Aquaponic Gardening

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What would you suggest is the proper spacing of 2" pot in a raft to allow adequate grow space for crops like lettuce, spinach, kale, chard and the like?

Are 2" pots big enough?

Regards,
Bob

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My suggestion is that you get a copy of Mel Barthalomew's "Square Foot Gardening" It is a good companion book for all gardeners. It's usually on the shelf at Home Depot.

2" pots would be fine. However, you are seeking opinions for consideration without enough information to receive a practical response. how is your raft built?  I had to accommodate pontoons and the lack of space where the netcups could not protrude in areas where the pontoons are located for support. I would consider that weight will be a factor. Also consider that good air circulation around/through the plants will reduce bug/mildew problems, etc.

i would error on the side of simplicity and allow for balance.  what do you gain by density of planting if it results in increased attention and labor inputs for (x) percent more yields????


hope this makes sense. i build to walk away and sleep well knowing that the system is happy and capable and results are favorable consistently. Think less, do more, test ,test, test and observe.  Best of luck!

Bob, I've grown all of that stuff, with the exception of kale, in 2" net pots...8" spacings seems good for full grown heads of lettuce and bigg-ish spinach...6" for baby heads and younger stuff...hell I've even crammed stuff in 4" spacing's but it gets really, really crowded, real fast and I wouldn't suggest it...and that's with multiple fans and heat extraction in a controlled environment...You won't go wrong with either 6" or 8" spacings though for most of the stuff you mentioned...And you may want to go with a staggered hole pattern instead of perpendicular rows...You can start seedlings off in 2" spacings if you want...

Here is a link to some photos on facebook of my system Arik ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3737770846848.2132983.135...

Arik Alan said:

2" pots would be fine. However, you are seeking opinions for consideration without enough information to receive a practical response. how is your raft built?  I had to accommodate pontoons and the lack of space where the netcups could not protrude in areas where the pontoons are located for support. I would consider that weight will be a factor. Also consider that good air circulation around/through the plants will reduce bug/mildew problems, etc.

i would error on the side of simplicity and allow for balance.  what do you gain by density of planting if it results in increased attention and labor inputs for (x) percent more yields????


hope this makes sense. i build to walk away and sleep well knowing that the system is happy and capable and results are favorable consistently. Think less, do more, test ,test, test and observe.  Best of luck!

Looks like a good start.  i would offer for consideration to incorporate the fish reservoir into the loop to supply nutrients to dwc.  right now it looks like your using a 5 gal bucket as a sump. why not utilize the stock tank? a larger low wattage recirculating pump would help add additional aeration to the stock tank by utilizing the returning dwc water over into the top causing the stock tank to overflow back to dwc.  try stacking your stock tank up on a few pallets if need be so it may have a water fall effect in to the top dwc tank. you can put the last dwc as sump and pump back. i would prolly change the design to a single long trough the entire length of the table and then cover with the polywall material with 1/2pvc fram supporting netcups.  This will trap in the humidity/moisture much better. this would be easy to do by creating a perimeter out of 2"x6" boards and lining with heavier plastic liner.  there is free liner material everywhere. be creative in your refuse. incorporate a natural bio filter.  I really like the "skippy filter" and use a variation i came up with in a system with over 3k gallons. working quite well.  hydroton would work well as a planting medium. they are reusable as well and can be "cleaned" with natural enzymes beneficial to the system. if you adjust the water level to just below the netcup or utilize a better lid system like the above suggestion the wicking will not be necessary. enuf humidity will form in the medium and the roots will chase down.  also, there is a simple dome building kit at http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/4-Inch-Bolt-and-Starplate.... you can throw your shade cloth over in summer and plastic in winter. pretty cheap and durable and you can customize to suit your needs, ie hang things etc from it.  i will be experimenting with aluminum cans spray painted black to create solar thermal heating walls to heat the stock tank in winter. believe me, sounds way more complicated than i'll make it lol

looks like your having fun.  keep it real simple and enjoy!

Arik,

The water in the troughs comes from the fish tank and is replenished with it, giving the raft system the same nutrients as the grow bed. The water is added as necessary.

The solar pump I am using is only to provide a gently trickle of a flow during daylight hours, just to move the water slightly.

The bucket sump is just a collection point for over flow to facilitate the solar pump supply to the top trough. It is a closed loop system.

As far as winter affecting our system I live in Florida so this will not be necessary. 

Regards,
Bob


Arik Alan said:

Looks like a good start.  i would offer for consideration to incorporate the fish reservoir into the loop to supply nutrients to dwc.  right now it looks like your using a 5 gal bucket as a sump. why not utilize the stock tank? a larger low wattage recirculating pump would help add additional aeration to the stock tank by utilizing the returning dwc water over into the top causing the stock tank to overflow back to dwc.  try stacking your stock tank up on a few pallets if need be so it may have a water fall effect in to the top dwc tank. you can put the last dwc as sump and pump back. i would prolly change the design to a single long trough the entire length of the table and then cover with the polywall material with 1/2pvc fram supporting netcups.  This will trap in the humidity/moisture much better. this would be easy to do by creating a perimeter out of 2"x6" boards and lining with heavier plastic liner.  there is free liner material everywhere. be creative in your refuse. incorporate a natural bio filter.  I really like the "skippy filter" and use a variation i came up with in a system with over 3k gallons. working quite well.  hydroton would work well as a planting medium. they are reusable as well and can be "cleaned" with natural enzymes beneficial to the system. if you adjust the water level to just below the netcup or utilize a better lid system like the above suggestion the wicking will not be necessary. enuf humidity will form in the medium and the roots will chase down.  also, there is a simple dome building kit at http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/4-Inch-Bolt-and-Starplate.... you can throw your shade cloth over in summer and plastic in winter. pretty cheap and durable and you can customize to suit your needs, ie hang things etc from it.  i will be experimenting with aluminum cans spray painted black to create solar thermal heating walls to heat the stock tank in winter. believe me, sounds way more complicated than i'll make it lol

looks like your having fun.  keep it real simple and enjoy!

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