What Does Constant Height In Fish Tank (CHIST) Mean?
The 'constant height in fish tank / pump in sump tank' (CHIST - PIST) is a method of growing aquaponically using a large sump tank and sump pump called a 'constant height one pump' (CHOP).
The term ‘constant height in fish tank / pump in sump tank’ is usually shortened and called either just a CHIFT or a PIST system.
In a CHIFT aquaponic system, a pump pushes water through the entire system. First, the pump pushes water from the small sump tank up into the much larger fish tank, and then from the fish tank gravity allows the water to flow across the grow beds. After the plants are irrigated, the water runs out of the grow beds and back into the sump tank, where the entire process starts all over again.
Maximum Yield Explains Constant Height In Fish Tank (CHIST)
The 'constant height in fish tank / pump in sump tank' method of aquaponics is remarkably energy efficient because only the sump pump consumes electricity. The rest of the system simply depends on gravity to push the water from location to location, provided the grow beds are all relatively level.
The CHIST is an effective aquaponic system to use because it eliminates stress on the fish caused by fluctuating water levels. This is especially true if the grower is operating a system with multiple grow beds. With the CHIST system, the fish tank water level is constantly maintained, as outlined in the name of the system.
Typically, the CHIST system is very reliable. Growers only have to worry if the pump should inadvertently malfunction or a pipe break occurs. In an effort to make the system almost foolproof, many growers now utilize two sump pumps, so if one fails the other one is acting as a backup.
In a CHIST aquaponic system, the sump tank should be large enough to accommodate all of the water that drains from your grow beds. Another thing to look out for is regular cleaning on the sump tank, which is where solids from the fish tank and grow beds settle.
