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Gravel growbed clogging
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Author:  earthbound [ Sep 14th, '06, 18:27 ]
Post subject:  Gravel growbed clogging
I ripped out one of my gravel growbeds today to replant with an experimental crop of basil. After removing all of the plants I thought I would check out the issues of clogging in the gravel as there has been a fair amount of discussion over time about the subject.

The system (my large flood and drain) has been running for about two and a half years now, with all solids being pumped straight into the gravel growbeds. Also I tend to leave plants in the system for quite some time and they produce very extensive root systems that don't all get pulled out when you remove the plant, so I expected there to be a fair amount of gunk deep in the gravel.

I dug all the way to the bottom of the grow bed and the gravel was unbelievably clean.... . :) Amazingly clean, there was practically no particulate matter amongst the gravel at all.. There were a few fresh broken roots of the plants that I had just removed, but so far as old rotting roots and plant matter, or solids from the fish tank, there was nothing.... I even dug in another spot just to be sure that I hadn't happened upon the one clean spot in the bed, same thing, clean as a whistle....

Go, you flood and drain gravel beds...... :D
Author:  Murray [ Sep 14th, '06, 18:32 ]
Post subject: 
EB, Did you find any worms ? I think I recall you saying once before that earth worms had taken up residence in one of your grow beds ?
Great to put to rest the voices that say the gravel is not the best way to go !!

Muzza
Author:  earthbound [ Sep 14th, '06, 18:34 ]
Post subject: 
Yep, found a few worms, as well as what seemed to be two worms mating, if they do..... :shock: It was two worms sort of stuck together..... :shock:
Author:  EllKayBee [ Sep 14th, '06, 18:41 ]
Post subject: 
earthbound wrote:
Yep, found a few worms, as well as what seemed to be two worms mating, if they do..... :shock: It was two worms sort of stuck together..... :shock:


Take any pictures :sign12: :sign10:
Author:  veggie boy [ Sep 14th, '06, 18:47 ]
Post subject: 
Good to hear EB. Must admit I was a bit worried when the 'experts' from overseas started saying that gravel does not work. The proof is in the pudding.
Author:  monya [ Sep 14th, '06, 18:51 ]
Post subject: 
Nioce work, when I saw the thread title, you had me worried, but if it hasn't clogged after 2 or more years and the system is mature and the ecosystem is rocking along, I can't see why it would ever clog. Reinforces your idea that gravel beds are the go for doubling as grow media and biofilter- simple!!
Author:  Donarto [ Sep 14th, '06, 19:53 ]
Post subject: 
Great find Joel. And thanks for posting it up. Do you think that maybe the worms ate the old plant roots?

Cheers,

Duncan.
Author:  aquamad [ Sep 14th, '06, 20:09 ]
Post subject: 
great news!
What size gravel was that EB? One of our students wants to use a 6mm gravel and I thought that it MIGHT be a little bit on the small size - any ideas?
Author:  steve [ Sep 14th, '06, 20:16 ]
Post subject: 
I was also worried with the title :)

Grat news!

RE: worms : Yes, although they have both sex organs apparently they still need a mate, they wrap around each other to mate. the "ring" that you see around them denotes a sexually mature worm........i feel bad when i feed these ones to the fish, but there are so many of them :)

I was actually thinking of introducing a handfull of compost worms into the gravel when the plnts are all established..........What do you think?
Author:  veggie boy [ Sep 14th, '06, 20:41 ]
Post subject: 
Give it a go - can't do any harm. Just don't add so many that it will polute the system if they all end up dying.
Author:  aquamad [ Sep 14th, '06, 20:50 ]
Post subject: 
I added 3 or 4 to each of my little growbeds... and when I 'upgraded' the one small growbed they were still there, happy as a pig in shirt
Author:  Aquaddict [ Sep 15th, '06, 03:02 ]
Post subject: 
Add the worms Steve, they like it down there, and they eat rotting roots.

My whiteworms, as I feed through the standpipe, occasionally one escapes underneath, and several days later they are on top of the scoria trying to escape. Sad to say, I just feed them back to the fish although their bid for freedom is quite impressive.

Great news on your beds Joel. A hybrid bed/dwc is a must now, got the gravel cycling in the greenhouse to start it all now.
Author:  Live Beyond [ Sep 15th, '06, 07:31 ]
Post subject: 
Excellent news Joel...worms & microrganisms must be taken care of the dead roots...
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