Oakhurst Aquaponics - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-29T14:19:08Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/oakhurst-aquaponics?id=4778851%3ATopic%3A269343&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThe problem is that you are l…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-29:4778851:Comment:2849242012-01-29T11:34:38.114ZJanehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Jane33
The problem is that you are labeling it aquaponic when it is not aquaponic . It is probably more like hydroponic or some hybrid of it. What you are developing may be great and benfical but still not aquaponic. Try a different label maybe it will go better for you.
The problem is that you are labeling it aquaponic when it is not aquaponic . It is probably more like hydroponic or some hybrid of it. What you are developing may be great and benfical but still not aquaponic. Try a different label maybe it will go better for you. Sorry, looking at my comment,…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2821482012-01-23T17:58:37.833ZChip Pilkingtonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/ChipPilkington
Sorry, looking at my comment, it sounds like that is what I was saying. I shifted thoughts between sentences.<br />
<br />
I was brain-storming a bit - trying to think of why he might be getting higher levels of salinity or "salts." Not sure we ever determined what he was refering to. I don't use a water softener, but I've read that they can cause problems with salinity. I know folks that have them and they purchase bags of rock salt by the truckload.<br />
<br />
One of the challenges of getting older - I just sort…
Sorry, looking at my comment, it sounds like that is what I was saying. I shifted thoughts between sentences.<br />
<br />
I was brain-storming a bit - trying to think of why he might be getting higher levels of salinity or "salts." Not sure we ever determined what he was refering to. I don't use a water softener, but I've read that they can cause problems with salinity. I know folks that have them and they purchase bags of rock salt by the truckload.<br />
<br />
One of the challenges of getting older - I just sort of bounce back and forth between random thoughts....:) Chip Pilkington said: If so…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2819552012-01-23T15:38:30.662ZRupertofOZhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/RupertofOZ
<br></br>
<br></br>
<cite>Chip Pilkington said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://aquaponicscommunity.com/forum/topics/oakhurst-aquaponics?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A282118&xg_source=activity#4778851Comment282118"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"> If somebody had a water softener in place, I imagine it could change things a bit.</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="xg_user_generated"></div>
<div class="xg_user_generated">not following you there Chip... why would a "water softener" alter…</div>
<br/>
<br/>
<cite>Chip Pilkington said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://aquaponicscommunity.com/forum/topics/oakhurst-aquaponics?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A282118&xg_source=activity#4778851Comment282118"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"> If somebody had a water softener in place, I imagine it could change things a bit.</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="xg_user_generated"></div>
<div class="xg_user_generated">not following you there Chip... why would a "water softener" alter possible transpiration rates???</div> Makes sense and I've got 5 la…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2821182012-01-23T15:31:18.747ZChip Pilkingtonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/ChipPilkington
Makes sense and I've got 5 large tomato plants currently in that system. I've never used a hydrometer or a refractometer on the system, but I can't imagine too much build up with the top ups and all.<br />
<br />
I'm curious what kind of evaporation/top ups Barry is doing and also at what frequency the water changes are needed. If somebody had a water softener in place, I imagine it could change things a bit.
Makes sense and I've got 5 large tomato plants currently in that system. I've never used a hydrometer or a refractometer on the system, but I can't imagine too much build up with the top ups and all.<br />
<br />
I'm curious what kind of evaporation/top ups Barry is doing and also at what frequency the water changes are needed. If somebody had a water softener in place, I imagine it could change things a bit. 10% loses due to transpiratio…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2819522012-01-23T15:05:33.752ZRupertofOZhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/RupertofOZ
<p>10% loses due to transpiration... and required top ups are normal... and may even be double that during the heat of summer... and/or with certain crops such as tomatos...</p>
<p>10% loses due to transpiration... and required top ups are normal... and may even be double that during the heat of summer... and/or with certain crops such as tomatos...</p> I add 200L a week just for to…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2820512012-01-23T14:45:44.914ZChip Pilkingtonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/ChipPilkington
<p>I add 200L a week just for top up water in my larger system (about a 2000L system). So basically, I turn my water completely over about every 2 1/2 months. That's what, 10% a week?</p>
<p>My wife also swipes a fair amount every week to water her flowers.</p>
<p>Though I'd never do a water change as in the "Aquarium" sense...guess I should qualify that - outside of lowering salinity due to a treatment of sick fish, I'd never drain and fill for the sake of changing out water. But then, I…</p>
<p>I add 200L a week just for top up water in my larger system (about a 2000L system). So basically, I turn my water completely over about every 2 1/2 months. That's what, 10% a week?</p>
<p>My wife also swipes a fair amount every week to water her flowers.</p>
<p>Though I'd never do a water change as in the "Aquarium" sense...guess I should qualify that - outside of lowering salinity due to a treatment of sick fish, I'd never drain and fill for the sake of changing out water. But then, I believe the standard AP system gets a fair blast of fresh water just through top ups (and replacing the water your wife steals to water her orchids!). </p> Sodium is certainly an elemen…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2821062012-01-23T14:11:30.449ZRupertofOZhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/RupertofOZ
<p>Sodium is certainly an element that can cause concern if it were to accumulate... but salt (NaCl) is only usually added into aquaponics systems to address nitrite issues during cycling... or for disease treatments....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Both are usually only for short periods of time... and diluted with regular water top ups, or even (some) water exchanges...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some, of any salt added for the above reasons... is taken up by plants... especially, from my experience... by tomatos,…</p>
<p>Sodium is certainly an element that can cause concern if it were to accumulate... but salt (NaCl) is only usually added into aquaponics systems to address nitrite issues during cycling... or for disease treatments....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Both are usually only for short periods of time... and diluted with regular water top ups, or even (some) water exchanges...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some, of any salt added for the above reasons... is taken up by plants... especially, from my experience... by tomatos, that suck water in like a sponge, and through it back out again.... and celery...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Most plants can handle short periods of 6ppt salinity... but strawberries, cucumbers and a few other things... wont tolerate salt beyond 2-3ppt...</p> OK you guys must be the exper…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2818672012-01-23T13:19:11.872Zbarry hockinghttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/barryhocking
<p>OK you guys must be the experts and I know nothing. I will keep my mouth closed from now on and stay out of any further discussions. Barry.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Jon Parr said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://aquaponicscommunity.com/forum/topics/oakhurst-aquaponics?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A282031&xg_source=msg_com_forum#4778851Comment282031"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">I'm confused, Barry. I'm pretty sure Rupe knows what sodium is, and I had the same question as he did as to…</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>OK you guys must be the experts and I know nothing. I will keep my mouth closed from now on and stay out of any further discussions. Barry.<br/> <br/> <cite>Jon Parr said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://aquaponicscommunity.com/forum/topics/oakhurst-aquaponics?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A282031&xg_source=msg_com_forum#4778851Comment282031"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">I'm confused, Barry. I'm pretty sure Rupe knows what sodium is, and I had the same question as he did as to your meaning of "salt", and you didn't answer that. Do you mean sodium, or all salts, being a problem in aquaponics?<br/> <br/> I have to question your opinion that salts accumulate to toxic levels as a matter of fact. You didn't factor in plants and fish using them up. If you were to try to grow plants in RO water, you would find that plants need "salts" to even survive. Hydroponic nutes are simply salts measured out in quantities that plants need. Some hydro growers use a fresh batch every couple of weeks to avoid an accumulation of salts not used by plants, but others monitor what's missing and add specific nutrient salts to the same reused solution for much longer. If a hydro grower were to stop adding nutes, and only top with water, then salt deficiency would be the long term problem, not toxic salt accumulation.<br/> <br/> I was under the impression that AP does not need water changes as a rule, especially once stable and growing a wide variety of plants in various stages of veg and flower. I have well water, and have not changed water in my AP in the two years it has been operating, only topped up. Am I just lucky, or have others had similar results? Thanks for making me think about it Barry.<br/> <br/> In nature, I suppose the partial water change idea fits. Every time it rains it leaches salts from the ground, no doubt helping keep salt imbalances in check. And those salts end up in the ocean, hence the saltiness.<br/> <br/> As to fluoride, I'm no expert, but isn't fluorine a gas like chlorine, and eventually off-gases from water? I know it sticks around longer than chlorine, and that it why it is commonly used to dissinfect hot tubs where chlorine disappears too quickly. I've read of controversy in flouridating drinking water, but never heard of crop or fish problems where flouride is naturally high.</div>
</div>
</blockquote> I'm confused, Barry. I'm pret…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-23:4778851:Comment:2820312012-01-23T11:50:07.897ZJon Parrhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JonParr
I'm confused, Barry. I'm pretty sure Rupe knows what sodium is, and I had the same question as he did as to your meaning of "salt", and you didn't answer that. Do you mean sodium, or all salts, being a problem in aquaponics?<br></br>
<br></br>
I have to question your opinion that salts accumulate to toxic levels as a matter of fact. You didn't factor in plants and fish using them up. If you were to try to grow plants in RO water, you would find that plants need "salts" to even survive. Hydroponic nutes…
I'm confused, Barry. I'm pretty sure Rupe knows what sodium is, and I had the same question as he did as to your meaning of "salt", and you didn't answer that. Do you mean sodium, or all salts, being a problem in aquaponics?<br/>
<br/>
I have to question your opinion that salts accumulate to toxic levels as a matter of fact. You didn't factor in plants and fish using them up. If you were to try to grow plants in RO water, you would find that plants need "salts" to even survive. Hydroponic nutes are simply salts measured out in quantities that plants need. Some hydro growers use a fresh batch every couple of weeks to avoid an accumulation of salts not used by plants, but others monitor what's missing and add specific nutrient salts to the same reused solution for much longer. If a hydro grower were to stop adding nutes, and only top with water, then salt deficiency would be the long term problem, not toxic salt accumulation.<br/>
<br/>
I was under the impression that AP does not need water changes as a rule, especially once stable and growing a wide variety of plants in various stages of veg and flower. I have well water, and have not changed water in my AP in the two years it has been operating, only topped up. Am I just lucky, or have others had similar results? Thanks for making me think about it Barry.<br/>
<br/>
In nature, I suppose the partial water change idea fits. Every time it rains it leaches salts from the ground, no doubt helping keep salt imbalances in check. And those salts end up in the ocean, hence the saltiness.<br/>
<br/>
As to fluoride, I'm no expert, but isn't fluorine a gas like chlorine, and eventually off-gases from water? I know it sticks around longer than chlorine, and that it why it is commonly used to dissinfect hot tubs where chlorine disappears too quickly. I've read of controversy in flouridating drinking water, but never heard of crop or fish problems where flouride is naturally high. Sodium Na Latin: natrium It's…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-01-22:4778851:Comment:2816582012-01-22T11:00:44.008Zbarry hockinghttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/barryhocking
<p>Sodium Na Latin: <span lang="la" xml:lang="la"><i>natrium</i></span> It's atomic No. is 11. Also another problem with not doing any water changes is the build up of fluoride. Fluoride can not be filtered out (except with a reverse osmosis filter) that I know of. When water evaporates only water evaporates nothing else. If you add water from a Town water supply or river system then you are adding salt and other chemicals that can't be removed without a partial water change. No if's no but's…</p>
<p>Sodium Na Latin: <span lang="la" xml:lang="la"><i>natrium</i></span> It's atomic No. is 11. Also another problem with not doing any water changes is the build up of fluoride. Fluoride can not be filtered out (except with a reverse osmosis filter) that I know of. When water evaporates only water evaporates nothing else. If you add water from a Town water supply or river system then you are adding salt and other chemicals that can't be removed without a partial water change. No if's no but's you are adding salt. End of story. Regards, Barry. :-)</p>
<p>P.S. Fluoride is a very bad element that causes more problems than it cures. We need it as much as we need GMO's.</p>