Grow bed water level

[Adie Johnson]

I've read that the water level in the grow beds should leave the top section of media dry. Is an inch enough? I can see the water through the top few rocks right before it drains. Too high?

[Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair]

1 - 2 inches is ok... 1.5-2 is better because if you can see the water then sunlight can get where algae like to grow. Also some bugs like to lay their eggs in nice warm & moist habitats.

[Adie Johnson]

That helps a lot, Jonathon. Thanks!

[TCLynx]

Aquaponics is pretty flexible and sometimes it is handy to have the water level a bit higher to help start seeds and for some plants you want the water level lower but the main rule is that the top of the media stays dry to protect your water from excess evaporation and algae growing.  And inch or so below the top of the media is the general rule and beware that a new system the media is likely to settle a bit so having an extra bag or pile of media handy to top up the surface might be a good idea after the initial media settles.

[Adie Johnson]

That may be what happened in one of my beds - the settling. The water level started out lower it seemed then crept up. Thanks.

[TCLynx]

Are we sinking or is the water getting deeper?