Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Worked for two years (1971-’72) in plant nursery in Paris ‘Pepinieres CROUX’, just when they were converting their pot plant lines to drip irrigated peat system.
Saw firsthandthe mixing of the witches brew and since then stayed well clear of anything loosely associated with hydroponics.

That’s until I red about AP in Organic Gardener.
Got myself hooked that moment

Except for taking care of my daughter’s small goldfish tank, have never done anything similar.
Had no idea of the biochemical processes happening inside.

Had to compost lot of my plants to make some space for the barrel tanks and GBs.
Decided and done.

Some pictures of work in (slow) progress.
Not definite, may require changes as problems do show up.
Any questions, suggestions or advise definitely welcomed.

Jaymie, thanks for the advice re pinebark and cypress chips. Will try scoria, hopefully will not sink down through the cocopeat as would normal gravel.

Cheers, SS

SS, if you're using cocopeat it's not absolutly necessary to use scoria/gravel at all, other than if you feel you need to hold the peat down for some reason.

The cocopeat will act as the biofilter in just the same way as scoria/gravel will.... perhaps read Murray's thread....

Cocopeat is certainly easier to plant into than gravel or scoria.

Edited:

Oh, by the way... your slow progress is still a heck of a lot faster than mine LOL.... well on the way SS... keep up the good work, looking just fine

A great looking job there SS... I am impressed by your handy work

nice way to keep the barrels straight and level (:oops: ours wobble all over the place)

Nice one SS i like the supports for the 1/2 barrels neet is the writing on the pipes or is it computer generated

Top idea with the bracing on the barrels,keeps them nice and straight, good work

Roz, wasn't there some discussion over 100% cocopeat possibly going down in PH, and/or getting clogged to easily with solids?

Yeah I think Murrays system is running about 6 (but stable) probably because of the cocopeat and now that you mention it I think he does run an external filter to capture some solids....

I'll have to check as I've just started to mix some cocopeat and coco husk chips in various percentages for my new beds....

i'm sure a % mix would be fine.

monyas taking a marble hit for the team.......100% CaCO3

i recon a peat marble mix would work great.

Yeah Checked Steve... Muzz uses this Bio-Filter which says that it removes "particles in suspension", but Muzz later says he has modified it to use 5kg of activated charcoal (from memory to clear the cocopeat brown stain in the water) and that it was having little effect....

Don't know if he is actually still running the sponge and/or periodically cleaning the sponge of any solids caught....

Would assume he would have to do so if he's still using it... where are you Muzz?

Darn good thought that one Steve ....

activated carbon aint gonna stay activated too long

we use activated carbon all the time, ( this is on drinking water mind you ) manufactures recomend repalcement every 12 mths , you can offten get 24 mths (one hospital hadnt changed theirs out in over 5 years till we came along and the recconed it was still dechloinating ) but with added solids and stuff it would probably get saturated much quicker and possibly even bock the filter all together

Yes, but the through put from a drinking water tap in litres per day and the amount of water being filtered in an AP system are going to be like chalk and cheese. Also the amount of contaminants (and i mean that relatively speaking in the sense of what the carbon "sees").

just something to think about.

Ohh i only meant that it was drinking quality steve not drinking qantitys , but you are probably right about the through put, i am still learning about water treatment

there are probably tables round somewhere that will state what sort of capacity carbon will handle i know there are for softener/ion exchange resins, i will ask my boss/father inlaw tomorow if he has one for carbon

CHeers