Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

How would Aloe Vera go? From everything I've read I would expect them to go quite well??

I guess Aloe Vera would probably grow well, damn, it's something I haven't tried at all, I'll have to plant some... I'm about to plant up some grow beds at the moment so I'll stick some in and let you know how they go.....

I'll also post some pics when I figure out how to do it...

I am not so sure they would go well. I have read that aloes require very little water. Apparently overwatering will cause the base of the plant to rot so much so that in pots they say you should allow the potting mix to virtually dry out between waterings.

Interestingly enough Triumph has recently released a range of ‘cosmetic’ underwear. The garments, which have been impregnated with aloe vera, were designed to look good and moisturise the skin at the same time! The range includes a bra and coordinating hipster brief, g-string and cami.

Not too sure I'll be rushing out to buy any of those clothes!

But in regards to the roots being too wet....surely that can be addressed by setting timings on the system? Maybe they wouldn't go too well if mixed with other plants that require much more water?

I'm sure you'd look great in a pair of aloe undies Corny.... Maybe not the g-string though.

I'll give the aloe a go in a spot in one of my beds. Though I think that the beds are probably best utilized for fast growing plants that will extract the nitrogen from the system quickly...

Joel, if I ever email you a picture...best you don't open it!

I'm very curious now to see how Aloe Vera would grow using the water from the system. Not to grow too big, but rather something that could be grown to a certain (saleable) height.

I'm with you corny,,, If you set it up so it only flooded every 4 or 5 days,

I thought of doing the same with a citrus tree... just having it's own little pot, with a really slow flood and drain on it and out in the sun. So when it had flushed, it would get time to dry out..

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Jack of all Trades, Master of None
http://www.aussieslivingsimply.com.au

Sounds interesting....maybe even a small tank that dripped into the citrus pot?

Even being watered every 5 days would probably be too much. I have one sitting in the window, and it's lucky if it gets watered every two months. It's doing fine!

OTOH, the aloe would be a fine plant to have just sitting BESIDE the grow beds, so you could just dip out some "juice" every couple of weeks. And they would be great if you were going on vacation!

Of course, this place probably isn't near as warm as where you are.

SueinWA no matter what anyone says

G'day Sue

Good idea. I've been thinking all along of not having a full quota of grow beds and using the water for things such as trees etc.

Would have to work out how often, and how much water, I could take from the system without affecting it.

But all this is a little ways off. As I'm behind in my time table for setting anything up!

yep, yep,,

After thinkinig about it, we are thinking that maybe running a little off the system when we top it up with fresh water, using the waste water to water citrus..

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Jack of all Trades, Master of None
http://www.aussieslivingsimply.com.au

Makes sense. I'd like to either have less grow beds or a higher density of fish so that I can use the water on my fruit trees etc. Of course the danger, as I see it, is that if anything goes wrong the whole system (fish) will crash rather quickly.

Something I'm going to have to think about a bit more.

We are thinking of putting in a rely contected to mians and a battery.. The battery is connected to a small 12volt air blower.

When mains goes off... the rely turns on the air blow which will keep the fish water airrated.

Play with the idea of a solar water pump at the moment as a back up as well.

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Jack of all Trades, Master of None
http://www.aussieslivingsimply.com.au

Dan, check out new topic 'backup plan' for my response...

so, what happened, anything yet?

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