Month: May 2019

Article 4-5 Asexual Reproduction Cloning

Asexual Reproduction Cloning By Cindy Rea, Courtesy of Homegrown Hydroponics The concept of creating an exact replica of a living being through cloning has been the topic of many sci-fi and horror stories throughout the ages. The thought usually conjures up some image of a Frankenstein like monster whose genetic structure has gone haywire during the cloning process. Cloning is [ read more ]

Article 4-5 The Grey Ghost

Introduction Grey mould, Ash mould, Ghost spot – are all names which describe the various symptoms of infection by the common fungal pathogen, Botyrtis cinerea. Botrytis is by far the most common fungal disease encountered under cool, humid conditions, particularly were crops are grown at a high density with limited air movement. Botrytis is also one of the most damaging [ read more ]

Article 4-5 Why Hydro?

As I mentioned earlier, the most important tasks facing the indoor gardener are copying and improving upon nature. Okay, now that you are a god, you have to make a sun. Poof! Are you done yet? Probably not. TERMINOLOGY There are four basic terms that are used to describe light and how it affects your plants. These terms are Lumen, [ read more ]

Water Culture System

Convert an aquarium into a simple hydroponic system. The plants are suspended on a floating Styrofoam platform. This system is popular for classrooms because the roots of the plants are visible hanging below the floating platform.   MATERIALS REQUIRED AQUARIUM – Any water tight container with fairly vertical sides will work. Light breaks down the nutrient solution and encourages algae [ read more ]

Hand-Watered Bucket

Simple and inexpensive, this very basic and easy to build system will still deliver impressive results. The series of holes that ring the bucket are about 1 1/2″ inches above the bottom. This makes a small reservoir of nutrient solution that will be wicked up to the plants roots by the capillary action of the growing medium.     Perfect [ read more ]

Build Your Own Light Splitter

Dayton 5X847 Power Relay THIS RELAY WIRING SHOULD ONLY BE DONE BY A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN. POTENTUALLY LETHAL VOLTAGES ARE PRESENT.AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN OPERATION. RELAY MUST BE MOUNTED IN AN INSULATING ELECTRICAL “BOX” TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL ELECTRICUTION. Unplug ballast from power. Cut lamp cord aprox. 12” from ballast. Orient the Dayton 5X874 power relay as shown in Diagram. Strip [ read more ]

Do It Yourself Chiller

MATERIALS REQUIRED Dorm-sized refrigerator (1 to 1-1/2 cubic feet) 50 to 100 feet of 3/8 inch hard plastic tubing (depending, vinyl isn’t as good a choice here) PVC fittings (90 degree elbows or straight connects, threaded or slip) Aquarium safe Silicone sealant. 1/2 inch thin-wall PVC pipe (about 1 foot for the “thru-the-box” connections). Hand drill and 1/2 inch drill [ read more ]

Easy and Effective Automated pH Controller

Using the Milwaukee Model SMS122 pH Controller to make an automated pH controller. It is quick an relatively inexpensive (around $125 to $150) to put together an easy system like the one shown above. The system is designed to lower pH only. Most of the time a lower pH is what is required for hydroponic systems. The above system could [ read more ]

Quick and Easy Bubbler System

This may be the most simple hydroponic system going. Made from a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. You can use a pre-manufactured net cup. Or make your own with a plastic cup with lots of holes drilled in it. The cup needs to be filled with clay pellets or gravel. Use a black 5 gallon bucket with a lid. [ read more ]

Constructing a Bell Siphon

Using a bell siphon is an easy way to drain a grow-bed in an aquaponic or hydroponic system. The idea is that in an ebb and flow system, you have a tank of fertilizer (for aquaponics its a fish tank) and a grow bed full of plants. You then pump the fertilizer into the grow-bed and the plants eat. The [ read more ]