Whilst googling a while back I found this completely passive hydro system.
http://scienceinhydr...s-possible.html
http://www.fshs.org/...225 (TYSON).pdf
I've been trying to grow in coco for the last year with little success due to the fact I can't get coco specific nutes here in Thailand, but the upshot of this is I've got Hydro nutes, a ph meter and a TDS meter. So I thought I'd give the passive system a go. The idea behind the system is that after placing the seedling in, you keep the bottom 1cm of the net pot under the nutrient solution as the roots get established you lower the level.
Cut and pasted from link above
"Most people believe that if roots are submerged in an unaearated solution they will die but this is only true if the whole root system is submerged. If a good part of the system is given an “air buffer” from which to absorb oxygen and this space remains humid, the result is a system that can absorb nutrients from the unaerated solution and oxygen from the air buffer zone."
To be honest I didn't think it would work, but....
3 week old red Habs, 31 March
18 May
When first transplanted I made sure that roots only just touched the bottom of the net pot and kept the rest above the water level.
Roots after a week
After 4 weeks
After 6 weeks, showing a little brown colour so I've started to add H2o2. Plus I'm going to get better insulation for the tank to keep the temps down.
a little over 3 ft tall
top view
Peppers coming along nicely
All in all I'm very pleased how's it's working out. I can't get over the speed of growth in this super simple system. These plants are only 9 weeks old and they are towering above plants that are twice as old in potting mix.
http://scienceinhydr...s-possible.html
http://www.fshs.org/...225 (TYSON).pdf
I've been trying to grow in coco for the last year with little success due to the fact I can't get coco specific nutes here in Thailand, but the upshot of this is I've got Hydro nutes, a ph meter and a TDS meter. So I thought I'd give the passive system a go. The idea behind the system is that after placing the seedling in, you keep the bottom 1cm of the net pot under the nutrient solution as the roots get established you lower the level.
Cut and pasted from link above
"Most people believe that if roots are submerged in an unaearated solution they will die but this is only true if the whole root system is submerged. If a good part of the system is given an “air buffer” from which to absorb oxygen and this space remains humid, the result is a system that can absorb nutrients from the unaerated solution and oxygen from the air buffer zone."
To be honest I didn't think it would work, but....
3 week old red Habs, 31 March
18 May
When first transplanted I made sure that roots only just touched the bottom of the net pot and kept the rest above the water level.
Roots after a week
After 4 weeks
After 6 weeks, showing a little brown colour so I've started to add H2o2. Plus I'm going to get better insulation for the tank to keep the temps down.
a little over 3 ft tall
top view
Peppers coming along nicely
All in all I'm very pleased how's it's working out. I can't get over the speed of growth in this super simple system. These plants are only 9 weeks old and they are towering above plants that are twice as old in potting mix.
