apoplast, Yes, lets talk in the near future!
 
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