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Question and Answer Page 46

Subjects

energy efficient way to light a garden Hydrocorn needed for 16 bottle, 2 liter system. how do plants get the carbon necessary for them to grow?
HOW MANY POUNDS OF GROW ROCKS I NEED? aeroponic system does that shoot need to point up or downwards into the medium?
How far apart should I put the plants from the walls? Schultz Root Starter will work I want to make a seedling/clone box.
I am looking for long narrow plastic boxes does the water drain back through the pump what should the ppm be
under bed storage boxes propagation tray with clear plastic dome Sea of Green
Date:
28 Jun 2000
Time:
08:09:07

Comments

is there a cheaper and energy efficient way to light a garden than buying those expensive lights in catalogs ?

Skylights. They even have remote ones that you put on your roof and run a shinny tube that reflects sunlight to the location where you need it.

Date:
28 Jun 2000
Time:
13:44:29

Comments

I WANT TO BUILD THE 16 2 LITER BOTTLE GARDEN AND I NEED TO KNOW APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY POUNDS OF HYDORCORN OR GROW ROCKS I NEED? I LIVE IN FLORIDA DO YOU KNOW OF AN SOURCE OF THE ROCKS CLOSE BY ? ONE COMPANY QUOTED ME 29.95 FOR THE ROCKS AND 24.95 SHIPPING AND HANDLING.

That's easy. 16 liter bottles cut in half would leave you with 16 - 1 liter bottles so you would need 16 liters of grow rocks or if you use the 16 oz solo cups, like I do, then you would need 16 - 16 oz of grow rocks. Make sence? 
The weight will vary between brand names because some is more pores thus lighter than others.
www.wormsway.com in Tampa, www.aquaticeco.com in Central Florida, and two many to even list in Miami.

Date:
28 Jun 2000
Time:
18:58:22

Comments

I posted a mssg here earlier and you told me that my plants will die if they rub on the wall. How far apart should I put the plants from the walls?

Far enough where they won't touch the wall. About 6 inches from the center of the bottle next to the wall.

Date:
28 Jun 2000
Time:
20:25:15

Comments

Ron I'm looking for information on selling medicinal and culinary herbs. Perhaps a market guide to retailers that have specific needs.You cna reach me at: Shawnee4@prodigy.net

Date:
29 Jun 2000
Time:
00:27:21

Comments

dears,

I am looking for the different possible uses of Coco-Peat in EU region. I am ready to pay for that, if some one can provide me the recent and valid information. thanks

zarrar

zarrar.khan@usa.net

Date:
29 Jun 2000
Time:
05:22:27

Comments

Hey Tailwheel,
Did you ever find those plastic boxes at kmart ? I looked everywhere could not find. I am looking for long narrow plastic boxes that will hold at least 6 cups The system is called areojet link: http://www.growking.comjet.htm.proxymate.qs My first inclination was to use the big pvc pipe then cut 3inc di circle but the cleaning would be difficult. in this system you lift the cover and Wa-La your there.
Pingman

Date:
29 Jun 2000
Time:
06:29:52

Comments

Attn: Pingman, Re: boxes

Yep, I found under bed storage boxes at K-Mart that look like they could be used. Go to the storage box area in the store and look way up high next to the wall for them. They won't be displayed with the regular storage boxes. Cost is around 15.00. Some are plain boxes, some have wheels and some have a drawer built in. The plain box w/lid is maybe 4 ft. lg. X2-1/2 ft. wide and has a reasonably flat lid.

You may want to hit: http://www.greenair.com/plastics.htm and take a good look there for plastic boxes. The prices seem pretty good to me.

I'm still looking for a pump that will give me between 20-30 psi for the spray system. I ran a test on my little 160 gal/hour pump and there's not enough pressure to operate the sprinkler.

If anyone knows shat pump to use, let me know.

Tailwheel

 

Date:
29 Jun 2000
Time:
06:16:47

Comments

RE: Hydrocorn needed for 16 bottle, 2 liter system.

You will need less than a 10 liter bag of hydrocorn for the system. However, I live in California and know no one in Florida that sells hydrocorn. The best prices I've found on the web are at:

http://www.hydroponics.net/default.asp

Date:
29 Jun 2000
Time:
11:26:40

Comments

Cool site Ron. I Believe I had the chance to meet when the the HMA tour came by the plant. The website is great, I have never been here before. Please check out my site at http://www.hydrohangout.com

JOSH

Likewise. Nice site.

Date:
29 Jun 2000
Time:
16:18:42

Comments

Ron K., What type of pump and nozzles are you using for your aeroponic system and how are you anchoring them to the top ?Please email me 4magic@prodigy.net Thank in advance.

Haven't heard from Ron K. in a couple years. He must have gotten a real job. 
Here is a crude drawing of how I have built them. I will build another with good pictures next week.
Parts List:

bullet2 - Stackable Rubbermaid or equivalent containers ( about 10 inches deep ) 
bulletSmall submersible pump. ( 50 to 100 GPH )
bulletPVC Parts 
2- 3/4" corners
2- 3/4" end caps
1- 3/4" tee with a 1/2" Threaded intake
1- 1/2 connector  
4- 3/4" pipe 6" long
1- piece of 1/2" hose
bulletSome grow baskets

Date:
29 Jun 2000
Time:
17:42:49

Comments

Hey Ron, I was wanting to know if Schultz Root Starter will work with my vermiculite instead of Orthos?

Yes. The best and my favorite is Olivia's Cloning Solution. 

Date:
30 Jun 2000
Time:
08:36:05

Comments

hi Ron, In the 11 plant garden i understand that the pump goes on for 30 minute and off for 30 minutes around the clock. When the pump is on is since the garden is over the tank ,you pump the water into the garden and the excess of water goes through the overflow back to the tank, When the pump is off does the water back-down through the pump to get back to the tank with gravity or it stays in the garden ????? Is it OK to use an external pump (i got a pump from an old soda carbonator, type restaurant use in post mixt to put co2 in pepsi) ?

Yes it does drain back through the pump.
An external pump would work for a drip from the top system but for an ebb and flow the filled garden needs a way to drain back to the reservoir when the pump shuts off. If your external pump does that then it should work.

Date:
01 Jul 2000
Time:
12:02:05

Comments

Yo, Ron; This is an update on the 2 month old (now 3 months old) plant I have in soil, and using Formula One. I have reset my light for 12 and 12, and adjusted my nutrient to 1500, at 6.5 pH. I have been feeding the plant 3 times daily until the solution begins to drain from the bottom of the pot, but that was on 24 on. Now that the light period is shorter, should I feed as much? By the way, this plant is sucking about 1/2 gallon per feeding before the solution comes out the bottom, and is VERY healthy. Been on new photoperiod for one day now. Want to try to get it worked out for automated feeding before going back to work after holiday...Happy 4th!

You shouldn't water at dark period with dirt. 

Date:
01 Jul 2000
Time:
14:52:30

Comments

Ron,

Is a 10" / 20" propagation tray with clear plastic dome, good enough for seedlings and clones? Also, i noticed in the pics that the tray was divided by little pots of 4. What are those called and where do i get em?

Bedding plant inserts. A guess. They also come in a verity of shapes and sizes at any Home Improvement Store in the nursery department. 

Date:
01 Jul 2000
Time:
19:41:22

Comments

Hi, I have some free time this summer and I want to try growing a plant hydroponicly. I don't want to spend a lot of money because I don't have much, ha ha ha. Anyway, I want to do this in a water solution. Anyone give me some tips or links to where I can find a picture or plans for a 1-plant aqua hydroponics setup? Thanks.

Oh, one more question...how do plants grown hydroponicly get the carbon necessary for them to grow?

Thanks: arjun

Chlorophyll, the substance that gives plants their green color, converts carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, water (containing nutrients) and light energy into carbohydrates and oxygen. This process is called photosynthesis. What results is plant life. You then eat the carbohydrates and breath the air.

Date:
02 Jul 2000
Time:
10:42:02

Comments

This is a very dumb, kick myself in the head for asking type of question. When the shoot pops open from the seed during germination, that shoot is the root, right?

Also, when planting in the vermiculite or soil, does that shoot need to point up or downwards into the medium? Thanx

Date:
03 Jul 2000
Time:
05:13:20

Comments

Re: Sprouts

Actually, not quite so dumb a question.

When the seed sprouts and the shoot comes out, some seeds like wheat, alfalfa, mung bean, etc. will head for air. Other shoots head for the ground. If you're in doubt, don't worry about it. The plant will head in the right direction all by itself.

Tailwheel

Date:
02 Jul 2000
Time:
16:26:33

Comments

Hey Ron I want to make a seedling/clone box. Its 1' by 2' and 2ft high. A 24" 2 bulb florescent fixture fits perfect in the box. I intend on putting my 10" by 20" seedling/clone tray in there.

Is that enough lighting for this setup? Or should I put 2 24" 2 bulb fixtures (4bulbs)?

Also, do i cover mylar all around the box?

I can vent the box out easily too, so that's not a prob.

Thanks

4 is better than 2 and I would use mylar if you go with just 2 bulbs. 

Date:
02 Jul 2000
Time:
16:30:28

Comments

With any hydroponic setup and when growing tomato like plants, what should the ppm be when you transplant the seedlings to your growrocks? 

600 - 700 ppm

Then as you go on thru the veg stage what should the ppm be?

700 - 1100 ppm

Lastly, what should it be during flower stages?

1100 - 1500 ppm

Date:
02 Jul 2000
Time:
20:15:23

Comments

can a 175 watt mercury vapor light be used for a grow light ?

NO

Date:
03 Jul 2000
Time:
09:45:10

Comments

Where can I find more info on the "Sea of Green"?

Somewhere in this web site you can but I don't have time to find it for you.

Date:
04 Jul 2000
Time:
05:45:19

Comments

Re: Sea of Green

Try http://www.sea-of-green.com/index.html

You might get lucky.

Tailwheel

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