Hydroponic enthusiasts (hobby/personal growers)

[Chimera]

how much pumps they using and where they placing them?

i assume one in the ibc to pump water to the swirl filter, then one in the bio tank to pump water to the grow beds?

[mitsu_crazy]

From apparences it seems the pump is in the bio tank the float to regulate water flow from swirl so it never overflows or runs low.

Grow beds drain in the fish tank.

[mitsu_crazy]

I could be wrong though

[Mragz]

looking for ibc's for fishes,want around 15 depending on price who could link me up?

[nervewrecker]

Nothing to do and plenty of time to do it. I have a few months free and looking at options for programs to enroll in.
Is there anywhere I can get a course in hydroponics?

Already exploring one with cocoa and coffee processing at uwi. Just wondering if anything like this exists. What's the startup costs for such a system like BTW?

[angelus]

Nice information

[DF1_2nR]

Looking to try and get into this on a small scale.

What would be the approx cost to replicate a system like in the vid below locally?

[mitsu_crazy]

Cant see the vid. aquaphonic?

[DF1_2nR]

Yea. Using an IBC tote for the tank/growbed. Seems pretty straightforward but I don't know what kind of startup costs to expect for the materials, tank, pump etc.

Saw the pics of your setup on FB. Excellent work man.

[mitsu_crazy]

Thanks.. ibc tanks can range from 4-600 for one. A pump u can get for 3-600 depending on size. Go for bigger so you can use ot for aeration and not need an air pump.

Grow media is gravel or expanded clay gravel is really heavy so go with clay and thats 250 a 5l bag.
If the growbed is cut to the correct height 12" u gonna need about 7 or 8 bags of media.
I actually did a mix of clay and gravel. Gravel works better for bigger plants and the clay is fantastic for herbs and vine like plants.

The gravel I used was decostone 3/4"

Everything else is plumbing.

Once the grow bed is cut u could have it cycling in about a day.

[DF1_2nR]

Trying to source everything I need to start. Been doing some reading on how everything works so I can get a better understanding of it.

Intended to start small but somehow it's turned into something else entirely. Did a layout in sketchup to see how the project would look before moving forward.

[Chimera]

Thanks.. ibc tanks can range from 4-600 for one. A pump u can get for 3-600 depending on size. Go for bigger so you can use ot for aeration and not need an air pump.

Grow media is gravel or expanded clay gravel is really heavy so go with clay and thats 250 a 5l bag.
If the growbed is cut to the correct height 12" u gonna need about 7 or 8 bags of media.
I actually did a mix of clay and gravel. Gravel works better for bigger plants and the clay is fantastic for herbs and vine like plants.

The gravel I used was decostone 3/4"

Everything else is plumbing.

Once the grow bed is cut u could have it cycling in about a day.

Deco stone and expanded clay expensive tho. Could just use regular gravel

[mitsu_crazy]

Agreed... but a lot less time spent cleaning and less risk of sharp edges in the stone.

[DF1_2nR]

Agreed... but a lot less time spent cleaning and less risk of sharp edges in the stone.

Cost of the deco stone gravel?

[mitsu_crazy]

Call national quarries.

[ado15mk3]

wtk: does anyone sell net pots, starter plugs and growing media locally?

[Chimera]

M&d sells netpots in macoya. Not sure about the other two

[TeamEVO]

Finally got some time to upload some pics of my A-Frame lettuce experimental system I've been working on for the last 2 months or so,

Frame Construction

Placement of A-Frame

Week 1

Week 1

Week 2

Week 2

Week 3

Week 3

I forgot to take pics of week 4 before cutting.
As you guys would notice the top 2 lines has nothing on it because the pump could not push to that height, what i did not take into consideration before ordering pump was placing the reservoir below ground level which added 3ft additional head height. I already ordered another pump. This system does 200 head of lettuce in a space 6'W x 20'L.

For those of you who were probably wondering why I chose to do a system like this is because this can be used where people may have space constraints, I eventually plan on putting out 1000 heads of lettuce per week, and based on the amount of land I have available, this A-Frame would work for me.

[Chimera]

thats 2 inch galvanize pipe?

what you using for nutrients btw?

[TeamEVO]

thats 2 inch galvanize pipe?

what you using for nutrients btw?

It's 1.5" for the "A" and for the lateral are 1.25", I am using 7-11-27 formula that Massey Distribution sells I think it's Plant Prod, and the YaraLiva Calcinit Solution (Clacium Nitrate), Epsom Salt.

[Chimera]

how are you propagating the plants?

using normal seedling trays and washing out the soil? or starting in rockwool?


right now i trying to do something like this




as low cost as possible

i cant get the dimensions right to get a 4 sided pyramid though


i used pvc ceiling

[Chimera]

that size is 60 plants in a 3 feet x 3 feet space, i haven't tested it yet

i really hadda work out the dimensions to get a proper 4 sided pyramid because i need it to 4 in a normal 4 sided container to catch all the falling mist

work in progress!!

[TeamEVO]

how are you propagating the plants?

using normal seedling trays and washing out the soil? or starting in rockwool?


right now i trying to do something like this




as low cost as possible

i cant get the dimensions right to get a 4 sided pyramid though


i used pvc ceiling

I am actually using the seedlings straight out the tray, I am currently on my 2nd crop, the first crop i didn't wash out the promix I placed it in the netcup and fulled it up with gravel pebbles, For this 2nd crop I am using straight promix, in the netcup, the water is not getting dirty or fowled in anyway, I am experimenting with different mediums to see what works best and what is cheaper/convenient/less time consuming. Everything I do I am thinking large scale to see what will be more cost and time effective. This pyramid systems looks good for the propagation, What crops are you doing?

[black start]

bumping up good stuff....contemplating starting up something, but wana do it small!

[Chimera]

how everyone crops going?

[mitsu_crazy]

More young fish than I need.

More mint that I could ever need...

New ssytem construction suffering...

What about you?

[Chimera]

absolutely nothing done since i last posted

not finding the time to do anything

[mitsu_crazy]

I can relate

[marlener]

So mitsu you care to share some fishes awa?

[DF1_2nR]

Got my 4 IBC totes yesterday. Grinder burnt out on me 10 mins after I started cutting the 1st frame so work on hold till I replace it.

mitsu_crazy, they bred on their own or you have a separate tank set up?