Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have found myself a polystyrene box and wish to make use of the lid as a floating raft in the fish tank. What/how do I go about planting in it. Do i need something like perlite to hold the seed in place?

cheers

You can buy net cups at hydroponic shops, or if you have something that will grow from cuttings just poke it through a hole in the foam. otherwise yes, you'll net the net pots and perlite or similar.

Fizzy,
I've used seedlings with the potting mix washed off. I cut holes in the lid, maybe 1.5cm2, either with a knife or with the apple corer. The size of the hole was just to get the roots through.
I've got lettuces, cabbages and strawberries growing. They seem to be growing pretty well, but we need more fish poo here to do any more.
Have a look on my thread to see what I've done

I have net pots with hydro balls in them. Filled to about 2/3 then sit a piece of rock wool on the balls, then fill around it. Make sure the rock wool is low enough to catch the water. I cut a cub in half and sat it flat. Sit the seeds on the rock wool. They germinated well because they stay wet all the time. Disclaimer: Lettuce and bail went well this way. Coriander failed. Oregao germinated but it's one green shoot hasn't moved for weeks. Also, the rockwool can tend to get a bit algae on top.

That's one way to do it!

Alternatively, you could do what Jaymie did, and apple core holes out and plant seedlings in it. I think this may be better, cause I am not sure if the clay balls create a slightly non flowing area around the roots until they make their way thru the balls into the water. This maybe contributes to lack of o2 around the roots. I am currently trying to look into this.

Thanks for the quick replies. Don't have anymore seedling atm so was hoping to try with seeds. I will try with some shade cloth made into a "net pot" and then possibly use some gravel and filter wool.

Cheers

Here is the first try, just a few to see how it goes.

why have i never thought of that

I just apple cored a8 hole and popped my plants into the holes... the plants SOON sent roots down into the water

bloody amateur Aper's - use the holesaw and trim up the edges with the chain saw (mumble....mumble.....mumble)

Les, have a look in Sunday's paper at the top of page 49 for some Tungsten carbide tipped Christmas wishes They're on special!

hmmm, guess its time to dust off the old power tools again!

i remember going to the royal melbourne show when i was a kid and watching those blokes chop wood against each other...........maybe we can have an AP style competition.......les and jamie, one house each, armed with a holesaw and chain saw. First one to convert a room to AP wins.............. GO!

Hey, I'd pay good money to watch that!

gives a new slant to "Changing rooms". Can you imagine when couple one comesback to their house to find their family room with a 5000 litres tank full of perch and no roof!

roflmao!!!
And you could bet that they would ZOOM in on their faces as they walked in!