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micro system for training classes

I have become a training affiliate for Friendly Aquaponics and will teach classes on their micro systems.

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Comment by Christian James on September 30, 2010 at 11:26am: Thanks, I guess I'm just worrying too much :-)

Comment by Chris Smith on September 30, 2010 at 10:13am: I use the big compressed blocks of fine coir. I soak them for a minimum of 24 hrs to soften them up. I break it up into small pieces and run it through a lath screen to insure there are no big chunks. After the screen I will rinse out the coconut coir several times with tap water to let out any tannins and other impurities. Once the tap water has drained out, I mix in the vermiculite and add a few buckets of system water for some nutrient. If some coir falls out into your trough it is no big deal. The coir does not decompose easily and provides habitat for gammarus and midge fly larvae to live. I have had coir at the bottom of my first trough for nearly a year now with no problems.
Chris

Comment by Christian James on September 30, 2010 at 3:23am: Hey Chris, What type of coco coir do you use? The chunks or the fiber bricks? I don't have my system fully up and running, but I'm finding that the brick coir I bought is draining out of my 3" net pots in my seedling tests. I'm worried this might build up in the system and cause problems down the line. I'm going to try the chunks next, and maybe try and find some bigger vermiculite.

Comment by Chris Smith on July 2, 2010 at 4:33pm: I do not buy any supplies from the local hydro stores as they highly inflate prices for a cash paying clientele. I buy my supplies from nursery/greenhouse supply stores. I will post some pics of my sprouting tables, but it won't be until early next week. I simply divert water to the table instead of the tank for a short time. My overflow drain has small holes drilled at the base to slowly let water drain off.
Chris

Comment by Michelle Silva on July 2, 2010 at 3:27pm: Could you post pics of how you incorporate thi into the system? Do you need a separate pump?

Comment by David Hart on July 2, 2010 at 1:38pm: Ok....'Thanks' Chris.
I was doing the 'guy thing'....give the rockwool a try..'.THEN' read the directions...lol. Now that I re-read your earlier post....I see that you did say, that you 'flood' your table...as in flood 'and' drain.
I'll have to price the coconut coir at some of the local hydro stores.
Thanks again.

Comment by Chris Smith on July 2, 2010 at 12:31pm: Rock wool has a natural high pH and that's why they recommend pre soaking. I use coconut coir as it is way cheaper for more volume. My sprouting table can only fill to about an inch before overflowing. The table will slowly self drain completely in about 10 minutes. The coconut soaks up all the moisture needed.
Chris

Comment by David Hart on July 2, 2010 at 8:31am: Thanks Chris.....That must be why my experiment wasn't working so well. I was testing sprouting lettuce seeds, by placing them in rockwool cubes in 2 inch net pots...and placing them into the small raft set up I have. Out of 12 cubes, only one sprouted.
I was wondering if my water's PH ...6.8...might be effecting the germination rate. But, maybe they are just too wet (?) I guess your sprouting table's water, is pretty shallow (?)
Also, the pack of rockwool cubes, says to pre-soak them briefly in water, with a PH of 5.5.....???? No, I didn't do that. Any one have a comment on that ?

Comment by Chris Smith on July 2, 2010 at 12:47am: I sprout my seeds on a sprouting table that I flood daily with system water. Once the seeds germinate and roots pop through the net pot, I put then into the system. If the net pots are put into the system with ungerminated seeds you will get poor germination due to rotting issues.

Comment by Michelle Silva on July 1, 2010 at 7:45pm: Oh yeah, and I decided to go against doing the mortar on the block. I thinking I wasn't going to put the seeds on the raft tanks until the grew but then would need to water every day..are you just direct seeding into those tighter spacing rafts into 2" net pots and transferring the net pot to larger spaced raft tank or taking seedling out and putting into a new net pot?