Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I had a hard time cleaning the pea gravel but I found an easy ish way

In my gro bed I have a PVC pipe running around the edge with holes all through it.

Ok so I took the stand pipe out over night and started pumping water over the pea gravel.

Then I put the stand pipe back in wiped the fish tank out and pump filter let the grow bed and fish tank fill up

Much to my frustration I noticed the water still was full of clay and had ran out of time to do any more and accidentally left the pump on a week later I went back to sort it out....... It was clean

Now I didn't realize my stand pipe was to low so I took it out cut it down (only about 5 min this took ) came back and argh it was dirty.

So all I did was put the stand pipe back in and wait

About 6h later all clean so what I'm thinking is all the dirt when it gets pushed up in to the grow bed settles at the bottom of the grow bed letting the clean water on top and flow down the stand pipe.

Hope this helps some one and that's for reading!!

Pea gravel = not so good.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKGiXoJMLbo stated around 4:22

Yeah I wouldn't use it next time

I love Nate's work BUT.... my pea gravel bed is kickin butt over my blue metal bed.

I was thinking a river stone

Obviously a hydroton like product would be great but I know there's a stone out there that looks and feels like a coral rock. Not nearly as easy to move around and plant like with ECS but has the properties of it. I believe it's recycle glass.

I believe that would be lava rock / Scortia same thing.

My pea gravel kicks but on my hydroton beds. Hydroton is to small and clogs all the time!