Hi,
I've had a couple of people ask me about satellite pots, so......
Satellite aquaponics uses large (300mm and 440mm) horticulture plastic pots that are filled with a suitable medium into which seedlings are planted. Large holes bored in the base of these pots ensure good drainage. You can buy "pot sox" that are used to contain the media in the pot but I find that a bit of shade cloth in the bottom of the pot stops the media from dropping out.....and it's far less expensive.
The planter pots are inserted into drain pots that are fitted with an outlet tee and which are connected to each other by plastic tube. Excess nutrient drains into the outer pot and away.
Vermiculite, perlite, coco-peat, expanded clay balls and even rock wool can all be used with this system.
We prefer coco-peat and we don't recirculate the nutrient.
Managing the satellite system is very simple.
We water the pots, by hand, every couple of days in hot weather.....less in cooler weather. We stop watering the pot when the fish water begins to drip out of the drain pipe.
Since each pot usually only holds a single plant, automating the watering is as simple as hooking up an individual feed line to each pot.....and using a small pump on a seconds timer. Watering thes pots would take about 15 - 20 seconds each day.....or two.
Satellite aquaponics offers a number of benefits including:
- Each plant has its own growing environment and has no need to compete with other plants to get its share of nutrient or water.
- Individual plants can be inserted or removed at will.
- Plants can be accommodated in irregularly shaped or narrow spaces.
- Nutrient consumption is very modest with no waste.
- Portability – you can take the garden wherever you want – one pot at a time. It’s great for people who rent their homes.
- Disease control – when a plant is diseased or infested, it can be removed from the growing space.
- Ease of management – the pots can be located at a good working height and are easily moved about for planting or harvesting.
- Versatility – this system compliments our tray system by accommodating deep-rooted plants.
Because our satellite pots are non-recirculating, they offer the added benefit that they can be fed with worm tea, hydro chemicals or liquid organic fertiliser in the event that we have insufficient nitrates in the fish water......without impacting the fish.
Also, we can use an organic pesticide (pyrethrum, garlic spray, Neem oil) ......or any other kind of pesticide for that matter.
As it happens, we don't use any kind of pesticide.
I hope this is useful.
Gary
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