@@brentstanford7707 A "true" or "proper" wicking bed does not require an ebb and flow process. Colin Austin might be the one who coined the term "wicking bed" (I'm not sure). But in doing so, he had not cited the need for reservoir flushing. According to his definitions, a *wicking bed:* _"is a way of growing plants in which water wicks up from an underground water reservoir."_ *_www.waterright.com.au/wicking_%20bed_technology.pdf_* _"Now how to make a wicking bed - it is absolutely simple. Take any watertight box. The dimensions are unimportant but the depth should be similar to the natural root depth of the plants you want to grow. (Typically about 300mm)._ _Fill with an appropriate soil ..._ _Find some way of filling the box from the bottom upwards. Just pocking a stick into the corner of the box to make a hole to fill with a hose works fine but a pipe system is better._ _Make some way of preventing the box flooding completely, a hole in the side again works fine but I really like a sight glass so I know and can regulate the water level._ _That's all there is to making a wicking bed."_ *_www.waterright.com.au/Newsletter24oct2015.htm_* This is exactly what my beds do. So they are simply one of many types of wicking beds. Keep in mind, Colin might have coined that term, but it is descriptive and fairly generic. Colin did NOT invent the idea of self-watering or sub-irrigated systems. Using his own definition of a basic wicking bed, Colin was not the first one to envision such devices. These ideas are more than ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD! _See this US Patent from 1917: _*_patents.google.com/patent/US1213331_* Something to note about Colin's designs. He has often discouraged the use of stones in wicking beds: _"They also used stones in the bottom layer. Now stones are far too large to have any wicking action at all but there is some water transfer by water evaporating from the reservoir and then condensing on the cloth and soil above as these are hydrophilic (attract water) so they do work to some extent. This however really caught on and soon there were thousands of wicking beds made with this incorrect method." _*_www.waterright.com.au/stones%20again.htm_* Colin has admitted though that stones are practical for larger boxes. *_www.waterright.com.au/TypesOfWickingBeds.pdf_*
@@kramermcjergen5711 It's actually much simpler than it might seem. *Sub-irrigation* is a method for delivering water. The water is channeled below the soil surface into the sub-soil or some lower reservoir. So a sub-irrigated bed is a planter that gets watered from below the surface. Plain and simple. This can apply to dozens of designs and it applies to many wicking beds too. *Wicking* describes the process of channeling reserved water upward towards the soil surface through the use of capillary forces. So a wicking bed would be a planter that pulls excess water from some lower reservoir and wicks it vertically to maintain soil moisture at the surface. My planters do exactly that. They are sub-irrigated by have the water added into a sub-soil reservoir. And they are wicking because that water is then slowly absorbed by wicking action. Technically, you can have a wicking bed that is not sub-irrigated. It could be top watered. In fact, when it rains that's exactly what happens. But sub-irrigated systems would usually be wicking systems as well, otherwise what's the point?
Ty for all of your ideas. Because of your videos I have switched from dwc to the wicking tubs and even one step further to root pruning wicking tubs. Just wanted to say many thanks so far so good
@@RobsAquaponics it was prob. My post you answered. I have allot of free time to watch and learn lately with covid-19 coming back strong here in the north east USA. Ty for all your videos. They have kept me sane
Very interesting that you mentioned Albopepper's design. I had watched his video using potting mix directly in the water, then you're videos always advocating fabric and sand. What made you convert? Wouldn't the Albopepper design go anaerobic?
I have 2 beds set up at the moment as a trial & so far they are doing OK. I used a very "bland" (for want of a better word) soil that was very sandy in the base. I don't think there's enough organic matter in there to make the base turn too festy & haven't notices any off smells as of yet. My previous builds that dis start to stink had very organic rich soil down low so I'd say that's what caused the issues I had. Cheers
Wow! so Informative, thank you, I've discovered a lot...getting ready to buy my raised garden bed and supplies...I've got to change my shopping list a bit.thanks.
At a certain degree of water potential, water will generally not wick from a fine media to a coarse media, even under the effects of gravity, unless the system is very saturated. People who do any kind of digging work often notice that a sand layer under a loam layer is often dry, even when the loam is moist.
Great video. There are multiple ways to construct sub irrigating beds / wicking beds. While sand may be more efficient small gravel works perfectly well. I prefer the drain pipe be set at the bottom of the reservoir to enable complete emptying. Allso prefer top of drain elbow set so water level comes to geotextile and then overflows. By using threaded pipe an extension can be added whenever you wish to flood bottom of soil for any reason, otherwise let wicking do it's thing. Many ways to skin a 🐈
Some definitely work better than others & will be going back to the way Colin Austin recommends they be built after running both proper wicking beds & the sub irrigated beds for a number of years now. 👍 Cheers & happy growing.
Just built the albo pepper design and I am working on filling it (hopefully with the proper soil medium... currently looking for a good recipe of perlite vermiculite coconut coir compost and garden soil... still new to all this) but I am already realizing some design changes for my next one. That stand pipe is one, and a larger inlet pipe is another. I altered the albo pepper design by putting places inside the bed for mounting either shade cloth or trellises. But... now I need to go learn a bit more about the proper “wicking bed” system that you described with the flood and drain design. I imagine using a lot of LAB (lactobacillus) and bokashi will help with anaerobic stuff going on, but I do like the concept of infusing fresh oxygen and actually letting the soil have the cycles that would be a bit more natural.... I am feeling a bit dumb.... I am an engineer and I can’t quite noodle out your coiled ads sand and gravel... does the water enter the ads and fill the gravel up until it comes around the pond liner then pouring into that bowl of sand? That bowl of sand never emptying? Alright. I’m only 3 minutes in. Going to finish watching, but thanks for your videos. Watched a few now and really appreciate your perspectives and comparisons... feels like the higher level classes on wicking beds and sub irrigated planters after the 101 and 201 classes. :p
Have heard of folks adding LAB to their reservoirs after they start to go a bit manky. Apparently it fixed all smell issues. How are your beds going now?
Each to their own I say. My neighbours would beg to differ when the base of a few wicking planters went anaerobic & stunk them out ;) Have used soil since again myself & while it worked I still think sand works better at moving the water up & spreading it out. Cheers.
@@RobsAquaponics The trick, according to Albo, and Leon, and the creators of the EarthBox and the Grobucket systems, is to have a 1" air gap between the top of the water and most of the potting mix, with just a small area, perhaps about 10% or less, of the potting mix which dips down directly into the reservoir area to act as the wicking zone.. The drain hole(s) maintain the air gap. If you use sand or gravel, they take up space (and are very heavy!) that would otherwise be more efficiently used as part of the reservoir or the potting soil. Another important element, according to these experts is to NOT use soil, but rather potting mix, as plain soil is too dense to have proper wicking abilities. These are differences I've noted. I also wonder if an IBC tote is too tall to be able to properly wick all the way to the top, but I don't have experience with that.
@@elizabethblane201 Thanks Elizabeth. Am familiar with both these chaps & have spoken to Albo a few times online. I follow the concept as laid out by the originator of the wicking bed system, Collin Austin with a few tweaks of my own added. 👍 I don't really see the need for an air gap as one will occur naturally as the water is drawn up from the base & into the soil in a day or 2 after filling. I have been growing in wicking IBCs & barrels successfully for over a decade now using variations on Colin's methods as have thousands of others with no issues so will be sticking with them for now. Here s a few of my clips if you want to check them out, czcams.com/play/PLBcWprMIwYYgCL4xDq6qcTQqDfW2tSdxF.html Cheers & happy growing.
Hi Rob, been watching your videos and looking at using wood bark in the bottom (seen a few guys add bark to their reservoirs) taken note of the wicking action and used 'wicking cells' that are filled with perlite (like the WaterUps design) but in some I have used sand, as it wicks really well. These beds can become smelly and anaerobic, if just water, which is not good. You've got stones around your base, then liner and then sand in the middle, I want to do something similar but with pine bark, just seeking advice, you think that would be fine mate? Also the Albopepper design comes from I believe Colin Austin, apparently the inventor of original wicking bed system and gives exceptional results.
Excellent set of videos Rob. Thanks for sharing these clips from Chris and your thoughts on changes in the beds overtime. Very helpful. Take care, Eric
Hi Rob, thanks for all the content you post. It's invaluable to new gardeners like me. I plan on building a couple of wicking beds in the fall. I'm having trouble following the discussion between SIP & wicking beds. I think I understand the difference between using sand versus organic matter (soil/potting mix) to wick, and understand the aerobic/anaerobic conversation. I also understand how EM and/or an air gap might mitigate the potential of an anaerobic situation that might start giving some offensive odors. What I'm not sure I understand is how an adjustable water level (via the swivel pipe) is relevant in that conversation. Does the length of the pipe extend past the wicking layer into the soil? Is the purpose to be able to flood the actual soil layer -- as opposed to simply allowing the capillary action to moisten it? Is it for flushing out salts, or for expelling pockets of gas built up in the soil? At what level do you drill the hole in the container -- at the "normal" water level? Do you leave the swivel down normally, so that it can simply act as an overflow drain -- and only swivel it upwards when you intentionally want to flood the soil? Or do you drill it as low as possible, and use the arm to intentionally adjust the arm, depending on how much rain you get (and therefore affecting the rate at which water is absorbed into the system)?
I'm so sorry I missed your post Tommy. Did you end up making the beds? I see SIP & Wicking beds as the same really, sand or soil could be used in the base of either & know folks that will prefer to use wood chi in theirs. The extra pipe length on the swivel drain comes in handy if you need to hold extra water ion the beds for a short period. I turn it up when we go away for a week to make sure there's enough water in the beds to keep the plants happy. As long as there isn't water sitting in the soil continually you shouldn't have any anaerobic issues but also think that adding EM could only help the beds performance even more. I haven't got around with adding any ferments to ours yet but still intend to do so down the line. Cheers & sorry again for taking so long to reply.
Wicked video cobber and also thanks Chris. I’ve always wanted to build one but never have because I was worried about the the base soils going sour. Honestly this will change things for my family here in central northern queensland 🍷🍷
@@RobsAquaponics Not saying anything against sand. Try scoria it has a lot more spaces between and holes within and holds a lot more water. You said do not use stones they do not wick. I agree but scoria is not like other stones. Only suggesting that you consider giving it a try.
@@jimgreenwood5360 I wasn't having a go either mate, I think I have comment fatigue as I've spent the last few days catching up on a few months worth. 😉👍 I know loads of folks that use scoria & have no problems with it at all. Many are aquaponics folks that have left overs from grow bed builds. It's hard for us to source cheaply here in SE QLD so that's why I said I use the sand. My next build will mainly have ag pipe for water holding with a small amount of sand to help the lateral wicking of the water. Bit hard to explain here but there will be a clip posted once it's built. Cheers Jim.
Are you sure contractors plastic is the best stuff for a raised garden that you're going to grow food in? The benefit of a pond liner is to get a material like EPDM, very durable food grade and will not crack in the winter, especially when you consider your water chamber might freeze if you live in a place like Michigan.
@@RobsAquaponics what about degradation and leaching into the soil? 6 mil visqueen is only really good for about 4 or 5 years at best below-grade, because it breaks down rather quickly.
Never heard of a wicking bed before, is it just for dry climates? The worm tower doesn't look like it would take much kitchen scraps, they must have an additional compost area
It can be used in any climate really I think Michael. Worms will tend to self regulate their numbers as I found running various different worm farms & in bed feeders. I took the feeders out of my beds (as I mentioned in the first clip) as I found the worms fed more on the aged manures & mulch I added to the beds. Cheers & happy growing.
So appreciate the time and effort that goes into these tutorials, I have been watching for weeks and yours is great! Editing this because Albo peppers one is great too. Am preparing to give it a go this season. We have a fairly short season in Norway but still very laborious to water all the time. I have a question I can’t seem to find the answer to in your tutorials I will be using the perforated pipe with the lever for flooding, sand in reservoir. Still a bit confused as to where to position the overflow, at 1:44 you show it being an inch or two above the pipe, in Albo peppers tutorial it gets placed at 3 inch mark height, where the pipe is 4 inch and often the pipe is positioned to cover the overflow hole. Is the positioning higher than the pipe in your clip solely because this gives a higher water holding capacity for flooding with the lever, or another reason? Cheers!
In the planters I make I like to have it as high as possible to allow for maximum water storage. Some will have it a bit lower to allow for an air pocket. I don't worry about including an air pocket as the water level drops fast in our climate so one is created after a day or so after filling. I hope that helps some & sorry it took so long to respond Allison.
Am I understanding correctly that pivoting the drain pipe upwards to "flood" mode is only done periodically, in order to flush the soil as described? If so, was there a recommendation for how often to be in the "flood" mode vs. having the drain pipe pivoted to ~2" below the top of the upper sand layer? Cheers!
I have used it more to add extra volume through hot weather or if we're going away Daniel. I have seen others have an even longer one when they start off new transplants or seeds to make sure that the water is where it's needed. Might be something you like to play around with & see what works best for you.👍 Cheers mate & happy growing.
I have added one more part to My wicking beds I took a Porsche Type soaker hose shortened it up put a plug on it added a piece of regular hose to it brought it down to the very bottom and then connected to my aerator pump to put added air from the bottom it works very well have to watch my water level because with the added air it seems to dry it out faster but whatever you plant in there it seems to grow very very fast
Nice one Charles. I know a bloke that adds worm & compost teas into his res & includes an air line to stop the nutrient rich water from going anaerobic.
I was thinking the same over the overflowpipe to bend it up or down . But in my case i will not put it in the upper part of the eggpipe but in the lower part . This because i dont no yet the depth of frost from the side an top of the bed and so i can drain most water when winter is coming . This can give worms a better change of life and livingspace in winter .
Hey Rob another great Video. I am going to be building a 10m X 2m long deep wicking bed to handle my grey water. My plan is to use milk crates screwed together as the Void for water. Covering them in a geo fabric sock, and filling the trench with course gravel up to ground level. Then I will place probably 10-20 slotted 90mm storm water pipes filled with sand to act as straws, to help the water into the raised Brick garden bed. kind of like the earth ship grey water beds.
Sounds like an interesting build mate. Will you be planting reeds in it or other plants. Any chance you could share a clip or info once it's all sorted? Cheers mate.
For you Rob I will most certainly get my wife to document it. The plan was to use some high water demanding plants. Bananas and Sugar cain, and possibly a thornless Blackberry. Although I do worry about it getting prickles. I have a thornless blackberry in a pot, and last year I had a blackberry pop up under my potted mulberry tree, and it was Nasty. In your Video you mentioned about leaving more void for water. just wanted to share what I was doing with Milk crates and stone to hold more water, and full length sand straws to help get the moisture up into the soil from the bottom of the reservoir.
Thanks for sharing. Just wondering if the liner needs to be waterproof? I’ve got some metal drums that I plan to convert into wicking beds. Also, can you please point me to a video or reference specifically around how to install the overflow pipes? I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve already covered it extensively. =) Thanks again!
My only concern would be that the metal may rust over time if it's not protected properly. I haven't installed one in a metal container but Chris shows the method he uses at about 8:25 if that helps at all. You could use a bulkhead/tank outlet fitting to do the same job like I have in this clip, czcams.com/video/hL7PgoTlImE/video.htmlm07s Hope that helps some.
why is the drain pipe so high? can it be at the bottom of the tank but connect elbows backup to where you want the height of the reservoir to be? at the height shown, which is above the perforated pipe, how do you completely drain out the water if there is issues. and is it possible to pump air to provide oxygen to the reservoir if needed?
There's generally no need to drain the bed to the base. The only time it would have come in handy was when I was deconstructing beds so I could move them to another spot in the yard. Cheers. 👍
Hi Rob I have recently tried my hand at aquaponics and have learnt a lot from your amazing online videos. My system comprises of flood and drain media beds which drain into DWC beds which then flows to a sump and gets pumped back to the fish tanks. I would like to convert one of my DWC Beds into a wicking bed which means that the water at the bottom will maintain its level as it will be flowing continuously. Is this a problem or should I rather take it off the system and fill it up with system water as and when required? Regards Alan
Hi Alan. I know a few folks that have tried systems like that & am hoping to have a crack at one or 2 myself. Check out Larry's playlist on his build, czcams.com/video/7deguakZnOc/video.html Hope that helps some.
Chris used standard water tank fittings available at our large "Big Box" hardware chain store here in Australia. Another option would be something like a Uniseal as the pipe can twist freely inside the rubber walls. This is a link to my online store but they are available all around the world. www.robsaquaponics.com/uniseals I used one in this build & also ran through a few other options if it helps any, czcams.com/video/hL7PgoTlImE/video.html
I went with a mix of recycled soil from other beds with some fresh potting mix & compost added Michael. Am not sure if you've seen it but this clip walks through a new method I'm trailing, czcams.com/video/InQW7838HrM/video.html So far I've been very pleased with the results. Sorry it took so long to get back to this comment as well mate.
Hola Alejandra. Espero poder pagar pronto un servicio de traducción. Intentaré traducir la mayoría de los videos más populares. Que tengas una buena semana.😁👍 (google translate) Hello Alejandra. I hope to be able to afford a translation service soon. I will try & get most of the most popular videos translated. Have a great week.
Hey Rob. Noobie here about to give some growing herbs and vegies a go. Lovin ALL your vids mate, very Informative stuff. I'm looking at a wicking bed style garden and trying to decide on a wicking medium. I live In Melbourne so I have access to scoria but was wondering whether Perlite, Vermiculite or Coco would work? Cheers mate :)
Corse river sand will wick better than any of those from what I've seen Scotto. I've found that a few small wicking spots using sand on a large water reservoir works best for us. This video runs through the latest builds I've made, czcams.com/video/InQW7838HrM/video.html The new beds I make will be made very similar but using recycled pallets to create a much larger water holding reservoir. Hope that helps with a few more ideas to play with. Have fun with the build as well mate. Cheers.
@@RobsAquaponics Thanks for your reply mate and good vid to watch too. So just to be clear, use about 1.5 to 2 Inches of sand on top of water and how deep can the soil be?
@@scotto5548 1½-2" should be fine. 👍 Soil will generally wick up to between 20& 30cm. Roots also grow down to the damp layer as well so don't worry if the top few inches aren't moist.
Hi Rob. I have a heap of clay pebbles leftover from a failed aquaponics project. Can you use them instead of the sand/gravel media in a wicking bed, and if 'yes', how would you rate them for functionality? Thanks Rob. Cheers.
Hi J1M. I used them once but didn't find that they wick well. They do create a fair amount of void space though. My preferred method is to create as much void space as possible then wick the water up using small pillars of sand if I can. This more recent video might give you a few ideas to play with. czcams.com/video/InQW7838HrM/video.html Hope that helps.
My 4 year old 2.4m x1.2m wicker beds "drowned" because of the wettest recorded rain event (in South East Queensland). I realised it was because the wood chip water reservoir had compacted, the fabric sank, doubled over and covered the overflow outlets. A bit of reading and I'd almost decided on pulling everything apart and replacing the wood chip with 5-7 cm gravel. After watching this pair of videos, I'll opt for coarse river sand instead. However I have 2 dumb questions: 1. What stops the sand from being washed out through the overflow pipe? 2. Does the sand work it's way into the ag pipes and if so does it make any difference?
@@RobsAquaponics Thanks for the reply. I actually haven't got around to the repair job yet. I've assembled all the material bar the sand but keep putting it off because of ongoing weather events. Re your answer, my understanding is that ag pipes are slotted pipes so I'm assuming the slots aren't big enough to let in coarse gravel.
@@Mooredacity I recently pulled some unprotected ag pipes out that were in a bed with just soil & there was a lot of silt in them. I Have found that they also get a bit of the finer sand in them as well but nothing like the soil ones. If you're using a fine gravel you should be OK.
Thanks Rob. I’m about to build some wicking beds using half ibc following your original recipe. Will these changes still work on the ibc? The only real difference I see will be the variable water depth. Thanks again.
Hey Tony. All that's needed from my IBC bed clips is the addition of the adjustable drain. That would mean setting the drain fitting from my clip up a bit differently but that's about it.👍 Hope the build goes smoothly for you mate.
Hey Owen. Chris did mention in the original clip that it was engineered to take the weight of a few beds but I edited it out as I wanted to focus more on the bed build itself.👍 Cheers mate.
G'day Rob. Firstly, top job on the vid's mate, very educational and engaging! Secondly what's the plant book ol' mate's reading? Cheers and thanks again for ya hard work. I'm a Horty by trade, just starting my endeavour into aquaponics thanks to your help.
Thanks Rene. I've sent Chris a message & will let you know if he sees it & replies. 👍 Hope the new AP clips continue to help you out some. Am looking at posting a short update on the new build this weekend. Cheers.
Hey Rob, could you make a video explaining worms. I know you use them in the flood and drain systems, but I am not sure how it works, aren't worms afraid of water? Also what kind of worms should we use, how many and where to buy them? Are worms from fishing shops good for aquaponics?
I used the common red wrigglers in our beds & find they do really well in them. 👍 They don't mind being in water as well as it's well oxygenated so love the flood & drain beds. I've also seen them in constant flooded beds that have high O2 levels as well. I added a small handful of red wrigglers in the beds when I first started out & found them all through the system when I broke it down. Bait worms will be fine if the're compost worms. Most folks that sell should know what variety they are. I will do a more in depth clip on their use in aquaponics later but hope that helps some for now. 👍
Keep up the good job. Awesome videos man !! 😃 . Especially on turmeric and Ginger gardening. Super informative and it's for free 😄 . Hope u reach 1million subscribers soon , u deserve it.
I like to add kitchen scraps to used raised beds/wicking, during the winter, then in spring it adds nutrients after being converted by a box of red worms. 🌱🌲
You can basically run them as you would any other raised bed when it comes to feeding them Chuck. I add compost or well aged manures & mulch the tops of our beds to help keep the fertility up in them. All ours have worms in them as well which help to convert the added organic matter into plant available nutrients. 👍 Hope that helps some.
I'm thinking that I'll be using sand right don the base still as the reservoir will be set up very similar to the bed I showed at the start of this clip. I will be making up some wicking barrels with just soil in the base but will set the drain right at the base unlike the wicking barrels I show in my current barrel clips. Hope that helps some mate. 👍👍
@@RobsAquaponics Thanks for the help! Just to be clear; you're saying the soil wicking barrels will have an adjustable drain at the base to fully drain the water (in case it goes anaerobic?)?
hi sir, is there any course offered by you for setting up and maintaining an aquaponic system right from the bulid to maintaining water ph levels, treating fish diseases and plant diseases without harming fish or plants?? how much will your course cost?? i will be very happy if its at affordable price ☺️☺️
No course sorry. I am in the process of writing up a basic introduction to aquaponics that will cover most of what you have asked for. I will be letting folks know how they can get access to it on a clip when it's ready. Don't hold your breath though as it may be a while yet. Cheers.
Hola amigo... Oye podrías poner subtítulos en español.. por favor .. te lo agradecería un montón.. siempre veo tus vídeos .. pero me cuesta el inglés..gracias
Hola. No puedo darme el lujo de traducirlos en este momento, lo siento. Me gustaría traducirlos en algún momento. Saludos y que tengan una gran semana. (google translate) Hi there. I can't afford to get them translated at the moment sorry. I would like to get them translated at some point. Cheers & have a great week.
Great presentation Rob! Thanks for putting this together and for sharing my info!!! :-D
Pepper: Aren't your beds also True Wicking Beds? They wick up water, don't they???
@@brentstanford7707 A "true" or "proper" wicking bed does not require an ebb and flow process. Colin Austin might be the one who coined the term "wicking bed" (I'm not sure). But in doing so, he had not cited the need for reservoir flushing. According to his definitions, a *wicking bed:* _"is a way of growing plants in which water wicks up from an underground water reservoir."_ *_www.waterright.com.au/wicking_%20bed_technology.pdf_*
_"Now how to make a wicking bed - it is absolutely simple. Take any watertight box. The dimensions are unimportant but the depth should be similar to the natural root depth of the plants you want to grow. (Typically about 300mm)._
_Fill with an appropriate soil ..._
_Find some way of filling the box from the bottom upwards. Just pocking a stick into the corner of the box to make a hole to fill with a hose works fine but a pipe system is better._
_Make some way of preventing the box flooding completely, a hole in the side again works fine but I really like a sight glass so I know and can regulate the water level._
_That's all there is to making a wicking bed."_
*_www.waterright.com.au/Newsletter24oct2015.htm_*
This is exactly what my beds do. So they are simply one of many types of wicking beds. Keep in mind, Colin might have coined that term, but it is descriptive and fairly generic. Colin did NOT invent the idea of self-watering or sub-irrigated systems. Using his own definition of a basic wicking bed, Colin was not the first one to envision such devices. These ideas are more than ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD!
_See this US Patent from 1917: _*_patents.google.com/patent/US1213331_*
Something to note about Colin's designs. He has often discouraged the use of stones in wicking beds: _"They also used stones in the bottom layer. Now stones are far too large to have any wicking action at all but there is some water transfer by water evaporating from the reservoir and then condensing on the cloth and soil above as these are hydrophilic (attract water) so they do work to some extent. This however really caught on and soon there were thousands of wicking beds made with this incorrect method." _*_www.waterright.com.au/stones%20again.htm_* Colin has admitted though that stones are practical for larger boxes. *_www.waterright.com.au/TypesOfWickingBeds.pdf_*
@@Albopepper So what's the difference between a sub-irrigated bed vs wicking bed???
@@kramermcjergen5711 It's actually much simpler than it might seem.
*Sub-irrigation* is a method for delivering water. The water is channeled below the soil surface into the sub-soil or some lower reservoir. So a sub-irrigated bed is a planter that gets watered from below the surface. Plain and simple. This can apply to dozens of designs and it applies to many wicking beds too.
*Wicking* describes the process of channeling reserved water upward towards the soil surface through the use of capillary forces. So a wicking bed would be a planter that pulls excess water from some lower reservoir and wicks it vertically to maintain soil moisture at the surface. My planters do exactly that. They are sub-irrigated by have the water added into a sub-soil reservoir. And they are wicking because that water is then slowly absorbed by wicking action.
Technically, you can have a wicking bed that is not sub-irrigated. It could be top watered. In fact, when it rains that's exactly what happens. But sub-irrigated systems would usually be wicking systems as well, otherwise what's the point?
@@Albopepper thanks for clarifying!
Ty for all of your ideas. Because of your videos I have switched from dwc to the wicking tubs and even one step further to root pruning wicking tubs. Just wanted to say many thanks so far so good
That's great to hear Christopher Little.
Happy growing. 🌱🌱
@@RobsAquaponics it was prob. My post you answered. I have allot of free time to watch and learn lately with covid-19 coming back strong here in the north east USA. Ty for all your videos. They have kept me sane
@@littlenugs9942 Glad I could help in some way.
Take it easy mate. 😁👍
Very interesting that you mentioned Albopepper's design. I had watched his video using potting mix directly in the water, then you're videos always advocating fabric and sand. What made you convert? Wouldn't the Albopepper design go anaerobic?
I have 2 beds set up at the moment as a trial & so far they are doing OK.
I used a very "bland" (for want of a better word) soil that was very sandy in the base. I don't think there's enough organic matter in there to make the base turn too festy & haven't notices any off smells as of yet.
My previous builds that dis start to stink had very organic rich soil down low so I'd say that's what caused the issues I had.
Cheers
Hi Rob. It's great work. Nice.
Glad you enjoyed it Harish.
Cheers.
Wow! so Informative, thank you, I've discovered a lot...getting ready to buy my raised garden bed and supplies...I've got to change my shopping list a bit.thanks.
At a certain degree of water potential, water will generally not wick from a fine media to a coarse media, even under the effects of gravity, unless the system is very saturated. People who do any kind of digging work often notice that a sand layer under a loam layer is often dry, even when the loam is moist.
👍
So far sand has worked fine for us.
Cheers.
Awesome video!
Also, you are a brave man taking compost into the kitchen :)
😄 Chis has a very understanding wife which helps. 👍
Cheers Paul.
Great video. There are multiple ways to construct sub irrigating beds / wicking beds. While sand may be more efficient small gravel works perfectly well. I prefer the drain pipe be set at the bottom of the reservoir to enable complete emptying. Allso prefer top of drain elbow set so water level comes to geotextile and then overflows. By using threaded pipe an extension can be added whenever you wish to flood bottom of soil for any reason, otherwise let wicking do it's thing. Many ways to skin a 🐈
Some definitely work better than others & will be going back to the way Colin Austin recommends they be built after running both proper wicking beds & the sub irrigated beds for a number of years now. 👍
Cheers & happy growing.
Just built the albo pepper design and I am working on filling it (hopefully with the proper soil medium... currently looking for a good recipe of perlite vermiculite coconut coir compost and garden soil... still new to all this) but I am already realizing some design changes for my next one. That stand pipe is one, and a larger inlet pipe is another. I altered the albo pepper design by putting places inside the bed for mounting either shade cloth or trellises. But... now I need to go learn a bit more about the proper “wicking bed” system that you described with the flood and drain design. I imagine using a lot of LAB (lactobacillus) and bokashi will help with anaerobic stuff going on, but I do like the concept of infusing fresh oxygen and actually letting the soil have the cycles that would be a bit more natural.... I am feeling a bit dumb.... I am an engineer and I can’t quite noodle out your coiled ads sand and gravel... does the water enter the ads and fill the gravel up until it comes around the pond liner then pouring into that bowl of sand? That bowl of sand never emptying? Alright. I’m only 3 minutes in. Going to finish watching, but thanks for your videos. Watched a few now and really appreciate your perspectives and comparisons... feels like the higher level classes on wicking beds and sub irrigated planters after the 101 and 201 classes. :p
Have heard of folks adding LAB to their reservoirs after they start to go a bit manky. Apparently it fixed all smell issues.
How are your beds going now?
Al's build is the best I've seen. There's no need to put sand or gravel in SIPs.
Each to their own I say.
My neighbours would beg to differ when the base of a few wicking planters went anaerobic & stunk them out ;)
Have used soil since again myself & while it worked I still think sand works better at moving the water up & spreading it out.
Cheers.
@@RobsAquaponics The trick, according to Albo, and Leon, and the creators of the EarthBox and the Grobucket systems, is to have a 1" air gap between the top of the water and most of the potting mix, with just a small area, perhaps about 10% or less, of the potting mix which dips down directly into the reservoir area to act as the wicking zone.. The drain hole(s) maintain the air gap. If you use sand or gravel, they take up space (and are very heavy!) that would otherwise be more efficiently used as part of the reservoir or the potting soil. Another important element, according to these experts is to NOT use soil, but rather potting mix, as plain soil is too dense to have proper wicking abilities. These are differences I've noted. I also wonder if an IBC tote is too tall to be able to properly wick all the way to the top, but I don't have experience with that.
@@elizabethblane201 Thanks Elizabeth. Am familiar with both these chaps & have spoken to Albo a few times online.
I follow the concept as laid out by the originator of the wicking bed system, Collin Austin with a few tweaks of my own added. 👍
I don't really see the need for an air gap as one will occur naturally as the water is drawn up from the base & into the soil in a day or 2 after filling.
I have been growing in wicking IBCs & barrels successfully for over a decade now using variations on Colin's methods as have thousands of others with no issues so will be sticking with them for now. Here s a few of my clips if you want to check them out,
czcams.com/play/PLBcWprMIwYYgCL4xDq6qcTQqDfW2tSdxF.html
Cheers & happy growing.
Hi Rob, been watching your videos and looking at using wood bark in the bottom (seen a few guys add bark to their reservoirs) taken note of the wicking action and used 'wicking cells' that are filled with perlite (like the WaterUps design) but in some I have used sand, as it wicks really well. These beds can become smelly and anaerobic, if just water, which is not good. You've got stones around your base, then liner and then sand in the middle, I want to do something similar but with pine bark, just seeking advice, you think that would be fine mate? Also the Albopepper design comes from I believe Colin Austin, apparently the inventor of original wicking bed system and gives exceptional results.
Excellent set of videos Rob. Thanks for sharing these clips from Chris and your thoughts on changes in the beds overtime. Very helpful. Take care, Eric
Thanks Eric. I was very fortunate that Chris allowed me to use them.
Loving your work
I’m only a week into discovering wicking
And I will have 4 i Bcs coming tomorrow
Nice one Mark. Hope the builds go smoothly mate.
Happy growing. 🥦🍅🥬🍓
Hi Rob, thanks for all the content you post. It's invaluable to new gardeners like me. I plan on building a couple of wicking beds in the fall. I'm having trouble following the discussion between SIP & wicking beds. I think I understand the difference between using sand versus organic matter (soil/potting mix) to wick, and understand the aerobic/anaerobic conversation. I also understand how EM and/or an air gap might mitigate the potential of an anaerobic situation that might start giving some offensive odors. What I'm not sure I understand is how an adjustable water level (via the swivel pipe) is relevant in that conversation. Does the length of the pipe extend past the wicking layer into the soil? Is the purpose to be able to flood the actual soil layer -- as opposed to simply allowing the capillary action to moisten it? Is it for flushing out salts, or for expelling pockets of gas built up in the soil? At what level do you drill the hole in the container -- at the "normal" water level? Do you leave the swivel down normally, so that it can simply act as an overflow drain -- and only swivel it upwards when you intentionally want to flood the soil? Or do you drill it as low as possible, and use the arm to intentionally adjust the arm, depending on how much rain you get (and therefore affecting the rate at which water is absorbed into the system)?
I'm so sorry I missed your post Tommy. Did you end up making the beds?
I see SIP & Wicking beds as the same really, sand or soil could be used in the base of either & know folks that will prefer to use wood chi in theirs.
The extra pipe length on the swivel drain comes in handy if you need to hold extra water ion the beds for a short period. I turn it up when we go away for a week to make sure there's enough water in the beds to keep the plants happy. As long as there isn't water sitting in the soil continually you shouldn't have any anaerobic issues but also think that adding EM could only help the beds performance even more. I haven't got around with adding any ferments to ours yet but still intend to do so down the line.
Cheers & sorry again for taking so long to reply.
Wicked video cobber and also thanks Chris. I’ve always wanted to build one but never have because I was worried about the the base soils going sour. Honestly this will change things for my family here in central northern queensland 🍷🍷
Glad we could help you out some Brad. 👍👍
Hope the builds go smoothly mate & happy growing.
Like.
Cheers. 😁👍
Not all stones are the same. Scoria wicks fantastically. It is also a lot lighter than sand. Works great in wicking beds.
Hey Jim. Chris was only talking about what he had to work with. 👍
Sand makes more sense to me mainly due to the availability.
Cheers Jim.
@@RobsAquaponics Not saying anything against sand. Try scoria it has a lot more spaces between and holes within and holds a lot more water. You said do not use stones they do not wick. I agree but scoria is not like other stones. Only suggesting that you consider giving it a try.
@@jimgreenwood5360 I wasn't having a go either mate, I think I have comment fatigue as I've spent the last few days catching up on a few months worth. 😉👍
I know loads of folks that use scoria & have no problems with it at all. Many are aquaponics folks that have left overs from grow bed builds. It's hard for us to source cheaply here in SE QLD so that's why I said I use the sand.
My next build will mainly have ag pipe for water holding with a small amount of sand to help the lateral wicking of the water. Bit hard to explain here but there will be a clip posted once it's built.
Cheers Jim.
Are you sure contractors plastic is the best stuff for a raised garden that you're going to grow food in? The benefit of a pond liner is to get a material like EPDM, very durable food grade and will not crack in the winter, especially when you consider your water chamber might freeze if you live in a place like Michigan.
We don't get freezing winters here so it isn't an issue.
Cheers.
@@RobsAquaponics what about degradation and leaching into the soil? 6 mil visqueen is only really good for about 4 or 5 years at best below-grade, because it breaks down rather quickly.
@@pauldefillippo8490 I have had some in wicking beds for 10 years & that held up fine. 👍
@@RobsAquaponics alrighty then, good to know. Thanks for responding
Great video, but Chris just states 'sand' is best reservoir material. What type and grade of sand? brickies, fine, playpit there are many grades.
Course builders sand is what most folks will use. 👍
Awesome!
Cheers Rose. 🙂
Never heard of a wicking bed before, is it just for dry climates? The worm tower doesn't look like it would take much kitchen scraps, they must have an additional compost area
It can be used in any climate really I think Michael.
Worms will tend to self regulate their numbers as I found running various different worm farms & in bed feeders. I took the feeders out of my beds (as I mentioned in the first clip) as I found the worms fed more on the aged manures & mulch I added to the beds.
Cheers & happy growing.
So appreciate the time and effort that goes into these tutorials, I have been watching for weeks and yours is great! Editing this because Albo peppers one is great too. Am preparing to give it a go this season. We have a fairly short season in Norway but still very laborious to water all the time. I have a question I can’t seem to find the answer to in your tutorials I will be using the perforated pipe with the lever for flooding, sand in reservoir. Still a bit confused as to where to position the overflow, at 1:44 you show it being an inch or two above the pipe, in Albo peppers tutorial it gets placed at 3 inch mark height, where the pipe is 4 inch and often the pipe is positioned to cover the overflow hole.
Is the positioning higher than the pipe in your clip solely because this gives a higher water holding capacity for flooding with the lever, or another reason? Cheers!
In the planters I make I like to have it as high as possible to allow for maximum water storage. Some will have it a bit lower to allow for an air pocket. I don't worry about including an air pocket as the water level drops fast in our climate so one is created after a day or so after filling.
I hope that helps some & sorry it took so long to respond Allison.
Am I understanding correctly that pivoting the drain pipe upwards to "flood" mode is only done periodically, in order to flush the soil as described? If so, was there a recommendation for how often to be in the "flood" mode vs. having the drain pipe pivoted to ~2" below the top of the upper sand layer? Cheers!
I have used it more to add extra volume through hot weather or if we're going away Daniel. I have seen others have an even longer one when they start off new transplants or seeds to make sure that the water is where it's needed.
Might be something you like to play around with & see what works best for you.👍
Cheers mate & happy growing.
I have added one more part to My wicking beds I took a Porsche Type soaker hose shortened it up put a plug on it added a piece of regular hose to it brought it down to the very bottom and then connected to my aerator pump to put added air from the bottom it works very well have to watch my water level because with the added air it seems to dry it out faster but whatever you plant in there it seems to grow very very fast
Nice one Charles. I know a bloke that adds worm & compost teas into his res & includes an air line to stop the nutrient rich water from going anaerobic.
I was thinking the same over the overflowpipe to bend it up or down . But in my case i will not put it in the upper part of the eggpipe but in the lower part . This because i dont no yet the depth of frost from the side an top of the bed and so i can drain most water when winter is coming . This can give worms a better change of life and livingspace in winter .
Nice idea Dredd Redd. 👍 Hope it works well for you.
Cheers & happy growing.
Hey Rob another great Video. I am going to be building a 10m X 2m long deep wicking bed to handle my grey water. My plan is to use milk crates screwed together as the Void for water. Covering them in a geo fabric sock, and filling the trench with course gravel up to ground level. Then I will place probably 10-20 slotted 90mm storm water pipes filled with sand to act as straws, to help the water into the raised Brick garden bed. kind of like the earth ship grey water beds.
Sounds like an interesting build mate. Will you be planting reeds in it or other plants. Any chance you could share a clip or info once it's all sorted?
Cheers mate.
For you Rob I will most certainly get my wife to document it. The plan was to use some high water demanding plants. Bananas and Sugar cain, and possibly a thornless Blackberry. Although I do worry about it getting prickles. I have a thornless blackberry in a pot, and last year I had a blackberry pop up under my potted mulberry tree, and it was Nasty. In your Video you mentioned about leaving more void for water. just wanted to share what I was doing with Milk crates and stone to hold more water, and full length sand straws to help get the moisture up into the soil from the bottom of the reservoir.
@@sindrome303 Cheers Ram. Have a few bread crates here I'll be trying something similar with.
Hope the build goes smoothly.
Thanks for sharing. Just wondering if the liner needs to be waterproof? I’ve got some metal drums that I plan to convert into wicking beds. Also, can you please point me to a video or reference specifically around how to install the overflow pipes? I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve already covered it extensively. =) Thanks again!
My only concern would be that the metal may rust over time if it's not protected properly.
I haven't installed one in a metal container but Chris shows the method he uses at about 8:25 if that helps at all.
You could use a bulkhead/tank outlet fitting to do the same job like I have in this clip,
czcams.com/video/hL7PgoTlImE/video.htmlm07s
Hope that helps some.
why is the drain pipe so high? can it be at the bottom of the tank but connect elbows backup to where you want the height of the reservoir to be? at the height shown, which is above the perforated pipe, how do you completely drain out the water if there is issues. and is it possible to pump air to provide oxygen to the reservoir if needed?
It's not ideal, but you could always siphon water out of the fill pipe
There's generally no need to drain the bed to the base. The only time it would have come in handy was when I was deconstructing beds so I could move them to another spot in the yard.
Cheers. 👍
Chris and Rob, great video, thank you. If there a specific type of sand that is preferable to use? cheers
I like to use a coarse river sand Paul. I find it tends to wick a bit better than the bedding sand I've used in the past.
Hi Rob
I have recently tried my hand at aquaponics and have learnt a lot from your amazing online videos.
My system comprises of flood and drain media beds which drain into DWC beds which then flows to a sump and gets pumped back to the fish tanks.
I would like to convert one of my DWC Beds into a wicking bed which means that the water at the bottom will maintain its level as it will be flowing continuously.
Is this a problem or should I rather take it off the system and fill it up with system water as and when required?
Regards
Alan
Hi Alan. I know a few folks that have tried systems like that & am hoping to have a crack at one or 2 myself.
Check out Larry's playlist on his build,
czcams.com/video/7deguakZnOc/video.html
Hope that helps some.
Where can I get the plastic swivel tubes for the side drainage? Please help as I've been trying to build this.
Chris used standard water tank fittings available at our large "Big Box" hardware chain store here in Australia.
Another option would be something like a Uniseal as the pipe can twist freely inside the rubber walls.
This is a link to my online store but they are available all around the world.
www.robsaquaponics.com/uniseals
I used one in this build & also ran through a few other options if it helps any,
czcams.com/video/hL7PgoTlImE/video.html
@@RobsAquaponics Thank you!!
Thanks Rob. Colin's website is tough to navigate and a bit unclear at times, so this is a good explanation.
Glad we could help some CTP. 😊👍
Have a top one.
What growing medium do you plan to use in your new beds Rob?
I went with a mix of recycled soil from other beds with some fresh potting mix & compost added Michael.
Am not sure if you've seen it but this clip walks through a new method I'm trailing,
czcams.com/video/InQW7838HrM/video.html
So far I've been very pleased with the results.
Sorry it took so long to get back to this comment as well mate.
Please can you translate it into Spanish ??? Thank you very much, it is very interesting .. I would like to know more about this topic .. greetings
Hola Alejandra.
Espero poder pagar pronto un servicio de traducción.
Intentaré traducir la mayoría de los videos más populares.
Que tengas una buena semana.😁👍
(google translate)
Hello Alejandra.
I hope to be able to afford a translation service soon.
I will try & get most of the most popular videos translated.
Have a great week.
@@RobsAquaponics MUCHAS GRACIAS
Hey Rob. Noobie here about to give some growing herbs and vegies a go. Lovin ALL your vids mate, very Informative stuff. I'm looking at a wicking bed style garden and trying to decide on a wicking medium. I live In Melbourne so I have access to scoria but was wondering whether Perlite, Vermiculite or Coco would work? Cheers mate :)
Corse river sand will wick better than any of those from what I've seen Scotto. I've found that a few small wicking spots using sand on a large water reservoir works best for us.
This video runs through the latest builds I've made, czcams.com/video/InQW7838HrM/video.html
The new beds I make will be made very similar but using recycled pallets to create a much larger water holding reservoir.
Hope that helps with a few more ideas to play with.
Have fun with the build as well mate.
Cheers.
@@RobsAquaponics Thanks for your reply mate and good vid to watch too. So just to be clear, use about 1.5 to 2 Inches of sand on top of water and how deep can the soil be?
@@scotto5548 1½-2" should be fine. 👍
Soil will generally wick up to between 20& 30cm. Roots also grow down to the damp layer as well so don't worry if the top few inches aren't moist.
Hi Rob. I have a heap of clay pebbles leftover from a failed aquaponics project. Can you use them instead of the sand/gravel media in a wicking bed, and if 'yes', how would you rate them for functionality? Thanks Rob. Cheers.
Hi J1M. I used them once but didn't find that they wick well. They do create a fair amount of void space though.
My preferred method is to create as much void space as possible then wick the water up using small pillars of sand if I can. This more recent video might give you a few ideas to play with.
czcams.com/video/InQW7838HrM/video.html
Hope that helps.
My 4 year old 2.4m x1.2m wicker beds "drowned" because of the wettest recorded rain event (in South East Queensland). I realised it was because the wood chip water reservoir had compacted, the fabric sank, doubled over and covered the overflow outlets. A bit of reading and I'd almost decided on pulling everything apart and replacing the wood chip with 5-7 cm gravel. After watching this pair of videos, I'll opt for coarse river sand instead.
However I have 2 dumb questions: 1. What stops the sand from being washed out through the overflow pipe? 2. Does the sand work it's way into the ag pipes and if so does it make any difference?
Sorry I missed this & to hear about your beds. I use geo fabric over the drain hole & slotted pipes to keep the sand out.
Cheers.
@@RobsAquaponics Thanks for the reply. I actually haven't got around to the repair job yet. I've assembled all the material bar the sand but keep putting it off because of ongoing weather events. Re your answer, my understanding is that ag pipes are slotted pipes so I'm assuming the slots aren't big enough to let in coarse gravel.
@@Mooredacity I recently pulled some unprotected ag pipes out that were in a bed with just soil & there was a lot of silt in them. I Have found that they also get a bit of the finer sand in them as well but nothing like the soil ones.
If you're using a fine gravel you should be OK.
@@RobsAquaponics Thanks again for your advice.
A great addition to your video, Rob. I enjoyed watching that.
Thanks Mary. Chris made some top clips.👍
Hope all's well down your way.
Cheers.
good information.
Thanks folks. 👍
Cheers & have a top one.
Can any type of sand be used?
I would avoid sand that is very fine or has high salt content. The same we use is sold as river sand & works really well.
Thank you for sharing this 🤗😊. I've saved it and will be checking out your friends too. I really do appreciate all you do😀.
Glad you enjoyed it Lisa. Will be doing clips on my new design as well when the time comes to build them.
Hope all's well with you & yours. 🙂
Hi Rob,
I really enjoyed the video, great job. Anxiously awaiting your aquaponics to be rebuilt.
Best regards,
Jarrod
Hope to have an update on that jobbie this coming weekend Jarrod.
Cheers mate & have a top one.
Awesome vid Rob! Enjoying the great content. Cheers!🍻
Glad you enjoyed it mate. 🙂👍
Cheers & have a top one.
Thanks Rob. I’m about to build some wicking beds using half ibc following your original recipe. Will these changes still work on the ibc? The only real difference I see will be the variable water depth. Thanks again.
Hey Tony. All that's needed from my IBC bed clips is the addition of the adjustable drain. That would mean setting the drain fitting from my clip up a bit differently but that's about it.👍
Hope the build goes smoothly for you mate.
Rob Bob's Aquaponics & Backyard Farm thanks Rob.
Good video but can that balcony support the weight of that grow bed over time???????
Hey Owen. Chris did mention in the original clip that it was engineered to take the weight of a few beds but I edited it out as I wanted to focus more on the bed build itself.👍
Cheers mate.
G'day Rob. Firstly, top job on the vid's mate, very educational and engaging! Secondly what's the plant book ol' mate's reading? Cheers and thanks again for ya hard work. I'm a Horty by trade, just starting my endeavour into aquaponics thanks to your help.
Thanks Rene. I've sent Chris a message & will let you know if he sees it & replies. 👍
Hope the new AP clips continue to help you out some. Am looking at posting a short update on the new build this weekend.
Cheers.
Hey Rob, could you make a video explaining worms.
I know you use them in the flood and drain systems, but I am not sure how it works, aren't worms afraid of water?
Also what kind of worms should we use, how many and where to buy them?
Are worms from fishing shops good for aquaponics?
I used the common red wrigglers in our beds & find they do really well in them. 👍 They don't mind being in water as well as it's well oxygenated so love the flood & drain beds. I've also seen them in constant flooded beds that have high O2 levels as well. I added a small handful of red wrigglers in the beds when I first started out & found them all through the system when I broke it down.
Bait worms will be fine if the're compost worms. Most folks that sell should know what variety they are.
I will do a more in depth clip on their use in aquaponics later but hope that helps some for now. 👍
Keep up the good job. Awesome videos man !! 😃 . Especially on turmeric and Ginger gardening. Super informative and it's for free 😄 . Hope u reach 1million subscribers soon , u deserve it.
Thanks Kushal. 😊👍
Like ur vids
Thanks 😁
Cheers & have a great one.
Rob, do you replace the growing medium/soil on a regular basis (like annually) or do you get multiple years from a single filling?
I like to add kitchen scraps to used raised beds/wicking, during the winter, then in spring it adds nutrients after being converted by a box of red worms. 🌱🌲
You can basically run them as you would any other raised bed when it comes to feeding them Chuck. I add compost or well aged manures & mulch the tops of our beds to help keep the fertility up in them. All ours have worms in them as well which help to convert the added organic matter into plant available nutrients. 👍
Hope that helps some.
G’day Rob, thanks for your vids! When you make the new planter, will you be using soil as the wicking medium or sand still?
I'm thinking that I'll be using sand right don the base still as the reservoir will be set up very similar to the bed I showed at the start of this clip.
I will be making up some wicking barrels with just soil in the base but will set the drain right at the base unlike the wicking barrels I show in my current barrel clips.
Hope that helps some mate. 👍👍
@@RobsAquaponics Thanks for the help! Just to be clear; you're saying the soil wicking barrels will have an adjustable drain at the base to fully drain the water (in case it goes anaerobic?)?
@@iamtheshaker Yep. 👍👍 Will probably use a very sandy blend as I don't see the point in halving a load of organics down there.
hi sir,
is there any course offered by you for setting up and maintaining an aquaponic system right from the bulid to maintaining water ph levels, treating fish diseases and plant diseases without harming fish or plants?? how much will your course cost?? i will be very happy if its at affordable price ☺️☺️
No course sorry. I am in the process of writing up a basic introduction to aquaponics that will cover most of what you have asked for. I will be letting folks know how they can get access to it on a clip when it's ready. Don't hold your breath though as it may be a while yet.
Cheers.
Wicking beds?!?!?!?? 😂
That's what they are......
Hola amigo... Oye podrías poner subtítulos en español.. por favor .. te lo agradecería un montón.. siempre veo tus vídeos .. pero me cuesta el inglés..gracias
Hola. No puedo darme el lujo de traducirlos en este momento, lo siento. Me gustaría traducirlos en algún momento.
Saludos y que tengan una gran semana.
(google translate)
Hi there. I can't afford to get them translated at the moment sorry. I would like to get them translated at some point.
Cheers & have a great week.
@@RobsAquaponicsgracias por responder Bob.. espero ese momento entonces.. un abrazo desde Chile
@@jeepsshadow2997 😊🤗
The guy you show has a really nice design but uses very bad materials. PVC is questionable and why anyone would paint a garden bed is beyond me.
Each to their own. 👍
You look like the homeless guy down the street
**YAWNS**