Over the course of Hari Raya celebration, my aquaponic system has absolutely went crazy. I kid you not but when I came to my brother's house to take a look at the system, I was growing so well I couldn't believe my eyes. I'll let these following pictures explain...
The fishes are fine, water is crystal clear. Water pH was not tested but it has got to be absolutely perfect seeing the plants went bezerk! The same could be said for nitrates.
Lets take a look at the system...
The first set of growbeds have nothing but kailan (Chinese Broccoli) except for one okra plant that is only growing its new shoots.
The second set of growbeds are pretty much just asking to be harvested, which I did after taking these photos. I had to make some room for the other plants because some plants are just taking too much space!
These are kailans that have been harvested with the cut-and-come-again method. They have grown successfully. The one on the right shows how we harvest the previous plants, just cut em and come again later.
This, is the biggest kailan I've grown so far. If I can remember, it is about 8 weeks old and is only beginning to bolt. Honestly, I've never grown kailans this big and has never seen any this big either. The stem must be super juicy!
Flower buds coming off the kailan.
This one is also a giant...I can't wait to have the harvested kailans for dinner tomorrow!
This one is 3 weeks old. Unsurprisingly, they grow much quicker than the previous batches.
Pennywort (pegaga) has also went crazy. It is now trying to invade into adjacent pots. It's gonna be a war between the pennywort and the kangkong and carrot neighbors...
Kangkung is going crazy too...First they went for the ground, then it kept growing by climbing itself back up again...what a crazy plant...
Remember the hongkong kailan. They are about 6 weeks now. They are not as big as their other variety of kailan that I have...I think they grow slower than the other variety as well...
I harvested the mint last time...3 pots of mint I have, after a bit more than 2 weeks, they went crazy again...this time I harvested all but one pot...
Butterhead lettuce seems fine now...I plucked one leaf and it was crisp and sweet!
The mint that I harvested...Goes to three mothers that I know for mint tea and cooking...
One of the jumbo kailan that I harvested. This one went especially for my mother! Kinda like saying, thanks for raising me up Ma, I raised this kailan for you...
Until next update!!!
So, what actually happened to the system? I'll tell you, before I left for Hari Raya I've accidentally left the timer to continuously 'on' and not using the timer. Secondly, I've also increased the bypass flow from the pump straight back to the fish tank to reduce the flow to growbeds so that neither of the siphon could start. What this did to the system for almost two weeks is that it ran with the continuous flood method.
Wow, I swear I never knew it was gonna be so different. Among the inputs I got from Backyard Aquaponics Forum is that many plants like it better with either continuous flood or flood and drain without siphons. The champion of it all can be seen at the BYAP Trials where they tested the three common methods to irrigate the growbeds.
So, I've activated the timer again but I didn't activate the siphon. Thus the system will now be running on flood and drain but without siphon usage. I believe the plants need a longer soaking of the fish water to absorb nutrient sufficiently. Thus this setup of 1 hour flood and 1 hour drain will be sufficient. Or at least, this will be another experiment...I know my fellow friend Izham Wong will be so interested in this experiment...
Things I observed/learned:
1) Though I changed the irrigation method by accident. This proves that you must conduct some trials to see what works best for your system. Though I found that the continuous flood method amazing, I'm now fiddling around with the flood and drain (without siphon) method. In 2-3 weeks I'll report again...
Thanks for your continuous support!
Yes, I do! Interesting to see how all of your vegies grow well and healthy, though it is big from normal market size. It doesn't matter anyway cuz it will go straight into your kitchen.
ReplyDeleteFor kangkung, I suggest harvest it without removing its roots. Timing around 2 weeks after transplant, and another 2 weaks after 1st harvest, and another 2 weaks after 2nd harvest.
After that, better start replanting because the kangkung will be small size each time after you harvested it.
Looking for more updates from you friend. :)
Thanks for the suggestion on Kangkong, I will be observing them regrow since I have harvested them when I post this blog. One question though, these were planted from cuttings (bought from supermarket) so does this harvest count as the first or second harvest?
ReplyDeleteI think it can be considered as 2nd harvest. Actually I do prefer seeds rather than cutting for first planting as we don't know what kind of place had the plant undergone. We don't want to have too much pesticide residue in the plant we plant.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your system...if it's not too much trouble, could you provide additional plant growth chronology info like when it was planted, how large it is after certain days or when it start to flower or bear fruit?
ReplyDeleteRight now there's a lot of research on design but very little info on plant growth...since yours is a matured aquaponics system...any info would be of great help.
Sure thing, and it is something that I've wanted to do as well which is to investigate the plant growth chronology. However I'm a bit tied up with something else for the coming months and thinking about closing the system until I relocate it to another place.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteYou guys inspire me to start my own Aquaponic systems. Now, have settle using IBC system and Coco Fiber as media (flood and rain using timer). My vegetable (Sawi / Kangkung) growing thanks to tilapia and lampan fish water. Looking forward for more exchange of ideas. If only the guys doing aquaculture / vegetable grower can combined both method here.
I was so impressed with what you have accomplished that I wanted to start one on my own. Let me know if you allow visit to your place.
ReplyDeleteHow's your system going?
ReplyDeleteI've been refreshing your blog page nearly everyday... :D
Please share your excitement with us!
Dear all, our system has been idle because my brother couldn't find time to commit himself to take care of it. While I'm waiting for the time to settle in my own place, I'm designing a larger system which would accommodate the current gutters, vertical towers, and traditional gravel filled beds. This is this year's big project and will start to take place on the late half of 2012. In the mean time, I will try to entertain those who've contacted me for advices and so on. Cheers and thanks for visitting this blog!
ReplyDeleteNice! Will be waiting for that day...
DeleteThere's something about aquaponics that's just so addicting... We always want to build a "next bigger system" in the future and it challenges us to fully utilize what limited space we have... :D
Yeay! I thought the blog was dead but it seems that I was wrong. I will wait for your next big update!
ReplyDeletesalam bro Mahfudz, cantik sayur2 bro tanam, memang menjadi nampaknya huhu..sya nak tanye dimana bro beli clay ball untuk tanam pokok2 tu..sya dah pusing satu shah alam untuk cari benda tu tp hampa kesudahannya, saya baru nak try test buat projek tanaman aquaponic ni...sya harap bro dpt membantu sya dengan memberitahu alamat atau nama kedai yang boleh sya dapatkan clay ball tu. skiranya bro tahu bolehla tlg email pada sya di danialarif2001@yahoo.com...harap sangat bro dapat bantu sya.
ReplyDeleteanyway nice blog broo...:-)
Saya pun mencarik clay ball tu, sampai semua kedai nursery sungai buluh masuk.. Tapi takde.. Last last pakai coco fiber as replacement
ReplyDeleteI got those clay balls from a nursery at Selangor Green Lane... They come in 50 litre bags, imported from Holand, at RM80 per bag...
ReplyDeleteI forgot which nursery was it... If you go there now, it should have a BIG RED Color Inflated Balloon Gate () at the entrance...
As far as i know, only that shop sells them those big 50L bags... The others sell those darker color clay balls in smaller bags...
Oh... and that shop has lots of indian workers (most of them)... You can see them standing outside the shop always "spraying" water to make the road wet... :D
ReplyDeleteInside that shop, you can find lots of pebbles and rocks at the left (they are quite cheap)... Their cashier is near the entrance at the left... At the right of their shop are gardening props such as rocks, wood, pots...
Next time I'll take a photo of that shop and record their address...
The LECA in 50 liter bags are available from LOT 19 Sungai Buloh Green Alley, shop name is Wellgrow Horti apparently they have a website too: http://www.wellgrowhorti.com/ back when I bought them about a year ago, they were RM60 per bag.
ReplyDeleteNelayan Langkawi: If you have an aquaponic/hydroponic setup please avoid organic material. They can rot and lower the pH of your system. Plus when it rots it can bring diseases too.
Anyone looking for Leca, please contact Keith: 0126720659 or
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mexca.com.my (or)
M-3-19, Plaza Damas
Sri Hartamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA
Tel No. : (+603) 6207 5768
Fax No. : (+603) 6207 5769
mahfudz.. untuk cover gutter tue u pakai polysterine rite? u tebuk lubang tu mcm mana ye.. i tengah nak resetup balik AP.. huhu.. just shutdown last 2 month..
ReplyDeleteI used a hotwire type polystyrene cutter, you can find them in Popular, MPH or any stationary shop.
ReplyDeleteMake a template on a cardboard using the actual pot you're gonna use. I use 85mm Baba pots. Trace the top of the pot onto a cardboard then trace a concentric circle with a smaller radius inside the first circle. The radius of the smaller circle should be about 2-3mm smaller. Cut along the inner line then you've got yourself a template.