Hello,

this is my new system: Aero Farm using sprinklers.
All you need is a pot & saucer, the same pot & saucer you can see in my older topic DIY Water Farm (http://chilifoorumi.fi/index.php?topic=6779.0 (http://chilifoorumi.fi/index.php?topic=6779.0)),
an aquarium water pump (5 to 8 W))
and the following pieces:

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/01%20FoamTube.jpg)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/01.3%20FoamTube.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/02%20Sprinkler.JPG)
buy as replacement part (without can, etc.)	we need only the cap	sprinkler
.	.	.
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/03%20screw%20tube%20&%20nuts.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/04%20elbow.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/05%20all%20together.JPG)
screw tube (for bulb fitting)	elbow (the hole must be enlarged to 10mm)	all together

And now, everything 2 times; install the sprinklers in the pot using 2 screws for each and connect them with the aquarium
water pump, usind hoses and a "T" fitting.

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/06.2%20sprinklers%20at%20work.jpg)

Here's a detail
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/06.%20sprinklers%20at%20work.JPG)

(to be continued)

That looks awesome! How much was the total cost of all parts, and how much noise does that aero farm make? If it's cheap and quiet, I might build one too.

Lainaus käyttäjältä: Abloy - marraskuu 25, 2010, 01:19:45 ap
That looks awesome! How much was the total cost of all parts, and how much noise does that aero farm make? If it's cheap and quiet, I might build one too.

Hi Abloy,

the costs will be about 40 euros (timer is not included).

The pump is immersed in the solution and doesn't make to much noise. A bit noisy are the sprinklers, because they sprinkle the solution against the pot, too. OK, I would say, the noise is supportable. But the watering is not continous (I think it will be enough 1 minute every hour during light period). I have a timer now which has the shortest interval 15 minutes, which ist to long, I gues. I intend to procure (or build) a timer which alows 1 minute intervals (but until now I didn't find such timer). Any ideas?

(anyway, I will continue my presentation in a few days)

--

Looking nice!

Nice looking gadget u got there. It`s always fun to see what other home made inventors have came up with ordinary household parts. I have to say that after all those fogger-rigs I have seen I would never have thought of sprinklers myself. One thing that popped to my eye though, was that u haven`t been using rust-free parts in a constantly wet assembly. That might prove to be problematic in respects of rust and oxidation-related jams in the long term. Not to mention stuff that dissolves into the water and might clog the sprayers. Still a good concept that is definedly worth further development.

Where have u purchased those sprinklers/what was their originally intended use? I can`t remember ever seeing such small ones in Finland.

mattson: Gardena have all kind of sprinklers here in Finland:
http://www.gardena.com/opencms/opencms/FI/fi/products/Productlist/index.html?cat=PK410&scat=PK41043

Hi mattson,

I first used Gardena sprinklers (1 pair - 3,60 euros) (the link from Miksa73 ist right).
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/sprinkler_gardena)

But then I've found sprinklers "Antelco-Australia" in a small growshop in Cologne. I've bought 5 pairs (15 euros).
Look here: http://www.antelco.com/uk/sprinklers/rotorspray.html (http://www.antelco.com/uk/sprinklers/rotorspray.html)
The Antelco sprinklers seem to work a bit more silent as Gardena ones, but I didn't find an internet shop until now to order them online.

You're right concerning rust-free parts. I thought these tubes are made of some aluminium alloy as I buyed them (they feel like aluminium), but it obviously isn't so  :(
Regarding the elbows: I will buy some made of stainless steel by now. They cost the double but they are worth.
--

Hi all, I'm back with some details about the pot:

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/07.1 pot.JPG)

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/07.2 pot.JPG)

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/07.3 pot.JPG)

Costs for my Aerofarm:

Pot...................	10 eur
2 Sprinklers........	3 eur
Gardena fitting...	6 eur
Elbows..............	2 eur
Pump................	8 eur
Saucer..............	3 eur
2 Screw tubes....	4 eur
2 Caps..............	1 eur
Hoses, etc. .......	2 eur

-------------------------------------------------

Total (about)......

39 eur

And now the results: I had a Habanero which was grown in soil and didn't bring to much pods. So I've cut it and set it in the aerofarm.

day 0	day 11	day 17	day 34
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero01day00.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero02day11.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero03day17.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero04day34.jpg)

.

day 70	day 92	day 105	day 105 (roots)
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero05day70.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero06day92.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero07day105.JPG)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero12day105(roots))

The harvest was good:

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero09.JPG)

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero10.JPG)

(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Habanero11.JPG)

(to be continued)

Woo looks like you managed to get yourself a decent harvest there after a bit of work(with building the rig and all). Always nice seeing DIY projects :)

And now some of the results of this AeroFarm:

Black Peru



Fatalii


After harvesting the Fatalii plant, I cut it an let it vegetate again:

The daily growth ist quite visible!

Hot Paper Lantern




Yommy


After harvesting, the plant just produced a new generation of pods:


Finally some harvest pics:


     
     
     


     
     
     

Habanero and Hot Paper Lantern	Habanero and Hot Paper Lantern	Habanero and Fatalii
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/harvest1.jpg)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/harvest2.jpg)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/harvest3.jpg)

   
   
   


   
   
   

Habanero, Black Peru and Fatalii	Habanero, Yommy and Apache	Numex Txilight
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/harvest5.jpg)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/harvest6.jpg)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/harvest7.jpg)

     
     
     


   
   
   

Black Peru	Hot Paper Lantern	Yommy
(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/harvest8.jpg)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/HotPaperLantern04.jpg)	(http://www.mocanu.de/Chilis/AeroFarm/Yommy10.jpg)

My conclusion: this system works very good, I can recommend it!

-- the end --