Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

As i understand it the only problem with roots in water is if the water is not oxygenated. I can see 15 minutes sucking all the O2 out of the water in the bed. But i might be wrong

It will only be temporary until I get something better organised. Re the O2 remember this:

1. I will have a bubbler running in the pond close to the inlet of the pump
2. During that 15 minutes, water will still be getting pumped through the system - it will just be overflowing into the standpipe at the other end of the bed.

Did u see the test results steve. What do you think about the nitrate.

VB I loved the nitrate readings. That's how my indoor aquarium tested. The plant is slowly thinning out not due to lack of nutrients, but lack of light

I haven't test my aquarium yet Stu - hate to think what the nitrate reading is in that. All the plants except for 1 struggling tomato have died in the bed due to lack of light. The fish (there are only 7 or 8 I haven't transferred) will be off to the pond as soon as I am sure everything is good in there (a day or 2 I reckon).

VB, sorry bout that, where did page 25 cme from? I missed it totally

Get hard after 80PPM, doesn't it?

PLant will LOVE it when you get them in.

My aquarium was at 160PPM for months with no noticable effects on fish........the angels actually bred, so i think that is a good yard stick

One interesting thing about todays tests were that my ph in the pond tested at 7.6 (or maybe a bit higher - didn't do a high ph test). This is after having all those problems with low ph. The water addition has reduced it to a bit below 7.6. I will monitor it over the next few days.

The pond water is a bit green - algae is probably feeding on the excess nitrate. I have found that high levels of algae tend to result in high ph. Is there scientific basis to this?

Have set up the timer for the pump. The one I bought today at kmart ($9) has 15 minute intervals, so I have done it to have 30 minute drain cycle (off) and 45 minute flood cylce (on) which basically matches the timings I took.

Yes VB, high algae population will register a high PH during daylight hours by virtue of it removing all the CO2 from the water (CO2 mixed with water forms carbonic acid) and it will also register a much lower PH during the night, as it usued O2 and puts CO2 into the water.

Thanks Steve - will watch what happens after the nitrate starts to drop - which should lead to a reduction in the algae.

Planted the bed out tonight. I see no reason why the plants should not be able to flourish straight away. The old grow bed is still acting as the biofilter (quite effectivelly having regard to the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings) and there is a high concentration of nitrate in the water. This will probably drop fairly quickly, from which time I will be able to start a proper feeding regime with the fish (I am looking forward to that).

Will take some pics of the bed with plants.

Pictures - tell a thousand words and all that.

BTW - have planted 4 toms, 8 lettuce, a pile of silverbeet and a pile of basil. Just wanted to get something going to help remove nitrate.

very very sexy VB.

I'm to lazy to look it up, what did muzzas bed cost you again?

I excersised extreme restraint a the plumbing shop today, they had 2.4m long by 450 deep "stock troughs" complete with metal stand for $260 each.....................i may still crack and go back there..........

Prices are on Muzza's website. Great value when you consider the quality of the bed. It must be holding a tonne of gravel and also the weight of the water. Solid as a rock.

Problem with the stock troughs is I assume they are quite narrow. Still, it may be a good option for you.

yes, they are narrow, but that sor of appealed to me as you can walk between the rows if you have more than one.

Man, you made me go look it up! price is quite good, and i'd pay it, but did prices ever get listed for freight?