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PostPosted: Aug 7th, '12, 23:33 
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Hey,

Can anyone out there comment on some observable impact (or lack thereof) of introducing worms and/or worm tea into their grow bed or rafts...especially in supplementing some nutrients that are typically low in an aquaponic systems (iron, calcium, magnesium, etc)?

I haven't started a worm bin yet, but am putting the pieces together to get something going that I think would help out my ebb and flow system.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!
Kev

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PostPosted: Aug 7th, '12, 23:50 
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Worms are the secret (essential) ingredient in media bed systems....

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 08:03 
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How do they go in constantly flooded GBs?

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 08:16 
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Worms will be fine in any system (constant flood, flood and drain etc) with plenty of DO.

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 08:36 
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pastorkev wrote:
Hey,

Can anyone out there comment on some observable impact (or lack thereof) of introducing worms and/or worm tea into their grow bed or rafts...especially in supplementing some nutrients that are typically low in an aquaponic systems (iron, calcium, magnesium, etc)?



Essential nutrients have to be introduced somehow. Use a complete fish food that also has the right nutrients for plant growth. You can supplement with foliar sprays of trace elements if required. For calcium use shell grit - you can bury it in the growbeds and it will buffer the pH and stop it getting too high and locking out iron etc from the plants (if the pH is above 8, iron can't be absorbed by plants even if it's present). The calcium in shell grit will only dissolve if the pH is low (acidic), so it can't raise the pH above 8.

Worms in the growbeds are good, but they can't add more magnesium etc if it isn't there in the first place. Think about conservation of mass.

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 09:08 
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gazza wrote:
How do they go in constantly flooded GBs?

arbe wrote:
Worms will be fine in any system (constant flood, flood and drain etc) with plenty of DO.

Yep - must thousands in each of my GBs. Anytime I pull any roots out of my system there's always half a dozen worms in there - the fish love 'em and seems to be a never ending supply.

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 09:32 
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I'm yet to find any in my GB's, but started up a worm farm about a month ago to kick things along.

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 13:59 
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for worms are we talking earth worms. The reason I ask is I fish a lot and I have spare worms I am tried of wasting money letting them die off I rather put them in my system. I have a few I been dumping some in my raised bed system already.


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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 14:08 
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just in joy wrote:
for worms are we talking earth worms. The reason I ask is I fish a lot and I have spare worms I am tried of wasting money letting them die off I rather put them in my system. I have a few I been dumping some in my raised bed system already.

Nah, we're really talking about compost worms - reds and tigers primarily.

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 14:11 
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yep, red wriglers as chilli said :thumbleft:

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 15:23 
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RupertofOZ wrote:
Worms are the secret (essential) ingredient in media bed systems....

100%

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 18:08 
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gazza wrote:
I'm yet to find any in my GB's, but started up a worm farm about a month ago to kick things along.


I tried the same with a 500 worm/egg starter pack. But can't wait any longer. Now that my trout are smashing so much feed my beds are clogging up near the gb inlet


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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 18:48 
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I chucked in 1200 and they are doing well but it will still be a while before I have enough to harvest.

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PostPosted: Aug 8th, '12, 19:35 
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Thanks for the advice everyone...good stuff!

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