Fogponics. As good or better than Hydro?

[Moe.Red]

Yeah i feel as long as the water ph/ppm stay stabilized it wont cause any harm.

im in the camp of whatever is easier. I think the water will equalize with the atmosphere around it in terms of gasses. I have a feeling though that less is going to be better to a point and that some of the runoff can be recycled for efficiency but that comes at a slight risk also, even if no more than any other flood and drain system, rdwc or other recycling system.

it would provide a little more safe in term of a buffer for failure though

Definitely easier to come out the side with the drain leaving about an inch in the bottom than building platforms for these totes so I can come out of the bottom and fully drain them.

So I'll go as low on the side as I can and still get a seal, and if I ever want to raise the level I just need to raise the outgoing tube to the level I want. I will also be sure to leave a trap in the lines to the drain so O2 is not pushed out that way.

This will have the effect of drain to waste anything that drips off the roots with a 1" (approx. 3 gallon) buffer in the bottom of the tote. PH & EC will become whatever I am feeding the plants, and constantly being topped off with new solution.

Done deal. Now I need these regs to show sex so I can do the surgery.




Any way to force a plant to show sex faster? Trigger with any spectrum? 13 hours dark?

 

[Aqua Man]

Definitely easier to come out the side with the drain leaving about an inch in the bottom than building platforms for these totes so I can come out of the bottom and fully drain them.

So I'll go as low on the side as I can and still get a seal, and if I ever want to raise the level I just need to raise the outgoing tube to the level I want. I will also be sure to leave a trap in the lines to the drain so O2 is not pushed out that way.

This will have the effect of drain to waste anything that drips off the roots with a 1" (approx. 3 gallon) buffer in the bottom of the tote. PH & EC will become whatever I am feeding the plants, and constantly being topped off with new solution.

Done deal. Now I need these regs to show sex so I can do the surgery.




Any way to force a plant to show sex faster? Trigger with any spectrum? 13 hours dark?

Oooo great thinking on the trap… i find a high P boost (stress) can take a couple days off. I cant say for sure the lighting as i have tried the 24-48hr dark at flip but noticed nothing but light green growth

 

[TheWalkingPlant]

Is there a risk involved with having these nutrients fogged in to the air in this room? Like is there a risk hazard for the operator breathing in the nutrients that are being pushed through the coco?

 

[Aqua Man]

Is there a risk involved with having these nutrients fogged in to the air in this room? Like is there a risk hazard for the operator breathing in the nutrients that are being pushed through the coco?

Id say not unless your wrapping your lips around the pot of coco.

 

[Moe.Red]

Is there a risk involved with having these nutrients fogged in to the air in this room? Like is there a risk hazard for the operator breathing in the nutrients that are being pushed through the coco?

Welcome to the farm.

Not for me, this is a sealed growspace and significant filtration.

I know that running an ultrasonic humidifier with tap water will leave a white powder everywhere and turn your gas range flame orange. Luckily it was my wife that taught us that the hard way and not me.

I see no evidence of any of those sorts of issues here. It could be there and I am filtering it out, but my gut tells me the air that escapes is minimal. Maybe I should put a piece of black plexy in the tent and see what collects on it.

 

[OntarioGoldenHash]

Putting roots in water is the hydro way. We combat bad bacteria by either building a colony of desirable bacteria that out-colonize the bad ones and starve them out, or we run with peroxide in the water to kill everything - some root cells included. I choose the former, and I have zero worries about root rot. Not for years.

The reason the water needs to stay moving in a typical hydro system is to keep O2 up primarily. Active bubblers and stuff. But that's at atmospheric O2 levels. I'm 3X higher, and Henry's Law no longer applies.

TLDR - this is healthy water the plants want. Only downside is exudates can build up. Nutes can become unbalanced. So it needs to be drained from time to time anyhow.

I most probs have missed this. What (good) bacteria are you using in the water? I saw streptomyces griseoviridis is good for hydro, would the same be good enough for a fogponic system? Thanks.

I've had to put my clone fogponic on pause as I am moving (maybe).

 

[Moe.Red]

I most probs have missed this. What (good) bacteria are you using in the water? I saw streptomyces griseoviridis is good for hydro, would the same be good enough for a fogponic system? Thanks.

I've had to put my clone fogponic on pause as I am moving (maybe).

I use Max Microbe

#3 is the most commonly referred to variety used in hydro.

I'm sure there are plenty of other non-competing non-harmful bacteria in my res at this point too. Stuff I didn't add. I'm sure I have lots of nitrogen fixing bacteria too. I just know this stuff works if you go by white roots all the way up to harvest every grow.

 

[beluga]

yes, this is true. I have gotten my res temps way down with software now - probably in the 75F range on average.

I'm trying to debate if there is any benefit to leaving some water in the totes, or just keep them drained. I'm leaning towards just keeping them drained so I have a full fogponics system, and not a hybrid where the top is fog - out of the water, and the bottom roots in the water get rope like al la RDWC.

If I don't hear a compelling reason to leave some water in the totes, I'm going to make the change to keep them drained. Requires drilling and a bit of work, so trying to make sure I am not making a mistake.

I've had the same thought with the hybrid LP aero setup. I just keep the water as a failsafe because I don't have much for when systems go out. It's definitely saved my ass a lot in the past. But I always thought there'd be more potential in an all-air/mist root environment.

 

[Moe.Red]

Just documenting.

 

[Moe.Red]

Documenting nute switch to jacks

This is the bacteria colony starting - don't do anything to upset this, like not change your water!

I didn't record all this but the temps are up to at least 80 due to the pump running constantly. I think I am done with this method and I'll build a fogponics cloner. But hey this way works good too. I have root bumps on 100% of clones.

So the switch to Jack's - first impression is this mixing a gallon at a time and lugging water around, that's gotta stop. I got spoiled by GH liquid nutes and need to up my game.

 

[Moe.Red]

Hey @Moshmen what do you think?

I tried to stress them with a shot of PK and you can tell. Things happen very fast in this system. I've backed off to what I was doing.

These clones are about ready to ship, but I can't tell boys from girls yet. Hoping your much more experienced eye will see something. I'm trying to rush this I have my timings off.

 

[Aqua Man]

Documenting nute switch to jacks

View attachment 1296155
View attachment 1296156

This is the bacteria colony starting - don't do anything to upset this, like not change your water!

I didn't record all this but the temps are up to at least 80 due to the pump running constantly. I think I am done with this method and I'll build a fogponics cloner. But hey this way works good too. I have root bumps on 100% of clones.

View attachment 1296157View attachment 1296158

So the switch to Jack's - first impression is this mixing a gallon at a time and lugging water around, that's gotta stop. I got spoiled by GH liquid nutes and need to up my game.

If you mix a gallon you will get forst hand Ppm and ph accounts then just dcale up as needed is how i do it…

if im understanding you properly

 

[Aqua Man]

Hey @Moshmen what do you think?

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I tried to stress them with a shot of PK and you can tell. Things happen very fast in this system. I've backed off to what I was doing.

These clones are about ready to ship, but I can't tell boys from girls yet. Hoping your much more experienced eye will see something. I'm trying to rush this I have my timings off.

Looks female to me.

 

[Moe.Red]

If you mix a gallon you will get forst hand Ppm and ph accounts then just dcale up as needed is how i do it…

if im understanding you properly

Yup yup, I'm really talking about not being able to do nute changes and stuff by turning valves and flicking switches. An engineer does not lug water - pfsssshhh.

I wonder if I can use this to make a concentrate and use the same systems? Im gonna go look that up.

 

[Moe.Red]

Looks female to me.

Yeah! All Female!!

I'm not that lucky.

 

[Moshmen]

Hey @Moshmen what do you think?

View attachment 1296170
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I tried to stress them with a shot of PK and you can tell. Things happen very fast in this system. I've backed off to what I was doing.

These clones are about ready to ship, but I can't tell boys from girls yet. Hoping your much more experienced eye will see something. I'm trying to rush this I have my timings off.

Looks female to me as well

 

[Aqua Man]

Yup yup, I'm really talking about not being able to do nute changes and stuff by turning valves and flicking switches. An engineer does not lug water - pfsssshhh.

I wonder if I can use this to make a concentrate and use the same systems? Im gonna go look that up.

Yeah you can… have you used hydro buddy? It will tell you gow much of what you mix to make A and B concentrates

 

[Moshmen]

Yup yup, I'm really talking about not being able to do nute changes and stuff by turning valves and flicking switches. An engineer does not lug water - pfsssshhh.

I wonder if I can use this to make a concentrate and use the same systems? Im gonna go look that up.

Nope he has a hey boy to do it for him

 

[Moe.Red]

OK guys, I'm not believing that these are all female, am I dumb? They all look the same.

 

[Aqua Man]

Yeah! All Female!!

I'm not that lucky.

3rd pic is what i looked at. Thought is was the same plant. Tell tale male is rounder and often a tiny stem and lines all the way around like a watermelon

female tear drop, no stem and lines opposite eachother.