how about a wire mesh grow bed within a grow bed to enhance oxygenation of root syste

[Rectorcain]

say my grow bed is 4 x 8 x 1 ft. It has a liner. Now what about building a steel wire mesh grow bed that would support and hold the gravel and its dimensions being just under the size of the interior main wooden grow bed where by which the wire mesh box would sit within the wooden box ( think of a strainer within a pot ) and allow air circulation around the sides and under gravel bed. All sides of gravel bed would be exposed to air. Still incorporate the flood and drain concept with an over flow and a bell syphon and possibly a fan positioned to enhance air flow underneath and around sides of mesh bed ? Also using larger diameter media to allow for said better oxygenation of root system ?

[Rectorcain]

If the wire mesh bed was made from stainless steel ?

[chainsaw]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $

[Murray]

If you really want to do it ...go for it.....but what is it that you are trying to achieve ? What benefit do you think will be gained?

[Rectorcain]

having more air flow underneath and around the sides of the gravel enclosed wire mesh grow bed which help with the oxygenation of the root systems on the drain cycle ?

[Murray]

I am sure it will do that, but it is just not necessary. Are you over complicating what is essentially a very simple system.
The beauty of flood and drain gravel media based AP systems for home food production, is the simplicity.
They just work....
There are all sorts of "Mods" one could think of, but is there any real benefit in the end.

[Castaway]

Hi Rectorian, when I read your post earlier today I thought to myself "Is this guy a NASA Engineer? Or work in Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Ministry?" There are all sorts of dollars you can spend engineering Aquaponics and making it more complicated than it needs to be.

Does anyone remember the NASA's million dollar space pen?

The story goes like this: in the 1960s, NASA astronauts discovered that their pens did not work in zero gravity. So like good engineers, they went to work and designed a wonder pen. It worked upside down. It worked in vacuum. It worked in zero gravity. It even worked underwater! And it only cost a million dollars!

The crafty Russians used a pencil.

Apparently that story is an urban legend - but you get the idea!

[dufflight]

Better to use the money and get an extra grow bed. Plus you may get a build up of dirt under the mesh but with the weight you can't get to it.