Worms, Worm Tea, and Nutrients

pastorkev

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

RupertofOZ

Worms are the secret (essential) ingredient in media bed systems....

gazza

How do they go in constantly flooded GBs?

arbe

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

bythebrook

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.

chillidude

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.

gazza

I'm yet to find any in my GB's, but started up a worm farm about a month ago to kick things along.

just in joy

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.

chillidude

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.

Charlie

yep, red wriglers as chilli said :thumbleft:

francois

RupertofOZ wrote:

Worms are the secret (essential) ingredient in media bed systems....

100%

DrLuke

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

gazza

I chucked in 1200 and they are doing well but it will still be a while before I have enough to harvest.

pastorkev

Thanks for the advice everyone...good stuff!

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