Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I've been thinking about the discussion on the 'Is water the limit for soil based crops?' and I think I'd like to try a shallow flood and drain system for cutting propagation. What I'd like is a shallow tray (10cm deep x 1m x 60cm) that is filled and emptied on a timer.

Any suggestions for tray? I think I'll put it on the hard to reach corner on my GH bench so it can drain back to the fish tank by gravity. I've got a 30W pond pump that should be able to fill it reasonably quickly and I could timer it from the computer. What I can't work out is what to make the tray from, and how to get it to drain smoothly.

What sort of gravel should I use?

What sort of rate?

Depends on the pump, the budget, and the scrounging prowess....

For cuttings I would thing that gravel is out of the question, too much root damage in removing lots of cuttings.. Hydro clay or perlite would be better..

Budget = $0, scrounging prowess medium....

What about cocopeat?

Hi njh try looking behind fish and chip shops they have a lot of stainless trays like this 80 =60 =10 good luck

Just don;t get caught pinching them...

This one and a smaller one ended up in the tip

Staino trays like that being thrown out...? That is a waste....

Man you should see the stainless stuff i have

F&F - I love youe work. Again - I wish you lived near me, or I lived near you.

njh... the "traditional" hydroponics "flood and drain" tray has always been the type in the photo below.....

650 x 650 x 95 size...... usually about $35

Regards coco peat.... given that it holds water really well you'd probably have to do some trial and error regarding the timer cycle to allow for sufficient draining/drying of the peat....

Obviously would depend on the type of plant cuttings you were trying to strike and how they react to water retention.....

Perlite or 70/30 mixes of Perlite/Vermiculite have always been the recommended seedling/cutting raising mixes for hydro....

NJH - I've been growing some seedlings in cocopeat trays for transplant into my system. Int he shade they only need watering every 5 or so days and the trays are much shallower than you would use for cuttings and are not in a tent or anything to retain moisture. You'd probably hardly need to water them at all if using coco-peat. I'd be inclined to go something else - like perlite with gravel on top to stop perlite floating. That way you woulc flood more often and have a greater supply of oxygen to the roots when drained.

an old shower floor? they are about 1m2

or the tray out of an old air conditioning unit/water cooler....

A bread tray lined with plastic.

You won't believe this, but I just found a tray just like that Rupert! I was riding to work and someone had it out on the nature strip! I dinked it back home. It appears to be some kind of fibreglass, mine has two holes in the middle. I'll hook it up tonight if I get a chance.

I reckon I might be able to just sit it directly over the tank at one end.

I'll try perlite + vermiculite (I have a bag somewhere) and cocopeat. See which works best.

Agreed re timing.



I just pulled out our old shower floor, but I had to use a sledgehammer - it was concrete. A new one costs $100.

re stainless, can you solder it with normal plumbing solder?