On Saturday afternoon, I replaced nutrient for my hydroponic garden. I am
growing tomatoes, sugar snap peas and wax beans. By Monday morning I had to
add a lot of water.

I have two reservoirs, One containing about 16 gallons and the other about
20 gallons. They are covered with corrugated vinyl plastic but not sealed.
This morning I had to add at least 5 gallons to the small one and a bit less
with the larger one. Each reservoir is supplying six Dutch pots. I circulate
for half an hour every three hours during the day and less at night. The pot
is filled with fired clay pellets and coconut fiber. The top. under the
pellets is moist.

It has been warm here with temperatures inside the greenhouse reaching 100
degrees F or even a bit more. When it gets that hot, I run a swamp cooler.
Even so, is this much water loss reasonable? Should I circulate less? Should
I push the injectors farther down to reduce moisture on the surface.

When I measure the conductivity of the nutrient, it is about double that of
the water itself. We have a lot of minerals in our water.

Any insight or discussion will be appreciated.

Bill

That sounds about right considering how fast my setup loses water. It must
be a small setup compared to some, but the tank holds about 50 odd litres I
would assume, and every week I top it up with a watering can full. So that'd
be, geez, bout 10L maybe. My tank / setup isnt enclosed, so it does get
filled with rain water. Just means I have to check my CF more often.

--
Anna Merchant

http://www.thecotfactory.co.nz
If electricity comes from electrons, does that mean that morality comes from
morons?
"Repeating Decimal" wrote in message
...
On Saturday afternoon, I replaced nutrient for my hydroponic garden. I am
growing tomatoes, sugar snap peas and wax beans. By Monday morning I had
to
add a lot of water.

I have two reservoirs, One containing about 16 gallons and the other about
20 gallons. They are covered with corrugated vinyl plastic but not sealed.
This morning I had to add at least 5 gallons to the small one and a bit
less
with the larger one. Each reservoir is supplying six Dutch pots. I
circulate
for half an hour every three hours during the day and less at night. The
pot
is filled with fired clay pellets and coconut fiber. The top. under the
pellets is moist.

It has been warm here with temperatures inside the greenhouse reaching 100
degrees F or even a bit more. When it gets that hot, I run a swamp cooler.
Even so, is this much water loss reasonable? Should I circulate less?
Should
I push the injectors farther down to reduce moisture on the surface.

When I measure the conductivity of the nutrient, it is about double that
of
the water itself. We have a lot of minerals in our water.

Any insight or discussion will be appreciated.

Bill

in article , Anna Merchant at
wrote on 3/31/03 5:45 PM:

That sounds about right considering how fast my setup loses water. It must
be a small setup compared to some, but the tank holds about 50 odd litres I
would assume, and every week I top it up with a watering can full. So that'd
be, geez, bout 10L maybe. My tank / setup isnt enclosed, so it does get
filled with rain water. Just means I have to check my CF more often.

My evaporation rate is much higher than yours. But it has been very warm
here lately.

By the way, what does CF mean?

Bill

I don't know what the C or F stands for, but it is a meter I use to check
how strong my solution is in the tank. I try and keep it to a CF level of
18-20, although all different plants like it different. For example,
lettuces like a CF of 10-12, whereas beans and tomatoes prefer it around
18-20. I am pretty sure it works on conductivity in the water. I test my
meter by putting it in plain tap water, which should have a reading of 0.
Then add a little salt to some water, and it should start reading a few
points up the scale.

My dad has been doing hydroponics for a few years here at home, and has
learnt a fair bit, so when I wanted to set the system up again, he passed on
all the gear and meters etc. He used to use a pH meter, but found it was as
useless as cats **** in figuring out what the plants need.

--
Anna Merchant

http://www.thecotfactory.co.nz
If electricity comes from electrons, does that mean that morality comes from
morons?

"Repeating Decimal" wrote in message
...
in article , Anna Merchant at
wrote on 3/31/03 5:45 PM:

That sounds about right considering how fast my setup loses water. It
must
be a small setup compared to some, but the tank holds about 50 odd
litres I
would assume, and every week I top it up with a watering can full. So
that'd
be, geez, bout 10L maybe. My tank / setup isnt enclosed, so it does get
filled with rain water. Just means I have to check my CF more often.

My evaporation rate is much higher than yours. But it has been very warm
here lately.

By the way, what does CF mean?

Bill

On Tue, 01 Apr 2003 06:28:11 GMT, Repeating Decimal
wrote:

in article , Anna Merchant at
wrote on 3/31/03 5:45 PM:

That sounds about right considering how fast my setup loses water. It must
be a small setup compared to some, but the tank holds about 50 odd litres I
would assume, and every week I top it up with a watering can full. So that'd
be, geez, bout 10L maybe. My tank / setup isnt enclosed, so it does get
filled with rain water. Just means I have to check my CF more often.

My evaporation rate is much higher than yours. But it has been very warm
here lately.

By the way, what does CF mean?

Bill

Conductivity Factor
http://www.atlantishydroponics.com/plantguide.html

Want to buy one? Here's 157,000 links.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...=Google+Search

in article , Winston Smith at
wrote on 5/29/03 9:43 PM:

By the way, what does CF mean?

Bill

Conductivity Factor
http://www.atlantishydroponics.com/plantguide.html

*Conductivity factor* sounds like a useless term to me. Electrical
conductivity is a very specific term with a very specific meaning. Other
properties are inferred from electrical conductivity (EC). I have no idea
what *factor* is in that context.

Total dissolved solids (TDC) is one of them. There is no one to one
relationship between EC and TDC. The relationship is for a specific
combination of salts that is not likely to be encounteres. Acid, such as
sulfuric acid, adds to EC and will show up as an addition to TDS even though
no solid material is involved. EC measurement also provides opportunity for
error. An electrolyte and electrode system does not follow Ohm's law.

There is no substitute for understanding. Even pros fall into such traps.

Bill

On Fri, 30 May 2003 20:20:22 GMT, Repeating Decimal
wrote:

in article , Winston Smith at
wrote on 5/29/03 9:43 PM:

By the way, what does CF mean?

Bill

Conductivity Factor
http://www.atlantishydroponics.com/plantguide.html

*Conductivity factor* sounds like a useless term to me. Electrical
conductivity is a very specific term with a very specific meaning. Other
properties are inferred from electrical conductivity (EC). I have no idea
what *factor* is in that context.

Total dissolved solids (TDC) is one of them. There is no one to one
relationship between EC and TDC. The relationship is for a specific
combination of salts that is not likely to be encounteres. Acid, such as
sulfuric acid, adds to EC and will show up as an addition to TDS even though
no solid material is involved. EC measurement also provides opportunity for
error. An electrolyte and electrode system does not follow Ohm's law.

There is no substitute for understanding. Even pros fall into such traps.

Bill

I didn't say if it made sense or not. I answered the question what do
the letters mean.

I got hundreds of hits in the search engine, so a lot of people (and
equipment makers) use the term.

CF "may" have a specific meaning. It almost has to if you want to put
an answer on a display. It's often just a matter of regional/national
preference.

There is no substitute for a little research.

in article , Winston Smith at
wrote on 5/30/03 8:14 PM:

I didn't say if it made sense or not. I answered the question what do
the letters mean.

I got hundreds of hits in the search engine, so a lot of people (and
equipment makers) use the term.

CF "may" have a specific meaning. It almost has to if you want to put
an answer on a display. It's often just a matter of regional/national
preference.

There is no substitute for a little research.

I apologize. My tone of voice (for a post) sounded like I am dissing you.
That is not the case, I am just venting at the concept, not the messenger,

Bill

On Sat, 31 May 2003 04:23:38 GMT, Repeating Decimal
wrote:


I apologize. My tone of voice (for a post) sounded like I am dissing you.
That is not the case, I am just venting at the concept, not the messenger,

Bill

Been there, done that myself. Friends.