PDA

View Full Version : Aerating Grow Beds



pkgross
05-14-2009, 04:57 PM
I recently read an article on hydroponics where the importance of providing plenty of oxygen to plant roots was stressed. They suggested placing air curtains along the bottom of grow beds. Is anyone using this method in their aquaponics systems? It seems that it would be beneficial for growth of healthy bacteria.

jackalope
05-14-2009, 06:18 PM
Ya know, i was thinking of doing that at one time, and I think I got side-tracked ...... those bubbler wands aren't really that expensive, and if you're just starting out, that would be the time to add them. From what I read, the oxygen in the water keeps the roots and stems from rotting ;) I'd give it a go, if I were you ..... more oxygen surely can't hurt ;)

tayl0r
05-14-2009, 07:27 PM
Hey Ernie what do you think is the best source of expanded clay or hydroton in San Diego? I was just going to go with gravel because it is so much cheaper.

badflash
05-14-2009, 08:44 PM
Flood & drain is the way to do that. Takes some balance, but is a preven method. Wands may work in media free systems, but will clog quickly in any gravel or media system. In pure water systems they must be removed and cleaned often.

JCO
05-15-2009, 12:40 PM
Hey folks...I watch and try to read all that is posted by everyone and the most often asked and by far the most confusing question asked is what media is the best to use and how to wash it etc. What is confusing to me is why it seems no one has even considered how inexpensive a raft system is and the ease of setup.

Anything you can grow in any other media system can be grown in a raft system. Running stringers above the plants, tomatoes, cukes, bell peppers...whatever....and just tie them up to take the weight off the raft and you're done. Just keep the water filtered through the bio-filter to keep the bacteria smokin' and the water flowing and you're in business. The plumbing is simple and the depth doesn't have to be any more than 12".

Check out http://www.diyaquaponics.com/forum/showthread.php?46-Is-it-Lettuce-or and http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~horteng/fhlettuce.htm.

This shows lettuce being produced but I use it for all veggies...tomatoes, bell peppers.....everything....and guess what...no sharp edges on this media :mrgreen:

JCO
05-15-2009, 02:02 PM
a) to filter out the solids so the return water is clarified
b) for biofiltration - the medium's surface houses the bacteria & more surface means more fish

Yes, solids need to be removed and can be done using a sump tank with baffles and a V bottom and a drain at the bottom. The solids sink to the bottom and can be remove via the drain.

Biofiltration can be done using AC filtration materials suspended from the ceiling and the water allowed to drain through it and returned to the raft bed then to the fish.

I wrote a post a short time ago about how I had my setup constructed but it has gotten lost somewhere in the mix of the 1,000 or so post and now I don't have any ideal where it is, but it tells step by step what I am talking about...maybe Badflash knows where it is....my mind is mush from trying to find it. :mrgreen:

badflash
05-16-2009, 05:40 AM
Hey folks...I watch and try to read all that is posted by everyone and the most often asked and by far the most confusing question asked is what media is the best to use and how to wash it etc. What is confusing to me is why it seems no one has even considered how inexpensive a raft system is and the ease of setup.

Anything you can grow in any other media system can be grown in a raft system.

I wish it was so, but sadly some plants will not tolerate full time root submersion. That is why growbeds are needed. For plants like lettuce, etc that do fin in it, you'd be silly to use anything else. My plan is to use standard F/D growbeds to remove particulates and raft for the heavy lifting. The solids should not be wasted.

jackalope
05-18-2009, 10:05 AM
Flood & drain is the way to do that. Takes some balance, but is a preven method. Wands may work in media free systems, but will clog quickly in any gravel or media system. In pure water systems they must be removed and cleaned often.

I haven't had to clean my wands at all .... they're in clean water ...... for a GB, I will just use some airline tubing with pinholes in it ........ I got a lot of airline for oxygen, so that's what I'll poke the holes into ....... I've put an airstone in one of my GBs to test the theory, and all the plants near it have perked up and greened up, so I'm thinking that my lower GBs aren't getting enuff oxygen.

badflash
05-18-2009, 03:20 PM
The clogging takes time, but it will come, trust me. Once your bio load comes up, so will the bacteria, and they like to grow where the oxygen is best.