Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yes you theory will work Kind off saying that I would pull the beds apart and do them again
Another problem I see is the void is to one side water will not wick from one side to the other
My system does not have an overflow drain in the beds there is a valve right at the bottom
All beds are level [laser ] and connected at the bottom also on the same level set at the height I want my water is the sump there is a carefully drilled hole in it at the max height I want the water
On each bed there is a valve when doing new plantings that can be turned off and the bed flooded to any height you desire it wont go stagnant for a week or so
On really hot days if one bed uses more water [a big crop ]water can drain from the sump or the other beds
Also in the sump is a float valve so if we are away the sump and beds can be kept at a height that will save them
A bit of history the first wicking bed I built [didn't know it was a wicking bed then ] was in 1970 it was a concrete fish pond 3 metre sq and 1/2 metre deep with agg pipe running all over the bottom exiting through the wall to a sump from there you could see the height of water in the bed there was also a drain to adjust the water height
Then to the hobby farm where I dug my veggie garden with a fergy
then back to sunbury where food and fish started there I had a total of 11 wicking beds [I think ] of various designs
shifting to this place I started on this system and discarded all the hiccups of the other systems
If you have time or want to be bothered have a look through my system you will probley pick up a few ideas
Just remember wicking beds are just a super water efficient dirt garden you need to fertilize every so often lime them give them potash treat them the same as a dirt garden
Cheers and good luck FF

I thought water found its own level through any medium so where the void is wouldn't matter, at all. The water is the same level all the way across, just the void holds more air than the sand so therefore more water. The wicking would be even.

Lime and potash are on my list, I have biochar worm beds for fert and some seaweed solution and molasses. Chicken manure for the occasional addition and a heap of wood mulch and humus.

I won't be digging the beds up until I have coarse river sand on hand so I can rework the medium. I think, like 90% of wicking beds I've seen, they should be fine. The next ones I will take your advice.

Edit: And the Loofah seeds are up on Thursday after a Sunday germination.

Well, after all the doom and gloom, the water remains fine (so far). 1 bed, which didn't receive a heap of top-down watering, the water is completely clear and smells neutral. The other 2 beds had more top-down through a lot of organic matter (including chicken manure) and smell earthy. The soil is moist across all sides of the bed, cannot find a dry section and I have not top-down watered since (except for seed germination).


The Loofah are starting the journey to the ex-swing trellis. The Egyptian Spinach have germinated, and some Lebanese Cucumbers have popped up for trellising off the side. Sweet Potato have put on new tips:




And the leftover medium sand has become coarse sand has become propagation mix after the addition of sphagnum moss:

From today. We are finally having a sprinkle of rain.

Centre of bottom photo is a Christmas Melon I planted in. I chose the 40 degree day to do it to see how it went (prepared for the loss). No issue, so the soil moisture must be even. I think choosing a 40 degree day with 20% humidity isn't the smartest move but the proof is in the results.

All the plants, besides 2 Egyptian spinach have been culled down to one plant per hole.

Photos from 1400 today. Short top-down watering to reduce the wilt and cool the area. Loofah has now been tied on to the stake and tendrils are beginning to reach out.








And my nemesis. An Ironbark (and others) that shades the garden until 11-1200 from the NE side. It doesn't look like it but the canopy is directly above the bed that I'm taking photos of. Wondering if the growth would be better with a full day of sun but things are looking good regardless. Previous photos were only 4 days ago.

Nov 29:

2 Dec:

5 Dec:

Pulling too many cucumbers and lettuce leaves out now.

Interesting conversation SOP with FF over the wicking beds and followed onto FF's thread.
(I guess we are talking FF's page 146? with the pictures)

see couple posts also in the Backyard Farming forum (via link at top banner of this forum page).

I am not 100% sure, but conclude that FF is basically either
(a) keeping water level below the top of his 'crates'
or (b) using a plastic cover or something to maintain his air gap ?

thus either way water exchange and wicking is via the soils on the outside ?

I get the issue as basically being the desire to minimise anaerobic conditions within the flood zone.

I have only ever used the basic wicking approach with media at bottom and shade cloth
over that and then soil. So the methods being discussed here are interesting.

I see it as Option A, an air gap between fill pipe and overflow. I'd think with 30 years experience that he probably has more of an idea than most. Haven't been following the other threads but he has a few designs in close succession and not all have air gaps, from memory.

I think the theory is sound and will try a design with 4 beds overflowing to a pond growing Kang Kong. Each bed will have an air gap and be filled from tap or from pond. Not sure if it's worth linking them all as I may struggle to get the levels right between all 4 beds with the space I'm given.

So far, these 3 beds are still good. One bed ran dry and the other 2 have never had a top up and that's since November. They get liquid feeds from watering can and have not really used the reservoir. No anaerobic conditions yet.

Harvesting very heavily, fed 5 families on NYE and yet you can't tell 3 days later.

Cucumbers beginning to give it up due to grasshoppers and powdery mildew.

No more photos. Everything is going really great, multiple meals a week. Good-sized Loofah coming on, big Melons and perennials growing under the Lettuce.

Winding up the thread, thanks for sharing all your knowledge.