Joey, for your plants, you should germinate your plants separately. You can also use any kind of seed. Not just the ones they sell at your hardware store. Also, the distance from your plants to your light may also be a factor. Dunno if you’ll see this, but if you do, good luck on your AP system

Got my drink and snacks, and sitting comfortably

I think the awkward logs are great in the piranha tank. Makes it a bit more wild.

Hi Joey, outdoor gardener here, but I do start my seedlings inside. Your plans look super leggy, which is an indicator that they are not getting enough light. Grow lights aren't as powerful as the sun, so for the most part they need to be on for at least 12 hours per day, with 16 hours being just about ideal. The lights also need to be quite close, no further than 2" from the top of the plant. Pollination happens at the flower. Tomatoes are great for that since they self pollinate. A little electric toothbrush will guarantee it, but that's pretty advanced, and not generally required.

The imperfect/awkward placement of the logs in the piranha tank make it look natural and it's honestly perfect man looks amazing!, I think as hobbyists we see ours tanks everyday we start getting picky about imperfections

I grew a certain plant indoors (light requirement higher than a tomato) and I can tell just by looking that you likely need the light closer/higher watt bulbs. I think that it could be a pollination problem but your lettuce shouldn’t look that sad regardless of wind - meaning it should be a light or nutrient problem. And it’s not nutrients.

I am so hype about the red tail catfish

Loved this style of video. Love the tank and stocking good luck hope they all do well Joey

Two of the nicest tanks around.. I would def keep the driftwood in the Piranha tank it look absolutely stunning.

Seeing you get Discus and having them. Makes me want to get myself a pair and breed discus again. Definitely miss having them and just watching them!

You can get icee cube trays with cubes in various sizes and shapes. Once you load the tray and freeze it hard, you can pop out the "cubes" and store them in a zip lock to save space.

Pirahanna tank looks great as it is

I was a hobbiest in the past. I like to hear more about the fish and how to keep them without half my income going to the fish store. I appreciate your being DIY, please don't stop. You might get more help. Getting help won't force you to stop being the King of DIY. It is nice to see what it takes to be a success, and for me it includes learning how to learn. I hope my opinion helps. Please keep up the good videos.

Tank looks great Joey. Careful with food and poop building up under the tile. It will cause bacterial issues very fast in discus. Unless you're ph is low you have more leeway.

Lovely tank footage as usual

JMO, I like the wood in the piranha tank. I think it adds visual interest and gives it a very natural look.

I'm glad you brought up shrimp at the end, I've been thinking it would be awsome to add shrimp as soon as you said the tank was going to be bare bottom. Please add them 😆

omg. i like fish aquarium . love your channel

Looking awesome as always dude, cannot wait to see the basement and the eventual development of the new place! Can’t wait to see the red tails grow as well, Gallery is looking awesome, I’m happy you’re going by your own choices and not listening to other peoples opinions. You’re just doing it your way🤙🏻🙏🏻

Gotta say Joey, this grass roots stuff is good.

Yes! Add some cherry shrimps to the discus tank!

I like the wood in the piranha tank !!

Hi Joey, i suspect you dont have nearly enough light(par) for the aquaponics and probably the water might be too 'clean'. The plants look yellow and stretched, signs of micro nutrient deficiency probably iron and if you can check for calcium. You dont need special seeds or a fan, i've grown in much jankier setups ;) GL and keep it up!

I’ve missed your videos, I’ve lost your videos on my recommended the last year. You finally popped up it’s great to be back.

I'm sitting watching your vids from 3 yrs ago & you're talking & showing your shell dwellers,,,,,I'm setting up a 150 gallon for Discus but I'm about changing my mind now 🤣😭 I need to stop watching them until my Discus arrive🙈 I might go watch your podcasts instead 👍 ✌️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The best videos on KZfaq great stuff

Are you fertilizing? Use your dirty tank water! I'd just repot them in normal potting soil with perlite that can drain well. Soak the pot in water the first time (sink works well) then let them drain. Then water when the soil gets dry. Otherwise some may need direct bright light, & some mat need indirect light that's not so bright. Just loot them up like you do fish species, now you have plant pets too! =D

Very interesting, I’m looking forward to updates on the fish in this tank. And, how they do

Love the vertical log/roots ...

Can wait to see how the plants do in a month or so in the discus Tank ... Now the piranha tank I would leave the vertical logs in place they go great with the stump theme from the back ground and that tank is looking great so glad the plants are starting to become bushy and filling it in nicely 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👌🍻

Hi kig, you need more light for your aquaponics plants. Keep up the good work!

If you want to grow vegetables to maturity it's going to take much more substantial light. Either a combo of metal halide and high pressure sodium or a 1000w equivalent full spectrum led grow light. Florescent bulbs will grow them in the vegetative state and get them ready for transplanting to outside. Also germinating them in a separate container with rockwool or dirt would be best. Hope this helps buddy.

I don't know why that forest background makes that tank look so peaceful 🤷🏼‍♂️

Those kits are really good when used with the base that is made for them. Your lighting is the issue I had the same problem.

Have you ever kept bamboo shrimp? That would look awesome!

Regarding the plants. Germinate them one by one in a separate container, like rockwool that someone else mentioned. Having several in the same pot will only cause them to fight eachother for space and nutrition. One by one they will grow stronger and better. So, if you plan to use 6 pots in the aquaponics, germinate like 10 seeds and pick out the best growers and transfer them to the aquaponics. And with the tomatoes, it can be that they're just growing roots at the moment and the plants seem to stand still, have patience and let them do their thing. I can't see why it would matter if they're pollinated or not? And with the lettuce, they need both more light, and light that are closer to them. The reason they're so long is because they are trying to reach up in the air to better light. But stronger light closer to them and they will grow better, same with the tomatoes, and herbs probably. And also like someone else said, the lettuce likes cool nights, it can be that it's too hot in there. Choose your plants accordingly to the climate you can provide. I'd imagine most peppers and chili would love it in there, high humidity and warm air, they're also loving when they get alot of nutrition. I don't really remember what kind of light you have there, but most likely you'll have to get special grow lights. Preferably LED-units with mixed wave lenghts, full spectrum units are good enough for your purpose.

They look much better after 5 days and I’m glad you didn’t lose those emaciated blue dudes! Well done!

Hey Joey, loving the progress that the discuss is making. The new fishroom looks great, keep up the great work bro. Please advise if you have a recipe for the beef heart and peas that u feed your fish

the plants need more light. The reason the lettuce looks like that is because it's extending as much as possible to try and reach towards higher light. it's called being leggy. Hope this helps.

So happy u didn't loose any 😀

I'm liking your placement of messy logs in the piranha tank. I did notice though, the tetra population looks like it's dwindled. Would also like to see a cleanup fish in your discus tank.

Definitely think you need more light. Herbs and vegetables work best with full sun. I’d start there. Good look Joey!

Not really an expert on growing vegies in aquaponics either, but I do grow plants sucessfully both indoors and out. From what I can tell your seedlings not only need some more air-movement but stronger light, I'd suggest looking into proper grow lights or even good aquarium 'plant' lights, with a fuller light spectrum that the plants need 😉 Best of luck, looking forward to seeing the red tail grow up, I love red tails, but I know I don't have the space or the conditions to build a heated pond now, so it's a fish that will just have to wait for the future 🙃

thats why i make sure the water movement is enough, everyday, just in case any solenoid fails, or skimmer, so water gets the gas exchange

Joey you need to put mature plants in the aquaponic system ... you don't have enough light to grow those out to maturity you need lighting from garedeners supply ... watch garden Answer's channel and learn about some lighting and how to grow plants from seed it'll make what you're doing make more sense if u understand indoor seed starting.

I use Sera Discus Food and my Discus love it! I have Blue Phantom Plecos in one of my Discus tanks and Dirt Eaters in the other. I tried shrimp once and when my Discus got bigger the shrimp disappeared. Great looking tank not sure if you can order from the US or not but I love the Discus I get from Myrtle Beach Discus. I enjoy your videos

Aquapionics mostly have two systems, floating media or flood and drain, with a bell syphon. I beleive not only closer lights but also the roots need to be in the water more. If that dont work try a flood and drain system, takes up more space and more media. But you can hang shelfs on the wall, one pump up to top and bell syphon all the way down back into the tank, hanging lights under each shelf. With the 375 remember it can flood so dont add more water.

Your plants or sprouts are leggy because light intensity is not bright enough for them or the correct spectrum. Lower your lights closer to the plants should help, and adding a small circulation fan... I grow miniature orchids, and have shared many with Rachel O'Leary, but brightness is super important to seedlings. Fluorescent lights work best because they are cooler and can be put closer to plants. As they grow, raise the lights up or switch over to LED high intensity lights. What we think is bright is actually dim for plants. Unless aquatic which need less lumens. Also once plants start first set of true leaves, start feeding them at 1 quarter recommend 20-20-20 dose, they don't need the high dosages till more mature. Good Luck..... 👍🏻😅

Use lava rock and sand with a big pipe with drilled holes all throughout and put that all in a plastic tub with a filter that feeds up to it and then you can figure out a return system

Youre the king of diy i think most will make it. It would be awesome if the ones with sunken belly make it

Up and over- need water flow so your media catches the waste and feeds the plants.The fans will work wonders

I would absolutely love seeing bristlenoses in the discus tank.

Great information video BIG DOGGIE 💯👣

Wow.... 👍

The logs in the piranha tank look good

bamboo shrimp in that discus tank would be neat

Get more light on your hydroponics in ze bunker Bud. Stronger lights closer to the plants should do it.

My #1 desired tank is a beautiful discus tank. You always do a great job with them but then they always go away in the end. It should just be a perm feature tank in the gallery. ... Also can't believe you got rid of your rays. I thought for sure they were lifers.

Leave piranha wood the new plant growth will create little pockets of plants in-between all the woo it will look great

Hello from Fort Myers, FL.

Your biggest issue with the plants is your lights are too far away. With vegetables your lights need to be super close. You probably also need to add nutrients beyond the fishwaste, a big one for tomatoes is calcium.

Watching this 4th time. Those discuss will have a good life compare going other places from the store.

I think it look nice with some shrimp

I think that will be dope if you ad some plecos to the discus tank

The parana tank looks amazing the way it is it looks like what I picture the Amazon looking like.

Ready!!!

Definitely add some shrimp to the discus tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your plants need MORE LIGHT. I say that in caps to emphasize that, not a little more light, a significant amount more light. It should feel bright 🌞 in that area if you want any real growth. Love it though! Don't give up on the plants! (Well, give up on THOSE plants, they're too far gone. Start new seeds under more light.)

Great idea with the tubs but what about ice cube trays? Beautiful tank

Vegetables need warm soil and balanced nutrients to get the roots to grow to draw up into growing a plant

Lovin how we got to see how they were doing 5 days later.

Keep the logs in the piranha tank. 👍

bro just dunk the discs straight in. legend

Joey when adding decor to the perahanna tank do you take them all out or do you go elbow deep in there with them in there?? Tank is sweet!! Look foward to seeing a variety of discus when you cull through them with the ones you keep and others added. Always enjoy your education videos looks great!

Hey from Tennessee 👋

Discus aren’t super fast swimmers luckily so it’s easier not to damage them in a net catch. Like watching your “plop & drop method”. Always makes me wonder if when their in the same bag If they bang up against each other roughly 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ Looks awesome tho!

Starting to look like a 70’s mancave with the forest wallpaper, all you need is a mid century Ames chair with ottoman from Amazon, that would be great!

You should look into a tower garden!

I love my Guramis but man I would love to have discus in the future.

No leave that Piranha tank the way it is it looks awesome

Just saw a video saying you didn’t wanna breed discus again and now here you are hahaha

I’d keep the wood. But I’m biased since I enjoy an almost completely natural aquarium. It just seems better for the fish and looks better even if it is randomly placed like a tree would fall in nature

Shrimp in that tank would be incredible! Both Neocardinia and Amano shrimp both. Amano are some of my favorites in a planted tank because they have so much personality! Always swimming around the tank investigating everything

The aquaponic plants need ALOT MORE LIGHT!!!

Shrimp for sure would be killer!!!

Let the beefheart defrost then mash it with a fork before feeding. Will allow those at the bottom of the pecking order to eat a good amount too. Pretty much what you did but without sticking your hand in the tank

Keep the logs in the piranha aquarium

Add stone bubbles to the bottom of your hydroponics. The roots love oxygen. Your plants will take off in no time.

I would leave the piranha tank alone it looks so natural like a river bed

Saludos, creo que tus plantas necesitan luz, y si es alguna luz especial para el cultivo de plantas y su crecimiento será aún mejor. Me refiero a las plantas que deseas cultivar como la lechugas y/o los tomates. Suerte.

Definitely do shrimp in the discus tank. A bunch of big bamboo shrimp in there would be really cool.

You should maybe think of some sort of bottom feeding fish for the parana tank. Maybe some loaches or something that stays low. I think it would look better with the logs there.

Joey. You should order from piwowarski discus. Or dexter chung. Best quality discus IMO....

Ali and I got pretty good green thumbs maybe we’ll have to take a trip to Canada after all looks like I’m gonna need my passport 😅

5 days later.. When I saw empty tank.. Thought everything died.. But thankfully they are all good.. Keeping discuss is always like 'when they are going to die' ...

Your plants need way more light. The plant grow lights should be only 1 inch over them and the lettuce might also have too much heat in that room. Lettuce is a cold growing crop. Pick a warm growing australia variety or grow something else like peppers.

sorry about missinng the premire, but rly hope that all 20 survive

The plants need brighter light. Tomatoes thrive on direct sunlight, to give you an idea of how bright the light needs to be. You might try lowering the existing lights so they're close to the plants. As plants grow taller, you can gradually raise the light, but those babies need BRIGHT light.

Joey why not have the octopus out there? Love your videos inspire me to do fun things with my tank setups.

I love how the wood looks on the piranha tank ad it looks like it would in the wild the only difference to the wild is wild it have more wood Ad darker colour water