Aquaponics system update week 18 & 19
Hello Steemit. An update on the application of beneficials. I planted lettuce, new snow peas and harvested a second batch of rhubarb. Pepers still very much green :(
New Lettuce
I had to make some space for the new lettuce, I'll be comparing the growth to the same lettuce growing in soil. There are also some new snow pea plants at the sides. The peas are supposed to be planted early spring, I don't know what they will give in autumn. The mug in the middle is beer to catch slugs. Working great so far. The big leafed plant is physalis.
Below is the before picture, I pulled some tomatoe plants and harvested the rhubarb to make space.
Beneficials
The slug control by way of beer in a mug is working great on the other hand. I already caught one slug, some flies and no lettuce leafs were eaten
Aquaponics is vacation right at home :D
Nutrients
I switched to adding calcium carbonate instead of kalium hydroxide for a week. I'm back to kalium now, I seem to have eyeballed it really good because calcium is now at an ideal 200 ppm. I had to add a big spoon each day. You need quite a lot of calcium carbonate if this is your sole ph up. Nitrates crawling higher at 40 ppm. I'll maybe add a bit of phosphor again. Also the latest strawberries are forming normal again. High hopes they taste better compared to the spring ones when nutrients were pretty anemic across the board.
| Element | My values | Typical hydroponic solution |
|---|---|---|
| N | 40 | 210 |
| P | 5 | 31 |
| K | >45 | 235 |
| Ca | 200 | 200 |
| Mg | 30 -40 | 48 |
| Fe | 0.8 | 1 to 5 |
| Cu | 0 (smallest I can measure is 0.1) | 0.05 |
| NO2 | 0.2 | 0 |
I'm working on a Aquaponic system myself , using feeder fish in a 15 gal. tank at this time as my seeding/sprouting bed. What temp. do strawberries prefer right now my water temp. is 76 F. I'm thinking of adding a small radiant heater to up the air temp. alittle. Or should I add another small water heater. The system is indoors . Want to build up to grow year round.
up voted/followed/resteemed
I think strawberries prefer a bit cooler, 76 is about their limit I think to produce fruit. Low 70s is a good temp to have a wide variety of legumes. Are you thinking you will need the extra heat in winter? Feeder fish don't need heated water at least not gold fish. You may want to spend some extra on growlights instead if you are indoors.
One more thing about strawberries. I know commercial growers put the roots in freezers during winter. So strawberries need a cold period to have healthy blooms. If you have them inside all year that might be something to think about.
Awesome possum !! Thank you ! The extra heat I'm thinking of is because I'm using LED grow lights and they don't put out radiant heat , trying to raise air temp a little , give it more of an outdoorish (LOL) conditions . Plus a small 4 watt fan to keep air movement .