"For an experienced perspective on prawns go here
http://www.friendlyaquaponics.com/support/newsletter-back-issues/
and look at issues 45 and 46.
Also http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y4100e/y4100e00.htm#TOC"
A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners
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Kate Mink
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high head, low flow pumps
Started this discussion. Last reply by halemart Dec 1, 2010. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Any recommendations for pumps that will lift 6 - 8 feet at very moderate flow rates (even 30 gal/hour would be fine)? I'm looking for something for a vertical setup. The little fountain pumps at Home…Continue
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Latest Activity
Kate Mink replied to Jonathan Hall's discussion Raft Structural Integrity in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture GrowersKate Mink replied to Jonathan Hall's discussion Raft Structural Integrity in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"Jonathan, I hope it works well for you. Please let us know!"
Kate Mink commented on Chris Smith's group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"Well, you're ultimately limited by square area - not width. Almost every commercial grower uses more, narrower troughs.
Hey, 2" Dow blue board costs almost $50 a sheet here, what with shipping! $16 sounds great. It does need to be 2"…"
Kate Mink replied to Jonathan Hall's discussion Raft Structural Integrity in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"Strapping wrapped horizontally around the trough will not keep the trough from bellying out in the middle. I have had good results from 2 approaches -
- nailing a length of 2 x 4 across the top of the trough, and
- putting stakes outside the trough…"
Kate Mink commented on Chris Smith's group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"Dustin, you might try regular spraying with Botanigard. It's expensive but safe to use right up to harvest, and controls a wide variety of pests. Many tomato wilts are carried by bugs, and the idea is to keep the bugs down, so stary spraying…"
Kate Mink replied to Mike Pollard's discussion Solids removal /bio filter in Friendly AP system in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"For a small, low-flow system you really don't need one. Remember that the bacteria and other organisms (Gammarus water fleas) do a lot of processing. Some material settles harmlessly to the bottom of the troughs, you clean it out every few…"
Kate Mink commented on Chris Smith's group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"Christian, what are your nutrient levels? Light? temperature? are your plants showing any signs of distress such as yellowing? If you pick one up, does it have lng healthy roots? Impossible to even guess what's going on without more information!"
Kate Mink commented on Chris Smith's group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"well, I like to maintain circulation 24/7. If you're getting aeration this way, as I am, you need it as much at night as by day, and it ensures that nutrients and O2 are always mixed. Turning pumps on and off can be hard on them, or they can…"
Kate Mink commented on Chris Smith's group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"Rick, a good flow rate is 2 -3 gallons per minute. Pump sizing is going to depend significantly on how far you have to lift the water. Many pumps will have more flow and less lift than you need. One piece of free advice - if you're…"
Kate Mink replied to Hydroponics Curacao's discussion Guppies in raft system in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"I've had guppies in my raft system for years. Didn't set out to have them, they came in with some wild-caught fish. Never caused a problem, except that when I have to drain a trough I don't like to kill them, yet they're a pain…"
Kate Mink replied to Jovan Johnson's discussion raft paint in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"I set up several years ago, used flat white latex house paint. On a later system I used beige, because I had some around and would have had to go by white. I believe the white reflects light up under the plants and for some that may be better. It…"
Kate Mink replied to Chris Smith's discussion Tilapia food"I'm also on Kauai (HI, Giorgio!) -- I tried these on my black tilapia and they wouldn't eat them. I think Bob Horn tried them on his golds, same thing. I might be interested in trying rabbit food for iron - can anyone tell me how much is a…"
Kate Mink replied to Jovan Johnson's discussion Poly cover as raft liner in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"True. I just don't think there's any margin for error with the virulent strains of E coli. Fortunately, it's easy to make aquaponics systems pretty much bulletproof on that. I love the fact that I never have to supplement anything…"
Kate Mink replied to Jovan Johnson's discussion Poly cover as raft liner in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"there are a lot of good systems out there with plenty of bacteria and no gravel, just smooth surfaces. As soon as you get any plants in, their roots will provide lots of surface area, too. Roots that look all clean and sterile are nonetheless…"
Kate Mink replied to Jovan Johnson's discussion Poly cover as raft liner in the group Raft/Deep Water Culture Growers"Hi,
I'm in Hawaii and shipping here is also dreadful. I've used the 6 mil poly for tank (not trough) liner twice - once it lasted a year, once only a few weeks before leaking. I won't try that again! It's uneven in quality,…"
Catherine Crowley replied to Kate Mink's discussion backyard/cheap vertical systems? in the group Vertical Aquaponics"Averan, That is a really nice set up. I have been looking into 'windowfarms.org' (FYI for everyone someone mentioned 2 ltr bottles and this group site has some fantastic examples), but I want to do something a little more…"
Profile Information
- How did you find us?
- Search engine (Google)
- If you found us through a search engine, what search words were you using?
- vertical aquaponics
- Are you an aquaponic gardener already?
- Yes
- If so, what type of system? (pick all that apply)
- I'm a science teacher running an experimental/educational system at a small private high school in Hawaii. I've been doing it for 2 years, constantly improving. Currently System 1 has a 1000 gallon fish tank feeding 9 4 x 8 styrofoam floats and some taro in milk crates, System 2 a 100-gallon stock tank feeding 2 4 x 8 floats. Our fish are tilapia, black or red, kept much more for fertilizer than for eating. Numbers have varied a lot; in our big system we had a fish disease last year and went to very low nutrient levels, which prompted a complete re-start. Small system has been stable with as few as 15 fish (only one float planted) and as many as 30. We've had good results with lettuce, basil, tomatoes, Thai winged beans, onions and taro; so-so with eggplant and peppers.
- Please tell us something else about yourself.
- I'm an engineer by temperment, a builder and biologist by inclination, a manager by history. I moved to Hawaii for a more relaxed lifestyle - ended up working harder than ever, poor in money, but loving most of what I do. I teach biology, marine science, green technology, math, and coach robotics; ever chance I get I snorkel or dive.
Comment Wall (1 comment)
- At 11:39pm on October 2, 2010,
Sylvia Bernstein said… - Hi Kate,
Thanks for joining the Aquaponic Gardening community! I hope you find it a fun place to explore aquaponics. There is a real blend of experienced and new aquapons in this community, so please don’t hesitate to join in. Always thrilled to have experienced growers join us – please post some photos of your system!
A great place to start is to read the How to Use This Site link on the upper right corner, “Start Here” section of the Main page.
Thanks again for joining us, and I look forward to getting to know you.
Sylvia
© 2012 Created by Sylvia Bernstein.
