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olddaddy_gw

Anyone else get overwhelmed by the myriad ways to do this?

olddaddy
11 years ago

I've been reading and trying to learn enough about the incredible variety of hydro gardens to make a good choice. I attended a short intro class at a local garden center last Saturday. I left the class thinking I had it all figured out.....then I saw the prices of the parts to build towers like those I saw there! Well, back to square one. I mean, I can come up with a reservoir, pump, lines etc, but those stacking boxes are outrageous. Is there a way for a new person to sit down and figure out a workable system and get started? I've got space, time etc, but need a simple workable plan.

Comments (10)

  • grizzman
    11 years ago

    there are an abundance of ways to build a system / systems.
    What do you want to grow and how much do you want to grow.

  • cole_robbie
    11 years ago

    lol, welcome to hydro. If you want to save money, you have to use materials that were not meant to be hydro systems.

    I haven't build a stackable drip system before, but I think it could be done with styrofoam sheeting, fiberglass mesh drywall tape, lots of silicon, and probably a 2x4 frame to support the weight. They are still kind of gimmicky, though. You can make a tower garden in a lot of ways. Pvc pipe would be easier if you want to fill a larger space.

  • georgeiii
    11 years ago

    If you go to The Dark Garden you can see a simple method using recycled soda bottles and buckets. There's also a section in Photobucket/ChristianWarlock that shows pictures of everything and how to put them together. Nearly everything comes from recycling and is Sustainable. That means no waste products as in regular Hydroponics.

  • halfway
    11 years ago

    Welcome to hydroponics and the massive amount of information you get to immerse yourself in!!!

    Bite it off in chunks. Start with what you intend on growing and possibly in the future, and try and match an easy and efficient system for your environment.

    Consider how much time you wish to spend.

    Consider how much money you wish to spend.

    Read everything you can get your hands on by growers. Save the sales pitches for later...they will be educational as well, but only after you decide what you need.

    Best of success!

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Hydroponic Adventure Journal

  • ethnobotany
    11 years ago

    DWC(Deep Water Culture) is the easiest system to use and
    you can simply make it with a home depot/lowes paint
    bucket, air pump/tubes, and a net pot. All for very cheap.
    I am sure others will disagreebut I think that it is best
    to start out simple with hydro and gain a good
    understanding of it. Making the system is one thing but
    growing the plants and learning the standard items or media
    that we use to grow hydroponically can take a grow or even
    a couple of grows in a simple system to solidify the
    knowledge.

    i.e. you've got to learn how to deal with pH, watering,
    maintaining a nutrient concentration, how to change a
    reservoir efficiently, keeping the rez clean of algae, etc.

    My 2 cents

  • halfway
    11 years ago

    Agreed......Deep Water Culture.

    Build it yourself to save a few bucks or buy one "ready to go". Either way, they are the simplest of systems.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Hydroponic Adventure

  • willardb3
    11 years ago

    Try not to overthink hydro, it's really rather simple.

  • olddaddy
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Well fate intervened and made my plans for me. My daughter's school set up a hydroponic garden and pointed me to a class at a local u-pick. They use the Vertigro stack pots and a few days after I took the class a local farm closed down and I bought some of their pots. So far I have stack pots, reservoiirs, nutrient and mist lines plus some half barrels for the bottom grow boxes. It suits me as it is an assembly process from parts I understand. My container garden is putting out some very happy plants that will transplant into the grow pots shortly.

  • twisted76017
    11 years ago

    I bought these stacks used off of Craigslist.
    Got this entire system for less than the price on one stack retail.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Vertigro System

  • TheMasterGardener1
    11 years ago

    I learned a big thing about hydroponics- it not for me. I like the easy to grow in soil that has a way higher buffer for ph so no ph swings. Hydroponics save water and fertilizer, I have plenty of that, I will stay with soil. :)

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