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aeroponics/root space?

J

JustinNC

How much root space is needed for a pepper plant to mature in an aeroponics system? Most systems seem to have multiple plants in small spaces. I was thinking of using a 20 gallon Rubbermade storeage tote I have and putting two in it?

Been reading up a lot on it, looks like a fun inside plant project.

Ive seen one member's system on here. Would love to see more and how theyre set up. Mean while, back to the google machine, as I think I have wore the search function out on aero/hydro ponics.
 
JustinNC said:
How much root space is needed for a pepper plant to mature in an aeroponics system? Most systems seem to have multiple plants in small spaces. I was thinking of using a 20 gallon Rubbermade storeage tote I have and putting two in it?

Been reading up a lot on it, looks like a fun inside plant project.

Ive seen one member's system on here. Would love to see more and how theyre set up. Mean while, back to the google machine, as I think I have wore the search function out on aero/hydro ponics.
Click to expand...

i think a 20 gallon should be fine for hydroponics. it isnt true aeroponics unless you have a pump timer that runs the pump 1 min on and 4 min off.

to be honest you could have about 5 bushy plants in one 20 gallon tote. make a figure 8 spray manifold with a 633 GPH ecoplus pump. and make sure you put closed cell foam gasket tape on the inside of the lid because of leaks. if you go to any home improvement store, its the only weather seal that says waterproof on the packaging. i have two 27 gallon sturdy boxes now that house 17 plants per tote using two inch netcups.

I just went through two 57 gallon rubbermaid totes that kept cracking because the weight was too much for the molded feet, but the 20 gallon container doesnt have these feet.
 
The roots in a hydro system will be tiny compared to a plant grown in soil. A full grown Jalapeno will have a root system about the size of a grapefruit
 
treemanjohn said:
The roots in a hydro system will be tiny compared to a plant grown in soil. A full grown Jalapeno will have a root system about the size of a grapefruit
Click to expand...

I didn't find this to be true. The roots did not grow as far from the stem as in dirt but some determinate toms I raised had a rootball almost as big as a basketball. However, it was in a DWC system, not aeroponics.

Mike
 
I made 3 of these in 5 gal. buckets.

http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-o...rdening.com/homemade-aeroponics-system-2.html

I made 1 with a cross of 3/4 in. PVC with holes in it to act like a sprinkler under 4 3in. baskets.

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I put airstones in them to make sure the water was heavily aerated.
 
i meant to say that im using 17 3 inch net pots in the 27 gallon tubs, i have a 20 gallon rubbermaid with 14 3 inch netcups. all 3 tubs have an airstone, 2 run 633 gph pumps, one runs the 396 gph pump, all ecoplus, trust me, you want this brand, it has rubber suckers on the bottom of the pumps and any manifold you build will work since you dont have to wedge it against the tub.

from what ive seen hydro units dont make root balls, the roots hang down like a beard and depending on the plant, will just grow straight down until it hits the floor of the tub.

an aeroponic unit, one that uses a timer, will have better root growth since the roots spend more time searching for water than actually getting it, hence more nutrient absorption when the water pump is running.

going even smaller, a fogger unit, will produce even better root systems.

i take back the number 5 in a 20 gallon tank, id say 6 bushy plants will fill in a 20 gallon tote. honestly id be more worried about plant growth, outwards, than the root growth downwards.
 
treemanjohn said:
The roots in a hydro system will be tiny compared to a plant grown in soil. A full grown Jalapeno will have a root system about the size of a grapefruit
Click to expand...

Um, no. Willard has a thread way back that has some pics of roots in hydro, I will try and find it. Roots in hydro get massive.
 
Um, yes! I've been growing and experimenting with hydro veggies for 15+ years, so my comments come from experience and not from the internet.

Roots have only 2 functions on a plant. First and foremost they feed the plant and the other function is anchoring. Soil roots are constantly growing/searching for nutrients and water in the soil, and due to lock up and availability the roots will go all over the place. In a hydro system the roots are bathed in nutrient rich water, so there is no need to search once the plant is sufficiently anchored. They just sit there all fat and happy. A tomato plant in a 1/2 gallon bucket will be massive, try that with potting soil.

Still don't believe me? Here is a pic from Epcot center. Epcot is no different front any other commercial NFT/CFT production greenhouse. They're growing on 12" centers. There's no room for the massive root system, and since the tomatoes are trussed there's no need for anchoring

greenhouse%20epcot%20tomato.jpg
 
all things being equal an aeroponic setup will offer the best growth. the roots grow differently in a true aeroponic unit.

the only difference is that you buy a 50 dollar timer to make the water pump turn on for 1 minute and off for 4 minutes then repeat that cycle.
 
I will admit that the yellow bird in aero was pruned on the top pretty radically and continuously and I didn't prune the roots.
 
WOW those are some massive root systems. Are those 3" net pots? I am doing some DWC's to get my feet wet first and plan on trying an aeroponics system next year.

jacob
 
I think the one I used was about 3". Its one I found in the recycle bin at the local garden centre. I think bigger ones are pointless as the roots fill the res rather than the pot.
 
JustinNC said:
I think I'm going to just do a dwc system until I come up with the stuff for a good aero unit.
Click to expand...

One thing to keep in mind is there's no bad way to do a hydro system. I've haven't seen any evidence of any system being superior to another. They all work on the same principle. Keep it simple!

I personally prefer flood and drain systems, be cause there's more room for mishaps, easier setup, and it's a lot cheaper. In an aero system you HAVE to make sure that the pumps are running nonstop 24/7. Your plants decline quickly if your pumps shut down. I've shut down my pumps (to test stressing on chilies) on my FD and it takes about 2+ days before the plants start to go down hill

There's a lot of good and bad information on the intraweb, so you'll have to be your own filter
 
Tossing the idea of a DWC system with fish in it. I have read where the taste dwindles though? Not sure. Nutrients seem high for DWC...seems like a cheap organic substitute.
 
Justin,

I had good luck using Tomato-Tone dissolved in water. It doesn't have a lot of Nitrogen but tomatoes do not need a lot of it IMO. A 4-pound bag costs $6 and I use one tablespoon per five gallons of solution.

Mike
 
Wiz that sounds like a good idea. Just trying it on a budget for right now....getting my feet wet so to speak. Dont want to skimp so much as to take away from the potential benefits and not give it a fair shake, just see how it goes and go from there as needed.
 
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