Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

When i tried the aloe vera drink back in dec 05, i thought it tasted nice. But then it might have had tons of sugar and artaficial flavourings....

If you go to youtube and search aquaponics, the top result is someone by the name of Remy, who has a system with aloe vera

I have no doubt that it would work, but just how much 'filtering' would it do is my question. I have LOADS of it in my nursery (its a good seller every year at the school fair), but have as of yet not put it into my system.

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We care enough to help everybody with AP

good save AM

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"have you ever seen a one legged man try to dance his way free...if you've seen a one legged man you've seen me"

LOL anytime

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We care enough to help everybody with AP

Since some one brought up the idea of specific plant threads, I thought I would take a look for an Aloe Vera thread before I started a new one.

I have been growing aloe for years. I even have one big one that has flowered for a couple years now, I'm not quite sure I'll be able to lift it to re-pot it (or more likely plant in the ground since I don't have a pot big enough to transfer it into at the moment.)

A couple things about aloe, it usually likes bright indirect light, partial shade or even pretty deep shade. Full sun (in my experience) will usually turn it rather brown.

I have seen aloe killed by over watering. This had more to do with the media it was planted in and how it drained than simply being watered every day. Make sure to plant Aloe and most other succulents in very free draining media and it probably won't hurt them to be watered often.

I have aloe planted in one grow bed that flood and drains many times each day (probably a couple times an hour) and they are doing great. Nice and green with good firm leaves.

I also have quite a few tiny aloe that were stuck in seedling trays or pots and those are sitting in the nursery bed. They are in a sandy potting mix in those trays and it stays moist all the time yet those aloe are looking fine too.

I have some pictures of the aloe I've put into my AP system.

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Aquaponic Lynx
TCLynx Bought The Farm
Old Main System
Old 300 gallon System

And a pic of some of the non AP aloe colony. These are sitting under the citrus trees in terra cotta pots where they get daily watering from the micro sprayers that water the citrus trees.

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Aquaponic Lynx
TCLynx Bought The Farm
Old Main System
Old 300 gallon System

Here's my Vera. We bought a 4 inch tall plant in a 2 inch pot and it was outside the system for a while. It suffered (I wasn't doing something right).
Here it is in my 2 feet of expanded shale, I cut the bottom off the little pot just to be able to raise its crown up a bit above the rest. It's been in barely two months and it's 10-12 inches tall or so.
The outer 4 leaves have been harvested twice so the largest leaves you see were the tiny middle ones originally.
I have no shade so it was blasted with direct radiation for 4-6 hours a day thru July and August too.

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I'll See It When I Believe It

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"What's he BUILDING in there?!?" - Tom Waits

Aloe Vera are easy to grow. I've got lots in various pots around the garden. They don't need much water. I wouldn't 'waste' the GB space with Aloe Vera.

My wife uses Aloe Vera as her face moisturiser. It's a lot lot cheaper than what's at the cosmetics counter! It goes on really slimy but it's ok once it dries.

Paedur

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Don't worry, Be silly.

My system http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7958

I've still got lots of aloe in the AP system. Perhaps not the best use of space but a very no problem plant.

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Aquaponic Lynx
TCLynx Bought The Farm
Old Main System
Old 300 gallon System

I've got mine in there because I was killing it in a pot on the patio.
But I kill basil too Another easy grower! AP has provided me a good steady crop of basil for the first time in my gardening career.

Rick

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@=(==|-)
I'll See It When I Believe It

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"What's he BUILDING in there?!?" - Tom Waits

Aloe does pretty good in AP, as long as the temperatures don't go below 20°C. Been growing it since the start of ma AP journey.

Cheers!

I've got aloe in the ground maybe 4 years never been watered and its doing really well.It sits near a path to be used for cuts bites and scratches.
I wouldn't waste the space in an AP system,more important delicate stuff to grow like daily fruit and veg.

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its still all in my head.

I've had my aloe all survive Freezing temperatures just fine.

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Aquaponic Lynx
TCLynx Bought The Farm
Old Main System
Old 300 gallon System

I totally agree with people saying it's a space waster, Water is a precious resource and the plants that require alot of water are slowly becoming scarce because of water restrictions, there are alot of non xerophyte(hydrophyte) species which would be more productively utilised in an AP system due to the ample water supply, I work as a landscaper and having to specialise in water wise landscapes it makes me wanna cry hearing people wanting to grow succulants in an AP system. I agree that it is a beneficial plant due to medicinal purposes but use it some where wher it can utilise a space where water is scarce, I have mine in pot placed under a hanging basket, it recieves the water that drains from the hanger after it's been watered. Of coarse I understand the curiosity of it all but please, lets research on plants that require more water.coz we can with out wasting it ay!

My AP system is growing lots of plants that many would say are space wasters in AP but remember my climate is a bit different that many and I sometimes have trouble finding enough plants to use up the nutrients during our wet blistering humid hot summers so there are some plants in my AP that many people wouldn't waste space on. I've got bamboo, papaya, banana, just because I can only handle so much peppers and basil for the summer. I threw a few aloe in just to see how they would do since so many people were saying that aloe wouldn't like AP. They like it fine. I've got plenty of aloe out in the landscape but I've found that it needs some irrigation through our dry season though it only gets minimal drip irrigation and does fine.

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Aquaponic Lynx
TCLynx Bought The Farm
Old Main System
Old 300 gallon System