Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Getting urked off at styrofoam falling apart on me, I need to redo the entire system as one of the beds won't even support plants anymore and the other is not much better. Rather then go through the same thing in another year or two I have been thinking of ditching it altogether. Seems a rigid platform suspended just over the water would not only work just as well but in some ways better. It would improve aeration efficiency as the surface of the water is actually exposed to the air and it would have the added benefit of being able to support heavier plants. I am thinking of using vinyl siding or making fiberglass trays suspended with pvc stands. Has anyone tried anything like this before? Any potential downsides that I am simply failing to see?

There are some previous threads on this sort of thing that might give you some ideas. This is a good thread to start at - http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25663&hilit=styrofoam