Growth rates with different hydro systems?

[thamnophis]

My little hydro experiment this year continues to aamaze me - the growth rate is so impressive. I would like to build more hydro systems and am wondering which produce the best growth rates.

I'm using a simple tub with a couple bubblers (6 inch strips used for aquariums) and change the water out every 2-3 weeks. In this system all the roots have access to nutrients all the time.

The drip systems seem to be less efficient because they only get nutrients to some of the roots some of the time and the ebb-flow systems get nutrients to all the roots but not all the time. The mist systems are more elaborate and expensive and I wonder if they do any better than the simple system I'm using.

So...I'm asking what people's experience has been and if there is any research on this?

Joe

[Sauli Särkkä]

Misting (aero) seems to be the most efficient, since it combines maximum oxidation/aeration of the nutrient solution and roots as well as the fact, that the nutrient solution is being forced into small particles, and gets absorbed by the roots at maximum rate.


-Sale

[Makee]

Misting (aero) seems to be the most efficient, since it combines maximum oxidation/aeration of the nutrient solution and roots as well as the fact, that the nutrient solution is being forced into small particles, and gets absorbed by the roots at maximum rate.


-Sale

In theory... but does anyone have any real concrete proof of that?

[Sauli Särkkä]

According to Jukka (a.k.a. Fatalii) the change from hydro to aero was comparable to a switch from soil to hydro. I'm willing to bet he has pictures/info.



-Sale

[willard3]

I began with a wick hydro system (Emily's garden) and I have always used time  to ripe fruit  and ripe  fruit mass as a measure.

With a poblano that originally came from Johnny's, time to ripe fruit decreased 25-35% with my present recirculating hydro/aero and fruit mass increased over 30%. Fruit quality also increased, but is harder to measure.

[Amd]

i have experienced Dutchpot aero to be little better than other drips, dwc:s etc, but it's the eazyness of use  which i love.60 l reservoir really does the trick.