Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have just changed my glasshouse system to 10 min fill 2 hours off draines in 15 min have been away for 2 days and the plants have grown considerably[spelling] so in my book as long as the gb media doesent dry out its ok [am going to stretch it further soon]

You mean plants have grown considerably more after the 2-hour-off cycle, than before, or just that they have continued to grow as before?

(it's mostly the latter...)

They grow 'just' as good flooded less as when flooded more often. The only reason I can see to pump more/longer is to clean the water or to aerate.

I see the A-team is at again (as usual).
About the only other detail I think could be added to this thread (unfortunately I am not the one able to add it) would be which plants prefer a GB less flooded (drier).

Drier - Strawberries, Tomatoes, corn, most stuff that grows really woody sort of stems.

i just have a bit of spare time in the evenings

Aloevera ... kidding. Aloe needs no water (just dramatizing) - I read from other threads in this forum.

What's an 'A-team' ?

Yea whats the A team

Still dont get it whats the a team got to do with the post

Maybe what is meant is what we say here in the U.S., at least here in the south, referring to someone or a group of folks as the A-Team (A representing the Alpha-first) is meant as a compliment. Other variations would be to say, you brought your A-game or your playing Varsity..........meaning your good at what you do and/or are admired for your knowledge, ability or technical skills.

In terms of American pop-culture the A-Team was a weekly TV show from the 1980's..............in short, each episode found the A-Team, comprised of characters Hannibal, Murdock, Face and Mr. T, challenged with a problem which they would always conquer thru use of their many skills sometimes in most unorthodox ways.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the 80's!

Of course I have no idea if thats what was meant I'm just rambling and reminiscing my younger days.

TX

I hate flyin'! I don' wanna be drugged again!

Aloe doesn't seem to mind getting flooded regularly so long as the media it's planted in has good drainage! (I have some aloe in my system, it needs more shade though)

Lettuce would probably be ok with long periods of flooding in the beds. Mint won't care what you do to it, it will keep growing and take over the world. I'm not sure that it makes that much difference to tomatoes so long as their other requirements are met. The Rosemary cuttings we tried didn't like being flooded too much. For Stawberries the important part is that their crowns must be above the max flood level or they will rot. Make sure your strawberries are in a bed that the water doesn't come anywhere close to the top of the gravel, at least where the strawberries are.

Lets see, here are ones I don't have personal experience with but have heard.
Rice would be fine in a flooded bed. So would most bog and pond plants. Sweet potatoes should be fine with lots of water too though not continuously flooded I think at least after the seed tubers have sprouted and rooted.
On the dry side, Citrus, apparently too much moisture constantly around the trunk will cause rot problems.

I suppose there are actually lots of plants that may like things to dry out a bit between waterings but most of the veggie favorites are pretty happy with our normal middle of the road, don't let it dry out and don't drown it methods.

I've been 'playing' with my system lately. I have not had the growth rates that lots of others have had and so have begun playing with variables to see whether I notice any differences. After going over to Gnashy's a few weeks ago, I took the sides of the Taj and things have picked up a bit and then the other morning I noticed that the lettuces had perked up a bit and the water was over the gravel a little way so wondered whether I should up the time of the flooding part of the cycle so have doubled the pump time thus reducing the drain time back by the same amount as the increase in the flood time. The capsicum and beans have picked up and the lettuces are doing nicely but I have noticed a white powdery presence on the zucchini leaves and am wondering now whether I have got powdery mildew due to the increase in water time. It has been interesting reading this thread and wondering which way it is best to go.