hydroponic Peppers on deep water culture hydroponics

pieterbl · Mar 12, 2014

Hi all, Here an update from the Netherlands. Last year I started an experiment with growing cuttings from a Jalapeno pepper on water. To my supprise after a few weeks roots were growing and my plant was developing. My attention was triggered:

Therefore I started this year with (for me) a new growing experience: peppers on deep water culture hydroponics:

Black box with holes for the deep water culture:

Seedlings in a transparant tube:

Tube in the box:

LED lamp:

Pump for additional air flow:

mrgrowguy · Mar 12, 2014

Welcome to DWC!

I have a few concerns that I would share with you for advice, whether you take it or not

The tubes are really cool looking, the only thing I would be concerned about with those is the water will not flow "as" freely around the roots as it would if the tubes were not there. This may not even be a problem, especially if you put the air source directly beneath each tube. But it may restrict the amount of saturated air that can be used by the plants depending on the air stone positioning.

Also, and this is my experience that I am handling right now, the fifth plant in the middle may end up making everything too crowded. It will already be pretty crowded with the 4 plants after they get big (and with DWC... they will!), but I would estimate that the four plants could be managed. The fifth plant in the center [may] be just a tad too much for a limited space. BUT time will tell and you will take a lot of new knowledge and experience from this grow.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU! - I am a hydro fan in general, but I run specifically DWC systems. I would try aeroponics, but it seems like too much sprayer maintanence.

I REALLY do like your set up though. If you can make those tubes work, I think it is a great idea.

PexPeppers · Mar 12, 2014

dont get the spinning sprayers, you want these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-RED-360-MICRO-SPRAYERS-IRRIGATION-AEROPONICS-HYDROPONICS-/350922783223?pt=US_Hydroponics&hash=item51b4a0b9f7

McGuiver · Mar 12, 2014

PexPeppers said:
dont get the spinning sprayers, you want these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-RED-360-MICRO-SPRAYERS-IRRIGATION-AEROPONICS-HYDROPONICS-/350922783223?pt=US_Hydroponics&hash=item51b4a0b9f7

I agree with Pex. You want the red 360 sprayers. I bought mine at the local hydro shop for about 50 cents each.

I used these in my home built cloner. I used yellow silicone rubber to block the side I didn't want water to shoot out of.

By the way, the black and blue 180 deg ones from local hardware store suck. They are none functional on mine.

pieterbl · Mar 13, 2014

I really like your good advices guys. Especially the 360 degrees sprayer. Personally I think that the dwc concept is mainly on slow moving water. But I am not sure about the definition. After 4 weeks of cultivation, this is the current status:

Rainforrest:

Aji:

Hurricane:

El Jefe:

Numex big jim:

Root development:

That's mainly the reason why I chose for the transparant tubes: that I am always able to see and investigate the roots ;-) If my plants are too big, I will simply remove one plant. The box can hold up to 45 liters of water. I am using specialized two component fertilizer (A and B ) and I have build an automatic irrigation system + pH controller based on the Arduino microcontroller. I will show you these techniques later on.

Gr from the Netherlands :dance:

pieterbl · Mar 18, 2014

Yesterday I installed a new automation system for the DWC hydro box:

I've installed two Duckbill water level sensors. The upper one is for the automatic filling of my hydro box, by Arduino. The lower one is for the pump control, in case the pH is out of range or if the water temperature (measured with a DS18B20 temperature sensor) is too high (which can even happen in Holland ;-) )

A last update from the pepper plants:

Numex big jim:

Roots Big Jim:

Jalapeno El Jefe:

Roots El Jefe:

Aji:

Roots Aji:

Rainforrest:

Roots Rainforrest:

Greetings from the Netherlands :dance:

Jeff H · Mar 18, 2014

Plants look nice and healthy, but having done this before, I can tell you that the trunk will get larger than your tube in 12 months or less. I would find a bigger net pot.

About 10 months or so on my Scorpion plant. YMMV.

pieterbl · Mar 28, 2014

New update of my DWC hydroponics grown peppers:

Numex big jim:

El Jefe:

Aji:

Rainforrest:

Much less roots:

Hurricane:

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/28/6y6y5uzy.jpg

Big Bertha:

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/28/ha6e8ehy.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/28/epu8a3y4.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/28/ypedateq.jpg

pieterbl · Apr 16, 2014

Overview of the peppers on deep water culture hydroponics:

Jalapeno El Jefe F2:

Bell pepper Big Bertha:

Flowers of the Numex Big Jim:

Hurricane:

John1234 · Apr 16, 2014

Heya, thanks for the update, looking pretty good so far. Any root shots? Was curious to see how they develop in the tubes. How're you liking the setup?

Big Jim looks a little disconcerting though, but it may just be the shot. The stipling on the leaves makes me think pests. Do you foliar at all?

pieterbl · Apr 20, 2014

Happy Easter!

Numex Big Jim:

Roots:

Jalapeno El Jefe:

Roots:

Paprika Big Bertha:

Roots:

Hurricane:

Roots: