i am posting a image of low cost, low maintenance balcony hydroponics setup.it is a raft system.it is in budding stage 15 days old from seeds.i will post my queries and difficulties as and when it raises.
Hi Sundar,
its nice initiative and good to see you here. Can you please eloboerate how you made the setup in detailly along with cost you spend. If you see the Gautham first post, he specified details along with cost. and also way of making it.
seems plants are quite healthy. can you eloberate for benifit of everybody.
-Regards
Bhuvan
Sure sir.The raft system components are plastic container costing 350INR.the cover is thermocool or styrofoam board (mine is thin one of course) costing 20INR.10 netpots 40INR.cocopeat 150 INR.I used only one tenth.i carved holes with aknife in styrofoam and placed netpots in it.this setup is enough for tomatoes,greenleaves,okra,basil,capsicum etc.u can reduce the number of pots for larger plants.nutrient solution i prepared from chemicals i bought for 3000INR.chemicals also i have used only one fourth.this is enough for 100L nutrient solution.so if we estimate the rough cost for this setup is less than 1000,say around 900INR.actually i have five sweet corns in it.i think this container is small for 5 sweet corns.i am planning to shift them to large containers once my tomato and okra seedlings are ready.I want forum to post any corrections if i have any mistakes.
good luck
The Tub is got nutrients right if i am not wrong? Why are u using co co peat then? over few days coco peat will get down to the nutrients
and if u have any kind of aeration pump it will stop working and you will expose more light to the roots and will eventually kill the plants
why is your net pots placed elevated from your Lid? roots do not like Light .the roots will develop in few days and protrude through the drain holes of the net pot.
if u explain the system in brief will be use full one for all and if any changes required others can suggest.
good luck again man… great start
goutham
hi vertical in my system as u said the tub contains nutrient solution.the nutrient solution is not recirculated.the plant absorbs the nutrient solution by means of two cotton wicks for each netpot. suspended from the netpots.(something like a subirrigation).as u said the netpots are protruding.i have to correct it.one more suggestion i need is whether it is correct to continue bigger plants like sweet corn in this tub itself r it is better to transfer each plant into a seperate large container.i used cocpeat because i am not circulating nutrient solution.i plan to change it once a week r fortnight.i will post more photographs showing details.already the palnts are 20 days old.i have few problems.will post about them seperately with photgraphs.
Instead of Coco peat you can use LECA (Hydroton) . Yes since they are large plant its better to space them in a larger Tubs, Do not forget to use Aerator .
goutham
sure sir i will make necessary changes and i will follow ur suggestions and get back to you.
sir i told i have got few problems.i am posting the photos of corn plants in hydroponic container as well as pot.pot appears quite healthy.but in hydroponic raft appears yellowish and weak.nutrient solution i use vegetative composition 9.5-5.67-11.3.what is the problem.should i change the nutrient solution composition
Hi all.for preparing nutrient solution i used RO water.one day when i used borewater it looked like this (see photo).i discarded it and started using RO water again.should we not use borewater?
Hi ,
Can you be more clear on what you are trying to say by this picture?
It will be even better if u post both pictures.I use only Bore water and no RO .
What is the PH and EC of your Bore well water, That will help in finding .
Goutham
Hi gowtham sorry for the undue delay in reply.my tap water ph 6.6 and tds 1430ppm.RO water aquoguwrd protec ph 5.8 tds 820ppm nutient solution ph 5.3 2250.i checked the ph and tds in container once in 3 days.the readings go like thus 5.7/2370 5.6/2260 5, 5/2220 other values in similar range.but my plants doesnt look okay.the new leaves are not dark green yellowish.what change I should make to yhe nutrient solution
I see no issue on PH , You have to check on what nutrient mix are you using?
I have messaged you with nutrient mix , Try them should solve the problem.
Goutham
my hydroponic okra and beans.one of my photo shows a new visitor in my garden,can any identify what bug is it
1.beans
2.beans
3.okra
4.okra
5.my setup
my hydroponic setup.though i built it for nft technique now i use it as drip method of irrigation as i have not got my timer for motorpump yet.they r six weeks old.i have 5 cabbages,2 okra.i also have beans,okra,sweet corn and bottleguord in containers.container with potting mix.
unfortunately my dwc sweetcorn okra and cabbage started withring 4 days after i shifted them to outdoors.fourth day evening when i returned i found them getting dry.i realised that the plastic container i kept is not painted in black and white so the day sun has heated the nutrient solution to high temperatures that when i opened the lid and put my hands it was like as if i boiled it.now i am raising another group this time decided not to take them outdoors till my terrace polyhouse gets ready.
