Recommended Hydroponics system for experiment

[Srilania]

Looking at some experiments where the plants will need to be extremely portable. I am custom designing the lighting system for this project, but I need a setup that can be in motion for extended periods of time. Soil was rejected for this due to the fact it can compress from vibrational forces. Initial experiments will be on small seedlings just prior to veg, but eventually full scale long term experiments will be performed from seed to harvest.

I cannot say exactly how it will be moving, as I am not ready for the abstract or proposal yet.

 

[Srilania]

Re: Recommended Hyrophonics system for experiment

and yes, the material needs to be as incompressable as possible. given the experiments that are to be performed.

 

[Lyra]

Re: Recommended Hyrophonics system for experiment

I don't really understand what you're asking. You want a form of hydro that you can move easily? From one room to the next, or from one house to the next?

I just got a battery operated air pump. If you do DWC and aren't planning on growing the plants too large, you could do it in a small bucket with a regular air pump, and when you need to move it just quickly unhook the air tubing and hook it up to one with a battery. It'd be pretty easy as long as you don't let your plant get too big.

Sorry if I misunderstood.

 

[indica vet]

Re: Recommended Hyrophonics system for experiment

sounds like a set up in a moving vehicle ha ha....you would need an inverter for power lol

 

[Antics]

Re: Recommended Hyrophonics system for experiment

Looking at some experiments where the plants will need to be extremely portable. I am custom designing the lighting system for this project, but I need a setup that can be in motion for extended periods of time.

I cannot say exactly how it will be moving, as I am not ready for the abstract or proposal yet.

It'd be helpful knowing the details. Without knowing the demands for your setup, it's absolutely impossible to come up with feasible ideas that can easily be dismissed by you.

In my opinion, there's no sense to waste time thinking about how to help you, if you're going to shit on every idea that is thought of, because it won't work.

If we had the knowledge you do about what your setup needs, we could save all that wasted time, and focus on coming up with an idea, or ideas applicable to your growing environment.

 

[Srilania]

Re: Recommended Hyrophonics system for experiment

Ok. The plan is to test the effects of gravity upon cannabis sativa and cannabis indica, utilizing a modified technique from the current NASA protocols in the flowering grass tests. Because I cannot get a simulated less than 1 gravity for extended periods of time, I am focusing the research along hypergravity lines, testing along a curve, and utilizing clones instead of seeds for the initial tests for genetic uniformity, spun up in a centrifuge to simulate gravity effects at 1g or higher.

I have the custom centrifuge already sketched out in my head, along with custom single plant centrifuge grow chambers with ventilation, lighting, custom watering system, and wireless camera monitoring to allow long term simulations, looking at not only the lower level science of plant shape and growth, but also a totally neglected look into the chemistry changes, which were only added as side notes with nothing more than minor observational notes, and no hard data. Samples along the curves will be harvested, for more detailed analysis by proper botanists and scientists. Also in the firing line is the common tomato, mint, and lavender.

However, the initial series will try to reproduce the main line of 12 hours at gravity spins from 1g to 500 g, then 24, 36, then 1 week. Then, a full lifetime grow.

Commercial spinoffs from this-
New techniques to encourage growth
New THC and canabanoid profiles
New grow room tech
New strains that draw major interest from collectors.

 

[Antics]

Re: Recommended Hyrophonics system for experiment

Wow.....

Shit man you're wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy beyond my experience level of growing indoors lol. It sounds like a really cool and interesting experiment though, and I wish you the best of luck.

At this time, I really can't contribute much to help you meet your goal, but I'll be following along to see what your results are.

 

[Srilania]

Re: Recommended Hyrophonics system for experiment

Yes, and due to initial lab area's small clearance, I'm starting with the short term, 1 week or less hypergravity simulations first. Because of this, a soil grow will not work, as it will compress and choke the roots off. However, since water is incompressible, a hydro setup is needed. However, nearly all research has been done in an agar gel, and all but 2 were short term grows in total, stopping the spin and harvesting the plant for study within a few hours after. the other 2 studies did take the plant further along, but again, were limited to a simulation for 12 hours or less. I have a setup planned for the long term simulator, and it's already being drawn up.

 

[Antics]

Some thoughts I've had:

As you've said, soil, or other mediums will compress.

There are a few barriers to get over in the design. In a hydro setup, the container will need a lid, with a small cutout for the stem, and a watertight and strong seal around the outer edge. As centrifugal force pushes the water outwards. If the container is full, you'll end up with a small 'cone' or 'vortex' around the base of the stem with an absence of water, but as long as the roots are covered, you'll be fine there.

The air pump connection would require a perfectly centered inlet at the bottom of the pot, and you'll need a high quality swivel fitting. Under the speeds and torque of a centrifuge, I would imagine you'll need a fitting with bearings, and considering this plans to be used to grow medical Cannabis, a food grade grease should be used in those bearings.

You'll need a remotely operated valve to drain the container if done while spinning (no wires), or you can take the design of an automobile horn in a steering wheel, using that spring loaded horn wire to keep a constant connection while the wheel is turned, holding pressure between 1 stationary conductive plate, and 1 conductive plate that's in motion.

A stationary top fill hose will work, providing the plant is centered in the pot. The more off center the plant is, the larger the hole needs to be cut.

Does your plan involve a stationary reservoir with the plant, basket, roots, etc.. turning within the reservoir, or will the plant, basket, roots, and reservoir all be spinning as one?

 

[Srilania]

Actually, for the long term study, this is already taken into account, with each growth chamber using a battery powered pump converted to wired 12VDC operation, and charging setup designed from a central fill funnel that would allow plants to be watered as needed, without spindown. Granted, I'd still need to spin down for dumping pout the old water, but in botany, it isn't quite as needed, and the Mk 1 setup will not need the same kind of setup, since most of the protocols will be under 48 hours for the main machine, and will likely take 1-2 years of serious work before being ready for stage 2.

Also, What vortex? the water sits there as if it's sitting still. The only time a sloshing would happen is either during spinup or spindown. Once operational speeds are achieved, then the water would literally just stay put. Think the water in an open bucket physics experiment back in grade school science classes. get the speed high enough and smooth enough, and you won't even know the water's in a spinning bucket.

 

[indica vet]

Some thoughts I've had:

As you've said, soil, or other mediums will compress.

There are a few barriers to get over in the design. In a hydro setup, the container will need a lid, with a small cutout for the stem, and a watertight and strong seal around the outer edge. As centrifugal force pushes the water outwards. If the container is full, you'll end up with a small 'cone' or 'vortex' around the base of the stem with an absence of water, but as long as the roots are covered, you'll be fine there.

The air pump connection would require a perfectly centered inlet at the bottom of the pot, and you'll need a high quality swivel fitting. Under the speeds and torque of a centrifuge, I would imagine you'll need a fitting with bearings, and considering this plans to be used to grow medical Cannabis, a food grade grease should be used in those bearings.

You'll need a remotely operated valve to drain the container if done while spinning (no wires), or you can take the design of an automobile horn in a steering wheel, using that spring loaded horn wire to keep a constant connection while the wheel is turned, holding pressure between 1 stationary conductive plate, and 1 conductive plate that's in motion.

A stationary top fill hose will work, providing the plant is centered in the pot. The more off center the plant is, the larger the hole needs to be cut.

Does your plan involve a stationary reservoir with the plant, basket, roots, etc.. turning within the reservoir, or will the plant, basket, roots, and reservoir all be spinning as one?

love the vehicle clockspring idea

 

[indica vet]

this is waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy beyond me ,what effects did those slow revolving grow setups that you see in magazines have on the plants if any?

 

[Srilania]

Ummm, I wouldn't see a whole lot of benefit to a slow movement system, other than maybe trying to recreate the light cycle, similar to a track to move a grow light. The centrifuge I am working on is to induce a state of hypergravity, similar to the "Tilt a whirl" you rode on in carnivals, where you stand up with your back against a padded wall, while the platform spins up. once it hits speed, it tilts up to a point if you were not spinning, you'd fall over. If they spin it faster, everything feels heavier. While the grow centrifuges I am custom building won't litlt like those carnival rides, it will be able to spin up from 1 to 500 gravities, and even more. However, I think there's some kind of issue with cellular disruption once you start getting above 500g's of gravity.

As far as the steering wheel slip ring, it won't be needed for the Mk1 centrifuge, as the planned lighting will be centralized, rather than distributed, and simulation times will be under 1 week, with the first stage planning to recreate the current NASA protocols, with a 12 hour simulation, then expanding upon it in an ever widening arc.