Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Next steps:

laying out the support brackets:


Bracket parts cut and sanded:


One Assembled bracket with built in slant (1/4" (.63cm) over 44" (111.7cm)
That should be more than enough slope


NFT pipe in support bracket - back of bracket will be screwed to the wall


Fish tank removed and getting ready to install brackets


as far as I have gotten today.... will post more pics as the project progresses

JT

probably strawberries and some herbs

got to find some sort of wicking material to help until the roots can reach the bottom

TC used mops. Tore out the individual strands. I think rayon, but double check that with her.

I wouldn't worry about it. I ran pipes for a few years and roots never had any trouble eventually reaching the water; even seeds planted in the top of a pot managed to send a root down through the gravel, cross the air gap and find the water. Roots also grow MUCH faster than what is above, you'll be surprised at just how quickly a plant finds the water.

Some people install wicks from the bottom of the pipe up into the pot; if I were going to do that, I'd use something sacrificial which can be pulled out and discarded once the roots have developed?

There will be a region of high humidity in the pipe from which plants can draw some moisture, even when the pump is off. If you discover the roots drying out during the pump-off period, don't completely drain the pipe by leaving just a mm in the bottom (even at one end is fine) to maintain humidity.



Scott

thanks scott...

will try without a header tank first.... just to see what happens....

I used the Good Will rayon mop heads as an easy source of rayon yarn.

I agree with Bunson. You shouldn't have any problems with root growth, particularly with strawberries. I grew these NFT (traditional hydroponic style) for quite a while. Biggest problem I had was too much root growth blocking water until I starting pruning them back some. I was running the system in full sun in hot NW MS and initially my OFF time was too long, causing the massive root growth. It's a fine balance though because if you flood too often strawberries WILL get disease. I found it was better to just prune roots every couple of weeks.

Roy

thanks... I may put a small stand pipe (1/2" - 12mm) with a small hole to slowly empty the NFT pipe.... that should keep some humidity in the pipes

got them built and installed.... got the net pots filled with gravel (small)

not to figure out my plumbing...I will be using 1/2" pvc with a ball valve to adjust
the inflow... and a bypass if I need it...

Am I correct in assuming the water feeding the tubes is going to come from the sump and not straight out of the fish tank?

Hey...

yes the pipe in the foreground comes from the sump tank.. Iwill T into that and put a ball valve so I can adjust the flow

jT

Agree with Roy on the roots situation. I strongly recommend the conical-pots in lieu of the straight walled pots, which become a bugger to remove from the pipe once a mass of roots has emerged from the sides of the pot.

Unlike growing plants in media beds, in pipes there is a lot more maintenance to do and much more regular checking to ensure roots aren't blocking pipes, solids aren't clogging roots etc. It's not a lot of work, but it needs to be done quite frequently, so having ready access to all of the pots is a must.


Scott

thanks.. they are conical-posts... and I can reach all of them without a problem...

jT


the

NFT pipes are in and i'm running them constant flow at the moment until the roots start forming more...

I pulled strawberries out of the GB... they were not doing really well as I think the crows were getting to wet....

I put in some dill, rainbow swish chard, some peppers and cinnamon basil

I tried tying into the pressure pipe going into the FT, but there wasn't enough pressure...

so I put a small Submersible pump in along with a ball valve to slow up the flow.. I will eventually put in a bypass to take the pressure off the pump....

I finally transplanted my vanilla bean plant into the GB

it was suffering a little.. as they dont like full sun... so had to put in
a little shade cloth over it....

can't wait to pick some beans....

jT

the vanilla bean plant has very pretty leaves. Is this your first one or have you grown them in the past?