Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

All of my updates will be posted on this thread. viewtopic.php?f=18&t=19517

ok so its been awhile since I posted anything. I've been really enjoying watching my system develop and become stable in the tank and grow bed. I've also been working a lot.

Here's where I'm at:

The fish are great! I've had the same fish for 3 months now. The water has taken on this nice brown tint!! My nitrate levels have been through the roof for 3 months now with zero nitrites and zero ammonia. So if anyone thinks they cant obtain high levels of nitrates with goldfish eating goldfish flakes think again.

One tomato plant skyrocketed over the last month or so. It grew so fast and I was working so much that it grew into the light and got sunburn on the top. I think it stunted it a bit. So I clipped and pruned it a bit leaving the green stems and leaves. I had 3 flowers develop early but die quickly. (I think I sprayed to much liquid seaweed directly on the plant) I have 3 more flowers that I noticed this morning. They look very healthy.

The base of the stem where it comes out of the GB is very thin and weak. I had to prop the massive upper section with ties and a stake.

Is there anything I can be doing to this tomato plant to help the fruiting? I looked up pruning tips on here and other sites but nothing was clear on helping develop fruit or increasing it.

The other tomato plant skyrocketed but just straight up. Now its just in limbo after pruning the sunburn. Never showed signs of fruit yet.

I had some ok to decent spinach that I picked.

The mint is always flourishing.

I started more onion, spinach and lettuce in soil in cups. Well the lettuce over 2 weeks had started to root though the bottom drain holes. So I decided to leave the dirt in and punch a lot more holes in the sides and bottom of the cups and bury them halfway in the GB submerging them in the water. I don't think the potting soil should throw my PH off too much. I can see the roots like crazy through the GB and going into my water tube towards the FT.

Really really enjoying my new hobby!!

If anyone has an answer for my tomatoes or sees anything they think I could change or make better to increase my growth I'd love to hear!

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