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Latest Activity: Feb 2, 2019
Started by Linda Logan. Last reply by Linda Logan Feb 2, 2019. 1 Reply 0 Likes
I need to shut down my indoor system for a few months. I have 2 mature Shubunkin, 1 albino Hypostomus to clean the aquarium. There is another small fish living in the sump.I live in SE Portland and…Continue
Started by John Wilson. Last reply by Wade J Rochelle Jan 25, 2019. 3 Replies 0 Likes
Hi all, we've just purchased a property with a large indoor swimming pool. Around 80,000L with a greenhouse roof and plenty of room around it for grow beds. However, this is far too big for us to…Continue
Started by Nichelle Hubley. Last reply by Nichelle Hubley Jun 30, 2015. 7 Replies 1 Like
Well, I think I messed up big time. I've been feeding my precious tilapia koi food (I like in a small place and it was all I could get... :( ) for about 2 months and last night I read on the back of…Continue
Started by Henrique Miguel. Last reply by Wayne Mcbryde May 14, 2015. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Hi,I have a set up of 2 55 gal blue barrel with Tilapia and guppies separate. I have young ones and they are growing well. Issue of overcrowding and feeding. 1. I would like to use a water…Continue
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That's all well and good for the growing part of aquaponics, but what about cleaning out the roots when you pull the plants for replanting?? You still have to contend with the lava rocks when clearing out the roots. I'm NOT against using lava rock if nothing else is available but my hands hurt just thinking about it.
Lava rock is cheap and light, but rough on the hands when planting. I would suggest lava rock and then put some hydroton (clay pellets) on the top 2 to 3 inches so when you need to put in plants you wont rough up your hands.
Still at it ..lookin g for grow med...lava rock or ?
seaweed extract has all sorts of great stuff for getting plants to be happy. It is especially good in a new system that won't have any of the more complex nutrients available from the slow break down of fish food or fish waste for some time.
I have heard that Murry Hallum doses his aquaponic system with Seasol (Maxicrop up here) and then plants his veggies, waits 2-weeks and introduces his fish. It is my understanding that the Maxicrop reduces the stress of transplanting and adds a bit of nutrents for support of the plants.
Yes, Maxicrop is safe, so long as it is the stuff that has the NPK numbers of like 0.1-0-1.0 (there may be some seaweed extract plus fish emulsion that would have higher N values and it would probably overload the bio-filtration on a new system and could cause ammonia spikes and fish death.) Original Maxicrop or Maxicrop plus Iron is fish safe when used appropriately. The maxicrop plus iron probably is of only marginal additional benefit for providing Iron if your system pH is above 6.5 since the iron in it is going to be insoluble at the higher pH of most new aquaponic system. However you could always foliar spray with a diluted mix of it.
Do remember that the dosing instructions on the bottle are not Aquaponic dosing instructions. They read something like 1 or 2 oz per gallon and use that gallon to water 100 square feet. Please don't take that to mean that you should add one ounce of the stuff per gallon of system water, that would be a gross over dose. Such an overdose probably won't hurt your fish or anything but you won't be able to see them anymore because the water will look a bit like coffee. Appropriate dosing would probably be closer to 1-2 oz of maxicrop per 100 square feet of grow bed.
Take note that the seaweed extract is to provide trace elements and potassium, it will do little-nothing to feed the plants nitrogen or phosphorus so you still need to get your system cycled up.
Yes, I believe she promotes using "Maxi-crop", I know it is 100% seaweed and it definantly will not harm your fish. Murray Hallum a well known aquaponicists from Austrailia promotes the same product only it is known as "Seasol" down under.
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