hi fish and veggie folks...
i have a newish system with 600 gal fish tank, 300 sump tank and 4 grow beds 6'x4' 12" deep. there are about 5000 pounds of cinders in these beds all on flood and drain....that is a heck of alot of surface area for all of our microscopic friends to inhabit...after 2.5 months i have finally registered nitrates in the system, but vigorous plant growth has not yet occurred.

QUESTION - how long do you think this impatient gardener will have to wait for the system to be at full production?

any insight is surely welcome....
peace, francis