Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-29T04:39:54ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryanhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2796913322?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/group/raftdeepwaterculturegrowers/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=0xs6bvzwdhauq&feed=yes&xn_auth=noA short time lapse of a "different" application of DWCtag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2017-07-02:4778851:Topic:6423212017-07-02T22:42:27.149ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>Just an FYI. Here is the link to the youtube vid: <a href="http://bit.ly/2sLEAgA">http://bit.ly/2sLEAgA</a></p>
<p>Below is a still of the system.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656381528?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656381528?profile=original" width="720" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>Just an FYI. Here is the link to the youtube vid: <a href="http://bit.ly/2sLEAgA">http://bit.ly/2sLEAgA</a></p>
<p>Below is a still of the system.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656381528?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656381528?profile=original" width="720" class="align-full"/></a></p> Floating Raft above Aquariumtag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2015-01-04:4778851:Topic:5918092015-01-04T22:45:16.647ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>Hi everyone! I had some issues with setting up a grow bed's plumbing and it got me to thinking, in the interim, can I just set up a raft directly onto the fish tank? If it were any other kind of fish, I'd just go ahead and try it, but right now I have goldfish in the tank, which are notorious for eating aquatic plants in traditional aquarium keeping. I'm afraid they'll gobble up all the roots. Has anyone tried this before? Success or failure?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Courtney</p>
<p>Hi everyone! I had some issues with setting up a grow bed's plumbing and it got me to thinking, in the interim, can I just set up a raft directly onto the fish tank? If it were any other kind of fish, I'd just go ahead and try it, but right now I have goldfish in the tank, which are notorious for eating aquatic plants in traditional aquarium keeping. I'm afraid they'll gobble up all the roots. Has anyone tried this before? Success or failure?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Courtney</p> Stll in business- Coastview Aquaponicstag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2014-08-17:4778851:Topic:5754382014-08-17T20:09:28.556ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>Aloha all,</p>
<p>Just joined today. 2 years ago had taken a tour of Coastview Aquaponics operation. Going back to the big island IN 4 WEEKS to see what damage our Puna property sustained from the hurricane.</p>
<p>Wanted to visit again with Chris to see about setting up our aquaponic system. Tried calling - phone not working, tried website - not operational. ARE THEY STILL IN BUSINESS? </p>
<p>Any info would be most appreciated.</p>
<p>Mahalo for your kokua, …</p>
<p>Aloha all,</p>
<p>Just joined today. 2 years ago had taken a tour of Coastview Aquaponics operation. Going back to the big island IN 4 WEEKS to see what damage our Puna property sustained from the hurricane.</p>
<p>Wanted to visit again with Chris to see about setting up our aquaponic system. Tried calling - phone not working, tried website - not operational. ARE THEY STILL IN BUSINESS? </p>
<p>Any info would be most appreciated.</p>
<p>Mahalo for your kokua, Michael diverdude@shaka.com</p> Potassium Deficent??tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2014-02-27:4778851:Topic:5504802014-02-27T20:42:02.644ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>Hey all, first time on here. Leaves on mainly fruiting plants have started to yellow with the veins still dark green, and edges of leaves are brown or almost burnt looking. Sounds like I need to supplement. Bought Potassium 0-0-50- Sulfur17%. I have a 500gal. system. Just have no idea how much to use. Any help would be great Thanks</p>
<p>Hey all, first time on here. Leaves on mainly fruiting plants have started to yellow with the veins still dark green, and edges of leaves are brown or almost burnt looking. Sounds like I need to supplement. Bought Potassium 0-0-50- Sulfur17%. I have a 500gal. system. Just have no idea how much to use. Any help would be great Thanks</p> Should I add a DWC component to my system?itag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-10-15:4778851:Topic:5237172013-10-15T01:27:10.884ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>My system has been running for a year now. I've enjoyed the process thus far, and have been thinking about how to expand. DWC has caught my interest and I'm wondering if a DWC expansion will work with my setup. DWC seems like it sit a little lower which will be a big plus; my structure is constraining vertical growth in the primary bed.</p>
<p></p>
<p>questions for the group</p>
<p>- Do you think my setup could support a 4'x8'xY DWC expansion?</p>
<p>- Are there any cleaver ways to plumb it…</p>
<p>My system has been running for a year now. I've enjoyed the process thus far, and have been thinking about how to expand. DWC has caught my interest and I'm wondering if a DWC expansion will work with my setup. DWC seems like it sit a little lower which will be a big plus; my structure is constraining vertical growth in the primary bed.</p>
<p></p>
<p>questions for the group</p>
<p>- Do you think my setup could support a 4'x8'xY DWC expansion?</p>
<p>- Are there any cleaver ways to plumb it to maintain a single pump?</p>
<p></p>
<p>I've attached some images that hopefully can give you a perspective.</p> pros and cons of using styrofoam as raftstag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-08-26:4778851:Topic:5090652013-08-26T14:30:08.970ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
I bought the cheaper styrofoam insulation sheets from Lowes. I got some that were 3/4 inch on sale, and some slightly thinner ones later. Both have faired almost the same.<br />
<br />
I am using IBCs as growbeds, so to maximize each 4 X 8 sheet, I cut them 32 inches wide and then adjuSted the length to just fit into the IBC's.<br />
<br />
I wanted an air gap under each plate, so I used a length of PVC pipe with a cord running through it so it could be tied to the IBC frame. That way I could adjust the gap as needed.…
I bought the cheaper styrofoam insulation sheets from Lowes. I got some that were 3/4 inch on sale, and some slightly thinner ones later. Both have faired almost the same.<br />
<br />
I am using IBCs as growbeds, so to maximize each 4 X 8 sheet, I cut them 32 inches wide and then adjuSted the length to just fit into the IBC's.<br />
<br />
I wanted an air gap under each plate, so I used a length of PVC pipe with a cord running through it so it could be tied to the IBC frame. That way I could adjust the gap as needed. I put those supporting pipes about 6 inches from each end. (That was where I had left bars on the frames above the rim of the tub.)<br />
<br />
At first, it looked great. Then I started planting and my lessons began... :D<br />
<br />
First off, the 30" or so length of unsupported raft was too much so it began to sag in the middle. I remedied this somewhat by using the scraps of styrofoam as floats in the middle. I also found swimming pool 'noodles' on sale last winter for $2 each. Cut in 1/2, they make a fair support...for a while. Did you know they actually will shrivel up over time?<br />
<br />
Next, there is a thin plastic coating on the white side of the styrofoam that does not last long in sunlight. It gets brittle and flakes like snakeskin. So that got removed with a garden hose onto the lawn. better there than the AP system. Optimal Raft Widthtag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-08-20:4778851:Topic:5066902013-08-20T11:55:08.503ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>What is the optimal design width for Deep Water Raft Construction? My concerns are ability to reach the plants; cost of construction; water issues.</p>
<p>What is the optimal design width for Deep Water Raft Construction? My concerns are ability to reach the plants; cost of construction; water issues.</p> Adding on my first raft setuptag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-08-11:4778851:Topic:5035472013-08-11T17:14:07.982ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p> my idea is to come from a 175 gal tote ft, drain into a 5 gal radial swirl filter into two 14" tall rafts that I cut from a IBC tote.Cut on their sides.Before I cut my holes I wanted to run this by the group.My drain would be 3/4 pvc. After the inlet side, do I pull water from the top or is it best to pull from bottom of the rafts? </p>
<p> my idea is to come from a 175 gal tote ft, drain into a 5 gal radial swirl filter into two 14" tall rafts that I cut from a IBC tote.Cut on their sides.Before I cut my holes I wanted to run this by the group.My drain would be 3/4 pvc. After the inlet side, do I pull water from the top or is it best to pull from bottom of the rafts? </p> Some photos from Arizona I thought you might enjoytag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-05:4778851:Topic:4452772013-03-05T16:34:29.338ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>Some recent pics from the Gila River Aquaponics Demonstration Project: </p>
<p></p>
<p>Location: Gila River Indian Community Southeast of Phoenix Az.</p>
<p>Purpose: STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Medicine) education.</p>
<p>System type: Modified UVI</p>
<p>Fish: Tilapia</p>
<p>Plants: Tomatoes (cherry and yellow pear)</p>
<p>Strawberries</p>
<p>Basil (Italian)</p>
<p>Oregano</p>
<p>Bak Choy </p>
<p>Cucumbers</p>
<p>Armenian Cucumbers</p>
<p>Lettuce…</p>
<p>Some recent pics from the Gila River Aquaponics Demonstration Project: </p>
<p></p>
<p>Location: Gila River Indian Community Southeast of Phoenix Az.</p>
<p>Purpose: STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Medicine) education.</p>
<p>System type: Modified UVI</p>
<p>Fish: Tilapia</p>
<p>Plants: Tomatoes (cherry and yellow pear)</p>
<p>Strawberries</p>
<p>Basil (Italian)</p>
<p>Oregano</p>
<p>Bak Choy </p>
<p>Cucumbers</p>
<p>Armenian Cucumbers</p>
<p>Lettuce (Simpson)</p>
<p></p>
<p>Fish tank volume: 200 gallons (X2)</p>
<p>Raft surface area: 84 ft2</p>
<p>System age in Photo (taken March 4, 2013) 6 weeks.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Photo captions: 1. General pic</p>
<p>2 & 3: Installing the vine plant trelllis</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656376110?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656376110?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656378146?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656378146?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656378905?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656378905?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p> "tray-ponics" raft system: connecting the traystag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-04:4778851:Topic:4444002013-03-04T15:03:10.957ZRyan Chattersonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Ryan
<p>in another <a href="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/group/raftdeepwaterculturegrowers/forum/topics/polypropylene-for-tray-ponics-type-rafts" target="_self">thread</a>, Jim Troyer wrote: </p>
<p><span>"It appears those grow trays are connected with PVC tubing, is that correct? If so, can we have a better pic of how you did that? Seems like a good method for a starter system and eliminates blue barrel syndrome..."</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Yes, the trays are connected with 2" PVC…</span></p>
<p>in another <a href="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/group/raftdeepwaterculturegrowers/forum/topics/polypropylene-for-tray-ponics-type-rafts" target="_self">thread</a>, Jim Troyer wrote: </p>
<p><span>"It appears those grow trays are connected with PVC tubing, is that correct? If so, can we have a better pic of how you did that? Seems like a good method for a starter system and eliminates blue barrel syndrome..."</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Yes, the trays are connected with 2" PVC pipe. It was tricky. Because the sides of the trays are angled, the connecting pipes need to be angled. Turns out the required angle is just about half of a 45 degree angle. I believe Glenn Martinez in his original conception of this design used 22.5 degree drain fittings, but I wanted to go with Schedule 40, because it is rated for potable water. However, there are no 22.5 degree Schedule 40 fittings. So, I bent my own lengths of pipe to the required angle. I had read about methods involving filling the pipe with sand so it holds its circular cross-section while being bent, but I didn't have any luck with that. Ended up making a jig, which worked great. Put a 7" piece of PVC pipe into boiling water for a few minutes, slapped it into the jig and clamped it down, then rinsed with cold water and let it sit for 20 minutes. Used UniSeals to insert the ends of the pipe into the sides of the trays.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>I will go over to my greenhouse today and get some pictures and post them in this thread.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>There was a problem using UniSeals: the walls of the trays are about 1/16" of an inch thick, which is pretty thin. UniSeals seal better when the walls are thicker. That is to say, they leaked in this application. Didn't discover it until I after had connected all 11 trays in series, with 2 connecting pipes between each pair of trays. Found a few potential solutions on the web. The one that worked for me was to make a washer for each UniSeal out of 4mm corrugated polypropylene (the same material I'm using for rafts). Could use anything that was at least that thick, rigid, and durable, but the polypro was free and easy to work with. To install the UniSeals with washers, I had to pull all the connecting pipes out of the UniSeals, which was not trivial! Lots harder to pull them out than to put them in. I still have tendonitis in my elbow from the effort. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Slight side note: the trays sit on folding plastic patio tables from local big-box hardware store. Relatively simple and inexpensive and portable. I'm not sure if Glenn's tables were more rigid than the ones I have access to, but mine bowed in the middle from the weight of the water in the trays. I ended up adding a piece of 3/4" plywood across the top of each table to rigidify. The plywood lessened the bowing but did not eliminate it. The hardware on the underside of the tables pretty much precludes adding additional support like 2x4 beams underneath. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>I went with the tray-ponics design because my set-up is on borrowed land and I wanted the system to be semi-portable in case I need to break it down and move it. Also, the trays are not expensive. But considering the hassles of connecting with PVC and UniSeals in this application, and the need to reinforce the tables, if I were to do it again, I think I'd just build troughs out of lumber and liner and be done with it. Considering everything involved, including the cost of the large number of UniSeals involved, I think lumber-and-liner troughs might be just as cost-effective. I might use the trays again in certain situations, but not for this one.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Would be curious to hear of anyone else's experiences with tray-ponics systems. </span></p>