Third system

[KevinL]

I want to attempt strawberries, but I ant to do it in a stacked drip system usig either vermiculite or perilite as the substrate. I've seen similar systems like this and want to do a setup in my greenhouse.

As for the Bleach info, I know some people try things word for word, and I sure would hate for someone to kill off their grow because of something obvious that I forgot to mention. ;-0

[GpsFrontier]

There are a number of different ways you could start the dormant strawberries.

1. Plant them in the net basket with the cocoa chips, place them in the tube and run it as an ebb and flow. This would require the chips to wick the solution throughout the basket because like you said only the lower corner would be in the solution. Do you think this would be enough to get them going?

Yes, they would grow just fine that way. Though the strawberry system will take approximately 30-40 gallons to flood all 8 chambers and have enough left in the reservoir so the pump does not run dry, and to me that would be a waist of nutrients for plants that are not ready to plant yet.

2. Start them in rockwool and after a couple of weeks, move them into baskets with chips and into the tube using ebb and flow.

This is probably most common, and would work. But for better or worse I will probably go another route.

If one did it this way would they continue in the ebb and flow mode or would they switch to NFT after the roots are developed and hanging down from the net basket

Well, this is really a matter of preference and up to the grower, and what they are comfortable with. Running it as a N.F.T. would use half the nutrients compared to flooding it, but I think I will be able to keep them better fed using it as a flood and drain. But I have the flexibility to change it when ever I want and I can also play with the flooding cycle and drain height and do some trial and error to find the best combination to run it at.

3. Or, would you do it completely differently, please digress.

Well, I will probably just use flat trays about 2 inches deep filed with potting soil to bring the dormant strawberry plants back to life. Then just gently wash off the roots before transplanting into the baskets with coco chips. But that's just my preference.

I bought an air stone today. It was a big sucker, it you beaned someone with it they might not get up for a while. When I hooked it up to my GH air pump, which is pushing air for my drip system it really didn't do shit. When I turned closed the stop cocks on 3 of the 4 outputs it did a great job. Gee, spend more money.

Ya, the pump can only put out as much air as it was designed for. So you can have as many stones as you want but it is still the same amount of air, just split between how ever many stones you are using.

[GpsFrontier]

I want to attempt strawberries, but I ant to do it in a stacked drip system usig either vermiculite or perilite as the substrate. I've seen similar systems like this and want to do a setup in my greenhouse.

This type of stacked system is quite popular and seems to work well also. I attached a few pictures of strawberry's growing this way.

Just for the heck of it I also attached some pictures of a vertical tube that I can only assume is an Aeroponic system. I want to try growing something in this as well. I also attached a picture of a Aframe Aeroponic system growing lettuce that I hope to try soon. There is also a picture of some pompkins growing on a a frame support with the plants growing in a trough. To be honest I don't even know if this is a hydroponic system, but I want to design one like it for growing melons. Probably a drip system.

[KevinL]

I've seen a little different setup for the strawberries, but I'm sure it's the same technique, and they were stacked higher.
I've seen some plans for that vertical tube, and it's done either with misting spray emitters inside, or some with drip feeders on the outside.
Personally, I like to see things working.
As for the trough...I think what makes it 'ponics is that it uses a soiless substrate and there is constant movement of nutrients from one end to the other, back into nutrient tank.
I've also though about setting up a trough grow, but I want my trough elevated at the top of a trellis and have the plants grow across a horizontal trellis and down one side (sun facing side). Then have my lettuce setup underneath all that to provide shade and cooling for the hot months.

[GpsFrontier]

I've seen some plans for that vertical tube, and it's done either with misting spray emitters inside, or some with drip feeders on the outside.
Personally, I like to see things working.

It would seem to me much easier (and better) designed as a areoponics with the misters/emitters inside the tube. As for me I would have a single P.V.C. pipe straight down the center with the misters/emitters screwed into it. That way if there ever was a problem with the misters/emitters all I need to do is pull the emitter tube out of the top and replace it with a fresh one, making maintenance easy. Then have a return line at the bottom back to the reservoir. Also I would have many more ports for the plants taking advantage of all the open space, and using a 8 or 10 inch tube.

I also would love to see it in action, but I live in AZ and the pictures were taken in Florida at Epcot Center (I believe). I have a file of hundreds of hydroponic images I saved, but don't have much information on them. I save them because they give me inspiration and ideas on different system setups. I have seen many images at Epcot Center and I am sure that is where these were taken even though there was no caption to the pictures.

As for the trough...I think what makes it 'ponics is that it uses a soiless substrate and there is constant movement of nutrients from one end to the other, back into nutrient tank.

Yes, Growing without soil is the definition of hydroponics. I just am not sure if the picture is actually a hydroponic system because I cant tell what's in the troughs, and if it's soil or not from the picture. There is a line near the back, like for a drip system. But that doesn't mean they don't just have soil in it and using a water drip irrigation system to water it. Again the images didn't come with captions.

I've also though about setting up a trough grow, but I want my trough elevated at the top of a trellis and have the plants grow across a horizontal trellis and down one side (sun facing side). Then have my lettuce setup underneath all that to provide shade and cooling for the hot months.

That's actually a good idea I hadn't thought of. It also would be a space saver.

[GpsFrontier]

These plants are 3 weeks old now so I thought I would post an update. The plants started to grow quickly. So I had to make a temporary support because they are climbing plants. The wood frame is supposed to be temporary, until I am able to get the P.V.C. tubing to make the one I have planed. It will be similar to the one I built for the tomato's.

The system is using 8 gallons of nutrient solution. I had the same nutrients in the system for all 3 weeks. The first 2 weeks were at half strength because they were very small plants. After 2 weeks I added 4 tsp (20mL) of each to the reservoir. Now I just changed the nutrients to a full strength 2 tsp (10mL) of each and plan to run it for 2 weeks.

P.S. The white buckets on the wall are for the Squash plants I have planed to grow as a drip system using this same reservoir, making it a combination flood and drain and drip system. It will have 3 plants, I just took one of the buckets down to take some pictures inside. The wood 2x4 will have the one way flow valve attached to it to hold it in place.

[KevinL]

Looks good, wont be long before you won't be able to pull those net cups out all the way there will be so many roots. Roots like nice and healthy.
As they get bigger, you might want to think about have a large amount of nutrient in your resevior because it'll start sucking up fluids like crazy and you don't want it to get to low before you can replenish the used amount of water.
When I had my first NFT, I had some days it was using 8 or more gallons in 24 hours

[txice]

Nice looking system GpsFrontier.

You know...I see alot of designs using a setup similar to this (be it ebb and flood, nft or what have you), and I'm always curious about root management. Having experience with these types of systems, how to you manage that, if at all?

I mean, I'd think the roots could very quickly get out of hand in a small-ish tube like that, especially if the plant was something intended to be kept for a longer term. Do you perform any sort of root maintenance or simply just let them go? If it's the later, do you eventually end up encountering any issues at all with the tube clogging up or anything?