Favored plant varities?

[GoneFish'n]

I would like to hear what plants people are growing in their aquaponic systems? Why you chose them and what do you like about them? What type system do you grow them in? What spacing do you use for the plants? Do you grow different species together? Where do you get seeds or seedlings? Pictures would be nice too.

Thanks, in advance, for your input.

Lynn

[hidroron]

Lynn: I'm a "newbie" but avid experienced gardener. I've started with Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, and Bok Choy, Mesclun, and Chard, plus took a couple cuttings of a tomato plant I have in my greenhouse. I started them from seed, and transplanted them as soon as first set of real leaves developed. I wash most of the starting media off the roots before transplanting. I picked these because maturation times are very short (Spinach & Arugula 30-35 days). I planted them all in the same grow bed in a random pattern. They seem to be growing faster than in an outside garden. Grow bed is at same or slightly higher level than the fish tank, so water drains via a bell siphon into a sump lower than the grow bed, and then is pumped both back thru 2 different lines to the grow bed and the fish tank. It is a little different but had to set it up this way since elevations in the greenhouse and the fish tank (which is in a different room). So far it is working very very well -- fish are happy, plants growing like weeds, and I am happy. I originally spaced plants 8" apart but think I will reduce spacing to 5" or 6" in the future. Growing media is Hidroton. I'll try to send some photos. Future plans include strawberries, tomatoes and peppers. I grow tomatoes and peppers all winter in my greenhouse, but the cuttings I took from the tomato seem to be doing very well also. Don't be afraid to experiment. One thing impresses me, the Aquaponics system seems to be very forgiving and adjusts to a wide variety of conditions. My water chemistry varies greatly and I worry about it and continually try to adjust it but plants and fish seem to thrive no matter what as long as I make changes s-l-o-w-l-y i.e. pH and temperature. Good luck