Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Very nice information here regarding the hydroponics beginning by ohio. This kind of information is going to help the beginner like me a lot. The explanation here is quite simple and inspiring.

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Can we get a sticky on this thread.

Also, More Posts! I'd really like to experiment with some of this stuff this year, I'm curious how many other nanner-heads are still pumping juice over roots...

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

I got a little experiment going on .....
Will post root structure once everything matures.

What I have.... nothing scientific, or measured, very easy.
Five gallon bucket.
Marineland 660 powerhead.
Any Marineland powerhead will do....you want to oxygenate the water to keep it fresh.
3 gallons water with teaspoon of Miracle grow and a rooting hormone.
5 pounds of Hydroton balls+_. Optional ... just had them on hand from another project, water works just fine also.
Plants I am trying to root.
Truly Tiny @ 9inches
Bordelon@22inches
Orinoco@22inches
Dwarf Cavendish@6inches
AeAe broken corm.
Brugmansia.
Plants are young and small

All are in the same bucket.


This project is in on a backyard patio with 14 hours of sun per day+_ with the solution temperature the same as the ambient air temperature.
I am currently using the same technique with my Brugs.
Brugs respond well to this growing method and the roots will fill a 5 gallon bucket in no time.
But this year it is bananas...so far so good.
Plants have shown good response to their new environment.
I did lose some of the bigger leaves from root prune shock however all were pushing new leaves at the time
This is just for "seeing what I'll get with what I have... by spending nothing"
I will post photos once there is something to look at .
:lurk:

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Update
Most terrestrial roots have vanished"rotted" and are slowly being replaced by new white roots that are immersed in the oxygenated solution.
All bananas are responding to the change of being grown in water.
Some are better than others.
I removed the Hydroton balls because they were acting as an abrasive mixture and destroying the roots, in fact they abraded the half of a DC corm away.
I forgot to take pics of the brugmansias before I potted them up however I can pop some cuttings in the bucket if anyones interested in seeing those once roots develop.
Orinoco

Other.....with peepers:woohoonaner:

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Truly Tiny.
Photos shown just show root growth.
Is is awesome growth....NO, but just a test to see if I could do it with minimum cost.
Note the orientation of the roots ,they are on the opposite side of the current in the bucket.
Plants look ok.

Bordelon.
note the bent pstem .... the plant tipped over and had gone unnoticed for a week.
Brugmansia.

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Time to plant them in a soilless mix before the season ends soon.
All materials shown except the 5 gallon bucket.


.Brugmansia roots

.Planted in a soilless mix and ready to go.

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

The quickest banana from plant to harvest (less than 200 days) for me has been the Hua Moa and it's also been the best performer growing in water.

Thanks & Great photos Mr. Without Without Bananas

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Keeping the thread interesting..
Photo depicts an aquarium powerhead I use to oxygenate my water in a system I had.....
The pump has variable oxygen infusion and a high flow rate with a sponge filter to meet most of your aquatic needs.
Great for a 35 gal or less tub to keep the water moving.
Works very well.. this powerhead will outlive you, some of mine have been pushing bubbles for 30 years....note the aquarium is a five gallon Metaframe circa 60's slate bottom with working full stainless hood......




Shop the powerhead for price...

.Saltwater Aquarium Powerheads | Marineland
.

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Update on a sdc....old post new photo

Note the direction of the roots......same as the flow of the water.....

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Materials.

5 gal bucket.
2 gallon plastic mesh insert.
2 gallon hydroton balls.
Marineland 660 powerhead to circulate and aerate the water.
Miracle grow water soluble fertilizer.
1 20 inch Dwarf Cavendish.
2+ gallons of water.

Plant was introduced to full sunlight today @ 12 +- hours.
.
Hydroponic dc
by
Hostafarian, on Flickr

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

:lurk:
Nothing has changed plant is still growing

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

I have a few pups...

Nothing special though.

I will reveal the root structure when I transition from water to my soilless mix in the next month or so.
My outdoor grow window is slowly closing.

The plant does display that is a hydroponic plant in full Ohio sun with some leaf/stress anomalies.

Air temp and solution temp is +- 5 degrees of each other.



hydro balls and pup
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Here is a photo of the roots at 60 days.
The plant is outdoors in 10 hours full sun.
Solution temperature is the same as the air temperature plus solar heat gain.

The terrestrial roots are slowly being replaced with new roots conditioned to the hydroponic enviroment.
With the addition of new roots the plant now has a better foundation to grow foliage.
Note the pup growth from the last post 8 days ago.
I am expecting a flag leaf any day now:ha::ha:

Please be aware if I were using hydroponic specific fertilizer solutions and a heater the root structure would probably be much finer and more of them.
.
Root structure
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Ten days after last post...

.Start of process.
.
Dc in hydroton balls.
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr.
.
Showing roots and size of the plant..

The plant is showing a typical transition from soil to solution.


Hydroponics
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr.
.
The plant has grown in a predictable fashion from 90 days ago.

Hydroponics
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

Inside the bucket...
The solution is usually clear but I had disturbed the filters ..so it is a little cloudy.
Reminder, this is a low budget set up.....
This is just to give you an idea of what you can do with a plant in a season......
Now the tough/possible expencive part is to keep the growth rate for the next 7 months in the winter. Under lights in your home

Hydroponics by Hostafarian, on Flickr

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

120 days from start roots have somewhat filled a 5 gallon bucket.
And there are two pups.

Current outdoor temperature is 40 F

More photos
.


Roots and health by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr
.

Roots and health by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

My plant does not like cool water temperaturres......

Leaves folded and somewhat wilted.
Hydro plants respond to temps much faster than container plants.

My container plants look fine.

Pics soon

Got to 35 degrees last morning....

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

yes, your water circulating around your soilless mix would act like a radiator. it would transfer heat to the outside air much faster than your potted plants sitting on the ground where at least at that point they could stay warmer.

but with a 20 gallon hot water heater set on low, a pump and a thermostat you could turn that around immensely. coarse it would take a battery of plants and containers say maybe 6 or 8, a large kids swimming pool and a pool thermostat.
with that you could cover it with plastic making a small greenhouse of sorts and you could keep your plants outside all year long, even in Canada. probably would fruit a lot faster.

of coarse a large in ground coy pond would work much better than a kids swimming pool.

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

Thank you so much for the kind words....

I will check out the koi pond thing soon ....

Here is a photo hydro DC plant on the left in the white bucket.
The plant on the right is a Truly Tiny dwarf.
These are my plants pulled from the yard and lined up and being treated for pests before I bring them in.

Both plants were subjected to 35 degree cold weather, as well as all the other plants in the photo.

The plant in the white bucket did not like it the other plants were not fazed.


Hydroponic cool water reaction
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr.

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

yes you are right it might be a bit involved for the average laymen.

but once done electricity would be fairly cheap.

but I guess I maybe should have said you would be pumping to and from the pool and not into your buckets. your buckets would stay warm in the pool.

a 1/2 hp above ground pump would do it. with manifolds built on your suction and dish charge. of coarse you would have to build a cover on your pool in which you would insert your buckets. to keep out dirt and leaves and such. like I said a bit involved. the coy pond would be in ground and the ground would act as an insulator keeping the whole area warm.

nothing I have not done before. but not in this.

as always I have to admire your place and your plants and your knowledge in plants.

Re: Hydroponics for begginers
 

cincinnana; you changed and retracted some of your post. basically the FUNNY part. I can take a bit of criticism. I don't need to be buttered like a piece of bread. I really do appreciate the gesture. your post was done with grace and eloquence. I can only wish I had your gift.

bagging gas. hilarious. :08: hope you do not take this wrong.