Aquaponics Issues Video Update

in dtube •  6 years ago  (edited)


In this video I show you a few issues I'm having with my experimental aquaponics system. Mostly dealing with algae in my growing media over my sump and insects in my main media bed.

Here is the mirror on YouTube

If you have any thoughts on what I could do to improve I'd love to hear it.

Peace and Joy,
Greg @makinstuff


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The ants are likely there because of the aphids. They actually farm the aphids for there excretions. Diatomaceous earth will kill the aphids but you would want to watch out that you don’t get it on the ladybugs

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Thank you for the suggestion @andre-ager, cool fact about the ants there! I didn't know they farmed the aphids.

  ·  6 years ago (edited)

I agree, once your vicious hunters the ladybugs take care of the aphids, that should fix your problem with the ants. It's a bit of a waiting game. If you find more hunters in the house, bring them to the aphids.

On your algae, from what I've read, you want to make sure the tops of the rocks don't get submerged. I think you want about an inch of dry rocks on top. Some of those cups need to be topped up with rocks, the more empty ones have the most algae. And maybe add a ring of tape or string to your cups to hold them a little higher. Or maybe a thicker float pad would be better. Or glue some foam pads to the bottom to float this one a little higher.

Nice suggestions @jonnylay! I'ma give the extra foam a try and add some extra pea gravel so the top isn't exposed to the sun hopefully keeping that algae down.

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Thank y'all

I also think that the ants are probably there because of the aphids.
One suggestion that I would make is to use a thicker piece of foam board for your floating net cup holder in the sump. I would go with inch and a half foam board. It will hold the netcups further out of the water, but the bottoms of the netcups will still be submerged, so you won't have any problems with the plants drying out.
I wish I could get ladybugs in my greenhouse in the summer time. :-)
Don't forget to post this to your patreon page. :-)

Thank you for the suggestions Amber! I will get this and my recent video up there on the patreon page.

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