self powered pump/filter

During a break from digging my pond, and basking in the warm Queensland
sunshine it occured to me that I could use the hydraulic pressure of the
pond to pump/siphon water into my veggie filter. So i built a model using a
20 liter drum and it's been pumping/siphoning away like a beauty for a week.
I used a network of 12mm poly irrigation pipe in the bottom of the drum and
initially primed/siphoned the outlet line into a plastic tub, about a metre
head..with an overflow outlet back to the drum...topped up the level as it
got pumping and voila!.
A search of the web has rewarded me with no links to something similar..so
now I'm beginning to worry that I am missing something obvious in my new
found enthusiasm.
As a result I now have a niggling doubt that this will all fail when scaled
up.
Anyone have a clue that might save me from a fundamental error when the real
thing is needed?

"cruxaustralis" wrote in message
...
During a break from digging my pond, and basking in the warm Queensland
sunshine it occured to me that I could use the hydraulic pressure of the
pond to pump/siphon water into my veggie filter. So i built a model using
a
20 liter drum and it's been pumping/siphoning away like a beauty for a
week.
I used a network of 12mm poly irrigation pipe in the bottom of the drum
and
initially primed/siphoned the outlet line into a plastic tub, about a
metre
head..with an overflow outlet back to the drum...topped up the level as it
got pumping and voila!.
A search of the web has rewarded me with no links to something similar..so
now I'm beginning to worry that I am missing something obvious in my new
found enthusiasm.
As a result I now have a niggling doubt that this will all fail when
scaled
up.
Anyone have a clue that might save me from a fundamental error when the
real
thing is needed?


Hi,
If you are suggesting that the water from the drum is continually
circulating to the tub and back to the drum without the aid of a pump, you
have accomplished one of two things. One, proved perpetual motion or Two,
spent too much time in the Queensland sun ;-) There is another possibility,
that the water is not circulating but is static. Prove this by adding
color/dye to the drum and it will immediately color the tub if it is
flowing. There is such a thing as a ram pump (google it) but it is also a
one way device and I don't think it would work in your situation.
L8R -_- how
no NEWS is good

hi,
I hear you about the sun...I was thinking the same thing myself...I lifted
the hose from the drum outlet side and it's running alright fills a coffee
cup in about 4 seconds..but I'll try the dye idea...although it has to be
going back into the drum or the top tank would simply overflow....anyhow
thanks for the reply....by your comments I am thinking it wouldn't stand the
test of a larger set up. I don't think it's perpetual motion ..if air gets
back into the pipes it stops dead and has to be sucked to get it going
again.
anyway thanks
"how" wrote in message
...
"cruxaustralis" wrote in message
...
During a break from digging my pond, and basking in the warm Queensland
sunshine it occured to me that I could use the hydraulic pressure of the
pond to pump/siphon water into my veggie filter. So i built a model
using
a
20 liter drum and it's been pumping/siphoning away like a beauty for a
week.
I used a network of 12mm poly irrigation pipe in the bottom of the drum
and
initially primed/siphoned the outlet line into a plastic tub, about a
metre
head..with an overflow outlet back to the drum...topped up the level as
it
got pumping and voila!.
A search of the web has rewarded me with no links to something
similar..so
now I'm beginning to worry that I am missing something obvious in my new
found enthusiasm.
As a result I now have a niggling doubt that this will all fail when
scaled
up.
Anyone have a clue that might save me from a fundamental error when the
real
thing is needed?


Hi,
If you are suggesting that the water from the drum is continually
circulating to the tub and back to the drum without the aid of a pump, you
have accomplished one of two things. One, proved perpetual motion or Two,
spent too much time in the Queensland sun ;-) There is another
possibility,
that the water is not circulating but is static. Prove this by adding
color/dye to the drum and it will immediately color the tub if it is
flowing. There is such a thing as a ram pump (google it) but it is also a
one way device and I don't think it would work in your situation.
L8R -_- how
no NEWS is good

"cruxaustralis" wrote in message
...
During a break from digging my pond, and basking in the warm Queensland
sunshine it occured to me that I could use the hydraulic pressure of the
pond to pump/siphon water into my veggie filter. So i built a model using
a
20 liter drum and it's been pumping/siphoning away like a beauty for a
week.
I used a network of 12mm poly irrigation pipe in the bottom of the drum
and
initially primed/siphoned the outlet line into a plastic tub, about a
metre
head..with an overflow outlet back to the drum...topped up the level as it
got pumping and voila!.
A search of the web has rewarded me with no links to something similar..so
now I'm beginning to worry that I am missing something obvious in my new
found enthusiasm.
As a result I now have a niggling doubt that this will all fail when
scaled
up.
Anyone have a clue that might save me from a fundamental error when the
real
thing is needed?



Not possible, defies the laws of physics.

"cruxaustralis" wrote in message
...
hi,
I hear you about the sun...I was thinking the same thing myself...I lifted
the hose from the drum outlet side and it's running alright fills a coffee
cup in about 4 seconds..but I'll try the dye idea...although it has to be
going back into the drum or the top tank would simply overflow....anyhow
thanks for the reply....by your comments I am thinking it wouldn't stand the
test of a larger set up. I don't think it's perpetual motion ..if air gets
back into the pipes it stops dead and has to be sucked to get it going
again.
anyway thanks

Perhaps you could supply us with a simple diagram of your contraption so that we
aren't confused as to how you have it set up.

"how" wrote in message
...
"cruxaustralis" wrote in message
...
During a break from digging my pond, and basking in the warm Queensland
sunshine it occured to me that I could use the hydraulic pressure of the
pond to pump/siphon water into my veggie filter. So i built a model
using
a
20 liter drum and it's been pumping/siphoning away like a beauty for a
week.
I used a network of 12mm poly irrigation pipe in the bottom of the drum
and
initially primed/siphoned the outlet line into a plastic tub, about a
metre
head..with an overflow outlet back to the drum...topped up the level as
it
got pumping and voila!.
A search of the web has rewarded me with no links to something
similar..so
now I'm beginning to worry that I am missing something obvious in my new
found enthusiasm.
As a result I now have a niggling doubt that this will all fail when
scaled
up.
Anyone have a clue that might save me from a fundamental error when the
real
thing is needed?


Hi,
If you are suggesting that the water from the drum is continually
circulating to the tub and back to the drum without the aid of a pump, you
have accomplished one of two things. One, proved perpetual motion or Two,
spent too much time in the Queensland sun ;-) There is another
possibility,
that the water is not circulating but is static. Prove this by adding
color/dye to the drum and it will immediately color the tub if it is
flowing. There is such a thing as a ram pump (google it) but it is also a
one way device and I don't think it would work in your situation.
L8R -_- how
no NEWS is good

"Lane" lane_nospam@copperaccents_dot_com wrote in message
...

"cruxaustralis" wrote in message
...
During a break from digging my pond, and basking in the warm Queensland
sunshine it occured to me that I could use the hydraulic pressure of the
pond to pump/siphon water into my veggie filter. So i built a model
using
a
20 liter drum and it's been pumping/siphoning away like a beauty for a
week.
I used a network of 12mm poly irrigation pipe in the bottom of the drum
and
initially primed/siphoned the outlet line into a plastic tub, about a
metre
head..with an overflow outlet back to the drum...topped up the level as
it
got pumping and voila!.
A search of the web has rewarded me with no links to something
similar..so
now I'm beginning to worry that I am missing something obvious in my new
found enthusiasm.
As a result I now have a niggling doubt that this will all fail when
scaled
up.
Anyone have a clue that might save me from a fundamental error when the
real
thing is needed?



Not possible, defies the laws of physics.

so do bumble bees....

however I do agree this sounds odd, but hope to see some (however crude)
diagrams of this..

Lost

"Lostin1999" wrote in message
...

"Lane" lane_nospam@copperaccents_dot_com wrote in message
...

"cruxaustralis" wrote in message
...
During a break from digging my pond, and basking in the warm Queensland
sunshine it occured to me that I could use the hydraulic pressure of
the
pond to pump/siphon water into my veggie filter. So i built a model
using
a
20 liter drum and it's been pumping/siphoning away like a beauty for a
week.
I used a network of 12mm poly irrigation pipe in the bottom of the drum
and
initially primed/siphoned the outlet line into a plastic tub, about a
metre
head..with an overflow outlet back to the drum...topped up the level as
it
got pumping and voila!.
A search of the web has rewarded me with no links to something
similar..so
now I'm beginning to worry that I am missing something obvious in my
new
found enthusiasm.
As a result I now have a niggling doubt that this will all fail when
scaled
up.
Anyone have a clue that might save me from a fundamental error when the
real
thing is needed?



Not possible, defies the laws of physics.

so do bumble bees....

however I do agree this sounds odd, but hope to see some (however crude)
diagrams of this..

Lost



Perhaps heat is causing convection currents in the setup and the rising
heated water is causing a flow.
As there's no other obvious source of energy, I can't think of any other way
you could have circulation.
You did mention it's hot. Could this be it? Is the flow of water back warm?