Hydroponic enthusiasts (hobby/personal growers)

[Chimera]

hmmm i guess my idea of the pricing was generally wrong

i thought it was about $70 for a flour bag

[shake d livin wake d dead]

3 good pigtail bucket (minus rejects (big arse cucumbers) usually comes from 1 bed,providing the bed is healthy,free from pests and diseases you would get this amount.
one bed is approx 20ft long x3 wide,generally you would reap this much after the 3rd picking and pick twice as much after 3rd or 4th week (depending on variety).
as long as the farmer does it ole skool and stick to the basics he should b right on track,never really believed in the new product enhancers on the market though(daz another story).

@ABA prices are usually set on the night itself depending on demand and supply.still never got to meet the person deciding the prices though,so I just go with the flow.

[Chimera]

pigtail bucket is one of those 4 gallon buckets?

[Chimera]

btw check this out

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 343&type=3

[rfari]

Not bad at all. Feeling to jump back into it but its the time i dont have jed

[shake d livin wake d dead]

btw check this out

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 343&type=3

buckets used are identical to those in the pics
btw,who ever did dat set up,2 thumbs up to them.

[Chimera]

5-6 weeks and no posts yes


anyone did anything new recently?


where sells biofilters locally? pet shops?

[Chimera]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/60747556/IBCofAquaponics1


very very good document

[rfari]

Aba, any progress on ur side going commercial?

[Chimera]

nah boy..no time...no time

plus i flying out almost every month so if something go wrong while i nuh there, everything guh dead cuz no one else will check on it



i gonna go start buying ibc containers from today though, have a plan

[Mosaic]

Hi All:
Just designed built/tested a home grown hydro controller:

Here is what my controller is about.

1) Large 2 digit 7-segment display.
2) two pushbutton interface controls the menu system.
Displays plant soil moisture, moisture set point, Nutrient temp, EC, level, pH (with added probe), Pump on/off times.

3) Displays EC, (pH as well with added probe), On time/ off time, relative 'soil' moisture.
4) Operates on a timed interval OR on a preset moisture level (compensates for rainfall or changing plant requirements) in the plants' medium.
5) Has 5 LED alerts visible from 20' to 50' .
a) Pump problem (blue flash) or normal pump cycling (blue solid)
b) Voltage prob (yellow flash)
c) Nutrient reservoir low/depleted (red flash/red solid)
d) Green flash, pH or EC out of range.
e) All LEDS flash once every 20 sec as a heartbeat if no other alerts active.
6) Pump output drive of 4A @ 12VDC or 2A @ 120VAC. Add a relay for heavier loading.
7) Can also detect a secondary top reservoir full level for gravity feed dispensing. Pump fills the top reservoir and stops, gravity feed does the rest. This top level sensor over rides the pump 'on time' setting.
Solar energy compliant, can run a 'home' hydroponic ebb & flow system completely on a 12VDc solar panel (5W) using a small UPS 5Ah battery as storage (good for 3 days backup). I have run one for 3 months so far 'off the grid' entirely, growing chive, lettuce, parsley etc. Zero carbon footprint.

[rfari]

Way sah! Well done hoss. Ur using a PIC or a plc?

[Mosaic]

Custom designed PIC application , all asm s'ware, surface mount electronics.
I do all of it.

[rfari]

Nice! Been a while since ive did projects with the PIC. last was a PIC18XXXX. used it for my final year project. U got ur board done locally? Which company?

[Mosaic]

I make my own boards, double sided down to ten thou details.

For mass production I use Silver Circuits.

Used to use Borde Communications for thru hole boards 25 years ago.

[Chimera]

went looking for either 1 1/2 inch or 2 inch bulkheads yesterday for my ibc containers

was amazed at price..$80 for 1.5 inch and cant even find 2 inch



wayy too expensive imho

this should work just as good especially if i put silicone around all fittings.


http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_bulkheads.php

[UML]

went looking for either 1 1/2 inch or 2 inch bulkheads yesterday for my ibc containers

was amazed at price..$80 for 1.5 inch and cant even find 2 inch



wayy too expensive imho

this should work just as good especially if i put silicone around all fittings.


http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_bulkheads.php

das what i use in my aquariums.

[Chimera]

guess it would make sense for a few aquariums

but i would need 40 of these just for 20 ibcs.

[UML]

i meant the pvc male and female adapter with the rubber washer

[UML]

but if u running 20 ibc containers..u wud need a good bit of space.....is it not easier to plant in the earth itself (if area not paved)? and run some lines just to water the crops?

I was always under the impression that aquaponics/hydroponics was to plant in small areas due to space restrictions.

just asking.

[rfari]

but if u running 20 ibc containers..u wud need a good bit of space.....is it not easier to plant in the earth itself (if area not paved)? and run some lines just to water the crops?

I was always under the impression that aquaponics/hydroponics was to plant in small areas due to space restrictions.

just asking.

Hydro/aqua allows for maximising of produce.

Aye aba, i aint forget u with that project eh

[Chimera]

but if u running 20 ibc containers..u wud need a good bit of space.....is it not easier to plant in the earth itself (if area not paved)? and run some lines just to water the crops?

I was always under the impression that aquaponics/hydroponics was to plant in small areas due to space restrictions.

just asking.

then those massive commercial hdro projects should be planted in the ground?
aqua/hydro allows you to plant crops more densely so you can plant alot more in the same space

the worst thing about planting in the ground imho is the pests and diseases associated with it and the dirt itself, having to wash dirt out of all your produce as well as having to bend down to pick/cut produce

[Chimera]

but if u running 20 ibc containers..u wud need a good bit of space.....is it not easier to plant in the earth itself (if area not paved)? and run some lines just to water the crops?

I was always under the impression that aquaponics/hydroponics was to plant in small areas due to space restrictions.

just asking.

Hydro/aqua allows for maximising of produce.

Aye aba, i aint forget u with that project eh

no scene
i know you a busy rasta

i think the file i sent you was incomplete anyway
will check it back
no rush in any event
ground still too soft for a hiab to drive on it

[Chimera]

Century Eslon fish tank specs

2200 gallons, 10 feet diameter, 4 feet high (circle tank)

Black $3600 for tank +vat
$300 for bulkhead +vat

$200 more for blue tank

[mitsu_crazy]

check rotoplastics for the bulkhead fittings....got them in some hardware's as well.

[mitsu_crazy]

nah boy..no time...no time

plus i flying out almost every month so if something go wrong while i nuh there, everything guh dead cuz no one else will check on it



i gonna go start buying ibc containers from today though, have a plan

WHere u getting the ibc containers?

[mitsu_crazy]

5-6 weeks and no posts yes


anyone did anything new recently?


where sells biofilters locally? pet shops?

a bit of a learning curve without research. finally got my system stabilized somewhat. no loss of fish,...actually had them reproduce on me.....was a surprise.

having a hard time growing lettuce. trying celery for now....realizing my grow beds are undersized and trying to come up with a plan to expand.

biofilters: aquarium sponge filters and an air pump. takes some time to establish when using fish...but once its up and running u good to go.


alternatively you can use a media based system and establish a larger bio filter. similar to what I have setup.

all depends on what you want to do and how big you are doing it.

[rfari]

There are some neat diy biofilters online. I think i posted some links earlier in the ched.
@mitsu, any pics of ur setup?

[mitsu_crazy]

There are some neat diy biofilters online. I think i posted some links earlier in the ched.
@mitsu, any pics of ur setup?

think i posted a link to an album on fb sometime ago....have not updated it much since.

[mitsu_crazy]

here

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 2823251621