Aquaponics - Sprouter capsicum falling over

The now 6 days old (from the time of first sprouting) capsicum sprouts in the sprouter are trying to reach up and put out some leaves, but they keep falling over.

This might not be a big deal, as it might just coil around a bit until it creates a stand for itself, and then goes about it's growy business.

The danger will be that by the time it creates a stand for itself, it will be out of energy.

As I understand it, the sprout grows only from the energy stored in the seed, and water from the environment. Some seeds need to get through quite a bit of dirt, so I'm hoping nature has left a little in reserve.


I guess they will still grow even if I transplant them as a coil, but I was hoping for a nice straight tap root to make sure it reaches the water in the aquaponics system.

It's normal in an aquaponics system to have a maximum water level set in the grow bed so that it's around 25mm down from the top of the media. This helps prevent evaporation, and also some diseases and fungal attacks associated with the stems of various plants being too wet.

So the jury is still out (for capsicum) as far as using a sprouter for seed raising in aquaponics.


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