Comment

Comment by TCLynx on March 31, 2011 at 5:49pm

Well, those trees were in halved 100 gallon tanks in the picture.  Those were in too much shade and probably too root bound to produce.

I did have one flower and produce yummy fruit in a 100 gallon stock tank bed.  However, banana roots are beasts and it cracked the bed!!!!!

This spring I think I'm short on nutrients (I think my water cress has sucked all the nutrients out of my system and is taking hostages while demanding more)  Last year I was putting bananas into the aquaponics to suck up more of my over abundant nutrients.  I Have a 700 gallon tank running this big system and for the first two years it always had more than enough nutrients but this spring I think the water cress has changed things.

 

Aquaponics is always a balance and it is always going to be a little different from situation to situation.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about your son hurting the bananas but if he has a thing for gravel, that might be different.  Always make lockable covers for your fish tanks though.  I use fence panels with netting or shade cloth to secure my fish tanks.

Comment by Karen Matus on March 31, 2011 at 4:54pm

I'm curious.  How many banana trees do you have in aquaponics systems, and how well is it working for you?   What size fish tank does this system have?   I recently ordered two banana trees that I plan to grow indoors, but I wasn't thinking of hooking them to my aquaponics system (I'm a beginner), but perhaps down the road, as I get into the hobby more, I might revisit that idea.   I'm just wondering how big of a tank they would need, and how I'd keep my autistic son out of any fish tanks in the area I am hoping to put the banana trees.