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Ron, Help!!! I have 500 strawberry plants coming soon. How do I plant them. I have done a 1 gal. system before to grow tomatoes. Any other ideas? What about medium. I'm afraid grow rocks will be too expensive. Thanks...Greg
Hello Greg
I have a half dozen strawberries that is just now producing fruit. I have them in grow
rocks in one gallon system but I don't think they need that much root room. I am going to
try to grow them in 2 liter bottles with the 16 oz Solo cups.
I haven't tried any medium but grow rocks so I can't give you much help on the success of
other mediums until I try them my self.
I will be building all kinds of hydro gardens this spring to put on film. I will post
pictures as I complete them.
Ron
I have a small garden and a friend told me tha you can use baking soda to increase the levels of CO2. Does this sound right to you ? If so please explain.Beside from bying a CO2 regulater do you know of any other ways of increasing CO2 levels in limited space. Clay. tiona@tac.com.au
I have heard of using Dry Ice that gives off CO2 when it melts. 2 pounds of dry ice
will raise the CO2 level in a 10 by 10 foot grow room to about 2000 ppm for 24 hours.
Fermentation's is another way to produce CO2. Use a plastic gallon milk jug and mix one
cup of sugar and a packet of brewers yeast with about three quarts of warm water. This mix
smells horrid but produces an initial burst of CO2. The mix is changed one to four times
daily. Half of the solution is poured out, and then 1 1\2 quarts of water and another cup
of sugar are added. If the yeast does not continue to grow during the fermentation
process, add another packet of yeast. As long as the yeast continues to grow, the mix can
be used indefinitely to generate CO2.
Another way to produce CO2 is to spend a lot of time heavy breathing in your room
because your breath gives off CO2.
Ron
Greetings from South Africa I am seriously considering starting a garden along the lines of your design. One question, when the nutrient pumping cycle is on I can understand that the excess is returned to the sump via the overflow, but when it is the off cycle how does the system drain back into the sump? Does it simply flow back through the pump, that is that the pump cannot be of a positive diplacement type? Thanks for a very informative site. If possible could you e-mail me at colinho@bf.new.iscorltd.co.za Thanks a stack Coiln Holman
Yes that is correct. Submersible pumps are better for flood and drain systems or when
solution reclamation is a must. Positive displacement pumps are used for drip or other
systems when a litter excess runoff isn't a problem.
Ron
Ron,
Excellent site! You say that you germinate in paper towels yet you also say that you start seeds in vermiculite/Olivia's. I know there is no "right" answer here but I'd like to get the process down once and for all. If I germinate in paper towels, then do I move the seedlings to vermiculte/Olivia's until they are a few inches, and then to soil until they are large enough to go into the system? Is there an extra/missing step here? A step-by-step would help if you can spare it. Thanks. Keep up the good humor!
1 - Start the seeds in a Olivia's or Ortho's B1 Plant Starter soaked paper towel. They
will start to germinate in 2 or 3 days.
2 - Transfer to the vermiculite tray when the root is about 1 inch long and before the
root starts to dig into the paper towel.
3 - Let the plants mature a week or two in the vermiculite tray. Start feeding with a weak
nutrient solution (200-400 PPM) if the plants
start to yellow.
4 - Transfer to your hydro system when the plants have at least their second set of true
leaves for most plants or when they are big enough to grab hold of.
5 - Skip the soil part.
Ron
in hydroponics, do you also feed the plant even at night ? isn't it photosysthesis needs water and sun light to make
plant food ? what if you dont use HID lamps in your growing room, only sun light, wont the
water kill the plant if you water them at night ? thanks RON
CARTMAN
Hi CARTMAN
Yes you don't need to water at night but from experience I have never had a problem
watering at night. When I have multiple gardens running on the same timer sometimes I
don't have much choice. When the timers cost 80 bucks apiece you can see timers are a big
problem for everybody including me. A light sensor hook to your timers would save you a
lot of work.
Ron
I have a six plant syetem like the 11 plant syetem on this site.I would like to ask a question. How long should you run the pump? Does your plant get it food when have your lights on or off? How often should I run my lights with my seedlings? Thank you for all your surport.. Kev
Hello Kev
You only need to let the water rise to the desired height and then drain immediately back
to the tank. Do this about every 20 minutes or so when the lights are on. For seedlings 18
to 24 hours of light for vegetative stage.
Ron
I can buy only thick wall pvc in Mass. Will your 1" tee accept 1" thick wall pipe? John J
Hi John J
Yes. The only place you need the thin wall pipe is where the bottle cap with the hole
fits.Another name for thin wall is 200 PSI PVC
Pipe.
Ron
Hi Ron, How do you figure out how big is a nutrient tank to use? My hydroponics garden has 40 plant heads connect by 1 inch pcv (modified from your 9 plant garden).
I like to use at least twice as much as the system holds. That gives you a little
buffer before refilling.
Ron
today is day 3, 3 days ago my wife brought home what she said was new growth on a rose bush, for 3 days(thursday is #3) they have been in a mixture of perlite/vermiculite there is some visable changes on the 8 rose bush samples all shown continued growth, now to see how long i can keep them alive. how long until i should start them on drip irrigation, never having done anything with roses before this is all new to me.
If they have roots you can start any time.
Ron
Tips on finding SDR 26 (Thinwall) PVC:
This stuff can be hard to find. It is not used for general plumbing applications. Therefore, most hardware stores and do-it-yourself chains don't carry it.
To find it, try an Irrigation Systems & Equipment company near you. Try the yellow pages at www.yahoo.com, input your address, and search on "Irrigation Systems". It will list a host of comapnies in our area.
Truthfully, the EASIEST way to get this is to order it from Ron for $.25 a piece. Most of these Irrigation companies won't even sell you the small amount you need, unless they happen to have it sitting around. It will make a difference in the maintainability of your system. And no, Ron does not know me and has not paid me to say this. Good luck! - Shango
Also check out www.plumbingsupply.com. Excellent selection of Drip Irrigation Equipment and hardware. Also carry submersible pumps. No SDR 26 though.
anyone ever tried to grow roses in a hydroponic greenhouse?
Dear Ron: My wife and I live in Queensland, Australia, & are small commercial growers of culinary herbs in 2" propogation tubes. We only produce 100doz per week in a gravel system and a few in pipes. The gravel is in a material called "clip lock", which is an industrial galvanised steel roofing; the flat tray being about 200mm wide(8"). The beds are 1.8m (6') wide and 40m (? 130' long). We get this product 2nd hand from large industrial buildings when demolished, for about 80c to $1 a linear meter.Now we also do similar numbers of potted colour (which are annuals like petunias, marigolds and doz of others)in 4" pots.We always grew these on weed-mat on the ground and overhead watered, until one day I decided to clean out a spare hydroponic gravel bed of the gravel, and put the potted colour in, and irrigate them by pouring the water in one end and returning it to the dam from the other.(identical to the hydroponics). Our total losses have deminished by around 8-12%, our overhead irrigation had used 15,000litres/day. Now we use 1,200 litres day(recycled of course), and it now seems it is costing me more in electricity and annual repairs to run my pump off the dam than it would cost me to purchase water from my local Council (throw the pump in the bottom of the Dam and fill it in). Now for the CRUNCH: We are moving in to seedlings (veg and flower) in small 6 & 8 cell punnets. The traditional method of delivering water is by overhead propogation misters, with an array of balance arms, heads, pipes etc,etc. My question to your readers: (1) has anyone sucessfully raised seedling in punnets by "flood & drain" (2)Has any one any ideas on what I could use as a container to flood and drain, keeping it mind it must be around 2.4m (8') x 1.2m(4') (32sq feet). I could (and probably will) try my clip-lock roofing material, but I am looking for other ideas,so if anyone can comment, I would be pleased to hear from them. Cheers, Phillip.
My question is will a 430 watt sun agro bulb fit in a fit in a Socket assembly out which is made to fit the following bulbs: 150, 250, 400 watt sodium bulbs and 175, 250, 400, and 1000 halide small bulb also the 150, 220, and 360 conversion bulbs?????
Yes the sockets are the same but that doesn't mean that the ballast are the same. You
should only use the ballast that is made for the kind and size of bulb or have plenty of
fire insurance.
Ron
just a quick question, i just noticed that on top of the mixture in one container there is what looks like very fine cob webs, i have not seen this before, i was wanting to know if (1)this will effect the growth of the seedlings in the container? (2) should i remove this container away from the other ones?(3) could this spread to the other containers?(4) what can i do to prevent this from coming back on the other containers? thanks for your time.
You could have spider mites. Just waiting to attack your seedlings when they get big
enough. Spray with Pyrethrum to rid.
Ron
Hi Ron,
Love your web site. Could your ebb & flo system be modified/configured as a continuous flow system and still operated properly. I was thinking that you could run drip hoses from the pump to each plant container and just let it drains continuously back to the tank via the PVC frame. If you think this will work, do you know where I could find a manifold of sorts to direct water to each pot? What is your opinion on this and have you ever tried it? John
Yes that will work. You can find a multiple control manifold at a fish supply store.
Ron
I am looking for someone from the massachusetts/connecticut area with knowledge of hydroponics. Please email me. gustave_brad@bentley.edu
>Hi Ron,
>Love your web site. Could your ebb & flo system be modified/configured as a continuous flow system and still operated >properly. I was thinking that you could run drip hoses from the pump to each plant container and just let it drains continuously >back to the tank via the PVC frame. If you think this will work, do you know where I could find a manifold of sorts to direct >water to each pot? What is your opinion on this and have you ever tried it? John
John, You do not need to purchase any specialized equipment to run a drip system like
the above mentioned. All you have to do is connect a 1/2" poly pipe to your pump, and
run it between every two rows of plants. You the usea drip punch to punch holes for
1/4" drip tubing adaptors. To these adaptors you connect your 1/4" drip line
with the flow emitters attached. The only thing that you will have to watch for is that
your pump must supply enough pressure to force the water out of the emitters. I believe
this is around 40-60 psi. Drip irrigation was designed to be used with standard water
pressure.
Brian
Hey Ron, Cool site man!! My bro and I just built the 11 plant set-up. We have a two questions; 1. Using rockwool,how often do we have to run the pump, and for how long?(24hr light) 2. How important is humidity, and what level do we keep it at? Steve and Sam
Hi Steve and Sam
Rockwool holds moister better than grow rocks so you don't need to water as much. If your
plants wilt between watering than you need to water more often.
Keep humidity well under 80 % to prevent mold and bug problems.
Ron
hi ron,
is algae growing in the rockwool of my
growing cup a cause for alarm ?
pathetic grower
Hi pathetic grower (been their)
Algae is a by-product of hydroponics and is caused when light shines on water. It's not
harmful but you can cut down on it growing by blocking the light from reaching the water
with a paper plate, with a hole and a slit to wrap around the stem of your plant. The
white paper plate also reflects light back up to your plants.
Ron
I am new to hydroponics and am working for foundation in Georgia (United States) that is considering establishing a program to teach farmers how to use hydroponics in commercial applications. Does anyone know if it hydroponics would be commercially viable on a larger scale in Georgia? Does anyone have any suggestions on contacts/resources to investigate this? I plan on talking with the USDA and and agricultural scientists at the universities. Please e-mail any suggested contacts/resources to cvadnais@fuquacapital.com Thanks for your help.
Ron
How long do I run the pump if I'm using rockwool and have the light on 24 hours a day?
Mike
Rockwool holds water longer than grow rocks so I wouldn't water as much. Maybe every
couple of hours or so. Only let the pump run long enough to wet the rockwool and then let
the solution drain back to the tank unless you have to use a timer that runs longer then
you don't have much choice but to let the pump run the minimum on time of the pump. A
Dayton 1or 2 hour Cycle Timer from Grangers is the best but cost about $80.00. For serious
growers you will have to buy one of these no matter what they cost.
Ron
what's the best lighting system considering cost as the first priority?
I would go with a 400 watt High Pressure Sodium or Metal Halide. I found three 400
Metal Halides at my local flea market for $30. apiece a few years ago. Those orange
looking street lights you see in parking lots are HPS lights and Metal Halides are used in
large buildings. Next time your in Home Depot look up and you might see them. You can
start with a 250 watt if you are really on a budget but I would stay away from florescence
lights because of the cost per watt of using them. They are only good for the first few
weeks of plant life then they need more light.
Ron
Dear Ron, I just found this web site. My daughter would like to perform and experiment for her science fair comparing soil planting to hydroponics. I have taken out several books for her and have searched several web sites, and yours so far has had the best information. Any ideas as to the best and least complicated way for a 9 year old to set up a hydroponic test garden? I bought gravel, some seeds and a plastic container. I'm unsure of the nutrient mixture, if I can buy it and dilute it or if I have to find all the ingredients separately. Any advice would be a tremendous help as I am a novice hydroponicist. Thanks! Cheryl Long Island
Hi Cheryl
The Gurgle Garden is a simple and inexpensive drip garden
that use an aquarium air pump ( about $5.00 ) instead of the more costly submersible pump
systems.
As for the nutrient solution, I have been using Miracle-Gro at 1/4 strength with
surprisingly good results.
Ron
Could anyone please tell me some of the Colleges & Universities particularly good to go to for learning how to own a hydroponic food production business? any replies would be greatly apprieciated. much thanks, - coolerthenyou@yahoo.com
nice site i built a 6 bottle system i used t's that were theaded were the bottle cap mounts used sylcone worked grate 3/4 inch t/s nice system
when you post how long dos it take to show
It shows right away but you have to close or refresh and then open the bullentin board
again to see it.
It's a different story as for when I get time to answer the questions. I do have to make a
living to pay for this web site.
If people are getting rich from the internet, it ain't me.
Ron
Ron,
What do you mean when you mention
"topping off" the solution? I have no idea what it means.
Mike
Topping off means filling up your nutrient solution tank when it gets low. You should
add nutrient solution to the water every time you top off to keep the correct PPM. The
only exception is to add just water if you want to lower the PPM because you might have
put to much nutrient solution in your tank.
Ron
Ron,
Mike here again, I hate to bug you so much but I have another questions regarding rockwool and solo cups. Since I am using rockwool, is it necessary to use solo cups? I figured I didn't need them because the rockwool is not loose but in blocks. Hope you can help and thanks.
Mike
I have never tried it but it sounds logical to me. I would use the cups only for loose
rockwool.
Ron
STUPID QUESTION #1001
I have been wondering about the lighting issue for sometime now, and what I have been
wondering is : If I go to Home Depot and purchase a 400W HID fixture, and one 400W HID
bulbs (for around $25). Will this be the "correct" HID bulb for
plant growth? Or is this bulb only suitable for illuminating parking lots? The same
question posed except for HPS lights.
Thanks a few hundred (Inflation, you know!)
--jeff
Hi jeff
Just make sure it says Metal Halide and not mercury vapor or some other kind. Just because
it gives off light doesn't mean that it has the right light spectrum for plants.
Ron
Hello All,
I live in the Midwest and was considering converting my spare bedroom into a room devoted
mainly for growing hydroponic tomatoes. The room measures about 12'x10' and is made from
wood and plaster. Can someone point me in the right direction please?
Rick.
You can learn to build your own hydro garden here at this web site but be ready to
shell out about 2 grand to buy the rest of the equipment you will need. I hope them are
some kick ass tomatoes cause growing indoors ain't cheep. Growroom
picture.
Ron
dear Ron,
i am having difficulty in
getting nutrient for hydroponic system from where i am. furthermore, i cant find any
chemist who will do the formulation for me nor guranty that the nutrient mix is correct.
right now, i am using 30-10-10 for my veggie. the content are as follow :
N ... 30% P2O3 ... 10% K2O ... 10% Magnesium ... 0.120% iron ... 0.040% manganese ...
0.020% boron ... 0.015% copper ... 0.007% zinc ... 0.005% molybdenum ... 0.002% calcium
... 0.090% vitamin B1 ... 0.075%
will this water soluble fertilizer work in hydroponic system ?
thanks,
o2ten
I am using Miracle-Gro with good results. Haven't tried other kinds yet but is on my
list of things to do in the future. I will post the results when I do.
Ron
Hi Ron, I'm just getting to soilless gardening and having a good time experimenting. I just started seeds in sand and vermiculite . Just to let you know there are more enthusiasts out there. xcuse spelling. I'll be glad to learn more.
Sincerely Jim Barlow jeb53414
Ron, My seedlings are growing at different rates. Should I wait to put them in the system untill the smallest one is adequate, or does it matter if there are a couple of small ones. Thanks, The Matt-hatter
No it doesn't matter. As long as they have roots they should be ok. Put them in the
best place in the garden so they will have a chance to catch up with the other plants.
Ron
Ron, My plants are only 2" tall and the lower leaves are turning yellow and curling up. I just transplanted them into the system last night, so they will be receiving more nutrients. Will they be OK thanks Rick
Hi Rick
That's what they might need. Keep a close eye on them to see if they start to green up. If
the new growth doesn't look healthy in a few days then dump your solution and start with
a new batch.
Ron
Anyone looked at the hygroscopic disk rain sensors like the one sold at www.smarthome.com, item 7194, Rain Sensor. I think it also goes by the name of Mini-Clik. It says it simulates the drying of turf. I was thinking you might be able to replace the timer with this, if it could be adjusted to simulate the drying of clay pellets. It has a built-in 10.amp switch so you could drive the pump from it. Price is about $32.95. What do you think???
I will check it out.
Ron
Finding thin-wall PVC. I couldn't find this, until someone told me that 200psi PVC is thin-wall. He was right. Take the bottle cap with you and check it for fit before you buy it:)
Ron,
What do you think is the best way to get rid of spider mites and spiders?
Pat
Ron: Best site on the Web. I was blown away when I ran on to it. I joined the club, want to be a part. I e-mailed Wormsway for a catalog told them I was a member of H.O.C. Maybe they will in time give discounts. I need the conversion tables for E.C. to C.F. to PPM from anyone out there. Send to site or e-mail at (tharmon@barbourville.com ) Again thanks for such a great site. Nurse Ducket
ron can you use lime in the water to keep the right ph like in soil or is it better to use the up or down i thought lime mite be easy since i have no tester thanks
I had the same thought and I added a little lime to my tank where I am using Miracle-Gro. Here are some recent pictures of my plants in my pool gallon garden. I might never buy hydro solution again. Ron
| Tomato blooms | Tomato Plants | Strawberry Plant |
Hi Ron, After success with my 11 plant 2 liter garden for the past year, I am now
looking at building a gallon system. The only question I have at this time is what is the
advantage of using the bleach bottles over the 2 liter bottles for this system?
It seems that the 2 liter bottles with solo cups would be a lot more practical.
Mitch
Hi Mitch
The gallon size is just for larger plants. Some plants like Spider Plants or Ivy will slit
a solo cup because they need more root room. If you are growing short term plants then I
would go with the 2 liter.
Ron
hi ron,
what is the capacity of the tnak you are using. the smallest i can find around town would
be a 1/2hp jet pump with a capacity of 11lts per hour. if i were to use this pump for a
system you have designed, do i have to install a foot valve at the inflow pipe ?
Not sure what a jet pump is but you might need more than a foot valve. You might need a
yard valve.
I use a 120 to 200 GPH (gallon per hour) Submersible Pump depending on the size of the
garden.
Ron
Ron,
I have a problem with my garden area being too hot. Do you think it is wiser to blow
cold air in with a fan or suck the hot air out with a fan?
Pat
You can put a fan at the top of your room to suck the hot air out and a vent at the
bottom of your room so cooler air can be suck in. You can also vent just the light hoods
with dryer hose and a little ingenuity.
Ron
Do you ever use the 3 or 5 gallon poly bag system? I am planning to grow several cherry tomato, asian cucumber, asian eggplant and yellow and orange bell pepper plants. I have heard that a good system uses the poly bags, gro rocks, sprayer heads inside the bags and no return flow to the nutrient tank. Do you sell or know of anyone who sells the bags? Thanks for your help.
I used poly bags with dirt years ago but I have heard of the system you mention. Disney
World grows tomatoes in bags of perlite. Worms Way sells the poly bags in all sizes.
800-274-9676
Ron
.
Ron, I read that over watering is a problem most beginners have. What are the signs of over watering? thanks Rick
Root rot and damping off are the first things that come to mind. Adding an inexpensive
air stone and air pump to come on when your pump does can solve over watering problems.
Ron
Hi Ron, I'm thinking of using Miracle Gro 15-30-15 for my hydroponics system. Do I need to add anything else to this solution? Thanks Jack Minn
I have been adding Epsom Salt with Miracle Gro for tomatoes for a couple weeks now
because a member said so. I will let you know how it works.
Ron
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