Aquaponics build

[MitchM]

I placed about 8 pebbles in 250 ml of RO/DI water and left it overnight.

The result:
GH 58 dkh/1038 ppm
KH 6 dkh/107.4 ppm
Phosphate 10.0 ppm+

So now I know why I can't get my PH down, and it's unlikely I will ever be able to get it close to neutral.
If I had to do this again I would look for a media bed product that allowed for a neutral PH level.
With the high phosphate level I'm sure there's fantastic root growth going on.
I'm entertaining the idea of getting rid of the Hydrocorn and finding something else.
Expensive lesson learned!

 

[crsublette]

I placed about 8 pebbles in 250 ml of RO/DI water and left it overnight.

The result:
GH 58 dkh/1038 ppm
KH 6 dkh/107.4 ppm
Phosphate 10.0 ppm+

So now I know why I can't get my PH down, and it's unlikely I will ever be able to get it close to neutral.
If I had to do this again I would look for a media bed product that allowed for a neutral PH level.
With the high phosphate level I'm sure there's fantastic root growth going on.
I'm entertaining the idea of getting rid of the Hydrocorn and finding something else.
Expensive lesson learned!

Yep, when folk say the medium is "sterile", it really is not. For an ebb/flow growing bed, the only truely sterile medium I know of is pea gravel and rockwool (aka, mineral wool or stonewool), but pea gravel can be heavy and rockwool needs to set on a riser so it is about an inch off the containers bottom to insure it properly drains.

I have been looking at Coconut Coir for a while. I would not consider it "sterile", even though some say it is. Coconut Coir is very rich in pottasium and this imbalance can cause significant magnesium and calcium deficiencies for plants. So, the Coir must be properly prepared, rehydrated, soaked, and rinsed before using it. Soak it in a liquid rich in magnesium and calcium for a few days. Rinse it several times to remove as much sodium and chlorides out of the coir due to the soak time. This will neutralize the Coir's pottassium concerns.

Coconut Coir has a pH of 5.5~6.5 and it has excellent drainage and water retention, much like a sandy loam soil. This is why I have seen it used, but it is expensive and I am told there are many scammers out there that do not sell the real deal.

Once properly prepared, rehydrated, and rinsed, then I am told it has a near consistency of a fibrous soil.


I have been thinking about this for a while now and is the reason why I have delayed my project so far out.

I got a some bulk "special lady bug" soil mix from a Turf farm. I have some vermiculite and perlite. I might just do a mixture of Coconut coir, the "special lady bug" soil mix, vermiculite, perlite, maybe some lava sand, and use this recipe for my open system wicking bed structure, but, for an ebb/flow, I bet a Coconut Coir, vermiculite, and perlite mixture would work.

You might could still mix in a very small amount of hydrocorn in there for the phosphorus.

Something to think about.

 

[MitchM]

That Coconut coir sound like a substitute for peat moss. I wonder what it's bouyancy would be like and how it would behave with the filling and draining cycle with the bell siphons.
Another issue with this Hydrocorn is that it's large particle size makes it difficult to plant large plants which I have washed out the roots on.
A plant really needs to have it's root system established within the Hydrocorn or it will simply tip over.

A mixed media bed like you mentioned could be a good idea, thanks.

 

[crsublette]

1) That Coconut coir sound like a substitute for peat moss. I wonder what it's bouyancy would be like and how it would behave with the filling and draining cycle with the bell siphons.
2) Another issue with this Hydrocorn is that it's large particle size makes it difficult to plant large plants which I have washed out the roots on.
A plant really needs to have it's root system established within the Hydrocorn or it will simply tip over.

A mixed media bed like you mentioned could be a good idea, thanks.

1) That Coconut coir sound like a substitute for peat moss. I wonder what it's bouyancy would be like and how it would behave with the filling and draining cycle with the bell siphons.

It actually is used in ebb/flow grow beds.

For the more adventurous readers, check out the "Cannabis" hydroponic forums. :huh: I always feel awkward when reading those forums, h34r: but they have some good experiences to share. :cheerful: And they sure are obsessive about growing a good plant. ^_^


2) Another issue with this Hydrocorn is that it's large particle size makes it difficult to plant large plants which I have washed out the roots on.
A plant really needs to have it's root system established within the Hydrocorn or it will simply tip over.

Yeah, all of the videos I have seen use some elaborate cages or wire to prevent their top heavy plants from falling out.

This is where sandy sandy loam open system wicking beds have the advantage. You can actually grow corn and sunflowers in these beds without concern.

 

[JohnHuff]

For the more adventurous readers, check out the "Cannabis" hydroponic forums. :huh: ... they have some good experiences to share. :cheerful:

... of course they do... :fingersx:

 

[MitchM]

I wasn't able to supply enough electricity to power 2 1000W HPS lamps, so instead I set up 12 X 54W T5 bulbs, 48".
I can run those off of a single 15A circuit.

 

[crsublette]

I wasn't able to supply enough electricity to power 2 1000W HPS lamps, so instead I set up 12 X 54W T5 bulbs, 48".
I can run those off of a single 15A circuit.

IMG_5069.jpg

Very nice. :claphands:

Yep, I hear T5 bulbs can do quite well.

 

[MitchM]

Charles, the only vermiculite I can find any more is a very fine product, maybe 2 - 3 millimeter size.
I used to be able to find much coarser versions of it, around 10 - 15 millimeter size.
I would prefer the larger version. What is supply like in your area?

 

[crsublette]

Thermorock Medium Grade Vermiculite

Not for sure on the size of it, but I have to order it through a big chain store here.

 

[MitchM]

Even though it's pretty cool outside -17C/1F and the sun is really low on the horizon or non existant with cloud cover, the roses are blooming and the celery plus some melons are doing great.
Aphids have come back to one of the basil plants. That's an ongoing battle.






I'll post some numbers a little later.

 

[crsublette]

Neat seeing the plants with the snow in the background. :cheerful:

I am interested into how well the basil continues to grow. I have been doing some further reading into T5 bulbs and everything I have read continues to indicate they're great if you have electricity supply issues, but only negative I have read is that the T5's light intensity will only reach about 18" of thick foliage. This looks to be an interesting experience to observe with the basil since it appears to be quite thick and doing fine so far, except for the pesky aphids.

Everything looks great! :claphands:

 

[sissy]

I hear lady bugs work great at controling bugs and could be why I have none as we have been invaded by lady bugs for years now .I mean lady bug invasion .They end up all over my siding trying to get in the house and when you are outside they land on you and bite the heck out of you .

 

[MitchM]

Neat seeing the plants with the snow in the background. :cheerful:

I am interested into how well the basil continues to grow. I have been doing some further reading into T5 bulbs and everything I have read continues to indicate they're great if you have electricity supply issues, but only negative I have read is that the T5's light intensity will only reach about 18" of thick foliage. This looks to be an interesting experience to observe with the basil since it appears to be quite thick and doing fine so far, except for the pesky aphids.

Everything looks great! :claphands:

Thanks Charles.
The basil is actually almost the easiest thing to grow in this setup. It's constantly blooming though. Not sure what that is the result of.
Some of the basil stalks are 1/2" thick now. I would say the rosemary is easier, only because it has had no insect issues.



Sissy, I tried ladybugs but I put about 500 in there and they disappeared in 2 days. I'm sure I'll come across them one day when I'm cleaning.
Ladybugs are not available here at this time of year now.

 

[crsublette]

Hey Mitch, I know you don't want to do much supplementing and your plants are doing quite fine, but I think they could be doing much better by adding some synergy to your system. In otherwords, incorporating the awesome nitrogen rich fish water with some compost tea.

Checkout the latest posts by Mr. Van Der Werf at Earthangroup. He has made some quite interesting updates on how to incorporate a digester to better utilize the solids wastes and has a good post about other beneficial compounts to use instead of salt to combat potential nitrite toxicities and to improve the fish's osmoregulatory system.

I have always seen these digesters used, but I never could find a thorough walk through of them. The digester is not on an open loop between the fish tank and grow beds. The digestors only receives water when flushing your mechanical filter waste water into it. As it is stirred up with aeration, then it is sucked in by the venturi into the grow bed. If you ever want to dose any nutrient up take solutions (NUTs) to the water, such as an organic fluvic amino acid NUTs supplement, then the digester would be the best location to add it since the solution is then slowly integrated throughout the entire grow bed. For anyone curious, fluvic acid is a chelating agent, a byproduct of composting, and is one of the main ingredients found in compost teas. Also, you could add your compost tea recipes into the digestor.

No reason to be a purist!! Treat this garden like you would any other garden, while maintaining the health of the fish.

Paul had the clever idea of using the oxygen inlet of a venturi to slowly add the nutrient water from the digester into the grow beds when they are flooded. Although, I think there needs to be a fine mesh pre-filter, such as a drip irrigator filter, prior to the "oxygen/nutrient" intake tube of the venturi to prevent the small holes in the venturing from clogging up.

 

[crsublette]

Thanks Charles.
The basil is actually almost the easiest thing to grow in this setup. It's constantly blooming though. Not sure what that is the result of.
Some of the basil stalks are 1/2" thick now. I would say the rosemary is easier, only because it has had no insect issues.



Sissy, I tried ladybugs but I put about 500 in there and they disappeared in 2 days. I'm sure I'll come across them one day when I'm cleaning.
Ladybugs are not available here at this time of year now.

For your aphid problem, check out this thread from backyardaquaponics: Aphid Control. Good forum. Although, I don't know about the efficacy of the solutions.

Also check out the Aquaponic Source forum, natural pesticide for aphids. Skip down to the bottom to read Vlad Jovanovic's post, he's one of the resident experts that actually has "hands on" experience.

Here is a good video for ya... Dr. Storey has a very interesting youtube aquaponic channel as well.

[video]