Plants in water

[Philip Altmann]

Can someone tell me whether vegetable plant roots can be left in fish water all the time ?

My system is a flood and drain system with a bell syphon but if the plants can be left in water all of the time that would be easier.

[RupertofOZ]

Indeed they can Philip... such a system configuration is known as constant flood...

Basically all you have to do is just remove the "bell" from the bell siphon... just leaving the standpipe...

Oxygenation is the key though... and an additional air pump is almost mandatory...

 

Backyard Aquaponics did a side by side trial of a traditional bell siphon system, a constant flood system... and a timed flood & drain system...

You can read about it here .... http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=8621

[Debra Colvin]

By root veggies, if you're meaning potatoes, carrots, or onions-- the results will be interesting. I've grown garlic aquaponically before, but I didn't care for the puny-ness I got for the root itself at harvest. However, that plant was part of my first ever set up, and the poor thing did suffer from my inexperience.

I think the better choice for such plants would be a wicking bed sort of set-up rather than a gravel bed.