Aeration with deep water culture

[hwsiii]

I am intending on growing deep water culture lettuce in two fish tanks, the problem as I perceive it, is that with where I live the heat in the summer creates a problem with dissolved oxygen in the water. My intentions are to run pvc around the interior of the tank walls and introduce an air pump line into the water pump to enhance oxygenation in the water, while leaving an area around the perimeter for the bubbling to perform its job.

I would appreciate any input into why this is not a feasible option, or if there is an easier alternative to this that I haven't thought of.




H

[GaryD]

Hi hwsiii,

I am intending on growing deep water culture lettuce in two fish tanks, the problem as I perceive it, is that with where I live the heat in the summer creates a problem with dissolved oxygen in the water.

Summer temperatures are certainly an issue when it comes to dissolved oxygen levels.....but plenty of supplementary air, and a good filtration system, will help to overcome that issue.

My reading of your post suggests that you are going to grow lettuce in the fish tanks. Is this right? If so, what are you going to do to prevent the fish from snacking on your lettuce roots. This is also not generally a good idea because solid wastes will adhere to the plant roots.

My intentions are to run pvc around the interior of the tank walls and introduce an air pump into the water pump to enhance oxygenation in the water, while leaving an area around the perimeter for the bubbling to perform its job.

Save yourself a lot of work (and experimentation) by just chucking some air stones into the tank. Whenever I've attempted to make an air manifold of the type that you described, I've always made the air holes too large.

Gary

[hwsiii]

Gary, thank you very much for your help in this decision. Although I have made these manifolds in the past and had good results, maybe I was just lucky those times. LOL

For the fish snacking, I know they would like that, LOL I have a plastic mesh that sticks down about 6 inches below the rafts and is just attached to the bottom of the raft to stop them from getting to the roots.

I must be wrong, but I thought that having the solids attach to the roots was a good thing, so that when you pulled the plants in a month that getting rid of the solids this way would be good for the water, is there something that I don't know about the solids that you are talking about.

H

[Pugo]

Solids removal is the key to successful floating raft. The reason why various filters are necessary is quite simple.
The plants roots need to be heavily oxygenated. The roots themselves are immersed in water all the time. Dirt particles and fecal matter need to be eliminated as the they will adhere to the white roots of the plant and actually block the plants roots from taking up the vital oxygen and minerals, then you have the problem if there is enough buildup on the roots anaerobic bacteria will form then your plants die. Therefore the need for an adequate filtration system.