Anyone thinking about growing hydroponically?

[possum]

We are setting up as small scale commercial asian greens growers, however I first got introduced to hydrponics on my kitchen windowsill many years ago in England
You do not have to be commercial to use hydroponics indeed it would greatly advantage a small English backyard and increase productivity.
Is anyone else doing it? I would offer advice, but we are just starting out and our best advice would be search online for info, there is lots out there. I would however ignore any advocating reflective indoor gardening wardroboes though ( in NZ it is a euphenism for canabis growers)

[Green Aura]

I think it is everywhere They're usually caught due to a sudden huge rise in electricity use.

Although I'm guessing the principle's sound even if the crop's not recommended and I'm sure many of them are experts in their field (or wardrobe)

[Odsox]

Yes, I'm doing it ... but not in my wardrobe though.
I've grown tomatoes for the last two years in my conservatory very successfully using nutrient film system.
This year I had planned to deck out my refurbished greenhouse with an ebb & flow system but ran out of time, so that is my winter's work sorted for next year instead. I have almost decided to use wood chips as the growing medium mainly because it's free and I read of commercial tomato growers experimenting with it.
So hopefully next year I will have great fun finding out just what will grow hydroponically and what won't.

[oldfella]

I tried it last year, but like a fool put it in my tunnel, using plastic pipes and the nutrient/ water tank on the inside but the inside temperature, very often reached 48c which distorted the pipes and the water was hotter than my usual bath water, the end result was for me a disaster. It is possible in my region but it is a costly operation as it necessary to use metal piping, and a use a cooling system to cool the water flow.

[possum]

old fella, you climate should not prevent you growing hydroponically. Our place gets temperatures into the 40C s and is usually well above 30C for 3 months of the year. The hottest temperature we have ever measured was 46C in the garage which does not have a clear roof).
What you will need to do is
a) cover the pipes where possible to reduce heat from the sun and dont use black ones
b) ventilate
c) add shade cloth

if that is not enough then take the system out of the green house, you can grow outside.

[oldfella]

I have now taken the system apart, and as I had used the the tube system, IE 20cm plastic pipes, they are now outside attached the fence posts and growing lettuce and radishes in good old plain dirt. So I think that I will put this down to experience, like many of my good "ideas at the time" syndrome.

[Sky]

There was a programme on at the weekend about growing hydroponically Possum, did you see it. The guy kept fish for the table in big tanks and the water from the tanks complete with fish poo fertilizer was used to supply water to all his plants. It looked a great system, he didn't use any pesticides for obvious reasons or commercial fertilizers.

[Sky]

I just remembered that it was actually called aquaponics not hydroponics

[Odsox]

I have seen this recommended before and it sounds like a very good idea, but I have my doubts.
As far as the plants are concerned, growing hydroponically you have to provide every nutrient that the plant needs as it obviously can't get it anywhere else, so how can you rely on fish poo to supply everything ?
Sorry can't see it happening without a very complicated system where the water is not recirculated but dumped after every cycle and the reservoir (fish tank) is topped up, then you could add ingredients between the fish tank and the plants.
I keep tropical fish and the water has to be partially changed on a regular basis or you get ammonia and nitrites building up which will eventually kill the fish.
On the other side of the coin, plants need trace elements like molybdenum, manganese, boron, zinc & copper amongst others, and I'm sure you won't find that in fish excreta.
As I said, it sounds like an ideal system but I bet it's just about unmanageable for the average person.

[oldfella]

And that reply seems to give a lie your signature, Tony

[possum]

So hopefully next year I will have great fun finding out just what will grow hydroponically and what won't.

pretty well anything can be grown hydrponically, you just may have to change the particular method as things like bananas are suited to NFT sytems and have to be grown in large pots of media for example.
THere is a facinating place on the west coast of scotland that grows an amazing variety of produce hydrponically
http://www.thehydroponicum.com/

[Odsox]

Maybe I should have said ... finding out what I can grow hydroponically.
So far I've had two failures, melons and cucumbers, but that could well be me doing something wrong.
Thanks for the link, I will look at in depth later as it could be useful for supplies.