Outdoor Hydroponics

[Trewarin]

I have an outdoor aquaponic system, I'm in the southern hemisphere so it's spring here.

I was wondering how I could keep some plants from growing above my fence line/getting WAY too big.

They have all the sunlight, and all the nutrients they need... and as the aquaponic system makes raised beds at waist height, I need to keep them short. Should I put some buckets over them for 12 hours a day to induce flowering while they're short?

sorry if this is vague... I'll post some pictures tomorrow when it's daylight, they're looking SUPER healthy, and currently tucked in behind some celery plants

 

[crfhonda]

Tie them down is the answer your going to get from 99% of the people on here. Just take string and tie it around the branches and make them grow side ways instead of vertical.

 

[CANNABEST]

Lst or top them

 

[stoney917]

Lookin kfoward to seein them pics I'd personally just keep toppin them... I always dream of our hydro trees lol.. Swimming pool tables and buried hot tub dwcs with 20 lbs on dem...

 

[stoney917]

I ment to say training them not topping them lst hst and heavy pruning...

 

[Trewarin]

Video up soon, I'm going to look at tall rows of beans to hide them too.

 

[Trewarin]

http://youtu.be/YCoZu82quJw



These were VERY sick seedlings, that were in soil... then a poorly maintained DWC system.

They have been recovering for a few (cold) weeks in the aquaponics system, and almost all signs of sickness and deficiency is gone.

The system is fishless at the moment, as you can see it's being rebuilt. water flow will be:

SUMP>FISH (or HEAD) Tank>DWC Floating Raft (lettuce)>DWC Raft (more lettuce)>Gravel grow-bed (ebb and flood)>sump

Stay tuned! More seedlings (started in Vermiculite so they transplant to the system easily) popped this week.

 

[Trewarin]

I thought I'd illustrate how the system will be within a week or so, to help explain the flow of water.

There is ONE pump in the sump (far left, beneath gravel grow-bed) that pumps to the fish-tank, which is raised as a header tank.
All the water is overflow/gravity fed back through the system.
There will be a venturi in the fish-tank for oxygenation.

The rapid ebb and flow from the last grow-bed, settle's the particulate matter into the bottom few inches that I have setup to NOT drain. this area is populated with worms, who help break down the fish-poo into trace minerals for the plants (the NPK coming largely from the ammonia-nitrate converting bacteria contained in the water/gravel of the system.)

The system as it stands has had only a bottle of seaweed extract and a dash of fish emulsion for all the growth you see in it + a few lbs of lettuce and spinach already harvested.

 

[trichrider]

very cool.
are you also solar? that would be the bomb. looking forward to your pics.

 

[D.D.]

If you can keep them tied down like watermelon vines with bare copper wire and let your side branches grow upward as individual plants would... the branches can be tied down too..to promote more growth and get more light to the budding sites.
I would like to have several systems like that..but.. using 12 volt marine supplies (pump / battery bank) and a couple of solar lighter-plug style chargers.
Is it continuous flow or is it on a timer? I understand the leaching process somewhat, but am lost on the nute delivery. is it weak and constant?

After looking at the full size picture i can see the fish, if i can make the thumbnail somewhat larger..

It looks like one might be able to keep a steady flow from a well stocked pond and let the water leach through the grow medium without having to worry about timers. Only worry would be finding the right medium to get things to leach properly.

Im new at ebb&flo systems.. matter of fact.. have always grown exclusively in the dirt, but this shows some promise, and might open up a few spots i would only visit 2 or 3 times a year.. Flooding would make it impracticable to grow right where the water naturally leaches this way.. but if i could pump a constant supply up a small bank and out of the flood plane, my chances of success will be less dependent upon the river staying in bank.

 

[Trewarin]

Hey guys, thanks for tuning in!

It's not solar at the moment, when the system moves in a year or so it will be run from my houses solar panels, so electricity is available without batteries on cloudy days too.

The pump is on CONSTANTLY, no timer. The last grow-bed floods and drain purely due to its bell siphon, and the previous two beds stay permanently flooded DWC style (for my lettuce and leafy green needs).
This setup is known as CHOP - consistent height, one pump.
Ideal for its simplicity, the use of a sump means the fish tank water stays at a permanent height, as I could just use the growled and sump with fish in it... By this method allows me to stock more fish, and maintain a more stable temperature/nutrient levels/PH due to large water mass. The sump is the smaller body of water, so is buried partially to prevent evaporation and water heating up.

The pump is a 40w, 4000lph agricultural pump so the cost is extremely low.

Infact, the entire build will end up costing me less than $200, as I've sourced lots of recycled materials.

The nutrients are a constant, medium level not low. And as they are ALL available for plant uptake once the system is "cycled" , deficiencies are rare... More on this later.

The only daily upkeep the system needs is feeding the fish, but an automatic feeder would do away with this.



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[Trewarin]

any interest in this thread?
I'm happy to keep updating and even post some photo's from the build etc if there is.

 

[CasioCalculator]

Don't take the lack of posts as lack of interest bro. Aquaponics is the future now lets see how you do it.

 

[bajangreen]

you could always grow autos

 

[Dipper]

Cool system! I've never seen anything like it before so I've got a few questions.
Firstly, will you be able to provide all your plants nutritional needs and maintain an hospitable environment for the fish? Say, for instance your plants started showing nutrient deficiencies, how would you remedy this?
Secondly, what species are the fish? do they need to be a certain species?
And finally, where exactly are the worms and what prevents them from drowning?
I'm not knocking it, just trying to get my head round it. I think its a great idea and wish you every success with it

 

[D.D.]

any interest in this thread?
I'm happy to keep updating and even post some photo's from the build etc if there is.

Yeah , im interested
I'd like to see the build and understand how it works better.

My original comment on the idea is just my usual "How can i hide this in the jungle?" thoughts.
as you get to know me, you will understand why i think that way (about anything grow related)

So yeah, post up.. I'm interested, and sure others are interested.
The outdoor forums are just a little slow moving this time of year.

 

[Trewarin]

Before...



And after a few coats of paint. The fish tank in a whole IBC, the bladder is painted blue to help prevent algae growth.
This should be enough in its location as a large piece of shade-cloth is going up over the fish-tank to help cut down on direct sunlight. Layers of hessian and shade-cloth on the tank itself has shown on other systems to be great at lowering temps too. (Or raising them in winter)

1000 litre tank for $40? Just keep an eye out for used ones that had water soluble chemicals in them, use of a hot water pressure sprayer will clean them out fine, I always clean them multiple times though ...usually with bleach at least once.

As far as the plants showing nutrient deficiencies, depending on the age of the system.. Iron supplementation may be needed in small amounts, never has though yet on a system I've run... But I believe a chelate is used. Same could be the case with magnesium or calcium, but I keep a stocking full of cooked egg shells hanging into the sump tank.

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[Trewarin]

The fish species I've picked is Jade Perch, it's a beautiful Australian native that has the highest omega 3 content of any fish in the world and is arguably one of the best freshwater eating fish on the planet too.

It gains very close to 1lb of body weight for 1lb of food given to it, and is omnivorous... So green waste like lettuce that's gone to seed or trim etc can be fed to them to supplement their commercial food.
I like a system with very little waste, hence the fish choice... They also don't need grading like other fish might, if one of them gets bigger it won't start trying to eat the other fish.
Tilapia are commonly used in the USA, but ANY fish that has gills and eats food can be used. As my fish (40+ of them) will go from being an inch long to being 2 pounds or more in about a year, and are fucking delicious... I won't be convinced to consider another species.

 

[CasioCalculator]

Thats awesome, when I move out of an apartment and into a house, I definitely plan on doing some aquaponics to feed myself and family. You seem to have the design pretty well planned out am I am excited to see it in action.

 

[Trewarin]

@Casio

Hey mate! I can give you idea of the space required to feed a family of five with this sort of system. Don't forget that it may not be always cheaper produce than you supermarket... but it is ORGANIC, no pesticides guaranteed and no wasted water.