Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thought it might be good to start a thread on different designs for floating raft beds, if you have a particular design you like add it to the thread and give us the pros and cons of that design. I've been reading a few comments about keeping the raft about an inch off the water for air for the roots and thought that this design might be an easy solution, the small holes under the raft are for 6 to 8mm Stainless Steel Rod so the raft can be a thinner material and be relatively strong, this might give more choices for raft material selection.

Float the raft with loads of aeration,in Hydroponics with no pump or aeration the raft is allowed to float on the surface of the nutrient solution when the raft is planted with seedlings,then as the root find the nutrient and take up the water the level reduces,it then comes to rest on supports so as to leave an air gap between the raft and the nutrient.This way you grow air roots that aerate the plant,so there are two trains of thought,aerate and float the raft or don’t aerate and supply the air gap by lowering the water level and supporting the raft.
If you aerate and lower the water level you end up with a mist above the raft that drenches the roots.