http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0409322029628.html

You mighta seen it already but I built the exact system your talking about - all is well system wise. The only mistake I made really is making the netbucket holes a bit too large and a the weight of the tomato plants (now 2 ft) want to push the baskets through the lids which would be a disaster as you can imagine. So be careful of that one ;)

The grommets also didn't work as well as one would hope either I ended up having to pack on the silicon too.

The only other thing I would do if I restarted would be - try and fix the airstones to set positions on the bottoms some how as they move around and are near impossible to move once the tomatos are growing. I'm not sure how it effects the plants but I like regularity.

Aside from that - don't ask me to comment on if its a good system its the first I built, and as you can see I have much to learn.:)

is that a Bel-Air in the background?

56 Ford Crown Victoria

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/projects/Ryan%20Cooper%20pics/ryanspics.htm here are a few of my hydro systems. i think i have designed and built about 30 different systems but not all of them are pictured. ~Ryan

Here is a link that might be useful: ryans hydroponics (a few of them)

A little out of topic... but i was attracted to the 2 cars behind specially the one you were leaning on.

Living in the Philippines we don't get to see a lot of old american muscle cars. I used to drive a camarro though... hehe missed it when i saw the pics.

Green Gorilla

ItÂs a 69 Plymouth Roadrunner with a 383 all original. It's comparable to 350 SS Camarro but would definitely get smoked by one with 396.

I started off with 4"pvc pipe with pea gravel. Not enough room for tomatoe roots. I am using it for peppers. I switched to 6" pvc using perlite and cocoanut hull chunks (1/2")It was all ebb and flow. I am going to "still water" method except using pumped in air. Making troughs out of 2x6 and 2x8 using net pots also cheap pots from a garden center wit holes drilled in them. This is the way to go. I have tried it for a couple of years in two tables I set up.

I have a six inch PCV pipe with 3" net pots at 6.5" centers with my timer set for 12min on 12min off from 6:30am to 8:00pm

Here is a link that might be useful:

Nice setup...

Is that the car that has the flap on the hood that opens when you punch it??? (maybe its the 426 or the 440(6 pack!)...

This 9 plant system,built on a small terras, is made with brown 80mm (3.14") rain drain tubes, connected by T junctions. Irrigation by 1/2" water hose, with 1/2" T junctions. All T junctions are terminated by a modified rubber stool top.Cups are modified yogurt containers. Reservoir is a 75 Liter (19Gal)wastebin. It is built on metal sawhorses. Estimation of total cost 100 $ pump not included.

chile340

What do you line your troughs with to seal in the water. I built a trough system with plywood and 2" by 4's and lined it with pond liner and filled it up with perlite its two pieces of 8'x4' sheets of plywood with 2"x4"s on the edges which gives me aroun 60 square feet to grow basil.

Pipe fitter

Looks like a sweet set you got going there. I want to build something like that next year for some peppers, and cantaloupes. Home depot doesn't carry 6 inch pipe so I guess I'll have look around for a plumbing supplier.

chefmicheal

Your set up looks cool it a drip system right? How often is your pump running?

My DWC setup is doing alright I was sort of lazy and didn't give the plants the proper support so there just laying every where. The water temps are hard to control here in socal so I had to make it recirculation with a fan on the res to cool it through evaporation. I'll post some pics tomorrow. Next year I plan on Growing organic in coco coir in 10 gallon bags with a drip system. I wont have to worry about high water temps and root rot.

Think IÂm Going to use nutrients from this place their cheap and organic. EJ and Pure Blend pro are to expensive

Here is a link that might be useful: nutrients

Hi Kirk1977, yes it looks like a drip, but the flow is steady, it runs every hour during 15 minutes, as we had a heat wave, and the plants were thirsty.I did not change the jumpers of my cheap timer since.
The roots grow so well that i had to build an overflow in the yoghurt pots, for when the water cannot flow away.
My advice is buy whatever size of rain drain you can get, size does not matter so much,then adapt T junctions . Try to find pots that fit the openening.
We eat a lot of yoghurt, so I have a steady supply of pots. It is very easy to make holes in them, either with a cutter or with a hand drill.

I've always enjoyed Michel's low cost designs. Goes to show that one does not have to purchase expensive commercial systems in order to get good results. Part of the fun of this hobby is building your own creation and getting a sense of accomplishment for your efforts.

here are my aeroponic lettuce, spinace, and boc choy. this is my first garden. so far so good.

Here is a link that might be useful: aeroponic lettuce pictures

Well here it goes, this is my project. First time to grow with hydroponics and I have week to week progress. Every thing is doing great. I acutally havested some lettuce, the cucumbers are in bloom and the toms have buds. Let me know what you think.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hydroponic System in Greenhouse

Sweet set up JD I noticed you changed systems. It looks like your using a drip system in the last update? I never tryed the 2 liter bottle system as I worried if their would be enough room for the roots in the bottles. Those tomatoes are really producing wish I had a green house.

Hi Kirk 1977,

I invite you to have alook at my hydroponic site from Australia. I grow in 150 mm (6 inch) plastic stormwater pipe, use sand as a medium, run my pump for no more that thirty minutes per day, and grow plenty of salad vegetables for the kitchen table. My site shows how to set up such a system, make your own nutrient solutions from basic chemicals, where to get them from, how to adjust the formula, hints for success, an FAQ section, and links to other hydroponic sites .... none of which appear to use sand. It also includes plenty of 800 x 600 photographs, and an email address if you ever get stuck.

To find it, just type Simple Sand Hydroponics into Google, or use the URL below.

Jimr007
Australia.

Here is a link that might be useful: Simple Sand Hydroponics

Drawing of my aero/hydro hybrid

Here is a link that might be useful:

Here is mine, a very simple pump and gravity drain system made out of 2 18 gallon totes.

Feb 9th

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2 months later

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11 tomato plants and one watermelon. The watermelon nearly died from lack of sun as the tomatos towered, but it ran runners off to the side, and just bloomed today.

Got approximately 50 fruit going, and first ripe ones coming in about a week. Cost about $25 each to make, and I use the Flora Grow, Micro, and Bloom nutrients.

And roots!

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Next year, or later this year, I plan on making 2 6 ft long NFT gutter systems.

Here's mine. PVC gutter. Converts easily to NFT, flood/drain, and drip.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Nice little flood and drain sort of

Here is a link that might be useful:

I know this is an older post but I like the idea. I also enjoyed looking at all your systems. Very nice indeed and really helps me as I plan on doing outside next spring.

My systems right now are indoor small units mostly for experimental purposes, someday maybe a real nice classy looking small indoor system which will also add to the decor (if/when I figure everything out)

Here is a link that might be useful: my website