Comment

Comment by Nate Storey on February 24, 2012 at 12:28pm

Yeah, you'll learn a lot- figuring out towers can be frustrating- esp. in media based techniques- It took years and lots of failures to design my towers.  Good luck!  Feel free to ask if you have any questions.  I'm happy to help however I can.

Comment by JRComito on February 24, 2012 at 12:25pm

Thanks Nate for the insights. I wondered about the percolation as well as the prospect of it clogging with algae or other biogunk. As for filtering, so far it's just the prefilter on the pump. I also built a natural stone waterfall that circulates 24/7 providing oxygen and some mechanical filtration. There is a bed of pea gravel on the bottom of the pond and the tower rests on it. I considered using the original bucket the tower set in as a bio/sediment pre filter, but I got a bit stuck on the plumbing. This is definitely a learning experince.

Comment by JRComito on February 24, 2012 at 11:52am

Sounds right to me. Looks like I'll have to do a test! :D

Comment by Nate Storey on February 24, 2012 at 11:51am

You're going to have a bugger of a percolation problem with that stuff.  I think you'll find that the algae, and biofilm issues with that material are a problem.  Remember that most hydro media is designed for low diversity, sterile culture being irrigated at low rates.  You'll want to filter your water really well before dumping it in there and even then you'll have to watch out for anaerobic issues as it matures- and you'll want to incorporate a separate biofilter to cover nitrification when you have to throw away that material and put in new stuff.

Comment by matthew ferrell on February 24, 2012 at 11:50am

It should have the same effect as the vermiculite.  The capillary action should pull water up through that media.  At lest I think it would.

Comment by JRComito on February 24, 2012 at 11:48am

In other words, it holds its shape when fully saturated.

Comment by JRComito on February 24, 2012 at 11:46am

Yes. It seems to allow the fluids to soak to a given concentration and then let's loose and drains freely. I am using it in a vertical application with the drip inlet at the top so it just flows right through. I have not tried it horizontally yet so I can't say how it behaves in that application. I am curious though. I currentlly have decent results with ebb/flow conatainers and straight perlite. The in/outlet is one bulkhead fitting and a 3" slotted riser that leaves 3" of nutrient in the bottom at all times, keeping the perlite moist with a wicking action. I wonder how well the Sure to Grow media works in a similar application.

Comment by matthew ferrell on February 24, 2012 at 11:00am

Is it still lightweight after it is saturated?