It seems like your off to a good start. If you are looking for something like a majority of the photos on your page, you want an ebb and flow system, or flood and drain. Basically the plants sit in the net cups, the water/nutrients are pumped into where the plants are growing from a tank, then drained back to the tank. If you do a few searches here on the hydroponic section, and also google you can find lots of information as to the different hydro setups and how to build your own. There are many different setups you can use, and theres bound to be a few that will work in your situation.

Like some others have said, stick with cool weather crops in cool weather mostly. I grow these even in winter simply by covering the crops when it's going to freeze. They really have a head start in the spring so the growing season is longer. Varieties do matter. I've found the Black Seeded Simpson lettuce grows well. I've had tremendous luck growing Swiss Chard...almost year round...no problem. You also might try checking with some of the CSA's in your area because if it can be grown, they will grow it and know the varieties. Check out Barefoot Farmer. In one of his books he mentions varieties (his first one, I think).

Thanks yet again. For some reason I cannot open phoenixpermaulture website. The other two were interesting ones. 1/ Seedlings As for the seedlings, today I took my seedlings on the roof top for the early morning sun for 1 hour and put them inside a plastic sheet (not so clear though - will get a clear one). The temperature then was not more than 75 when I moved them back inside. Right now I have put them on my eastern window - which fortunately or unfortunately does not receive any direct sunlight. Light is fair enough however. Enough to be able to read and write easily. Is the above schedule going to be ok for approx. 3 weeks? What else can I do? or am I doing extra? For how much time the seedlings should be in the dark every day? 2/ Plants I also had bought two small plants (approx 6 inches) - 2 tomatoes and 1 pepper (dont know which variety) and they have been under my care for approx. 2 weeks now. I transplanted them in bigger pots of 14" and 10" respectively. Depending on the temperature and the heat of the sun, I place the plants under 50% shade (my wife helps me as I am usually out for work :) ). This may start from 10 am if it gets to around 90F by that time. While the pepper is going good, I am not particularly happy with the tomato plants, as they seem to be showing signs of yellow leaves - Am I over watering them? Its almost 48 hours since I have not watered them as I can feel moisture beneath 2 inches of soil. While this tells me not to water, but my heart tells me to water them. Today I just did not listened to my heart. I hope this should not be too much stress for the plants :) Previously I use to water at least once a day. But then the pepper plant has not shown any yellow leaves as yet. I haven't fertlized them as yet - I believe the potting soil is fertlized enough to last for a month (that's what the nursery guy told me). To be very frank with you - I am still not able to understand the delicate balance between under and over watering. I was advised to be titled towards under watering when in doubt - but in this heat, should we do that? Probably, by putting the shades, I am bring the heat down and thereby the soil moisture is not evaporating as it would otherwise do. 3/ While I do put the plants under 50% shade (and sometimes double 50% shade - I did these a week back when the temperatures used to go upto 105). I am just thinking whether light through the 50% shade, is it enough for both the tomatoes and pepper sun loving plants to fruit later? When they say 6-8 hours of direct sunlight for tomatoes and pepper, does that mean direct unobstructed sunlight???? 4/ As for fertilization, I dont have quite a lot of option - either those NPK pellets or composted cow manure. The nursery guy tells me to sprinkle composted cow manure (his preference) over the soil once every month - but I am not quite sure about his ability / experience with container vegetables. What would you advise? How about composted cow manure tea as part of each watering or some other periodical watering? 5/ The potting soil that I use does drain but then how to measure its drainage effectiveness. What is the yardstick to measure it. When I water it for 30 seconds continuously, it starts to drain from the bottom holes but not like running water - just drop by drop - each of the 6-8 holes start dripping. Now this drop by drop could go on for an hour or two. The dripping speed may be high to start with but slows down as time passes. Does this mean the soil is good enough? Isn't that excess water sitting there for 2 hours inside the container harmful for the roots. Did that cause the signs of over watering / yellowing of leaves to appear on the tomato leaves? 6/ Unfortunately, at the moment, in my apartment there is no provision for florescent lights. I was however, thinking of putting four 20W CFL bulbs - two warm and two cool. How far should they be from the top of the seedlings? Is 80W going to be enough? How long the seedling should be sitting in light? And can the CFL be installed top down (standing upside down) rather than left right (laying)? Sorry for asking you so many question in just one post. I hope you don't mind that. Your much appreciate help awaited. Thanks and best regards Saood This post was edited by saood on Tue, Oct 1, 13 at 6:37

Hello again Jvk. Since you are doing a retrofit I'll tell you that the problems we had using our old ductwork were not too serious, it's just that we're not "optimum". Evidently it was practice to install ducting differently many years ago; our outputs are all located towards the center of the house, away from the exterior walls, and our cold air returns are along the perimeter. Today, of course, the cold air returns are towards the center and the outlets around the perimeter. The result is "cold spots" around the edges of rooms, but they aren't severe and we don't mind 'em. Another potential problem (which we haven't experienced yet) is that, if pushed hard, the air conditioning could freeze up, since our vents are a little more restrictive than they should be. So far we've not found it necessary to use the AC more than a couple of hours at a time, and it's been fine. I have to tell you that I have one reservation about the product, but it may be unfounded. The soldering on the inside of the unit where some of the copper runs looks terrible, and even the installer commented on it. It appears to have beeen gotten too hot, and there are drips and sags. Of course it passed all the tests, but I'm concerned that it might develop leaks under pressure down the road. I know that at the first sign of failing refrigerant pressures I'll be ready to send the manufacturer a letter! I have already noted it in a letter to the installer. The unit arrived crated and the installer had not inspected it before he brought to the house; the existing heating system was gone, it was November, and it was time to get the job done. If I had it to do over again I would insist on the installer doing a good visual inspection before accepting the product from the company. That may be naive; I don't know. But it is true that Climatemaster has a new factory running and that they are pushing to keep up with demand. It makes everything harder from the purchasers point of view, in that the installer has lots of customers and doesn't have to be too accomodating! Too, the unit we ordered in June wasn't shipped right away -we had to wait for it to be built. The factory test is dated August 31, 2006. It took a while longer to make it to Montana from Oklahoma. Just our experiences and observations for what it's worth. Best, Mark