Adjusting PH and adding worms

[jackalope]

The exoskeleton of bugs is made of chitin [so obviously they don't want to hang out where their skeletons will get dissolved!].

Very interesting post .... I've never heard any of that before (Of course, I'm an old redneck and the wife is the gardener - so I don't read a lot about bugs, worms and such ) If you find any online articles confirming this, I'd appreciate you posting some links so we all can improve our decision-making processes as to whether we want to change our opinion about putting worms in our AP setup - and myself as well when we get back from the Summer in Montana

This is the kind of good info that we all need to learn to make things better in our quest for the perfect 'garden'

[keith_r]

i found this page a while back, it links to several studies (several by ohio state)\
http://www.casting4growth.com/Research.html

here's a newer list of research
http://www.happydranch.com/articles/Wor ... mation.htm

[JCO]

Keith_r,

With all due respect to you as a long time poster and someone I consider a friend and also with respect to the fact that we have been at odds on other things in the past, here is my final response on this matter.

In an Aquaponics System, the sump and bio-filter are designed to eliminate the materials that could clog a system and sooner or later actually become dirt

Worm poo is the purest form of dirt regardless of what it contains... it is none the less, still dirt.

The object of Aquaponics is to raise fish and veggies without the use of dirt...any form of dirt.

My question is this. Is this a forum about Aquaponics or Vermiculture? Your links are to Vermiculture sites and I don't know of anyone who would disagree with them, however...that is not AQUAPONICS. "PERIOD"

"YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO IT MY WAY KEITH".

For every person who has an Aquaponic System up and running, you will find that somewhere in that system, they have inserted a piece of their self. Whether it be worms, or a particular grow media such as fine gravel etc.

But when we talk about the Technologies of Aquaponics, we are talking about the marriage of Hydroponics and Aquaculture and I have never scene it mentioned anywhere in Hydroponics that you should use worms in your grow beds.

SO IF YOU WANT TO ADD WORMS TO YOUR GROW BEDS...HAVE AT IT....

As for this post, I'm out... I find it redundant to have to answer the same question 10 different ways. That isn't a discussion, it's edging on an argument and I won't participate or allow that in any post.

[Aloha Don]

I have heard that you can maintain a constant ph in your system by adding shells....has anyone tried this or is there a natural way to maintain ph?
Thanks,
Don

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Don,
A mature system usually starts to naturally drop PH. The shells can act as a 'buffer'.
The shells start to dissolve as the ph drops (which slows/halts the PH drop)....if the PH isn't too low, they don't dissolve.

[Aloha Don]

Thanks
That is very helpful.
Since shells are plentiful here, I will throw some in my system.
Don

[keith_r]

sorry to ruffle your feathers jco.. i was just trying to point out that worms in an ap system are a benefit,,, anyone can do it any way they want..
usually when i make a decision, i like to weigh the pros and cons..

regarding the shells.. they'll be more effective if you break them up a bit.. they'll buffer a system to about 7.2-7.4 ph and will gradually dissolve

[keith_r]

scuds perform the same function as worms, assisting in the mineralization of solids in an ap systems. i've found worms and scuds in my filters and my growbeds have healthy populations of both worms and scuds..

[DARRYL]

worms poo dirt where do they find the dirt in an aquponics system??

[keith_r]

worms don't "poo dirt".. read some of the articles posted