Pond basket

[nylic76]

I just joined this forum and this is my first post. I'm building two of the 18 gallon SWCs. I have checked at Lowe's and Home Depot for a pond basket but they don't have them (the smaller ones). I did buy two that are 9 3/4" square but think that is probably too big. Does anyone have an idea where I might find the small round baskets?

[rnewste]

ny,

Don't use the large baskets at HD. Your mix will get too wet and you sacrifice several inches depth for the Grow Media.

Go to ANY Hydroponics Shop and ask for a "5 inch Net Pot". Should be about $1.25.

Raybo

[nylic76]

Originally Posted by rnewste

ny,

Don't use the large baskets at HD. Your mix will get too wet and you sacrifice several inches depth for the Grow Media.

Go to ANY Hydroponics Shop and ask for a "5 inch Net Pot". Should be about $1.25.

Raybo

Thanks for the info Raybo. I'll check with the shop as you suggest.

[Lunacy]

Amazon.com carries them, that is where I got mine, but I thought the shipping was kind of high. The shipping was more the four baskets I bought.

[rnewste]

If you can find a Hydroponics Shop near you, then a "Buck-twenty-five" is your best deal. If no Hydro Shop is around - then Amazon is you choice of last resort.

Here is a link on Amazon.com for 5 of them for $12.30 including Shipping, which works out to be about $2.25 each

http://www.amazon.com/5-Net-Pots-pot...1370172&sr=8-2

Raybo

[rwsacto]

Originally Posted by nylic76

I just joined this forum and this is my first post. I'm building two of the 18 gallon SWCs. I have checked at Lowe's and Home Depot for a pond basket but they don't have them (the smaller ones). I did buy two that are 9 3/4" square but think that is probably too big. Does anyone have an idea where I might find the small round baskets?

I found these at the 99 cent store. They are 4 inches tall, 5 inches across and come 4 to a package. Just add a few small holes.

Sorry, I don't remember how much they cost.

Rick

[rnewste]

Rick,

If you use these as wicking baskets, be sure to sand off the little "nipples" on the bottom of these pots. The weight of the Grow Media will over time, cause these nibs to penetrate the bottom of the water reservoir. This actually happened to me when I used the 9 inch baskets a few years ago. The nibs at the 4 corners actually drove cracks into the bottom of the 'Tainers and they began to leak.

You want the bottom of the wicking basket to be perfectly smooth. Again, $2.25 at Amazon Delivered, saves the drilling, sanding, etc. Just something to think about.....

Raybo

[rwsacto]

Ray,

Thank you for the heads up on the nibs.

Rick

[Rainforest Tom]

I have a large cement aquarium full of Talapia and crobia and catfish, what type of medium can I pot and lower into the pond to grow tomatoes directly from the nice green rich natural fish water? Anyone try this? The Aquarium is abour 2000 gallons... Thanks

[Wi-sunflower]

Tom,

Check out this site on using your fish water http://www.growingpower.org/aquaponics.htm

I took a tour of the place last fall. Very interesting. Gave me some ideas about some other things I could do here.

Carol

[Rainforest Tom]

Thanks Carol, I will check it out.....

[Rainforest Tom]

This could be wonderful, I have coconut trees here right in my yard! I could use the coconut husks along with some compost for good wicking/drainage... Just need to find a way to chop them up or crush them,,,

Thanks

[Stepheninky]

Originally Posted by Rainforest Tom

I have a large cement aquarium full of Talapia and crobia and catfish, what type of medium can I pot and lower into the pond to grow tomatoes directly from the nice green rich natural fish water? Anyone try this? The Aquarium is abour 2000 gallons... Thanks

If you have the room your best option would be to build a flood and drain table (many plans online for these) and use a pump to pump the water to the table.

The ideal is that the table fills with water and has a mechanical drain that activated once the water gets so high and drains the table. This is on a timer or cycle. The benefits is that the media (hydroton {expanded clay pellets} will soak up the water and nutrients and as it drains O2 gets pulled into the system as well. Also it will act as a giant bio filter for the fish tank as well.

[lowlylowlycook]

Originally Posted by Stepheninky

If you have the room your best option would be to build a flood and drain table (many plans online for these) and use a pump to pump the water to the table.

The ideal is that the table fills with water and has a mechanical drain that activated once the water gets so high and drains the table. This is on a timer or cycle. The benefits is that the media (hydroton {expanded clay pellets} will soak up the water and nutrients and as it drains O2 gets pulled into the system as well. Also it will act as a giant bio filter for the fish tank as well.

That sounds like a lot of work. I recommend taking the easy way out




If I were to redo the LakeTainer concept from scratch instead of using stuff that was just laying around I'd try to arrange a container that floated entirely above the water and have a cloth wick to keep the growing medium moist. That is, I'd probably copy the global bucket plans rather than Raybo's EarthTainer. That said the two Sophie's Choice that I planted are doing their best to turn my LakeTainer into a jungle so it works well enough as is.

If you really want to use a significant portion of your fishes fertilizer, I'm guessing you'll have to listen to the hard working people giving advice above.

[desertlzbn]

How are you suspending the bucket so that the plant is not flooded?