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Hydroponics

Started by Ron Wenrich, April 25, 2012, 06:22:35 AM

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Ron Wenrich

I'm thinking about getting into this.  Anybody else try it?
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

SwampDonkey

First time I saw it was 30 years ago at one of the pavilions Florida at the Epcot Center. You went through it on a kind of a boat ride if I'm not mistaken and I think the building was pyramid shaped with glass. I think it was called "The Land".

That's the extend of it for me. ;)
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bandmiller2

Ron,I haven't heard of that for a long time,it was quite a fad years ago but kinda died off.I know it works,and you have nothing to loose trying it.Seems everything goes around in circles and is born again.Tell us what your planning to grow.There must be someone here who does it. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Raider Bill

My Son and I have both grown this way. Basically it's soil-less growing where you provide the nutrients via a water system. Because of our poor dirt [sand] here and year round growing season it fits. One of the benefits is you have more control over what goes into your plants.

It is pretty easy to get set up and running.

On the flip side there are those that use this system inside under high output lights for stealth reasons and grow 24 hours a day.
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

JSNH

We grow out garden that way. Why it's fun. BTW we grow outdoors no need to grow anything hidden. It's kinda hard to get info on outdoor hydroponics. The yeilds are great and you get no bugs. String beans, celery, tomatos, patatoes, pumpkins, peppers, most anything. Raised wooden boxes filled with what other do we all have??? Sawdust. I have a timmer and a small pump 3 or 4 times a day for 3 to 4 minutes. PM me and I will return with my phone #.

WildDog

There is backyard farmers down here purchasing hydroponic setups with an aquaculture component attached. I imagine they complement each other with waste water/materials etc.
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Sprucegum

Outdoors and still get no bugs? Why not? Don't they like your sawdust?

JSNH

Maybe less would have been better. No grubs we do get ants in the sawdust but I think that helps getting air to the roots. Our neighbors just  get more bug problems. They will get the tomato horn worms and we don't get them maybe its just luck or we are just far enough apart. This week end we should finish setting things up. I can try to get some before photos to give you some ideas. There are many ways to do it. A book I have said sawdust was used till it became too expensive. Not around me it free.

Buck


On the flip side there are those that use this system inside under high output lights for stealth reasons and grow 24 hours a day.
[/quote]

lol....cash crop huh?
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bandmiller2

Bugs are not that bright anything you change such as sawdust soil dissorients them and their off their game.Something as simple as a square of plastic around your cuke plants upsets the cucumber beetles laying their eggs.John,I guess the sawdust doesn't have time to breakdown and pull the nitrogen out of the solution.?? Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Al_Smith

 :D Well yes the science of hydraphonics is practiced by those who really would prefer their methods and locations remain undisclosed for obvious reasons .

The age old practice  of turning field corn into ethanol  while suppossidley is something ultramodern is not often made public knowledge .

Raider Bill

Quote from: Buck on April 26, 2012, 08:49:45 AM

On the flip side there are those that use this system inside under high output lights for stealth reasons and grow 24 hours a day.

lol....cash crop huh?
[/quote]

Big Cash till you get caught. ;)
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

Ron Wenrich

Some of the systems I've been seeing aren't using anything for dirt.  Others have used various things including sawdust.  Is the sawdust mainly for stem support, or are you using it as a substrate to hold the water/nutrient mix?

I like the idea, since watering can be a problem with dirt gardening.  Last year we had a record rainfall and my little garden did grand.  Most years it gets too dry in mid summer and production stops, no matter how much you water.  I also like the idea of no weeding.

I haven't set my sights on any particular method yet.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

JSNH

The sawdust is for root support and to hold moisture. There are ebb and flow systems and air systems. I tried an air system where the roots are suppended in air and the water/fertlize is sprayed on them. The roots must be keep in the dark and the plant can not go more than 5 or 10 minutes with out a spray of water. I had some issues with the sprayers clogging so I don't do that any more. The drip irrigration over the sawdust is less picky. I have seen sand and small rocks as a grow medium but that stuff is heavy and you would want to clean it and reuse it.
I also tried some things called auto pots. The pots are in a tray and a valve releases the water when needed by gravity. They work great and use just the minimal water. A good way go to start with and grow on a deck.

Raider Bill

My Son used 2"PVC by drilling a hole in the top and sticking the plants in them when they were small, roots never saw sunlight. After harvest you pull the pipes apart, clean out the root balls and start over. it was a endless loop a ebb and flow set up. Pump would run a few times a day for a few minutes.
I used perolite [sp], vermiculite and shredded rags as my medium with sprayers. They sell different things like rock wool and beads but really all you need is something to hold moisture and the plants upright.
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

wheelinguy

When I was in college for aquaculture and aquatic sciences we had a hatchery where we grew trout.  We teamed up with the greenhouses on campus and did some hydroponics.  We provided Tilapia and some tanks, they provided the greenhouse and the plants.  The waste and left over food from the fish fed the plants and the plants cleaned the water.  Tilapia are fast growing and have a good value in the market, if your going hydroponic you might as well grow some fish to and then you could sell them to offset the start up and who knows maybe a whole new business! ;D

Al_Smith

They sell "fish emolsion " as a plant fertilizer and it is just that .

Ron Wenrich

I've been looking at Bato buckets or Dutch buckets as a possible system.  The only drawback is using sawdust.  How would you keep it back from clogging the outlet ports?  I guess I can put some stones around the outlets.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

bandmiller2

Ron,how are you doing with your hydro-p thought about you yesterday a neighbor made a setup using pvc drainade pipe.Its 4" thinwall pipe with holes cut in the top for plant pots set at a slight angle and solution constantly pumped through.All the plants look healthy and happy I'am keeping an eye on it and will tell how it works out. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Ron Wenrich

I got tied up with a bunch of other stuff and I've put off gardening.  Its still not out of the question, and I'm thinking small green house and hydroponics for an extended growing season.  We'll see. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

maple flats

Quote from: wheelinguy on April 27, 2012, 01:17:00 PM
When I was in college for aquaculture and aquatic sciences we had a hatchery where we grew trout.  We teamed up with the greenhouses on campus and did some hydroponics.  We provided Tilapia and some tanks, they provided the greenhouse and the plants.  The waste and left over food from the fish fed the plants and the plants cleaned the water.  Tilapia are fast growing and have a good value in the market, if your going hydroponic you might as well grow some fish to and then you could sell them to offset the start up and who knows maybe a whole new business! ;D
My wife and I attended a tour doing just that. An old factory building has been converted into a farm. They have 4 huge tanks and 2 smaller tanks, each with similar sized fish. Some tillapia, some bluegill. The fish are fed on a schedule. Then the water from the fish tanks is pumped thru long beds of lettuce. The lettuce is set in holes in a foam mat. The mats float on the fish water. The overflow is pumped back into the fish tanks. The place we visited produces 500# of lettuce a week and was in the process of adding 1/3 more growing tanks because demand far outpaced production. The growing tanks were made of 2x4 and were 49" wide. Each bed was about 200' long and had 2 tiers. Everything was growing under lights, there were almost no windows and no sky lights. The lights were in several different types, utilizing whatever they found in qty and used fixtures. Electric costs were very low, they were on municipal power with a $.035/KWH rate.
They said they can cut the lettuce 6-7x and then it starts getting bitter, that is when they put the plants into compost and plant new, which they grow from seed and have ready to transplant after that 6th or 7th harvest.
The factory we visited is called Aqua-Vita and they are using an old factory building which used to make silverware (Oneida Limited) before outsourcing everything overseas (including China). Aqua-Vita is in Sherrill, NY, about 5 miles from me.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

SwampDonkey

That is cheap power, but sounds like an industrial rate. For instance Irving pays $0.045/Kwh, residential is a little more than double here in NB. Sounds like a real productive system they have in place. I think it's an interesting concept if you have a good water supply.

As far as silverware being made off shore, I would say it's been that way for over 30 years. Any old silverware I have here that we had since I can remember has Japan stamped on it. Cheaper stuff always had Korea on it. The thinner stuff that was strong and didn't bend when you scooped ice cream or stirred was from Japan. Korea had to use thicker stuff or the silverware had no strength.

We had a fish hatchery that turned into a bottled water outfit. We used to call it the water the fish swam in. The Owner said he had $1M in sales per month for the water, the shipping killed him, he was going behind $30,000 a month. Now just stop and think how much stuff costs to move around. I got this right from the horse's mouth, no rumour. ;)

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

fishpharmer

Maple Flats, thanks for info about aquaponics farm.  I found this link to their website.  Interesting stuff.

http://www.aquavitafarms.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=466
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JSNH

Some photos
Overall Garden


 
Patato stack with the kids


 
Tank with pumps timmer on post.


 
Tomatoes


 

Al_Smith

One of my brother in laws is quite the gardener landscaper type .Won't fix the plumbing in the house but that's another story .Never the less he has tiers of hydrophics in his tropical garden type of patio and I think he uses pea gravel for a bed .

It the house he had some and used glass marbles .Where in the world he found all the marbles I have no idea .Fact at times I think he might have lost his so speak . :D

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