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j-roadtatts

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Posts posted by j-roadtatts

  2. Posted

    12 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    Originally was going to fill every few hours and then drain 10min later.  Obviously at this point I can't do that.  Assume the tank, pump, aeroator that I have would transition to NFT the best.  Haven't enough plants to need the transition yet, so it is a great time to spitball!

     

    The only system I’ve dealt with like that was my BIL’s Deepwater culture setup. It required two 55 gallon drums of nutrient water. When the water was in the field there was less than half a drum left. The field being sixteen 5 gallon buckets, so probably 65-70 gallons. In that system the water would stay in the field and be cycled every six or eight hours. At the end of the circuit there was a control bucket with an electronic float that controlled the pump and water level. As he was on well water, also required having two additional 55 gallon drums full of RO water ready at res change time. He used the blue plastic drums they ship fruit in. Lastly ended up requiring an expensive water chiller to keep the water from going anaerobic. The returns were obviously greater so made sense.

    You could easily get away without the water chiller as the temps won’t be as high. Also will help if the res is sitting on cold concrete. If you did the 4” PVC twenty feet long and filled half way, it would be roughly 26 gallons in the field. So not bad. Would need about a 35-40 gallon res or so to keep the pump covered.


    The other style being a tray setup, like the one I linked. Which is easily built out of Rubbermaid tub or a botanical tray with a lid and what you probably already have. Could also do a second tank as a reservoir, so you don’t have to disturb the roots to change the water.
     
    I personally am not a big fan of how delicate exposed roots are. I do mine in pots full of perlite and build a manifold to top feed. The pots are in a tray that drains into the reservoir. I water 20 minutes every three hours. They can easily withstand 80° for the better part of the day if there is a water malfunction. 

    The biggest reason I am infatuated with aeroponics is the dissolved oxygen aspect. Is the unicorn to plant roots. More specifically the microbes in the rhizosphere transforming the raw nutrients to material the plant can use. If the water temp is under preferably 65°, 70° tops and has the maximum possible 6% dissolved oxygen. Those plants are going to go ape shit, If everything else is in balance. Haha So yeah anytime you can introduce a waterfall it helps in any system. 

    Anyways there’s some late night ramblings to give you food for thought. How big of footprint do you have to work with? 
     

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  3. Posted

    16 hours ago, MKader17 said:

    We were told she was a husky, but she outgrew that. Acts a lot like a German Shepherd, looks Great Pyrenees and Malamute

    I could see the Great Pyrenees and Malamute. We have a German shepherd Pyrenees mix. The docile chill demeanor near that deer screams Great Pyrenees. Haha

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  5. Posted

    21 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    Chickens are outlawed in our bylaws...but I have a bunch of neighbors who would like to see me bulid a coop :)

     

    Our original adjacent neighbors were avid bird lovers so was good. I pretty much greeted the new folks that moved in with a carton of eggs. Lol They have a three and five-year-old boy that are as fascinated as can be with them, so that helps too.

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  6. Posted

    On 4/26/2020 at 8:43 PM, ///M5 said:

    I know...but then 50gal of hydro fluid won't last for shit on flood & drain.  The pvc will hold a crap ton of liquid.  Obviously misting solves that concern as you point out but then NFT is pretty much a lazy mister.  My water supply is laready a fish tank...

    Are you after a continuous flow?... or trying to fill the circuit and cycle periodically?
     

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  7. Posted

    47 minutes ago, ///M5 said:

    Around here the wild berries grow like crazy in the woods as well.  I've done a fair amount of gathering.  Just hadn't thought about it in our yard.  That changes this year.  The asparagus is a great idea.  Hell in Europe they cover it with plastic so that no chlorphyll develops.  Leafy shit I wonder how fast the deer would decimate.  If so, I guess I feed nature.  I ahve a ton of lettuce seeds germinating.  Guess I will plant them oustide and see!

     

     

    Berry bushes are great because they multiply like crazy once established. Same with asparagus. I had heard it is a big crop over Europe, as that is where I got the sandy soil info.

    I’ve only grown lettuce in flower boxes sitting on my porch handrail. Which minimized the bugs and made for easy harvest. I haven’t done any in the last few years though as nothing is sacred to my chickens. Lol

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  9. Posted

    9 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    We also have deer, wild turkeys, coyotes, and owls living in our yard...or at least for part of each and every day.  Anything in their domain gets eaten.

     

    Sounds like you might need to use some chicken wire. Lol

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  10. Posted

    9 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    Just as a clarification, there are parts of my yard that get maybe 2 hours of sun.  The rest...less.  Hastas grow, but so slowly they take nearly 3 years to be big enough to split.  In the sunniest spot we planted tomatoes once.  Had them in the ground on April 30th.  At first frost we had 2 medium sized green tomatoes.  No sun.

    I’d say raspberries and blackberries just because I’ve found them in the wild in heavily wooded areas. If you’ve ever been to upper Washington state, they grow like weeds there. Rhubarb is another I know. Google clams cherry’s and Alpine strawberries as far as other fruits. 
    I googled vegetables and it basically said most root or leaf ones. Like spinach or leaf lettuce. Asparagus would be a good candidate. It loves sandy soil if you have an area of that. A patch will produce for 20-50 years once established. 
    as you stated I’m sure a lot of things will grow, just not produce a lot. I would think it would be worth looking into and at least attempting the things you’re most interested in.
     

    As far as perennial, I have a cherry tree, raspberries, blackberries, grapes and asparagus going. I would love to find a spot for another fruit tree or two, but I’m in about the same boat as you at this point.

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  13. Posted

    10 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    I built something more like an NFT initially but using 1/2" pvc thinking I could flood and drain it.  No place for roots in that plan so I either need to swap up my plan or ...

    With a larger size PVC you should be able to use the baskets you have.
     

    I would probably attempt a high pressure Aeroponic mister style setup. Not that I’m suggesting it. I just think they are cool. Is how they grew vegetables in space iirc. I’ve always been intrigued with NFT too. Especially on commercial setups hooked to fish hatchery’s for the nutrient water. 

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  14. Posted

    14 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    I have ZERO sun in my yard.  Over an acre, but no place to even grow grass or plants.  Complete woods.  Considering the hydro setup will be indoors in our "sun room" which has a shit load of windows and a big arse grow light now.

     

    Sounds like a good place to start some berry patches, if there is at least dappled light. or perhaps asparagus. Pretty sure carrots and quite a few leafy vegetables will grow in shade as well.
     

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  15. Posted

    15 hours ago, MKader17 said:

    Literally this whole page speaks to me. my family is lucky enough that we now live on a couple acres and I would love to actually utilize the space. Gardening is always a black box to me. I would love to land the basics and get started

    Best get to tilling. :D

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  16. Posted

    14 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    We have a well.  Iron content and hardness are double the measured amount on most water tests.  The reason for the 100 gpd was two fold.  Adding an icemaker and carbonated water on tap.  Both require pressure and flow.  The other is it is easy to get a quality 100 that you can trust.  TDS I don't really care about as my goal isn't ultra pure, but safe and not tasting like eating a cast iron pan.  We will also pull 40gal at least on a big day, 80 if I have to fill the hydroponic.  

    And yes, bought a built in TDS and a couple pressure gauges to watch.  The well fluctuations make the booster most likely a necessity.

    As for the H, I built a flood and drain, but my initial setup I didn't account for monstrous root structures so I am going to modify it.  Have a big ass aquarium wrapped in wood with a structure I will put above.  Totally open to completly changing my ideas...

     

    I should’ve guessed you had a well. All bets are off. 
    Are you’re building something like this? https://hydrobuilder.com/hydroponics/complete-hydroponic-grow-systems/aeroponics/super-closet-superponics-16-plant-hydroponic-grow-system.html

    I’ve seen a lot of people build them out of large Tupperware totes.

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  20. Posted

    46 minutes ago, ///M5 said:

    I have a bunch of other herbs hopefully landing here in a few days.  More salad, tomatoes and a bunch of things planted.   Until I have good root structure and enough plants I am sticking to the kratky method and then will turn on the hydro system.  Stuff for upgrading my RO system came yesterday so I can tackle that.  Going from el generic 50gpd to a 100gpd with pressure boost.  I assume I will need a larger storage tank as well, but wanted to see the flow without first.  Those are easy to add :)

     

    I had switched up to 100 GPD and went back to a 50. About the only thing gained was quicker recovery time. Iirc the 100 didn’t drop the TDS and left more taste. Either way don’t forget to switch the flow restrictor to match. 
    anytime I‘ve lost pressure it is because the post filter is plugged. That’s on a five stage RO. I had installed a booster pump for the ice machine but took it out and returned it as it was pointless, if everything is running correct and the inlet pressure is at least 60 pounds.
    as far as hydro I just use the water straight out of the tap. Is only about 150-200 TDS depending on time of year. And nothing that throws the nutrient balance off. If it is being aerated and below 70° it should not go anaerobic before the next water change, if it is algae and bacteria you are worried about.

    If you’re like me you do everything to the nine and then work backwards to the minimalist. I had originally started with running the water through a three stage carbon filter setup.

    The other option I’ve seen people use is a plastic drum with a float as a storage tank. Those were big set ups that needed a lot of water all at once. I guess the question is how much water do you need all at once to do a reservoir change? And what’s the TDS of your water?


    are you going to do high pressure aeroponics, deepwater culture, or ebb & flow? 

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  22. Posted

    12 hours ago, nigel said:

    I love salad.  So much flavor.  And versatile. Simple changes in ingredients completely change the profile.  So easy.

     

    That being said, last night I did up a coconut curry dish with chicken, shrimp, carrots, yellow peppers, mushrooms and green onions on a bed of rice noodles.

    Yummy!

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  25. Posted

    10 hours ago, ///M5 said:

    Redneck tip.  After using your green onion tops and romaine lettuce tops, put the roots in fresh water and in the sun.  In a few days you will have green onions and a week or so lettuce.

    I just started a celery this week. Have a pineapple plant that’s about two years old, that should produce in the next year.

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