Saw the video, Look forward to seeings your plants grow. Great looking setup. It's contagious isnt it?

"It's contagious isnt it?"

Extremely!

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

Great video and instructions. Thanks a lot for posting it. I am a newbie in hydroponic and definetly will learn a lot from yours. I have few questions:

1.The rock to put on the net pot, what is it called and where we can buy it? From homedepot or lowes?

2. How we will renew the water/liquid inside the box? Do we have to change the water every two weeks?

Thanks
alpharetta

not a bad video halfway.
I personally have gone to using black hose for the airline. its basically hose for drip systems from the hardware store.
With time, that clear line sometimes gets to looking pretty bad.
Also, you can use a dab of silicon on the bottom of the airstones to hold them down.
you should mention you always want to keep your air pump higher than you rez so in case of failure, the water doesn't siphon out.
alpharetta,
you can use hydroton from a hydro shop or, if you use 3" pots" lava rock from the hardware store works fine too.
qood question about nute changes. In mine i usually add an extra (smaller) hole on the top near a side to add nutrient. I also usually put a drain / water level indicator on the side to empty it out. though a lot of people just have multiple buckets and simply move the lids from one to the other.

Thanks Grizz.

alpharetta,

as grizz stated, you can get lava rocks from a box store. I am using a product called silica stone from sunleaves. It was on sale at a hydro dealer, but normally the same price as hydroton. The big bag will last me for years I believe. Thanks for comments....more details are on my blog/journal. I am new to hydroponics, but have crammed alot of info into a short period and have used alot of users experiences, both good and bad, to help my learning curve.

Good luck in your endeavor, this is addictive as previously stated. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: My Adventure: Frugal Hydroponics Photo and Video Journal/Blog

Thanks a lot Grizz and Halfway,

I bought a cutting tool from Home depot today. It cuts the whole from 4 and above inch diameter nicely. However it is unable to cut smaller size circle. The tool names Dremel Trio. What is your advices for cutting tool in generally from hydroponic perspective? I have 3"5 inch net pots and really want a tool allow cutting from 3 inch and above diameter.

About the netpot, what brand name is good?

Thanks and Happy Holidays
Alpharetta

I declined buying a drill bit as they were around $20. I just used a dremel cutting bit. It is a pain in the butt, but it seems to work.

Not sure what brand of net pots. I guess mine were 3.25" and require a 3" hole. I think I mistated on the video that they were 3.5". I think they cost no more than $.45 each.

alpharetta
I believe that Dremel should work with the right bit. I don't know if that guide at the bottom comes off, but if I remember the commercials correctly the handle folds up so it's straight. I have a similar tool I use, I don't know the brand name, but I just call it a rotary tool. I bought it at the swap-meat years ago for about $10, and it came with 60 or 70 bits/attachments, everything from small brush wheels, to small grinding stones, to a rubber tipped bit that holds a round piece of sand paper for sanding etc..

But for holes like that I just use a small regular hole drill bit. I draw a line that outlines where I want the hole. Take the rotary tool and drill a small hole right on the line, then just guide the drill bit sideways fallowing the line like a pencil. Plastic like that cuts quickly and easily for me. I keep a small block of wood near by, because sometimes the plastic (especially soft plastics) can melt and buildup on the drill bit. By sticking the drill bit in the spare block of wood while it's spinning, it cleans all that melted plastic off the drill bit in about 2 seconds. I don't even know the size drill bit I use, but it's probably only about 1/8 inch wide.

Thank HomeHydro for the info and advices.

@Halfway: I have read your blog and just love it. Two questions:

1. Did you calculate the recurrent cost for electricity used in your hydroponic system on monthly basis? And in overall how long does it take for you to get the initial investment back?

2. I do have similar hot house/dome house for seed starting. Can you elaborate a little bit more on how transplant or transfer the seedling from the hot house to the hydroponic box?

Thanks
Alpharetta

alpharetta
I have pictures of the tool I use but I cant post them to this forum without a lot of trouble. But I didn't dawn on to me until right now that if I knew the brand, I coukd see if I could find and post a link. So I went to the garage to get it. The brand name is "Pit Bull" and it is a 161 piece rotary tool kit.

it looks just like this one
packaged by this one (only the rotary tool was orange)

You can see drill bits I use in the one that's packaged. Just the small regular drill bits near the middle top just to the left of the rotary tool (just under the round sand paper things). Anyhow that's what I use looks like, and what works well for me.

Alpharetta,
If you're going to do much hole making for hydro, got with 2" net pots and but a 2" hole saw. That's the easiest way. you don't need a larger net pot in a DWC system. the 2" hole saw set are relatively inexpensive and make it a lot easier to make the holes.

alpharetta,

I have just now posted the info about lighting cost and energy consumption on my blog as I have been asked that questions a couple times. And thanks for the "thanks"!! It (blog) has become a pretty good journal too!

On the transplants, I have made some changes over time because I raise starts in the spring for soil-based raised beds and containers. I am now getting rid of all soil type media in the basement so those outdoor bound starts will get coir as a medium in standard trays.

I germinate everything in paper towels. Lettuce without a heating mat, all else with a heating mat under a bio dome.

I may change this to germinating in rockwool because it is somewhat a pain in placing the germinated plant into rockwool. The last time I used root riot, but still a pain to insert and somewhat pricey. I'll post the transplant to rockwool / hydro system to the blog in the next week or two.

Let it grow in the rockwool a week for some good roots and then place into the net pots and surround with the hydro media of choice. I do not use any nutrient solution until it gets into the hydro system.

For the outdoor bound starts this year, I am planning on using a 1/4 nutrient solution for the coir until they leave the basement. I'll adjust that amount based on how they do. Last year was all miracle grow potting soil once germinated.

I hope that answers your question.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Adventure in Hydroponics

I germinate in towels also. Only, after they sprout, I simply transplant them in to the medium in the net pots. (hydroton in my case. . . currently)Just pour a bit of water over the medium daily so it stays wet and the sprout will find its way down.
I also sometimes germinate seeds in six packs. I use the smallest ones I can find. After they germinate and put out their first set of true leaves, I simply extract them from their cell and put them in a small bucket of water. Let them soak for a minute or two, then lightly shake them off to get rid of the dirt. from there I simply feed the plant through a hole in the net pot (from the outside) then gently fill with hydroton to stabilize it. you could feed the roots through the holes from the inside, but I find my way easier.
Another alternative I used last summer in an ebb n flo system with lava rock as a medium was I would feed the plant up a 3/4" dia pvc pipe then jamb it into the medium. I would then carefully pull the pipe out and leave the plant in place. That was kind of tedious, but worked well.

good techniques grizzman. I really like the root riot plugs, but $$$$. Counting pennies seems funny, but I'm trying to keep this minimalist as possible. We'll see how this round with rockwool goes and I may switch back.

I searched and found a perfect tool to cut hole, I guess! It's "Dremel 678-01 Circle Cutter and Straight Edge Guide" which Makes circles from 3/4" -12" (1.9-30 cm). Costs only $12.00 assuming that you have dremel tool already.

It is very interesting to hear that seeds can be germinated with paper tower and then transplant to hydroponic box. I appreciated if detail pictures posted in the blog or youtube..

Thanks and Happy Holidays.
alpharetta

I like to use Peat Pellets to start seeds in. I have lots of them and they are cheap.

Finally got the starts big enough to up pot into the newly created DWC system. Captured a few more photos on the blog as well.

The rockwool sits about 1/8" in the solution and I believe the silica stone should draw nutrients as well. The roots had not yet escaped the rockwool, but should be close. I am assuming the amount of rockwool soaking in the solution should provide enough moisture in the near term.

This is another run of lettuce and the first run in the DWC. My intent is to use this and one other DWC for continuous lettuce while the ebb and flow tackles the basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, and spearmint.

I like the "minimal" moving parts in this system. The ebb and flow has been very maintenance free. This should be absolutely minimal.

I would lower the water level. You want the plants to have to work to get their roots down into the water so they develop a substantial root system. Nature is lazy. The spritzing of the water from the airstone is plenty. I keep the water a few inches below the bottom of the pot, so that the pot never touches the water.

Thanks amcloud. That makes sense.

Here it is at 2 weeks in the system. The roots are looking great and leaves are growing quickly. No changes to PH and this is running on half nutes.

I did end up lowering the water level and the roots are screaming from all areas of the net pots. Great tip!!

I added the mylar and I believe that is helping contain a few photons as well. Stuff is blinding if I get too close!

This system is so low-maitnenace, I'm piddling with the next run already. :)

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

Glad to hear it is working out for you. I am currently doing 4 buttercrunch lettuce, 4 simpson lettuce, 2 cilantro, 1 lime basil, & 1 flat parsley in a 27 gallon tub. I use 2 inch pots and started with 12 gallons of water and two large air stones. I drowned the plants the first time I tried DWC...which is where my tip of lowering the water level came from. The lettuce and herbs are growing well under 4 32W 6500K T8 bulbs which appear to be supplying plenty of light. I also recently started a Bulgarian carrot pepper in a 5 gallon bucket and 6 inch pot under a T5 light...it is still in seedling stage though.

amcloud, seems we are on parallel paths with lighting and varieties grown. I use another T8, 48" system for my spring starts as well.

The roots are amazing in the DWC. They are all at least 10 inches long with multiple strands and bright white.

This round of lettuce is about a week behind in growth compared to the last batch, but the time lost was in germination / first up-pot phase. Not sure why they are slower...maybe basment temp, but that's only a couple degrees.

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

Nice set up! I couldn't find the lid for my tote, so I used a "pot tray" that you get when you buy several pots at a time, and simply pushed mine down into the tote (covers almost completely)

Doing various tomatoes. . .cold weather types.

I have sprouts in a dome (sponge in water) and some in peat/perlite in pots. Those in the dome have already risen about an inch. . .those in the pots without any cover are just now sprouting. (Shows you the difference in a covered germination situation.)

Would it be safe to lower the water level after they start to put down roots? (right now, about a 1/2 inch of the bottom of the pot is in the water, some an inch) to keep the rooting medium damp.

Was just curious when you would "move" the water level down.

Great set up though. I'm trying some trays, also. Although, that's a little shallow for the air stone.

What are you using for a hydoponic solution? home made? Or store bought?

Techno, amcloud suggested lowering the water to force the plants to send the roots deep in search for nutrients. The bubbling action inside the reservoir was enough to keep the net pot wet, and I did not see any leaves drooping before the roots went deep. They are over 2 feet now in just a couple days since my last post. That was great advice and it may serve you as well. Thanks again AMCLOUD.

Here is the video I created today, posted to my youtube channel and posted to the blog along with comments.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOZbzFUwdMA&feature=feedu[/url]

You can see the DWC roots and some of my notes on the current lettuce grow in the second half of the vid. It has been a really good grow so far.

I use store bought nutes that cover all the micro and macro nutes, and doesn't require "ripe" or "bloom" because the lettuce doesn't need it. I may switch to powder in the future to save money, but I have used so little nutes for these grows that the gallon may last a couple years.

Good luck with your grow, it is a lot of fun and as another poster said, "very addictive".

Here is a link that might be useful: My Hydroponic Video and Photo Journal Blog

Looking good at only a few weeks!

I posted a shot of the roots on the blog as well. They are doing great and very dense and white.

We were away for over a week and the system ran along just fine. The plants had pushed up into the lights a bit, but the fan keeps it cool and they don't show any stress.

We will harvest the first batch tomorrow. I like DWC for lettuce. This is too easy.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Hydroponic Video and Photo Blog