Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm going to have to disagree with FishnChips. Systems work quite happily constant flood, it won't make a difference if it floods and drains every 5 minutes, or every 50 minutes, and it being faster rules out oxygen in my mind as well.

Plants with low oxygen won't die (to a point that I think your fish will be dead first), they'll just slow down in the growth, and look stunted.

If it's light related, the plants will go leggy, so they'll put all their energy into stretching towards a light source and become elongated, and then die if they don't get the light. The onions look leggy to me.

The weather in Paris doesn't look too cold atm, can you just drag the whole lot outside, see if the onions improve?

When does the waste get a chance to mineralize? I thought CF systems generally have solids removal of some sort and a MT to take care of this before it heads to the GB? I'm just asking because this was my understanding.

CF can be used the same way as a F&D. Actually works a little better at catching solids, the siphon can rush water back quite quickly, sucking solids with it.

No pre-filtration needed, as long as you're not overstocking.

Mineralisation can happen anywhere, as long as it's got about 3 months to break down. If you've got more waste coming in than the bed can mineralise within the time period, then you'll end up with clogged beds.

A mineralisation tank just keeps all the solids in one place, and allows them to breaks down in that one place before sending the nutrients to the GB's for the plants to pull up (an MT tank will give you more control over the levels in your water, but it depends on how much effort you want to go for, and my system is quite happy without it). The GB's will do the same job.

Aaaaah I see. I was under a very different impression. Thank you for clarifying that for me colum!

Hi everyone,
I just wouldlike to give you an update with plant problem. Its in fact solved.
The problem was onion itself. On the outher layer, the prown part, of the onion there was some sort of mold living that was killing other plants. I removed onion and new plants are growing like crazy.

One problem is gone i have another..... Aphids just settled on my peppermynth. I dont knowhow to get rid of them in organic way, without using toxins.

Do you have any idea? I used garlic extract already an it didnt work. What else can be used? I guess i have to wait till spring to get ladybugs....

CF is not a problem even without additional mechanical filtration.. you don't have an aeration problem.. because if u did them you will see it via ammonia spikes and nitrite spikes.. but with those high nitrates reading you seem to have good aeration.

there is a few possibilities.
1) inadequate lighting usually leads to leggy stunned growth and can possibly lead to plants dyin.

2) Root rot fungus kills plants rather quickly. I used to experience this before and the only way I found to correct it was allowing the system to develop properly.

3) integrity of the transplanted seedlings. if you just uproot plants from your home garden and planted it into water.. its naturally harder for the plants to adapt to the change of environment and to the losd of root mass. best to always try to buy healthy seedlings and gently rinse off the soil in a bucket of water before planting it in the GB. try to get younger seedlings they tend to adapt faster.

and..
4) add a mechanical filter before the GB. sometimes there are too high of biological activities in the GB which actually starts to breakdown the plants roots as they savage for carbon. but by putting a filter before removes this large bio load on the GBs and allow the plants to grow better.

btw what additions are you conducting in your system. if it fish food alone.?

One problem is gone i have another..... Aphids just settled on my peppermynth. I dont knowhow to get rid of them in organic way, without using toxins.

Hi JaPo,i have recently started using wood vinegar and it has help a great deal with my aphid and some of the other bug problem i had,google it and see what you think.

Can you see ants in your system? Sometimes ants will mine your aphids and being them to the plants. Get rid of the Ants and sometimes you get rid of the aphids.

At least that is my understanding. Those with more ap experience may have other ideas as well.


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Thanks dasboot. I will try with vinegar. I will let you know if it worked.
Continuum, no ants in the system. Thanks God cos its indoor system....

you can also squish them daily. Run your finger along the leaves and squash them.

hi seems you have a lot of thing going on that i experienced last year so i hope i can help

for aphids the only thing i found works is aphid lions( green lacewing larva) you should be able to get them from a locab lab( check the online ganja grow shops) they cost about 15 euro for a pack- aphids be gone 100% effective no chemicals

your system is 1.5m from the window, that is your problem right there

i moved to europe last year and sorry to say, the sun here is just weak
if you plan on keeping ur system inside i suggest u look into lighting