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Old 19-02-2010, 11:04 PM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
Jim Elbrecht Jim Elbrecht is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 184
Default Hydroponics and Ponds

On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:03:00 EST, Joe wrote:
-snip-


Well, the problem you would have is that water plants are built to have
their roots in water. Plants like tomatoes are not, they would "drown".


Tomatoes are easily adapted to hydroponic gardens-- You have a few
choices. some folks flood them several times a day. Others grow them
in gravel and let the roots search for the water.

Here's a drip style hydro-tomato setup.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2091307_buil...to-grower.html

My 'poor man's' system that I've been playing with this winter is a 30
gallon aquarium with a few rosy reds in it- and a few Rubbermaid flats
nearby with shoplights over them.

I take a bucket of water out of my pond. I'm in NY so it needs to sit
overnight to adjust to basement temps [about 60F]. Then I vacuum
the fish tank- replace the water in the tank with pond water- and
water the plants with the dirty water.

I have some basil, parsley & chives that I like to have on hand--- and
a bunch of tender perennials that got to be the guinea pigs.
[Including a sweet potato that likes this setup a lot better than
being outside!] Next winter I'll add a cherry tomato and maybe some
cukes.

I'll probably also enlarge and automate some of the process next
winter.

Last year I just had watercress and mint as edibles in the pond-- but
I should get the veggie filters set up this year-- and they will be
veggies. Once the trees leaf out I don't have enough sun on
the pond itself for veggies-- but I'll route some water to a couple
tubs in the sun for my summertime hydo-experiments.

Those links are much appreciated.

Jim