DIY Wet/Dry Hydroponics plant questern
- Thread starter Lil_Stinker
- Start date
as far as light go on for alteast 12 hours. do not cycle them it will mess up the plant growth. constant light is better. besides you don't want your light to hot start.
i ws also thinking about flow rate. for a 55 you need atleast 250 gph wich is a little strong for the roots.
i ws also thinking about flow rate. for a 55 you need atleast 250 gph wich is a little strong for the roots.
Good info, thanks.
I guess I might need divert some of the water to reduce the root flow. I was planning a flow in the area of 3-400 gph.
But then again I can use a lower rate as there is a Penguin 350b HOB in place as well as the UG system.
The production system will be on a couple tanks a 180 & a 75 to start. then a few more may be added later.
Hi Lil_Stinker,
With a handle like that, I'd want to be called lieutenant too ( Salvation Army? )
Well as they say 'been there - done that - got the t-shirt', just not on such a small scale. Your not going to see that much benefit with your flow rates needed for your tanks. Granted you can claim some benefit ( just ask anyone dealing with holistics ) you may get the same results with a sand / algae bed filter, just no veggies.
A veggie filter bed is all about surface area & surface area is all about evaporation... see where I'm going? I'm talking 6ft x 10ft surface for the smaller tank.
If your just wanting filtration, go with water hyacinths they need lots of light but are one of the best filter plants for the money
On the "production" system put your lights on a pulley system so you can adjust their height as the plants goes. Depending on your type of lights, they may have to be closer than you think.
Install a UV system in the return line to the tank. If your plants are growing good you will have some algae there.
For aquaponics to work and your fish to live, your bio-load has to change as the plants progress. ph / desolved solids / desolved oxygen / etc meters are a must.
OK...Links, about the only ones you can believe are the University studies and projects, they have to show their results - good or bad. Everyone else is trying to sell something. It's best to learn as much as you can of the truth, then you can read everything else and filter out right from bull feces. (ooo fertilzier)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH030
Note the troth system at the left: http://www.suagcenter.com/documents/Extension Cirular -vertical gardening.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS184
http://www.progressivegardens.com/growers_guide/plantnut.html
http://aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/454fs.pdf
If this is just for fun, have a ball. You can cut alot of corners, if the plants / fish die you just get some more.
If your trying to re-invent the wheel, there is no corner cutting. If something dies you have to prove why it did or it will happen again. And keep log books, ledgers and diaries.
Sorry for the fragmented reply, There's so many places to start.
I'm not trying to deter you, just give you some of my hard earned insight that took years and big $ to aquire.
If I can be of futher help, let me know...if not let me know.
Good Luck.
Dr Joe
With a handle like that, I'd want to be called lieutenant too ( Salvation Army? )
Well as they say 'been there - done that - got the t-shirt', just not on such a small scale. Your not going to see that much benefit with your flow rates needed for your tanks. Granted you can claim some benefit ( just ask anyone dealing with holistics ) you may get the same results with a sand / algae bed filter, just no veggies.
A veggie filter bed is all about surface area & surface area is all about evaporation... see where I'm going? I'm talking 6ft x 10ft surface for the smaller tank.
If your just wanting filtration, go with water hyacinths they need lots of light but are one of the best filter plants for the money
On the "production" system put your lights on a pulley system so you can adjust their height as the plants goes. Depending on your type of lights, they may have to be closer than you think.
Install a UV system in the return line to the tank. If your plants are growing good you will have some algae there.
For aquaponics to work and your fish to live, your bio-load has to change as the plants progress. ph / desolved solids / desolved oxygen / etc meters are a must.
OK...Links, about the only ones you can believe are the University studies and projects, they have to show their results - good or bad. Everyone else is trying to sell something. It's best to learn as much as you can of the truth, then you can read everything else and filter out right from bull feces. (ooo fertilzier)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH030
Note the troth system at the left: http://www.suagcenter.com/documents/Extension Cirular -vertical gardening.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS184
http://www.progressivegardens.com/growers_guide/plantnut.html
http://aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/454fs.pdf
If this is just for fun, have a ball. You can cut alot of corners, if the plants / fish die you just get some more.
If your trying to re-invent the wheel, there is no corner cutting. If something dies you have to prove why it did or it will happen again. And keep log books, ledgers and diaries.
Sorry for the fragmented reply, There's so many places to start.
I'm not trying to deter you, just give you some of my hard earned insight that took years and big $ to aquire.
If I can be of futher help, let me know...if not let me know.
Good Luck.
Dr Joe
People always overlook the obvious. The most valuable plants you can grow in an Aquarium set up are 
Aquarium plants.
Use fast growers like acerus or my personal favorite java moss and riccia.
I have been thinking about a system using duck weed. It multiplies very fast and takes up a lot of nutrient. One problem I see is you are growing the plants down stream of a nitrate converter. Most plants prefer ammonia.
Wayne
Aquayne
Aquarium plants. Use fast growers like acerus or my personal favorite java moss and riccia.
I have been thinking about a system using duck weed. It multiplies very fast and takes up a lot of nutrient. One problem I see is you are growing the plants down stream of a nitrate converter. Most plants prefer ammonia.
Wayne
Aquayne
It really depends on what you will grow as to the ph of the water vs. the proper ph for the plants. you will definately need an airstone in the plant tray unless you will be using baskets to keep some of the roots out of the water or they will drown. I have a couple different hydroponics units in my fishroom, but separated due to the nutrients needed for non-water plants. I however do run a tank full of Java Moss, Giant Duckweed & some other nitrate eating aquarium plants with ghost shrimp to keep it clean.
The Bamboo may work as it seems to be a water tolerant plant.
Good Luck!
The Bamboo may work as it seems to be a water tolerant plant.
Good Luck!
This is prime!
I would like to know how often you would need to change your water with this kind of set up! It would be a complete eco-system contained in your basement. Maybe you should talk with NASA
Nasa started its study of aquaponics in the early 70's. Hydroponics before that.
