The beginning of the hydroponics portion of my aquaponics project. 2" coir-filled pots irrigated with a thin film of water into which bare plant roots will be trailing. In the beginning, the pots are placed in a gutter which has water piped in to moisten them several times a day.
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When roots begin to show, the pots are to be inserted 1 1/2" into holes in a 2" square plastic tube (not shown) (commonly used as a downspout for plastic gutters) which is supplied with a constant trickle of water via a small pump from the fish habitat. The plants will derive nourishment by removing the waste nitrogen products from the fish barrel effluent, and entrap small particles, clearing and purifying the water, which is then returned to the biofilter of the habitat through gravity flow.
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Possible outcome: Tilapia Florentine.

Update 3/7/12: system working better with epilobium as noted in journal entry elsewhere.

3/27 Epilobium producing seeds. Plant is larger and bushier than spinach- It is crowding over two or three of the 4 inch spaced holes. I think it will require fewer pots and/ or frequent trimming- that’s OK, it will mean a continuous supply of salad greens and fish food. One thing I might wish for is a larger pipe to grow them in- to keep the roots from choking off the water flow. Not sure where to get one, unless I go to rain gutter with a perforated lid. Maybe I can get some schedule 40 pipe that has a 4 inch diameter.