[GpsFrontier]

DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EMITTER/MISTER?

Not really, because I am not familiar with that tubing. I am planing to experiment with irrigation tubing. The type found at your local hardware store. Though I am not sure about the misters/emitters that they sell because as I understand it, the water droplets should be a certain size for aeroponics. The emitters/misters that are sold at Hydroponic stores are designed best for aeroponics, but I don't know if they will work well with the irrigation tubing yet. I do plan on doing some testing with both type of emitters/misters and comparing the results, but have not done so yet. The best I can suggest right now is to start over with new tubing and emitters/misters from the hydro shop. For a drip system the irrigation tubing at the hardware works fine and there is no need for emitters in a drip system. Just poke the holes where you need them. They also have laser cut tubing at the hardware store but I don't know if it is exactly the same thing as what's at the hydro store.

CHECKED THE BASKET FOR ALGAE AND IT IS NOT. I THINK IT WAS JUST ROOTS THAT WERE WATER EXPOSED FOR TOO LONG. OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHAT COLOR ARE THE ROOTS IN AN NFT SYSTEM SINCE PART OF THEM ARE IN WATER ALL THEY TIME?

That,s strange, because the top rim of the baskets are a green color but the part that is below in the growing chamber is the same brown as the roots. Maybe what I am seeing is the roots covering the basket and looking that way. The roots of any healthy plant should be white no matter what type of system it's in. I asked what type of system it was in because I was hoping to find a cause for the problem. In an N.F.T. (Nutreint Film Technique) The roots hang in a continuously flowing film of nutrients and use the roots as a wick to suck the water/nutrients up to the plants. Not all plants do well in all types of systems. For instance plants that need good drainage wont do as well in a water culture system and are better off in a drip system, but water loving plants like lettuce do well in a water culture system. I'm not familiar with "arugula" and it may very well be a plant that needs good drainage. In which case using a air pump should help the situation, also lowering the overflow tube so they are not soaking in water also should help.

I WILL ADD THE AIR STONES. HOW MANY DOES ONE NEED? ARE THEY THE SMALL ONES OR THE LONG KIND (8 IN+). HOW MANY SHOULD I HAVE FOR THE SUMMER TIME?

This really depends on what you can fit in your system and how much air your pump pumps out. Shape does not matter, though I wouldn't use the light round tubes rather the actual stones. The round tubes have clogged up on me and are so light that when air is pumped through them they float, so you need to weigh them down. The rule of thumb (for me at least) is the more the better. But keep in mind just because you add more stones does not mean that you are adding more oxygen. The pump is still putting out the same amount of air, just splitting it between however many stones you are using. I am sure you know but just in case, the air stones and pumps in the pet supply stores for aquariums work just fine.

The warmer the nutrient/water temp the less oxygen it can hold onto. So in general warmer means less oxygen in the solution and in my opinion you can never get too much oxygen to the roots.

I AM USING BOTANICARE PUREBLEND PRO IN MY SECOND SYSTEM AND THEY SAY NOT TO USE H2O2 AS IT WILL KILL BENEFICIALS. I WILL CONTACT GENHYDRO REGARDING ITS USE WITH ITS MAXIGRO. I AM ALSO USING SM 90 IN BOTH SYSTEMS. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS PRODUCT?

I don't have any first hand experience with these products. I will need to do some research on them. Though if they recommend not to use the Hydrogen Peroxide with it there's probably a reason, and contacting General Hydroponics to find out the particulars would be best. As I mentioned it will kill both good and bad bacterias, but how that differs from the Flora series nutrients I use, I cant tell you. It looks to work fine with the flora series nutrients as long as you don't use too much.

IT IS SORT OF A HYDRID SYSTEM AND THE WATER IS CONSTANTLY MOVING.

The moving water will help keep algae growth down but does not add any oxygen to it. I just asked because I was concerned about possible algae growth.

THE SM 90 IS SUPPOSE TO HELP WITH BREAKING SURFACE TENSION AND HELPING TO KEEP EMITTERS CLEAN.

I am not familiar with this product and am not exactly sure how it's different from the FloraKleen. I just know that I had a problem with the salt buildup last summer and the FloraKleen was recommended to correct it because it dissolves these salts.

I BOUGHT MY HEATER AT THE PET STORE. $34 FOR ONE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF ADJUSTABILITY, IT IS RATED AT 300 WATTS. LIKE YOU SAID THOUGH IT DOES COST MONEY TO RUN THEM. IT YOU COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATE SOURCE LET ME KNOW.

The ones that I was looking at were at Walmart and I don't remember how many watts, but you may have a larger one for 45 gallons to heat. The ones I was referring to were designed up to 15 gallons. Though using the fixed one set at 78 degrees for 45 gallons instead of the recommended 15 may not get that hot, and might wind up being in the right range. In any case, I am more concerned with spending $20 each and needing 5 or 6 of them, including tax it would be somewhere like $130, not to mention the electricity. Though because the plants don't need to feed at night it wouldn't need to be on all night. Maybe just 1 hr or 1 1/2 hr to warm up, before it gets light and the pump turns on.

I have not got anything worked out yet but I am considering using a cheep electric heating blanket from a garage sale or thrift shop. Taking the coils out of it as a heating element. It's waterproof as long as you don't accidentally cut the coil taking it out. Also maybe just wrapping the blanket around the reservoir itself. I am quite sure I can get these for $3-$5 ea, it will take a little fine tuning but will be much cheaper. You probably would not need to do this because I think you only have 2 systems. I have 3 running right now with more planed. Including a 128 strawberry plant system I hope to have running by late January. Also 2 water culture systems that I want to get running as soon as I can get another air pump and get the seeds sprouted.