Hydroponics vs. Soil
 

Ok, so I'd always wanted to play around with small scale hydroponics and
see if it's any fun..

So I was looking around and found this system.

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

It's not like the misting systems that I'd seen and is a submersion
system instead.. Anyway, my question is... Is there really any advantage
in growing plants like this vs. in the ground.

Here are some other simplicity plans for a hydro system.

http://edurink10.tripod.com/hydroide...t/systems.html

Inquiring minds want to know.. Thoughts?

Scott--

Hydroponics vs. Soil
 

Scott Hildenbrand wrote:
Ok, so I'd always wanted to play around with small scale hydroponics and
see if it's any fun..

So I was looking around and found this system.

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

It's not like the misting systems that I'd seen and is a submersion
system instead.. Anyway, my question is... Is there really any advantage
in growing plants like this vs. in the ground.

Here are some other simplicity plans for a hydro system.

http://edurink10.tripod.com/hydroide...t/systems.html

Inquiring minds want to know.. Thoughts?

Thanks, I bookmarked that as it looks like a fairly simple diy project
if you can find all those components.

I haven't gotten bitten by that bug yet. I would like to try this but
don't want to spend the money on it right now. I could rig up something
myself but you need special cups where roots won't tear when you take
them out. I had seen a better link for a more expensive one but can't
find it now.

Something like this only one that holds more cuttings, also more expensive.

http://www.hhydro.com/cgi-bin/hhydro/HH00557.html


Scott--

Hydroponics vs. Soil
 

Hettie® wrote:


Scott Hildenbrand wrote:
Ok, so I'd always wanted to play around with small scale hydroponics
and see if it's any fun..

So I was looking around and found this system.

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

It's not like the misting systems that I'd seen and is a submersion
system instead.. Anyway, my question is... Is there really any
advantage in growing plants like this vs. in the ground.

Here are some other simplicity plans for a hydro system.

http://edurink10.tripod.com/hydroide...t/systems.html

Inquiring minds want to know.. Thoughts?

Thanks, I bookmarked that as it looks like a fairly simple diy project
if you can find all those components.

I haven't gotten bitten by that bug yet. I would like to try this but
don't want to spend the money on it right now. I could rig up something
myself but you need special cups where roots won't tear when you take
them out. I had seen a better link for a more expensive one but can't
find it now.

Something like this only one that holds more cuttings, also more expensive.

http://www.hhydro.com/cgi-bin/hhydro/HH00557.html


Scott--


I'll stick with something a little more DIY..

Oh well.. Just planning out loud I guess.. Maybe next year, or the year
after... Hmmm.. I've got all this spare PVC though. ;)

Hydroponics vs. Soil
 

Scott Hildenbrand wrote:
Hettie® wrote:



Scott Hildenbrand wrote:

Ok, so I'd always wanted to play around with small scale hydroponics
and see if it's any fun..

So I was looking around and found this system.

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

It's not like the misting systems that I'd seen and is a submersion
system instead.. Anyway, my question is... Is there really any
advantage in growing plants like this vs. in the ground.

Here are some other simplicity plans for a hydro system.

http://edurink10.tripod.com/hydroide...t/systems.html

Inquiring minds want to know.. Thoughts?


Thanks, I bookmarked that as it looks like a fairly simple diy project
if you can find all those components.

I haven't gotten bitten by that bug yet. I would like to try this but
don't want to spend the money on it right now. I could rig up
something myself but you need special cups where roots won't tear when
you take them out. I had seen a better link for a more expensive one
but can't find it now.

Something like this only one that holds more cuttings, also more
expensive.

http://www.hhydro.com/cgi-bin/hhydro/HH00557.html


Scott--



I'll stick with something a little more DIY..

Oh well.. Just planning out loud I guess.. Maybe next year, or the year
after... Hmmm.. I've got all this spare PVC though. ;)

I just have a few pieces, but amazing how I am going to use them . .
..not enough for that. No way am I trying that now after building the
frame for my lights. The hardware store cut some of it for me for free.
They have these neato cutters . . .to have a nice system, the cuts
don't have to be that neat, but the measurements have to be precise, and
some pipe goes deeper into t connectors than in elbows, etc. Always
expect the unexpected.

I think you should get the outside going first. You have a lot of work
ahead on that. That would give you more time to think about what you
would do with your system. The one you linked to you might find isn't
versatile enough, etc. But it's fun to think ahead.

Hydroponics vs. Soil
 

In article ,
Scott Hildenbrand wrote:

Ok, so I'd always wanted to play around with small scale hydroponics and
see if it's any fun..

So I was looking around and found this system.

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

It's not like the misting systems that I'd seen and is a submersion
system instead.. Anyway, my question is... Is there really any advantage
in growing plants like this vs. in the ground.

Here are some other simplicity plans for a hydro system.

http://edurink10.tripod.com/hydroide...t/systems.html

Inquiring minds want to know.. Thoughts?

Scott--

Have your fun but look into phyto-nutrients, which organic plants seem
to be significantly richer in than plants grown with chemical
fertilizers. http://www.ars.usda.gov/Aboutus/docs.htm?docid=4142

I've only seen this discuses in "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael
Pollan, but I'm all over the place in my reading. Right now I'm reading
about the CIA supporting cocaine sales in Los Angles to fund the Contra
War (Dark Alliance, by Webb), grrrrr.

Maybe you can come up with an organic hydroponics set up. But you'll
probably be back, close to dirt.
--

Billy

Bush & Cheney, Behind Bars

Hydroponics vs. Soil
 

Inquiring minds want to know.. Thoughts?

Scott--

As I see it hydroponic growing is quite a bit of trouble and expense to go to.
You would need to have reasons to do it, such as needing to grow indoors due
to climate or absence of outdoor space, having no soil, or very bad soil, that
you cannot amend for some reason, etc. Renters in limited space who want to
do intensive growing on balconies and take their stuff with them when the
lease is up would be one case that comes to mind. Growing illegal herbs in
spare rooms is another!

Would hydroponic veges taste as good as soil-grown? I have no idea. My
limited experience is with hydroponic supermarket veges which taste the same
as other supermarket veges but cost more for some reason. However, one of the
reasons home grown veges are better is freshness, you can get that with
hydroponics too.

Also consider how comfortable you are doing your own "soil" chemistry in
detail. Do you want to learn how to stabilise the pH of nutrient solutions
and mix your own stuff, do you want to buy the gear to do the concoction
yourself or are you going to do what the bloke at the hydroponics shop tells
you, pay for ready mixed solute, and hope for the best. If you have no
background in chemistry there is a fair bit to learn compared with the fairly
forgiving environment of soil which can be managed reasonably well with
minimal technical knowledge.

There are all sorts of things grown hydroponically these days, I would want to
know what the commercial forces driving that enterprise were (eg growing
flowers out of season to get top dollar) before emulating it on a small scale.
In your circumstances there may be no reason to do it. But if you are
curious, have some spare cash and want to play, you probably won't blow
yourself up. But don't try and buy any large amount of ammonium nitrate
unless you like answering questions under a spotlight.

David