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  1. #1
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Aquaponics and Root rot etc

    I've got a 4x8 flood table that houses about 40 different types of veggies suspended in net pots which are held up via some pink polystyrene lids. I've been noticing lately more and more that all kinds of pond waste (fish poop and uneaten food I'm guessing) keep gathering in the corners of my flood table. My plants seem to be fairly unaffected by this but I was curious what would happen if I just kept letting the poop gather in mass. It's not completely inconceivable for me to imagine that entire table some day being mostly fish poop and fish waste and I'm concerned that if I don't deal with it that it will start to clog my roots of my plants and possibly starve them for oxygen and open the door for root pathogens etc.

    I understand that in a flower bed with grow medium such as hydroton or 3/4" gravel this isn't usually a problem as there is a vast amount of healthy bacteria that would consume this waste but in my flood table this doesn't appear to be the case.

    So should I be rigging up some kind of system that filters this out before it hits my grow bed? Can I leave it and the plants will benefit/unaffected by it or should I do something else altogether. Something tells me a sump would solve this.
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  2. #2
    Members aquaarche's Avatar
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    Re: Aquaponics and Root rot etc

    you do need a filter system to remove the poop or it will cause problems. There will always be some brown type slime growing but that has to do with the bacteria for Ammonia and Nitrite conversion to Nitrate. just use a fish tank gravel cleaner to suck out the build up for now.

    Leaving it is there will cause a loss in DO and a drop in your pH

  3. #3
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    Re: Aquaponics and Root rot etc

    if you're only using flood tables, you should be filtering solid..
    in the meantime you could try adding some gammarus or minnows to the flood tables to assist in solids breakdown

  4. #4
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Re: Aquaponics and Root rot etc

    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    if you're only using flood tables, you should be filtering solid..
    in the meantime you could try adding some gammarus or minnows to the flood tables to assist in solids breakdown
    Do gammarus and minnows eat solid fish waste ?
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  5. #5
    Members aquaarche's Avatar
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    Mar 2009
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    Philippines
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    Re: Aquaponics and Root rot etc

    Quote Originally Posted by wh33t
    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    if you're only using flood tables, you should be filtering solid..
    in the meantime you could try adding some gammarus or minnows to the flood tables to assist in solids breakdown
    Do gammarus and minnows eat solid fish waste ?
    they sure do

  6. #6
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Mar 2011
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    Vancouver Island, Bc, Canada
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    Re: Aquaponics and Root rot etc

    Don't they in turn just produce waste? Although I suppose it would be less waste?
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

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