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Out side Hydroponics


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Old 03-10-2012, 03:21 PM
GardenState GardenState is offline
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Default Out side Hydroponics

So I'm new to this a bit, this winter I have had successes with both dwc and ebb and flow lettuce. I'm busy getting stuff started for the outside garden but I have been thinking about doing some hydro outdoors.

It sounds like nft is the preferred outdoor technique using some sort of pipe or gutter.
My concerns are the res and the very difficult task of burying anything without a backhoe.
And power failure leading to the quick death of plants.

How do you size the res? How many gallons per plant.

I also have a problem with very high Ph (8) water. So the res can not easily be topped off without PH correction. So if away for a few days there has to be enough water. Or is there some sort of cheap way to auto correct this if I use a float valve?

We loose power a lot, while I do have a generator if I'm not home its not going to get started.

Anyone have any luck with 12 volt dc pumps? I was think a large battery and a charger connected, so when to power goes out the pump keeps running. I might even consider a solar panel if I can find one cheep.

Also can you use one res for multiple plant types? Is there a happy medium for the food. Something every plant will like.

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  #2  
Old 03-10-2012, 03:51 PM
fintuckyfarms fintuckyfarms is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GardenState View Post
So I'm new to this a bit, this winter I have had successes with both dwc and ebb and flow lettuce. I'm busy getting stuff started for the outside garden but I have been thinking about doing some hydro outdoors.

It sounds like nft is the preferred outdoor technique using some sort of pipe or gutter. Any system that you use indoors can be used outdoors if it will meet the plants requirements with some planning.
My concerns are the res and the very difficult task of burying anything without a backhoe. I did not bury my nutes last year because I had the same issue, rocky ground and no backhoe. I made coolers or chillers and made sure they were kept in the shade. I even resorted to just freezing 2 ltr bottles and throwing them in the nutes.
And power failure leading to the quick death of plants.
If you design you system correctly some of that can be delayed or even prevented. Design your system so there there is a small amout of water in it even when the pump is off and some of your plants will survive.

How do you size the res? How many gallons per plant. have read 2.5 gals per a plant but I had much less then that and mine did fine. It varies depending on plants, and climate also

I also have a problem with very high Ph (8) water. So the res can not easily be topped off without PH correction. So if away for a few days there has to be enough water. Or is there some sort of cheap way to auto correct this if I use a float valve? I think that is the perfect solution with it hooked up to a tank of PH balanced water.

We loose power a lot, while I do have a generator if I'm not home its not going to get started.

Anyone have any luck with 12 volt dc pumps? I was think a large battery and a charger connected, so when to power goes out the pump keeps running. I might even consider a solar panel if I can find one cheep. Harbor frights has a cheap solar panel that I have heard makes a greater beginners system.

Also can you use one res for multiple plant types? Is there a happy medium for the food. Something every plant will like.
Most plants can start in the same solution, but as they start to flower or fruit they will need not only a different strength but different stuff! I use the Flora Nova Grow 2 part which is a grow part and a bloom/fruit part. Plants that do not fruit/bloom will always be on the first part, never needing the second. You can also use additives like a cal/mag supplement for tomatoes. Also you will want to put plants that need the same PH, PPM, and even temprature together whenever possible. (I do not really worry about the PPM's right now, just PH. If I ever get a greenhouse or decide to do hydroponics as more then a hobby then I will get an automated system. hope this helps some...

Last edited by fintuckyfarms; 03-10-2012 at 04:02 PM.
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  #3  
Old 03-11-2012, 03:44 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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GardenState
Quote:
It sounds like nft is the preferred outdoor technique using some sort of pipe or gutter.
Preferred? That depends on who you talk to, what your growing, as well as many other factors. There are 6 types of hydroponic systems, and though many commercial operations use NFT systems. Their typically only used for small fast growing plants like lettuce, and inside a climate controlled greenhouse.

Quote:
My concerns are the res and the very difficult task of burying anything without a backhoe.
One way or another you'll need to be able to keep the nutrient temps under control. Using a NFT system will make that much more difficult, not just water temps but root zone temp (that's why their typically used in climate controlled greenhouses).

Quote:
And power failure leading to the quick death of plants.
That is another drawback of using a NFT system. It relies a consent flow of water to keep the plants alive. Short interruptions (10-15 min) probably wont be much of a problem, but because the roots are essentially hanging air, they will dry out very quickly. where roots that are surrounded by moist growing media will have access to that moisture until the growing media becomes dry.

Quote:
How do you size the res? How many gallons per plant.
These numbers are minimum recommendations. I generally try to double the minimum recommendations in my systems to avoid fluctuations in nutrient concentrations and pH (especially as the plants reach full size). General recommendations are 2.5 gallons (per plant) for large plants like tomato's, 1 to 1.5 gallons (per plant) for medium sized plants, and .5 (1/2) gallons (per plant) for small plants like lettuce. That goes for any hydroponic system, however sometimes in some flood and drain systems, they may need more water to keep the pump from running dry during the flooding cycle as the plants drink up the water daily.

Quote:
I also have a problem with very high Ph (8) water. So the res can not easily be topped off without PH correction. So if away for a few days there has to be enough water. Or is there some sort of cheap way to auto correct this if I use a float valve?
PH 8 isn't far from neutral (witch is pH 7). What water are you planing to use? Using just plain tap, softened, or well water may lead to other issues regardless of pH. This is one of the problems of using a reservoir that's too small for the situation. As you mentioned and fintuckyfarms suggested, using a float valve to keep a consent water level will definitely help. But still may be a problem if the reservoir size was/is to small to begin with. Including if the plants drink up too much water, and/or if your not replacing it with pH adjusted water. If the reservoir is to small, the nutrients in it will be depleted too quickly, even if the pH is correct and water level continually filled.

Quote:
Also can you use one res for multiple plant types? Is there a happy medium for the food. Something every plant will like.
Yes you can grow more than one crop in the same system. A happy medium? It depends on the plants you plan to grow, but there will always be a compromise. That's why the type of plants grown, what stages their in etc. will determine how happy that medium is. Something every plant will like? No, there's no magic formula that's perfect for all plants. There basically broken down into two groups, for vegetative growth, and for fruiting growth. But grouping your plants/crops in one system with similar needs will give much better results than not doing so.
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  #4  
Old 03-11-2012, 01:03 PM
GardenState GardenState is offline
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I started my tomatoes, peppers, and cukes in rockwool cubes.
Those are the ones I was thinking about doing hydro.
I have other stuff started in dirt, but could be transfered. Broccoli, beens, herbs, and other stuff. I'm still going to have dirt for onions, taters, carrots, and beets.

Summers here in NJ can get very hot so the death thing is always on my mind.
I have to set this up to run a few days without human interaction.

Considering an above ground tank of just PH balanced water to top the nute tank via a float valve.

Thinking about a 55 gal drum for the nut tank. I have one laying around so thats a bonus. I was considering burying it horizontally to save some digging.

I'm really trying to get an idea on how much the plants will use in a day.

Also thinking about 2 pumps feeding the system one ac one dc. So if either one stops working the plants don't die.

I'm having trouble finding a 12 volt pump that is quality made, I was looking at bilge pumps but they only have a published 1000 hour life.

So with the plants I was thinking about doing hydro what system would you all recommend? And this is a budget system so commercial made stuff is out of the question.

I'm using tap water, which is from a town well.

Last edited by GardenState; 03-11-2012 at 01:05 PM.
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  #5  
Old 03-12-2012, 09:07 AM
fintuckyfarms fintuckyfarms is offline
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Do a search on barrelponics and see if something like that will work for you, you don't have to use the fish.

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