Just a note if anyone's keen to try. The gravel is cheap however very heavy, therefore the frame and grow bed needs to be considered. Also the gravel is sharp and can do root damage if relocating the plant. The aqua clay is allot more expensive however is very light in comparison and causes less root issues. Just about to setup a system with PVC tubes and net pots and aqua clay.
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Aquaponics
- Thread starter Ferrero
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agreed there dave, but if you pull a plant out of gravel you still get good roots but I suppose chilli plants are the exemption to this because they seem to go through more shock than any other plant i've grown in aquaponics. Gravels still a favourite for me but i suppose its what your used too more than anything else I can definately say that some of the rootstock veges do a little better in clay balls 
Been doing a bit of research, haven't found exactly what I'm looking for....
I have a small tank and a few fish, is it possible to do something similar to a raft with a plant or two directly in the tank instead of using a grow bed? It's something I'm looking into doing possibly in the future, no point in trying now as I'll be moving in a few months and my tank isn't exactly located where a plant could grow....
I have a small tank and a few fish, is it possible to do something similar to a raft with a plant or two directly in the tank instead of using a grow bed? It's something I'm looking into doing possibly in the future, no point in trying now as I'll be moving in a few months and my tank isn't exactly located where a plant could grow....
What about lava rock(Pumice).? Might be cheaper than clay balls but still lighter than regular rock.agreed there dave, but if you pull a plant out of gravel you still get good roots but I suppose chilli plants are the exemption to this because they seem to go through more shock than any other plant i've grown in aquaponics. Gravels still a favourite for me but i suppose its what your used too more than anything else I can definately say that some of the rootstock veges do a little better in clay balls
Yea a lot of the raft systems/ deep water culture have floating plants etc usually styrofoam holds them up
you can use it they do down south where I am there are no quarries that mine it. So yea I just use the 20mm gravel which works well
the most important thing is that whatever you get has a neutral ph"you can use it they do down south where I am there are no quarries that mine it. So yea I just use the 20mm gravel which works well
Not around here also, but I've seen it used in landscaping. So they must truck it in.
Goodluck with it mate I've found the larger the seedlings are the better results you will get
This spring I've planted a heap of chilli plants in my system heres my glog so you can check out the growth
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/31879-wildfires-downunder-glog-including-aquaponics/
