Old Bulletin Board
| |
NEW, Please visit our new Hydroponics Discussion Forums.
[ LAST PAGE ] [ FIRST PAGE ] [ HOME ] [ NEW BULLETIN BOARD ]
I have built a 4'x8' raft table. I have designed a hood that is 8'x4'x4' made of 1" white styrafoam,j bead and metal studs, the light hangs in the middle of hood and can be lowered with or without the hood. A few questions I have before I build today are; -is white styrafoam a good reflector? -If I paint will it be more reflective? -does it ignite easily? -If styrafoam is out would mylar work in a system like this? -will I have a heat problem? if so will a fan blowing from one end cool it enough? Any pointers are appreciated. I will be growing basil and such which should top out at 2'. Thanks in advance
Mylar is the most reflective. Flat white is the next
best. Styrofoam isn't flammable but it will melt
and give off a very unpleasant odor if your light heats it up to much. Your heat
problem depends on how closed of a room you are trying to grow in. Grow rooms
need to be well ventilated for best results. Test your room temperature before
adding your plants to the system.
Ron
Hi Ron- I am building an 11-plant 2 liter garden, which I intend to plant better boy suckers rooted in my little indoor water garden. In Tennessee (mid-90's) they will be on the east side of our yard against the house. Do I need some sort of shade cloth? Or just watch for top wilt? Thanx for all your help and information. Wayne
Hi Wayne Yes you will need shade cloth. I have not been
able to grow tomatoes here in Florida without it. I started with 40% then 50%
and now use 70% shade cloth. First try at growing
tomatoes without shade cloth. Then
my second try with 50%.
Ron
Hi Ron, The timer I have for my 11 plant garden allows the pump to come on for 1 hour and then off for 1 hour around the clock. Is this too much/too little? Thanks Bill JAX FL.
I would add an air stone to your reservoir to add
plenty of oxygen to your nutrients because 1 hour increments is a little long.
If your plants start to wilt before the next 1 hour watering time then that is a
clue you need to water sooner.
Ron
Hey Ron, New to this stuff, so please be gentle...... I am looking for information on "just water" medium hydroponics. I would like to see pictures and diagrams on what actually supports the seedlings. I can't find any info on these simple questions. I want to set up a flow system to recycle the water. Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Brian iamdigitalone2002@yahoo.com
I think what you are talking about is a NFT system. (
Nutrient Film Technique) I have seen these gardens made out of rows of rain
gutters with plastic stretched over the gutters. A small hole is cut in the
plastic every foot or so. The seedlings stick out the holes and the roots grow
in the gutters underneath the plastic. The gutters are on a slight incline so
the nutrient solution will flow through the roots.
These kinds of gardens are usually used to grow plants like lettuce and other
small plants that don't need to be tide up. Picture
of systems.
Ron
Ron, We miss you. Hope things are going well for you. Of course we want to see pictures of your latest garden. It's through this website that I got started this summer in hydroponics. See www.alternatethoughts.com/hydro/index.php Your 11-plant unit has really given me a learning challenge. I'll have pictures to my drip modifications up in a day or so. Just wanted to say thanks for an excellent website! HarryHydro North Georgia
I still haven't recovered from the three hurricanes we experienced
last year. Wiped out my greenhouse pretty good. Got no help from the government.
I hope to have a crop of tomatoes going by September.
Which plants / grasses grow faster
Water loving plants like banana trees and hundreds of ornamentals that love water. Many herbs and spices grow pretty fast too.
Is it possible to trim the root system of a plant if it starts to out grow the container it's housed in? I'm using the ebb and flow system described on this web site and the root systems of a few tomato plants are starting to lift the solo cup from the inverted 1 liter bottle.
Yes you can. Some plants like tomatoes it's almost mandatory. That's why I only grow patio type tomatoes in the 2-liter system.
what is hydroponics
Hydroponics by definition, means 'water-working." In practical use, it means growing plants in a water and nutrient solution, without soil. Hydroponics allows a gardener to grow plants in a more efficient and productive manner with less labor and time required.
I like your 11 plant garden, can you tell me what I would need to expand you 11 plant garden to 33 plants?
You need 22 more bottles and to cut the 1 inch PVC between the cups to a distance that you want between your plants. The garden can also be any shape you want. With a garden that size I would get rid of the over flow pipe and invest in a cycle timer. You set the timer to come on and pump your solution to the correct height. The correct height is about 2/3 rds way up the bottles. Just make sure that the roots get well watered. Water every 30 minutes or so because with hydroponics you are force feeding your plants.
new at this i have built a system that uses 6in pvc pipe 10ft long but i cut them in half and used a hole saw and have drilled ten holes in each pipe pluged up the ends ran a half in pipe through them and where every hole is i drilled a small hole in the pipe so the water can flow. i used plants all ready started and removed the dirt and put them in cups about a half inch from the bottom of the cups and put fine crushed river rock around them. they do all right for a while and then die i am trying to find a timer that i can set for a min on and 3 off has anybody in the group made a timer i bought one at walmart but it only lets me set up up to 20 times and i have no shade over my plants. thanks keith kehollyfield@adelphia.net or kehollyfield@yahoo.com yahoo id kehollyfield
Hi I'd like to start a limited indoor garden consisting of four tomato plants any thoughts?
I would use 4 inch sewer pipe and 4 corners made into a
square if your light is stationary or you use a circle mover. Or if you use a linear
light mover then make it a 6.5 ft. long piece of 4 inch pipe with an end cap on
both ends. Then I would buy 4 two gallon plastic paint buckets at Home
Depot.
Then I would decide how far apart I want my plants to be from one another.
Usually at least 18 inches apart for mature tomato plants. You then connect the
2 gal. buckets to the 4 inch pipe with
bulkheads.
I think I will build one and offer it for sell to tomato growers that don't want
to build their own. Watch for the coming pictures.
is there a worlds biggest hydroponics system? tegan perkinson and nadia mantell whakatane intermediate school technology block
i have just bought a hydro hut and some auto pots the hydro hut is 4x4 is this a good start.
i need help starting growing in a hydro hut
Don't know what a hydro hut is. Need more info or at least a picture of a hydro hut.
Hi Ron How do I grow in a Hydrohut with auto-pots via ebb flow?
4x4 box made for growing tomatos.
high tech tent grow room
with 4x4 ft of growing space how tall can my tomato plants be
As you can see I will edit your questions when you
don't have enough sense to edit yourselves. This web site is not for pot
growers. Their are plenty of web sites out their devoted for that. If I had to
depend on pot growers as customers to keep this web site going then it would
have been closed down years ago.
So don't be afraid to ask your questions but keep it to yourself what you are
growing in that basement or back room. We don't care. Remember most of us don't
live in the 10 states that have eased their pot laws. Under the patriot act,
freedom of speech isn't a giving anymore. I could be closed down or worse by the
Feds. for contributing to your law braking.
to see hydro hut www.hydroasis.com then scroll on the side for hydro hut
Thanks. I took a look at it and it looks ok for use with florescence
bulbs but I wouldn't want to put a 400 MH or HPS bulb in that plastic tent.
Unless it had a well ventilated hood. As for height in a system like
that depends on how high the growing tray is to the light. My guess would be no
more than 3 feet at harvest. Remember tomato plants will grow about another 1
foot when you go from veg. stage to bloom stage.
I am researching Hydroponics for a mission in Haiti. If we had worm beds and fed the plants worm tea will that be enough food for the plants? What would we need to add for a complete diet? Our brothers and sisters don't have a source of other chemicals available.
does the plant grow more fast while using the hydroponic method
Yes With hydroponics you are force feeding your plants every 20 minutes or so. The plants never go without the nutrients they need for fast growth. With dirt the plants have to grow roots to search for water and nutrients and that takes a lot of energy away from the top of the plant and that is the part that matters. Unless you are growing carrots or potatoes.
There is NO comparison between growing in hydroponics and potting soil. Hydroponics wins hands down. Keep in mind that in hydroponic growing, the plants are being force fed nutrients whereas in soil, the plants put out more roots seeking nutrients in a form it can use.
I usually buy 6 packs of seedlings at my local Home Depot. Those that I don't put in a hydroponic setup, go into the ground. The difference in the growth rate and production of fruit is almost unbelievable using a hydro system. An added benefit is that I haven't had any bug problems in the hydro garden and am able to grow without using any poison sprays.
what is the green matter growing on the perlite in our ebb and flow system?
Algae. That means that your water has nutrients in it. Growing with hydroponics you always will have algae. The only way to cut down on algae is to keep the light from hitting your watering system. That is why my bottle system gardens keeps algae at a minimum because no light hits the water
Could I have a hydroponics garden in a corner bedroom which has 3 windows on 2 sides? I am only interested in growing vegetables.
No. You will need more light than that will provide.
Lighting is the most important thing you can do for growing healthy plants
especially vegetables.
Read this PDF file
Hey folks, Does anyone have an answer for the question I asked about Hydroponics in Haiti, submited on 07/07/05?
No. Not yet.
I finished my 11 bottle garden and added water to check for leaks. I love this thing. I have been sitting here for an hour starting it and stopping it watching the water rise and fall. This thing is awesome even without the tomatoes which are still sprouting and rooting. Thanks for sharing you garden designs Mr. Ron. My wife is thrilled and can't wait to get it planted. For now, I'm going to fill and drain a dozen more times until I get tired of watching it. Thanks again...tons of money saved because of you!!! Best Regards, Mark
[ include("google-qa2.php"); ?>BACK TO TOP ]
[ LAST PAGE ] [ FIRST PAGE ] [ HOME ] [ NEW BULLETIN BOARD ]
[qapages/_private/copyright.htm]