Gravel/Bog Filter

[Faebinder]

You may experience an iron deficiency for the plants.
That's what I struggled with in my aquaponics system.

.

So what do you do to compensate for the poor iron cause I think my plants are gonna have that problem.

 

[Harshit]

Do not attempt to grow root vegetables.They are easily contaminated by the pond water. Above ground veggies are fine.

No roots, I only want to try some fruit like tomatoes, capsicum etc. Thats an obvious problem with ponds.

E. coli for one. It is in all pond water, especially ponds with fish. You will not see root vegetable grown in any aquaponics system.

It might not be the problem with those well maintained commercial aquaponics systems. But ponds are exposed to open outdoor environment, so its not that safe.

 

[mrsclem]

Okay, so that completely depends upon how much BB you want to be colonized. That fine then, I add more if needed.

Right now want to grow veggies in there. Any experience regarding that?

I have tomatoes and peppers growing in my bog and they are doing well. the plants are producing the same as the ones in containers on my deck.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

<Talking about that thing I've built, on the right side in picture>
First of all is it gravel filter or bog, or both are just synonyms?
Now, I actually wanted to fill the rocks upto the top water surface. But I'm out of rocks now.
Is it necessary to completely fill it until hiding the water or its just okay having 1"-2" water over them?View attachment 93330

Something else to consider too is that with the water exposed on top of the rocks you can, and probably will, get algae growth on the rocks, whereas if the rocks cover the water level you won't get any algae growth in there because the sunshine won't be able to access the wet rocks.

 

[Harshit]

Something else to consider too is that with the water exposed on top of the rocks you can, and probably will, get algae growth on the rocks, whereas if the rocks cover the water level you won't get any algae growth in there because the sunshine won't be able to access the wet rocks.

Thanks, I totally forgot that. I'll check if that happens.

 

[crsublette]

E. coli for one. It is in all pond water, especially ponds with fish. You will not see root vegetable grown in any aquaponics system.

No truth in that at all...

Of course, there is E.Coli.... there is E.coli in all vegetable production systems and most any system that involves worms.

Root vegetables are very much grown in aquaponic systems... there are even people using DWC to grow onions, radishes, and other tubulars.

Sheesh... /sigh...

Oddly, there aren't anybody "peeling over" with food ailments from the local food grown by the multitude of aquaponic farms in this country.

 

[Harshit]

Root vegetables are very much grown in aquaponic systems... there are even people using DWC to grow onions, radishes, and other tubulars.

I've also heard people growing radishes. And also many guy are promoting that tern 'Vermiponics', that primarily involves the use of worms in growbeds.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

No truth in that at all...

Of course, there is E.Coli.... there is E.coli in all vegetable production systems and most any system that involves worms.

Root vegetables are very much grown in aquaponic systems... there are even people using DWC to grow onions, radishes, and other tubulars.

Sheesh... /sigh...

Oddly, there aren't anybody "peeling over" with food ailments from the local food grown by the multitude of aquaponic farms in this country.

I was wrong in that statement. They are commercially grown where proper sanitation practices and controls are in place. I had heard that root crops were not recommended for home aquaponic systems, and this is because of the necessary requirements needed to grow root crops, either wicking beds or deep media ebb and flow systems and also the safety requirements needed to prevent any pathogenic (zoonoses) contamination.

"If the water you are using contains E. coli, salmonella, or other pathogens, you must take immediate steps to address potential contamination issues. You need to reduce or eliminate the risk of causing a foodborne illness in someone consuming your produce.
By following some simple, basic sanitation procedures, such as-

The basics of good on-farm food safety
practices require (among others)-
• removing all pest-attracting trash from the farm and
setting up a pest control system
• periodically testing fish and produce rinse water for
human pathogens
• removing nests of birds or animals and excluding
livestock and pets from production and packing areas
• not harvesting produce that has fecal material or pest
damage, because of the possibility that pathogens are
left on the produce

It is important to keep warm-blooded animals (birds,
dogs, cats, rats, sheep, goats, ducks, cattle, pigs, etc.)
away from your commercial produce, because they may
contain pathogens harmful to humans."
On-Farm Food Safety: Aquaponics
University of Hawaii

That last paragraph should be enough to discourage growing any edible plants in a pond's 'bog'.

 

[Faebinder]

In theory you can eat your underwater veggies after you wash them but sooner or later there will a spot that won't be washed enough and the bacterial flora will bloom.

Having said that, if you're healthy an E. coli or salmonella diarrhea is unlikely to kill you..... It's just not fun and likely scary when you start seeing blood.

 

[crsublette]

I had heard that root crops were not recommended for home aquaponic systems, and this is because of the necessary requirements needed to grow root crops, either wicking beds or deep media ebb and flow systems and also the safety requirements needed to prevent any pathogenic (zoonoses) contamination.

I have been passionately following the aquaponic hobby, and primarily commentators (much less practitioners) have actually suggested this.

It is important to keep warm-blooded animals (birds,
dogs, cats, rats, sheep, goats, ducks, cattle, pigs, etc.)
away from your commercial produce, because they may
contain pathogens harmful to humans."
On-Farm Food Safety: Aquaponics
University of Hawaii

That last paragraph should be enough to discourage growing any edible plants in a pond's 'bog'.

Yep, I agree... ...This is the biggest concern... if anyone wanted to utilize their pond water to irrigate a vegetable garden..

...Proper composting must be done or do not allow the water come in direct contact with the crop to eliminate these dangers, but I would never just directly planting vegetables straight into a pond nor bog due to warm blooded animal contamination.

Salmonella is the biggest concern.

In theory you can eat your underwater veggies after you wash them but sooner or later there will a spot that won't be washed enough and the bacterial flora will bloom.

Having said that, if you're healthy an E. coli or salmonella diarrhea is unlikely to kill you..... It's just not fun and likely scary when you start seeing blood.

Worms, worm castings, and worm tea extract have a tremendously higher E.Coli count (of around 120 cfu/100ml, from one backyard test I have seen) than you will find in any fish system (of around 6 cfu/100ml, from one backyard test I have seen)... assuming warm blooded animals not "contributing" to the fish water...

 

[crsublette]

I've also heard people growing radishes. And also many guy are promoting that tern 'Vermiponics', that primarily involves the use of worms in growbeds.

Yep, and astounding those guys aren't just sick all the time on their radishes, onions, etc.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I once watched a program that did a study comparing the merits of organic vs non-organic vegetables, the most striking finding was that organic veggies were consistently found to have a much higher count of E.Coli, which is generally attributable to the source of fertilizer. But it didn't only apply to root crops. Lettuce was one vegetable where the organic sources had higher then normal E.Coli count then their non-organic cousins.
All I can say is I'd be washing and peeling (or cooking) anything edible that came out of my turtle pond.

 

[crsublette]

I once watched a program that did a study comparing the merits of organic vs non-organic vegetables, the most striking finding was that organic veggies were consistently found to have a much higher count of E.Coli, which is generally attributable to the source of fertilizer. But it didn't only apply to root crops. Lettuce was one vegetable where the organic sources had higher then normal E.Coli count then their non-organic cousins.
All I can say is I'd be washing and peeling (or cooking) anything edible that came out of my turtle pond.

Makes sense to me!

Every food borne disease outbreak in a vegetable I am aware of has involved "organic" food products. Kind of goes against the mantra of organic farming. ... but it also happens to all other crops as well...

Failure of proper food harvesting, processing, and cooking is one of the biggest reasons people get sick from various food borne diseases like E.Coli, Salmonella, and Listeria.


There are big vegetable farmers in my area. Hopefully, next year, if everything works out with the fella I am talking to, then going to grow some ornamental pumpkins on a couple fields, in cooperation with this fella, to sell to Walmart...

Also, I have breakfast with a potato farmer, whom is also an agronomist. Couple days ago this fella was talking about how they have to quite thoroughly sterilize their harvesting equipment before changing fields... So, farmers have to make sure they hire a reputable harvesting company.

...we got on this subject due to the recent chain of thunderstorms in my area... which he is not particularly fond of due to how thunderstorm chains maintain a higher than usual humidity, which promotes various blights and other fungal diseases in his soil fields... they prefer those short quick rain storms that come and go...

...crazy enough, if the humidity is sustained long enough and there is a little wind, then disease spores from one field will transmit to another field just a few miles away...

...when a potato field gets diseases, they often have to harvest incredibly early, crop must go directly to market and can't be placed into storage, and then outright sterilize large fields...

...often times, when potato fields gets a disease, the crop is around 70~100% loss...

...the cost of "loss" versus "recuperation" is one major reasons why there is very minimal to zero crop insurance for vegetable farmers... crop insurance to vegetable farmers is incredibly risky and, if they do offer it, it is insanely expensive...


I have nothing against organic farming and there is much to learn, but there is too much romanticism in it...

...Anyways... I can talk about this stuff forever.

 

[MitchM]

So what do you do to compensate for the poor iron cause I think my plants are gonna have that problem.

Sorry Faebinder, I've been swamped lately.
There are both foliar sprays and chelated iron additives that you can add directly to the water for iron supplements. Make sure that the water is no higher than 7.0 PH though.

 

[MitchM]

Washing or peeling crops contaminated with ecoli won't rid the vegetable of the bacteria. If it's in the water source, it's in their cell structure. (I think)
I've been growing horse radish, carrots, potatoes and ginger in my indoor aquaponic setup without incident..so far.
Maybe our own eating habits overall mean that we are healthy individuals so we are more immune to occasional exposure to otherwise harmful bacteria.