Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hijack away it's all good stuff.

I just came back after 1 1/2 days to 444 new posts!.....

It was a case of digger vs network cable - guess which one won.

I just fixed my 1st network cable, I'm a happy surfer

I agree sometimes, after all that time and resources, that patents should be allowed, but not on something that needs to be given away for the greater good. Then there should be a govt slush fund to compensate the proposed patentee, and give the tech away.

Don't really care what's similar, I wasn't copying anyone, but it is really just a hybrid of several dope growing systems with redickerlous amount of Aquarium research thrown in. I didn't come to the 'formula' by chance. I got heavily into it before I found the 'keys'.

Love to all!

Oh yeah, put a lily planter up top of the water for some baby guppies to hang out in. They escaped already I see two of three still in there in the main tank. So small they could all be there or gulped down in a pellet frenzy by now.

I'll leave the planter (pics on Sunday I want a weekly photo to keep track of how the peppers go) as the fish seem to like hanging out under the shelter of it.

The guppies are for Kokopu food once the numbers get up. Put a couple of adults in with them the other day. Vicious!

The tank is an amiable 25 degrees having the HPS plus season to keep it warm. If the guppies do well I'll put in a heater in winter to keep it warmer though thinking a poly coil on the HPS could be a go as well.

For keeping track of growth I'm doing photos each Sunday. I see a potassium deficiency going on, not bothered by it but will add micros via rockdust or greensand according to availability later this week.

Growth is not significant, though steady enough, and faster than in dirt. Plants are new to system so only getting their feet. I've no experience with peppers, but I'll have a go!

Added poly sheet to keep the light off dark coloured planters, keep temps reasonable, seems to have helped with it being 23 now as opposed to 25.

Guppies all got eaten.

do you call that a deep water culture?

Yep.

Just to clarify one thing AA, when you say 8-10L of medium, does the gravel in the UGF count or are you measuring the net pots only?

I am thinking of setting one of these up for herbs. Parsley, mint (if it doesn't prove tooo aggressive), thyme and maybe some chillies or even one tub with two pots full of silverbeet.

Nova

Yes, all gravel medium counts, or the net pots would not be big enough and you'd have beds...

Mint is likely a no no, it is invasive in hydro type grows and the roots will get in the pipes. Did I mention turning the netpots weekly to stop the roots clogging the drainpipes - well, mint roots will break off rather than be pulled into the planter, and the broken bits will start growing.

A lot of smaller plants should work fine but be aware this design is for fruiters - heavy feeding type plants to keep drawing the nitrate off at a good rate. Lots of leafy veg I'd up the plants ratio by 20% to compensate. Half fruiting (peppers etc) and half leafy veg will be fine, that's the set-up I had - 2 in veg, 2 in flower.

The ratio produces more food per fish ratio than other methods, this to do with the use of solids, as done in beds, coupled with continuous flow, and unimpeded root growth. A bonsai is formed, roots forced against and around barriers etc, a DWC grow is given free rein to grow as fast as it can.

Those planters get filled with roots, but they're fine water roots, and supported by the water. Turn slowly so the sheer weight of them doesn't tear them off when plants are larger.

Peppers and capsicum are a success in this system.

I reckon beans, peas, cucumbers, tommies, all will love this treatment, and plan to build some big DWC planters with indeterminate strains.

Soon as the plants had some legs, they've started running.

Well done AA. You are obviously using artificial lighting. How many plants do you think you could grow in your 'secret room' and how much would the electricity cost be?

The running is overly expensive. I think $20 a month for 400 watt HPS last time I calculated. NZ power isn't cheap, nothings cheap here anymore.

But not overly expensive for the last crop. Saved me $100's a month.

Nor is it expensive for the science. A success here means I can now take it (DWC) out to the greenhouse. And you fellas have more options.

You can maximise an HPS output with a light rail. These move the light over a distance and back, plants don't need the light all the time, increments will work just as well, but timers to try cheat on your power bill will just cost you lots of expensive bulbs.

In a greenhouse you'd only fire up your light rail HPS a few hours in the Winters evenings. Loads of excess heat.

It's proven that greenhouse growers doing this make more than it costs. Expensive setup.

AA, I am still in catchup mode since joining in November. Finally reached this thread(topic). Very interesting to me as I am setting up DWC in Michigan with floating raft system. Many posts here praise the pictures of the system but they are not in this topic. Where can I find the pictures?

Bravo on your successful implementation!

Many things you have shared will help me as I start. THANKS!

DB, Unfortunately this thread was reconstructed by the moderators and may not be complete... many of the pictures may have been deleted

Thanks Rupert. I appreciate the info about the previous photos.

AA
If you can repost some pics, it would be of great help to me.
How big is the fish tank with the UGF?
Thanks for 1 2 4 rule.
My DWC (DFT) is going to be floating 2" foam with net pots full of media. The nutrient depth will be about 8.5" under the 2" foam. I want to compare media, so I will use clay balls (hydroton), coco peat, spaghum moss, and gravel. If not much difference, then gravel is much cheaper. We will see.

Today I am lining my grow bed. It is 40'L X 34.5"W x 11.25" deep. The liner is 20 mil PVC pond liner. Tomorrow, I hope to start filling my 3000 gallon tank to 1000 gal level to circulate water and flush all the pipe dope, cement alkaline residue and other foreign matter from the system. I will pump that out and fill 3000 gallon, add aquarium starter bacteria, and circulate to warm the water. I will condition with ammonia. When the system cycles and the temp rises, in go the fish and veggies

Where else is DWC (DFT) discussed in the forum? I really want to learn and make this a sucess.

Thanks for all the helpful info AA

Doug, AA won't be able to post any more pictures as he has been banned from the site. That's what the little red square under his name means.

I think I know what the problem was.

I have great interest in deep water culture (or deep flow technique).

Jaymie, do you know of another topic that covers DWC or DFT? Or a member that is doing this? Any help greatly appreciated.

I start my system this week.....finally!