A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

traveling roots

can anyone out there tell me what im supposed to do about roots traveling down my circulation lines clogging them so that my pump runs dry or struggles in my DWC system? how do i get the roots not to travel with the flow? screens and filters would need to be changed/ cleaned several times a day. There must be a trick to this im sure.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Euteneier on March 24, 2015 at 3:52pm

But I honestly never thought of circulating up higher, Just kinda tooling along like a lemming following what I had seen most do.

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Permalink Reply by Vlad Jovanovic on March 25, 2015 at 10:38am

Hi Michael, Go to your local hardware store and buy some 5 gallon paint strainers and line the inside of your buckets with one paint strainer a piece.

There is some confusion as to nomenclature going on which prompted folks to give you good advice...just not applicable to your situation. On this forum when you use the term "DWC" people think of "Deep Water Culture" troughs such as this one...pictured in the lower left hand corner is the type of drain that Jonathan (and everyone else, including myself) were thinking of at first.

Here is that same DWC trough after I planted it...

These type of floating raft trough are what people in aquaponic-land generally think of when they see the term DWC being used (and in the realm of commercial hydro). While in the sphere of backyard hydroponics people generally seem to associate "DWC" with those 5 gallon bucket systems...So thanks for the pics. They really helped clarify things...At any rate, some paint strainers should help out with your travelling root problems...

Michael Euteneier said:

I actually run a current or flow DWC system, started out with four, five gallon pots and a thirty gallon res. then then eight pots 50 gallon res. to 16 pots 150 gal res and throughout this summer switching to 900 gal fish pond and two 12x20 green houses. I tried doing pictures again well see'

Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair said:

I do mostly media beds but if I recall correctly a drain in a DWC grow bed is at the water line and drains the bed as an overflow. Water does not leave from the bottom but actually leaves from the top. Than should keep roots out.

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Permalink Reply by Vlad Jovanovic on March 25, 2015 at 10:53am

Just for giggles...here are the roots of one of my pepper plants in such a 5 gallon bucket system. They can get quite large and get to travelling if you allow them...any bigger and this guy would need a passport...

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Permalink Reply by Alex Veidel on March 25, 2015 at 2:12pm

@Vlad The only time I've seen roots like that is when a certain lady friend of mine decided to stop dyeing her hair.....

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Permalink Reply by Emilie Butts on October 27, 2015 at 1:19pm

Hello New to the site, I have a lot to learn about Aquaponics, my question to you Jim Fisk is I saw your bell syphon, would you have plans pictures on how you made it and put it together, I have tried some others and didn't turn out very well, we are in the process of building a gr. house, all advise is very welcome. Emilie Butts

Jim Fisk said:

Jonathan, not sure what needs to be designed in regards to bell siphons. Just make a GG with slots that will cut off the roots. Mine are 4" pipe on my 3" bells and in 3+ years they have worked perfectly. I rotate the GG every few months, not weeks. I have now sold about 700 bell siphons and everyone is happy

Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair said:

I have had roots grow over 2 feet up the siphon and down the stand pipe blocking flow. The answer for me is designing a siphon or drain that every few weeks you can clean the roots out. I have tried to prevent them with screens but that will block flow too.