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Old January 11, 2018   #23
Keen101
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Colorado
Posts: 134
Default Aeroponics / Fogponics / Hydro Experiments

Resurrecting this thread. There was another Fogponics thread, but i liked this one better. Also the "Aeroponics trial #2" was a good thread too.

I've begun experimenting with Aeroponics. Some people call it "Fogponoics". Whatever. Right now it might even be a hybrid Aero-Hydro system. Just tinkering right now. Using an ultrasonic piezo disc thingy. What i've read is that is is better for starting plants rather than growing them to full size. We will see. I have some ideas of using my Arduino to program some control stuff like a water temperature cuttoff since plants grow better with their roots cooler than their leaves. The temperature differential might even be necessary for optimum growth. I am currently under the suspicion that if plant roots and leaves are the same temperature that their growth will be none or very slow. Interesting that plants grow more at night.

Anyway, my idea, have a temp cuttoff for root/water temp. But also have the ultrasonic mister pulsed for only a little bit to help avoid water heating. Then even have a small 5vdc fan kick on for a little bit to help add Oxygen / CO2 to the roots. Apparently if the roots get too hot or the fog/mist gets too thick then the oxygen or CO2 levels get too low at the plant suffocates to death. Adding a simple airstone might help offset this.

Some interesting discussions about all this are going on at the MIT OpenAG forum. @oxbowfarm , you might be particularly interested in that because many of them are directly building off the DIY pot growers designs and information.

http://forum.openag.media.mit.edu/t/...utomation/2348

http://forum.openag.media.mit.edu/t/...-you-help/2226










And yes, i know having the clear container will be a problem for algae. Not worrying about that right now. First experiment is first. Pepper seedlings are doing very well so far. Also the piezo does heat up the water over time from the vibrations. I would like to have a better timer cuttoff eventually. Just have it hooked up to the light timer right now. not ideal. Added the airstone yesterday as a backup to help mitigae the higher than ideal water temperature. Yes, this bucket may be too small, but i'm going to see what is possible with even this tiny thing before moving to something bigger and better.
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