Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Tomatoes can grow massive root systems, so I was thinking (its hard I know but someone has too do it)
Could I grow toms in a hanging basket fed by F/T water that would drip through the basket back into a sump or similar. This way the roots would only grow to the edge of the basket.

I'am sure there is something similar but cant think what ............

Air pruned root pots?

the water will run down the roots and they will grow as big as they like in the air if you run constant flow to them - eventually the outer ones will likely get covered in algae and die.

if you stop flow for hours at a time each day, then it could certainly work.

Perhaps I need a seperate thread/post whatever on air pruning but can someone please clarify it for me.

If roots grow out to the edge of bag or pot then die because of no where to go...does all that root strand die or just where it ends.

Also IF they die at the end then the plant grows another root surely this will create a root ball rather than a long strand of roots.....somehow it doesn't comprehend

you have it right.

the root dries out and dies ( if the roots are kept damp enough, they wont be air pruned)
the root will throw out new shoots, just like when you prune a branch, etc.
this will create a denser root ball.

so is a denser root ball better for the plant?
Does it produce more fruit?
Or is it just to stop roots travelling to the end of the earth?

in a pot it will help with drawing more water and nutes out of the limited space, but in AP with constant watering it wouldnt be such an issue. (?)

i couldnt tell you if it will be better or worse.

but air pruning is used in horticulture to prevent plants becoming root bound as the main reason, but also will give a denser and healthier root ball for when planting out.

Have a look at this video, explains it well.

http://air-pot.com/garden/

Dunno if it would be a better or worse result in aquaponics.

They seem to be popular with hydro growers, so maybe drop into your hydro shop and see what they have to offer.

The only hydro Ive been to recently were really suspicious of me, asking all sorts of Q, even walked out to the car with me, Nothing to carry just pretending he was interested..... but I noticed the first thing he looked at was number plate...

wonder what he had growing elsewhere that was making him so nervous?

He was getting your number plate number so he could divert the authorities to another "grower" Tonzz.

What is the maximum expected yield of 1 m2? In soil it is usually 8 kg. (8000 kg per hectare).

Years ago I heard a story....true? anyway I believe in was victoria a new hydroponic shop set up offering fantastic deals (derrr too good to be true) plus no fee credit card sales and free delivery.

Strangely about 6 months after they opened there was a flood of police raids on hydroponic systems growing non food goods around the state.

It didnt take long and the 'new' business closed up quickly. Followed by numerous court cases.

some very enterprising Vic police office must have got a commendation for that endevour.

Which brings another thing to mind, when police raid a 'setup' why dont they destroy the equipment rather than it going back on the S/H market, the number of growlights etc Ive seen S/H is crazy.

8000 from Decar.

There's privately owned a incinerating facility near Canberra where the authorities dispose of confiscated produce and chemicals. A raid on a bike gang premises yielded among other things big glass bottles of unidentified clear liquid which when one was sent through the kiln blew the roof of the kiln apart. The rest were poured over the ground. So much for safe disposal.