any instructions or more info about the atomising setup?
Lots of info I found with a quick Google search; basically air comes in one end and nutes come in the other, and the pressure from the air atomizes the nutes (when using a proper nozzle, obviously).
I don't know how great aero is, it gives good root systems, but the roots are fluffy and airy
Those "fluffy and airy" roots are exponentially more efficient at utilizing nutes and water, which accounts for the rapid growth and low use of both water and nutes. In no other "high performance" system can you do a drain to waste, which to me is a factor that can't be overlooked - eliminates a LOT of problems when you're able to run a drain to waste setup vs. recirculating - there's reasons most commercial greenhouses (of other plants) use drain to waste - keeps pathogens, pH, and PPM issues at bay.
Here's an excerpt from a Wikipedia article:
"Another distinct advantage of aeroponics over hydroponics is that any species of plants can be grown in a true aeroponic system because the micro environment of an aeroponic can be finely controlled. The limitation of hydroponics is that only certain species of plants can survive for so long in water before they become water logged. The advantage of aeroponics is due to the fact that suspended aeroponic plants receive 100% of the available oxygen and carbon dioxide to the roots zone, stems and leaves,[10] thus accelerating biomass growth and reducing rooting times. NASA research has shown that aeroponically grown plants have an 80% increase in dry weight biomass (essential minerals) compared to hydroponically grown plants. Aeroponics used 65% less water than hydroponics. NASA also concluded that aeroponically grown plants requires ¼ the nutrient input compared to hydroponics. Unlike hydroponically grown plants, aeroponically grown plants will not suffer transplant shock when transplanted to soil, and offers growers the ability to reduce the spread of disease and pathogens.[11] Aeroponics is also widely used in laboratory studies of plant physiology and plant pathology. Aeroponic techniques have been given special attention from NASA since a mist is easier to handle than a liquid in a zero gravity environment."
So in order to match the root system of a DWC, like say an undercurrent, you would need maybe double the chamber size (DWC fits enough roots in 8 gallon that it would take 20 gallon of aeroponic to fit).
Any "true" HP aero grower (of which I hope to become one day in the fairly near future) would rather sacrifice their firstborn than to have roots that look like the spaghetti roots of LP aero, DWC, NFT, etc......they want fuzzy roots, because fuzzy roots are efficient roots, and if nothing else, HP aero is the most efficient system in terms of electricity, nutes, and water used. Also, has it occurred to anyone else that perhaps all of the root rot/crop loss issues with RDWC has a relationship to trying to fit the roots of a massive plant into a small bucket? I don't know the answer to that, but it's something I've been thinking for a little bit now.
Also, as the root system becomes bigger, it gets harder to pump nutrients to the middle of the roots, since the outer roots block the air misting somewhat.
Well shit, if something is hard than I just give up :evilgrin0040: Orrrrr, we'll fuck around and experiment until we figure it out :) Not too difficult, simply gonna be a matter (as JG said above) of using silk screens to layer the roots......honestly, I really don't see any issue with that at all - just takes some foresight on nozzle placement and screen design in the rootzone.
So, unless you are only growing small plants, I think DWC might have an advantage..
IMO, there's something inherently flawed (again, this is my opinion and my opinion only) about a system that sits plants in water (when roots need oxygen), and to compensate uses air pumps and water pumps that heat up the water, and then uses another water pump and a chiller to keep the water cool - shit, even if that system worked 100% of the time, the inefficiency is astounding - BTW, this is MY THOUGHTS about all RDWC, not the MPBs or UCs or any other specific system.
Much simpler, IMHO, to just have the roots suspended in air, where they can get all the oxygen they want..........I know root rot can be possible in any system, but I like my chances better with roots sitting on air than sitting in water.
just some thoughts I came up with right now
Me too :)