Cool, is that one of those seedling flat dome covers that you used? The clear plastic?
I'm gonna cross my fingers that it works. I fully expect it to work, actually. It looks like you have good contact between the soil and the mat.
If you find later on that the sides are not getting moist as evenly as the centre, then maybe put the mat under the entire bottom of the soil, even if only one thin strip is touching the water.
If you find later on that the sides are not getting moist as evenly as the centre, then maybe put the mat under the entire bottom of the soil, even if only one thin strip is touching the water.
I was thinking going full width and I may end up doing so anyway to help the roots that really want to dip their feet directly in the tank. But on the instructions, they use only a narrow strip.
Wicking effect really seem to work. It has been a couple of days and the soils is very wet. Yesterday I added some soil which was rather dry. It's all wet now. I will add more plants.
Cool idea.
Have you had any fish in the same tank as the watering mats are touching.
I suspect, the same way the watering mats wick the tank water to the substrate, once the substrate is waterlogged enough, it will wick/leech the possible nutrients that are in the substrate into the water in the tank.
I haven't looked into dirted tanks without caps much, so I don't know if they have problems, but I have heard of problems with too much ferts (overdosing...too much osmocote exposed to water column create ammonia spikes) causing issues for fish.
And not sure if the watering mat itself, contains any chemicals that may be hazardous to fish.
Just asking to be sure. I am thinking of doing a above tank project as well (I guess like a aquaponic system without the need of a water pump)
There is no fish yet in the tank. It still cycling. Pond snails and MTS seem happy though.
The soil used in the planters is the same as what's in the tank (clay from backyard, pond soil) less sand. The tank is sand capped. There will be movement of nutrients going one way or another. More than likely from the tank to the planters as I throw fish food in the tank, not in the planters.
I don't use osmocote.
I don't know what nasty chemicals could be in the mat either. Assuming it is sold for household use to grow plants one person could potentially eat, I would hope it's safe. I have used geotextile in the past without problem I could detect. Snails were rather happy to climb on it.
Thank you for your interest. It's experiment in progress.
I don't comment much on everyone's different projects.
This is awesome!
My wife is bringing some plants indoors this week.
This has really got my interest.
Please post more updates.
My only thoughts on this.
These plants could possibly suck a lot of ferts from a tanks water column.
Additional dosing could be needed, but not a bad thing at all.
Besides, my 75 gal is also being equipped in the same fashion. Just not pictures yet as I don't have much plants. I tore down the "Over the tank river" that was on that tank.
So far it really works as far as bringing water to the plants. I have no idea on nutrients utilization rate though. Plants being in top soil, I guess they will use whatever is in there first... Time will tell :grin2:
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