Aquaponic NFT System on Penthouse

[Lagartijo]

Hello!!!! I'm from Puerto Rico and this is my first time posting my aquaponic System.

I will like some feedback and to give out there a new way to run a NFT on a roof.


I have a 35 gal Pond. 28 gal of water on it. SOme goldfish small some medieum and couple of Koi's.

Two pvc tubes, one 4 in diameter and the bottom one 6 in diameter. 38 gal of gravel.

2 month running and everything good!!!!

I Have Lettuce on the top and smaller pvc tube and some "cebollin", tomattoes on the butom tube with some basil and garlic.

Well so far very happy, with the system and very few problems.

What do you experts think about this system.

[GaryD]

Hi Lagartijo,

Welcome to APHQ.

Your system seems to be going well......particularly since it is only two months old.

Aquaponics systems will take at least six months to mature.....and will continue to improve even further over time. Many people report better cropping and root development (albeit smaller roots) in the second and subsequent years.

Gary

[Lagartijo]

Thanks, hope it keep going well.

Only thing that worries me is the temperature of the water; can get very hi. (94) I've been thinking of covering the pond.


Some advice on another method to maintain the water cool. Her in mid-day can get up to 99 degrees in summer time.

Water temperature can rice up to 98. That can not happen. So should I cover the pond with some open areas for ventilation.


Her is the latest test pic.

[DaveOponic]

Thanks, hope it keep going well.

Only thing that worries me is the temperature of the water; can get very hi. (94) I've been thinking of covering the pond.


Some advice on another method to maintain the water cool. Her in mid-day can get up to 99 degrees in summer time.

Water temperature can rice up to 98. That can not happen. So should I cover the pond with some open areas for ventilation.


Her is the latest test pic.

I run a similar setup, only with three pipes. Water is pumped from a concrete pond on the verandah and in shade so water temp. is not a problem. I am also in the tropics (Borneo) so direct sunlight can kill the plants. I use a heavy shade cloth over the pipes and have had success with basil, tomatoes, cucumbers. I even have a huge pipe with gravel in it and I grow mint in the pipe very sucessfully.

[Lagartijo]

I have a 4 in diameter pvc tube on the top 20 feet long filed with gravel 80% and a 6 in diameter pvc tube on the bottom, also with about 80% of gravel.

The 6 in pvc holds 23.48 gallons of gravel and the 4 inch pvc holds 10.43 gallons of gravel. Thats about 34 gallons of gravel to a 35 gallon pond. Pond is not full and have some rocks in it for fish to hide. Is about 28 to 30 gallons.

[Lagartijo]

Well, and update of my aquaponic system.

What should I do? My PH is at 7.5. Should I try to get it to 7 by adding some lemon juice? What about the fish and the lemon juice? Some one told me that peat moss will work to get ph down, a natural way, and it will not harm fish. What do you all think?

[GaryD]

Hi,

Some lemon juice will do it.......and so will white vinegar. Mix with water and add a little at a time - avoid a sudden shift in pH - fish definitely don't like that.

Gary

[Ravnis]

Before you lower your ph, consider this.
The ph will natually drop once the system matures and eats the carbonate sources in there gravel.
You will have good growth until that happens anyway at 7.5.
The cost of some Iron Chelate is probably about the same as the cost of vinegar or lemon juice to bring the ph down and will add nutrient at the same time.
By waiting till it comes down naturally, you will know when your system has matured.
When it does come down you will have to add a buffering chemical to bring it back up on a regular basis and this can be a pain. Why not put that off as long as you can?

[Lagartijo]

Thank you!

I started my System the firs week of January, by july it should start dropping down the ph level?

Every thing that I put in the system grows very well; Tomatoes, lettuce, garlic(experimenting), and Chives.

Thank you all again!