Quote:
|
Question, I know from being involved with raising Trout fingerlings that Zinc from Galvernised fittings used in the system would kill the baby Trout.
|
For Zinc, or any element to be ingested by the plant it needs to be water soluble. Like people, fish can ingest elements that are not water soluble, and may be a difference. I'm not an expert but I have not herd of any problems arising from galvanized or brass pluming in hydroponics.
"
Zinc
(Z) is a catalyst and must be present in minute amounts for plant growth. A lack of zinc results in stunting, yellowing and curling of small leaves. An excess of zinc is uncommon but very toxic and causes wilting or death."
Personally I wouldn't hesitate to try it if that's all I had to work with.
Quote:
|
Building a flood and drain system because it gets hot here and my thinking is the plants will get more oxygen during the drain cycle and the trick will be to let the roots get plenty of air without drying out.
|
Yes, when the system drains it will suck down fresh air into the
growing medium with every cycle. But as it sucks this air down into the root zone the roots are vulnerable to the air temp at every cycle also. The root zone should be kept between 68 and 72 degrees continuously. If the
nutrient solution is 68 degrees, and it sucks in 100 degree air with every cycle the root zone will be warmer than the nutrient solution temp. More frequent, and shorter cycles would help this situation.
P.S. I would e-mail the nutrient manufacture and ask them if the metal would react with the
nutrients in any negative way.