Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

In short: Yes...
ppl with scoria have less trace element deficiency problems.
Somewhere on here there's a chart showing the makeup of scoria... it's liek a plant smorgasboard of good stuff.

Some of most fertile and plentiful areas are those that were once volcanic, and the rock has had time to break down or leach into the soil into soil... for this reason.

I've not yet added anything to my system that uses scoria.
The best bet is to have anaerobic areas where bacteria can eat the rock, and make waterborn nutes: See RSG filter for more info.
Bacteria also likes carbon... I've been considering putting some carbon at the bottom of my GBs, where the water can sit still...

Thanks Kuda... this gives me more to research.

I have corresponded with a guy who talked about how the limestone he was using in his growbins was leaching into to water and throwing his ph off, however in case it was OK cause he was using local fish use to that ph level. I had never thought that the slow flow over the hard rock would "leach" anything.

Anyway, a nice research project could be to mix various quantities of differing mediums and test the results over time.

VR/
Tony

Unfortunately, trace element testing in water is not easy this is where the RSG research taken on by ppl on this site has stalled... They simply can't be sure it makes enough difference...

I am setting up my 1st AP system and plan to use scoria as the bottom half (150mm depth) grow media and top it up with clay balls (150mm depth). Do you think the scoria will eventually mix up with the clay balls? Doing this to save costs. Any other suggestions? ...Candyman

Yes it will mix eventually. From order comes chaos.
But it's stll worth doing apparently. There are a few ppl who have tried it.
Unfortunately, large and non uniform lumps will, with sufficient vibration, make their way to the surface. The advantage clay balks have us that they're lighter and so will resist the process.

I use scoria in my bonsai mix, it promotes great root growth. The sharp edges help split roots, causing a finer feeder root sytem. Im sure it would just as helpfull to veg as it is tree's.

Thanks for that chart steve, I too was worried after reading that

that paper clip of yours seems to produce the goods at every stage I need info.

do you just use to pick locks to get into research institutions ?

-craig

Bugger me! I'm still getting mentioned and i havent even been on for a year and a bit!

No probs Craig happy to have helped!

So, does that mean you're back ?

He heard Rupt had more posts so now watch him catch up

It's pretty cool actually - I put a handful of scoria on top of the hydroton then use my hand to "push it down" and muss my hand about a bit - the end result that probably 80% of the scoria ended up underneath the hydroton (or canna clay in this case). So I think it does a pretty good job of separating back out. I think it's to do with the canna/hydroton "rolling" where as the scoria is a more uneven shape and doesn't roll so good so everything else kind of moves up and around it, settling back on top.

i remember going for a walk in a state park a few years ago and found a natural deposited of river washed (rounded like river rocks) scoria (i think it was scoria, might be pumice?? I dunno), it was a black brown color, lots of little ait bubbles, grab a hand full and chuck em in the water and they float. you could almost pass it off as expanded clay balls, I cant remember exactly where they are now as this was years before I heard about AP, im going to go on a mission and see if I can find them again. might come in handy for another GB, the only thing that is putting me off making another one is the cost of clay balls.

Grombo80 just reminded me to give an update on my scoria/clay ball mix. I lined the bottom 25% of the GB with scoria and also used it to fill a "fenced off" end section where the Bell siphon is located - just to cut down on costs. It has been 4 months and thus far water quality is great and fish health (goldfish cousins) is beaut. Seems the scoria mix has had no ill-effect. And the scoria has not risen through the clay balls - but it has been largely undisturbed.

Scorio rock is one of the best bio mediums that you can use in your filtration systems for fish.
Most large scale aquaculture farms around the world have been using scorio rock for decades.
I run approx 70 large fish tanks here breeding cichlids in high density stocked tanks and my main bio filtration is red scorio around the 15mm size and it is incredible stuff.
I have ran various tests over the years with many types of media including the infamous matrix medias and scorio comes out on top all of the time.
The different coloured scorio is because of the heat in the volcano at the time that the rock was created.
All new scorio is covered in a red dust and a good wash will remove most of this but I have never found it to harm the fish ever,it just looks awful for a while until the filtration clears it back up.
Lance

Thanks Aussie123. I too am in the aquarium trade (hire and service). I have always avoided scoria (scorio?) just on hearsay. Maybe I will trial a holding tank or two.

Do you sell your cichlids Australia wide/ Melbourne? You can private message me if you like so we don't clogg up this forum on an unrelated topic.