Simple & Easy Home Aquaponics - Hydroponics ?

[Nifty]

Ok, I know this is probably a slippery slope, but I thought I'd DABBLE in this a little bit. I guess technically I already am....

A few months ago I had some green onions from the store and ended up putting them in water. I was SHOCKED at how fast they grew!!!

So, I got to thinking it might be fun to take this to a slightly higher level. Nothing crazy, but just a fun little project.

I LOVE the idea of aquaponics (fish + plants + carbon-cycle = FOOD). I'm just worried this may be a bit more commitment than I'm ready for right now... but that depends on how much "work" it is.

Remember, I'm going from "put plants in jar with water" to something a little bit more interesting, but I can't commit to a big ol' project.

This video on basic hydroponics was helpful in making me think "yeah, I can do this"

... or maybe I just KISS and stick with putting some onions and romaine lettuce into a few cups of water.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

@Nifty, I've been doing kratky hydroponics for the last 2 winters. It's stupid simple. Right now, I have an entire shelf full of lettuce plants that are huge, succulent, and require no care aside from initially planting the seedlings, and (Possibly... if needed) topping off their nutrient solution after 5 - 6 weeks of growth. Not bad to be able to plant it and forget it until harvest... in the middle of the winter. Not to mention: While the wind is whistling around the house, rattling the window panes. While the snow is piling up in drifts, I can go into my office and indulge in the sight, smell, feel, and taste of fresh green growing things! A single plastic shoe box can grow 6 full size leaf lettuce plants. Add 2 more boxes, and you have a continuous supply.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Do a google search for Kratky Hydroponics. Super easy. I recommend doing it inside. No insects and you can more easily regulate the temperature. If you have a good ?North facing (in your hemisphere!) window, that may be all the light your plants need.

 

[Nifty]

BRILLIANT!!!

I've been doing kratky hydroponics for the last 2 winters. It's stupid simple.

Stupid simple!?!? You're speaking my language!!!

Right now, I have an entire shelf full of lettuce plants that are huge, succulent, and require no care aside from initially planting the seedlings

Ok, I really want to see pics!!!

What's funny is that I'm always complaining about how quickly leafy greens go bad when in my fridge, but if I'm growing them in the house, I can just pick off and eat as I want

(at least that's my dream)

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Can you use that 3D printer to print up a nice salad?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I use Foxfarms Grow Big solution.

Fox Farm Grow Big


2 tsp/gallon of water. So, that one bottle will last a VERY LONG time. 1 qt jar is the perfect size for a single lettuce or basil plant... or something similar. I use plastic shoe boxes to hold up to 6 lettuce plants. But, in that set up, you would need to keep the solution topped up to about 2" deep. I'd go with gallon size for a small tomato or cucumber plant.

There are other brands of pre-mixed solution on the market. And there are powdered mixes that you can use. Many of those require addition of Epsom Salt and some calcium compound, but are overall less expensive. A quick google search will turn up lots of options for you.

 

[Medicine Woman]

Okay so maybe I went a little crazy. So under the paper towel I have a few different varieties of lettuce, cherry and standard size tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, spinach and onion sets seeds, started in a little mud. I picked up some river pebbles at our local building supply and I was going to use the mason jars but then I was like..... I still gotta buy some plastic cups that will fit inside so I cut the water bottles DH is so fond of buying and shoved the funnel part inside with the caps on and cut out slits for the roots. I just need to fetch some rainwater and fertilizer and put pebbles in the tops when I transfer and shake off most of the mud. DH might check me into a special place. Nah!! He will never find anyone who can pluck birds like me so I’m good.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

And it's a good dream to have. I'm a techno idiot when it comes to getting pics posted. But, I'll see what I can do.

My set up involves: 2" net pots, hydroton clay pellets, empty plastic coffee cans, and several plastic shoe boxes. I use Foxfarm Grow Big hydroponic concentrate. A single bottle of that will last for YEARS at the rate that I'm using it. A 1 qt mason jar is a good size for a single lettuce plant. I have 5 - 6 holes drilled in the lids of the shoe boxes. Those work well, but need to have more solution added towards the end of the growth cycle. A South facing window will suffice, BUT, if you really want good growth, it's best to provide supplemental lighting. I have a shelf unit with flourescent shop lights, and have recently bought some LED's but not yet hung them. Warm spectrum light is best for plant growth. I'm thinking about planting a sugar snap pea plant this week. I recently started a patio tomato, and a bush cucumber.

Last year, I had some cucumbers growing in a coffee can. I harvested a few before my efforts were ended abruptly due to spider mite infestation. ( a few hitch hikers arrived when I moved plants inside that fall.) This year... so far... so good.

I assume you have some shop tools to work with. A 2" hole saw makes a perfect hole for the 2" net pots. I learned the hard way. Start the hole with the drill in forward mode until the drill bit pierces the plastic. Then shift to reverse to complete the hole.

 

[Nifty]

Can you use that 3D printer to print up a nice salad?

LOL, if only!

There are some people working up to it:

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Absolutely. Generally, the lettuce will reach full harvest size before the nutrients in the container are used up.