Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks Steve - might give that a go. Today I rigged up a 15 litre plastic container with clay balls and made it into a continuous flow grow-bed which I have placed onto the top of my 200litre aquarium. It doesn't get any direct sun, so I'm not sure what I will grow in it, but one of the main purposes is to increase biological filtration. I have not added an extra pump, I am simply pumping the water through the grow-bed after it leaves my cannister filter. This should also mean that the bacteria will transfer easier. I didn't end up putting some filter medium into the grow-bed as I hate having to reprime the cannister filter (call me lazy).

Will take a couple of pictures soon and put them up so all can see what I am talking about.

Will hopefully be off to get the extra fish 2moro.

I hear ya on the re-priming! The jebo i bought has a nifty 10cm "button" that you pump to prime it, works really well, unless the filter is at tank level (like it is in my "office")

you can always turn you filter off, give it a "rough up" and turn it back on. A bit of crud will be pumped out for a while, which will no doubt contain heaps of bac.

Steve

Good idea steve - I'll do that now and take some pictures while I am at it.

Did what you said re: shaking the cannister Steve. First time I did it while off and liked the rsult so much that I did it again while going. Should have seen the colour of the shit that came out (maybe it needs a clean ). Other problem is that now the tank water is brown . I'm sure it will clear up and just think what a jump start I have given my new grow-bed filter .

Here are some pics:

VB maybe try growing a fern, mine above the aquarium gets no direct light and seems to be going ok...

Yeh - might try that Stu, though first I think I'll see whether something like lettuce will grow from the indirect light (probably won't do real well - but would like to give it a go. Did u see the pics Stu, I think you were posting when I was adding the attachments. Had to edit each time to add each attachment. No real good at posting pictures.

See em now, looks ex. Is that rosemary in the grow bed?

Yay! expanded clay balls, i love them

VB, you're dangerously close to inciting me to do the same in the tank in the "office" with the 7 odd perch..............but that will mean that i'll have to put a 150W metal halide light above it............which i happen to have.............

Is that rosemary you have stuck in there?

EDIT: stu, you were asking the same question as i was typing it. lol

Can't you come up with your own questions Steve?LOL

Yes it is rosemary. A couple of weeks ago I put a bunch of 10 cuttings into my ponds grow bed. 4 of them now have good roots and another 1 just a couple of roots. I was going to put the 4 into the garden, but didn't get around to it as I was building the aquarium grow-bed. So I chucked them in there to stop them from dying until I do something else with them. Putting things into the clay balls is a pleasure when compared to my rather sharp and hard to move gravel.

Had another look at the tank - it is so bloody dirty now. Whose idea was it to shake the filter

I wonder if it is possible eto find a bulk supply of the clay balls at a non evil price.

Definitelly not viable for the big beds in my opinion. Tho I have wonderred whether it mght not be worth thinking about putting them as the top 5 or so centimeters in the big beds. Any thoughts.

Definitelly not viable for the big beds in my opinion. Tho I have wonderred whether it mght not be worth thinking about putting them as the top 5 or so centimeters in the big beds. Any thoughts.

That sounds pretty good, easy on the fingers and IMHO they look great and that would reduce the overall weight of the growbed