Comment

Comment by Aquaeroponía on April 6, 2012 at 5:34am

Aquaeroponics columns constructed with PET bottles - low cost - Brazilian creativity

Comment by Isaiah Muhammad on September 20, 2011 at 6:07am

Hi guys I just joined the community and am learning to navigate the site.  I would like to know if the 2" raft material foam is a local purchase or is something you have to order over the web?  I only found 3/4" at Lowes here in Houston.  Thanks.

Comment by Paul Letby on December 13, 2010 at 8:34pm

Hey all.  I figured it was time to join since my media GB is nearly ready to plant out.  Now I have a flood and drain media bed and a raft bed that doubles as a sump.  Between the two beds I have a 1:1 ratio now with my FT.

Comment by Harold Sukhbir on November 22, 2010 at 1:02pm

Water displacement by roots are one thing. Just like media beds, 1/4" media create more bacterial surface area than 3/4". Smother media surfaces opposed to irregular ones, so too roots, i think the thinner(longer) roots will be more efficient at conversion than larger ones.What about the different types of surfaces of liners? Suspending rafts above the water as opposed to floating (eliminating bacterial surface area,but introducing extra aeration)

Comment by Harold Sukhbir on November 22, 2010 at 12:41pm

Thanks for the invite Kobus

Comment by Chris Smith on November 16, 2010 at 11:16am

I came to the same conclusion. I plan to expand my gravel beds because of how well my longer term plants are doing in media. I can pick leaves of celery and chard for up to 3 months and both crops are exploding with growth. My worm population is growing rapidly as well.

Comment by Sahib Punjabi on November 16, 2010 at 11:07am

Hello Chris,
Maybe crazy but this is what I have come to the conclusion in my Auqaponics research fish farm, the gravel beds / media beds significantly increase the filtration, aeration and I would say with "tongue in cheek" the nutrients available (via composting worms), for the DWC plants.

Comment by Chris Smith on November 16, 2010 at 11:00am

I am really happy with the gravel beds as a net tank replacement. I am also working on several vertical designs. I have 3 built and more to follow soon.
Today I am building my low tunnels and will be posting some pics tonight. My design is simple, cheap, and mostly available at the big box stores.

Comment by Chris Smith on November 16, 2010 at 10:02am

My systems are mainly raft systems modeled after Friendly's systems. Last month I replaced one my net tanks with a large gravel bed. I used black cinders since it is readily available since I am living on a volcano. The cinder is porous and extremely light. I added composting worms to the cinder.
The gravel bed has worked better than I imagined. I replaced a labor intensive filter with one that gives me extra growing space. The bed has changed the entire system. The water is cleaner and has a higher DO now due to the flood and drain cycle. I am keeping more nutrient in the system and can sell off some fish. When my troughs get the flood of water they act as a buffer and my sump does not fluctuate more than an inch.
Adding this gravel bed has changed my theory on system design. I am starting to reconfigure my first system using my current theory. I will post pics as soon as I can and explain my new design.

Comment by Sahib Punjabi on November 16, 2010 at 9:49am

Kobus my man...you truly are the "Research Wizz Kid" :-)
Too detailed for me at this stage but you know that I am thrilled to know that there is someone like you out there looking into such. Thank you :-)