True Aeroponics - Why aren't more people using this method?

[mrflamboynt]

According to information that i have gathered, the root system needs to be completely suspended in air. being completely saturated by nutrients from a mister capable of droplets smaller than 80m... however according to information provided by Wikipedia indicates that if the droplets are too small, the root system will grow too many "root hairs", i mean, the way i read it the root zone will be too bushy and not enough length. which i thought was the goal.... seems to me bushy/hairy roots would be able to absorb a greater amount of nutes through the plant. BUT one of the advantages of a true aero setup is nutrient efficiency. as the roots are only supposed to get sprayed an average of 1% of the time. 99% of the time is spent in the air, receiving no nutrients.... interesting!

so far i have only found journals/info (internet search) from folks using aero/hydro setups, not strickly aero... maybe im missing a major design flaw.... maybe its not viable at this point in time.... i thought there would be many more people attempting this method.... hmm

anyway im looking for feedback from people with experience using this method.... please list pro's/con's, links, pics, or other info regarding this subject. especially regarding methods of properly, and reliably atomizing the nute solution, finding the right balance. so as to promote the proper size/shape of the roots....

thanks in advance

 

[mrflamboynt]

i may have found a solution.... these guys have commercial and personal grade systems.... they even address nute solution temp control, which is a recent concern i had, especially regarding an ultra low solution usage system. where the solution will likely be sitting in the lines for enough time to mess with the temps by the time its sprayed on the roots....

anyway check out their stuff and let me know what you think....

Aeroponic growing systems for greenhouses and indoors

 

[mrflamboynt]

no interest in this topic??

 

[ratatattooey]

Howdy. Well, I just started my very first grow, but I am doing it 100% aero. from Cloner to aeroflo 30. that's it. I just started, so it's a while until the results are in. But if you want to follow along, the link to my journal is in my signature

 

[mrflamboynt]

good looking-out.... thanks, and good luck!

as a matter of fact that is exactly what i want to see.... more strictly High Pressure Aeroponics grow journals.... so i can see what to do, what not to do, etc.....

keep em coming!

 

[trichomes]

my first aero grow is 2 weeks in, I posted a bunch of progress pics, I'm starting to think DWC would be easier and less maintenance, with same results as afar as speed of root growth. BUT,,,, I'm new at this and still undecided. My Aero system , has become DWC, because the roots are now well into the water. I'd love to get sum feedback from you. thanks

 

[dazedel8]

I think Fogponics would probably be a smaller droplet and it seems to work alright.

 

[Skybound]

I was thinking fog too, but then i ran into THIS THREAD that was discussing feed times and a few posters suggested that foggers clog easy from higher PPMs and also add a lot of heat to the res water which in turn can alter a nutes chemical properties and possibly even lock them together. From what I could gather in researching foggers, their selling point is their ability to make the solution into water droplets of 5 microns in size or smaller. However with the added burdens of controlling the heat issues, fouled discs and the need to keep the TDS light, it may be a little more trouble than it's worth. For the time being, I am rediverting my atention into making my aero better.

 

[dazedel8]

I think you're correct on that. from what i read.. and ill quote it here.. "Some people do use foggers and call it a day, but the foggers create droplet sizes smaller than 50 micron, which is outside of the max efficiency range NASA observed. However, it can be debated whether or not droplet sizes smaller than 50 micron compare to efficiency of larger than 50 micron. More research needs to be done." from another article i read.

Im about to set mine up here.. i have white tefen nozzles it'll be a 50 micron spray (or close to), just working on designing my root chamber right now. its probably the hardest part ive ran into.

I auctially think this will work out to be quite low maintenance once i get it setup properly.. nozzle maintenance and of course the usual hydro maintenance..

 

[Skybound]

What size pump you running?

 

[dazedel8]

Im just going with a small Diaphram pump right now, its not even rated in gpm, i plugged it in and it was a small stream but itll do the high pressures i think i need.
Standard Diaphragm Misting Pump (click on the url)
I should have gotten the next pump size up and probably eventually will have to.
Another pump i could recommend is aquatec 6800 ro booster pump

 

[CoolGrowBro]

Im just going with a small Diaphram pump right now, its not even rated in gpm, i plugged it in and it was a small stream but itll do the high pressures i think i need.
MistKing Misting Systems by Jungle Hobbies Ltd (click on the url)
I should have gotten the next pump size up and probably eventually will have to.
Another pump i could recommend is aquatec 6800 ro booster pump

I've been pretty lucky with a misting system and 2 misting fans from these guys.

I noticed the pump you're running runs at 125 PSI, the Cool-Off mid pressure pumps run 200 PSI, might be the perfect step up for you! Their high pressure pumps are like 1,000 PSI and run a 1/4, 1/2 1 and 1.4 GPM.

 

[jfish3000]

My friend build a really cool true high pressure aeroponic kit. Outside of the custom built components - computer controller and temperature controller, he needed to order batches of components to get the prices down to something reasonable; so he has some kits for sale. It is smart phone controlled, has temp, pressure, sensors, etc. We have only been using the system to grow leafy and tomatoes, would love to have some real deal growers join us and help us prove our the system capabilities to generate crazy yields.

If you are interested let me know and I will give you more info on the system.

 

[willgu6879]

The correct temperature and humidity levels are essential for seedling development, plant growth, and disease prevention. By keeping these levels constant, it can promote healthy plant growth. The misting system has become the key to controlling the climate of the greenhouse. It is an effective solution to problems related to high temperature and low humidity. The micro-mist technology can ensure the continuous and even distribution of fog, thereby helping your greenhouse maintain a stable environment. You can click here greenhouse misting system to get more information.

 

[BongRippington]

According to information that i have gathered, the root system needs to be completely suspended in air. being completely saturated by nutrients from a mister capable of droplets smaller than 80m... however according to information provided by Wikipedia indicates that if the droplets are too small, the root system will grow too many "root hairs", i mean, the way i read it the root zone will be too bushy and not enough length. which i thought was the goal.... seems to me bushy/hairy roots would be able to absorb a greater amount of nutes through the plant. BUT one of the advantages of a true aero setup is nutrient efficiency. as the roots are only supposed to get sprayed an average of 1% of the time. 99% of the time is spent in the air, receiving no nutrients.... interesting!

so far i have only found journals/info (internet search) from folks using aero/hydro setups, not strickly aero... maybe im missing a major design flaw.... maybe its not viable at this point in time.... i thought there would be many more people attempting this method.... hmm

anyway im looking for feedback from people with experience using this method.... please list pro's/con's, links, pics, or other info regarding this subject. especially regarding methods of properly, and reliably atomizing the nute solution, finding the right balance. so as to promote the proper size/shape of the roots....

thanks in advance

I started my first grow using HPA aeroponics, you need a separate reservoir and root chamber, I also suggest a drain tub so the nutrients do not fill in the root chamber. I use 4 mister tp heads that are .5 gph (total 2 gph for the 4 misters) found on Amazon, and a aquatec 8800 pump and a timer that can do seconds on minutes off, I run 5 seconds on 5 minutes off, one CON would be that if anything fails such as the pump you better have a back up plan cause plants will show the stress quickly, I had a plumbing error, I use 2 reservoirs so I can change nutrients with out a pause in feeding, but I did not put the plumbing for the uptake tube all the way in which made the pump unable to pump with an air leak and plants all drooped within an hour, I thought it was light change droop (just switched to flower), ended up figuring it out about 12 hours later, once fixed plant popped back up with in a few hours. PRO would be much less maintenance on plants, I only LST each day pop the new growth under screen. I also use Advanced Nutrients PH perfect which keeps PH about 6.0ish so I never test ph, another PRO, you only use 1/4 the nutrients throughout grow, if it requires 40ml of a nutrient for soil grow you would only need 10ml. There are PROs and CONs no matter which grow style you use but I find HPA to grow bigger better buds with less cost on nutrients and water, start up costs are higher, if money is not an issue I would always suggest HPA.

 

[Butter Ball]

My HPA system is a closed loop, the roots and nute reservoir are in the same container, separated by a fine screen mesh. 120psi pump, 80psi accumulator, 0.3mm misting nozzles that provide 80um sized droplets. 1.5seconds on, 6mins off. The pump and tier run off a UPS, as we get frequent brown outs during storms.

 

[LukeHighWalker]

I operate an HPA system consisting of a food-grade Duropor reservoir for nutrient solution, pipes, a 65 PSI pump, and a black plastic chamber with 2x 17cm holes for net pots. I have a timer module from China for $4.5 for turning the pump on and off. The timer starts the pump for 5 to 8 seconds, depending on the size and complexity of the roots. I always keep the pause at 10 minutes. I also have nozzles from China. They offer irrigation nozzles there that are very inexpensive and have never clogged in my application. Additionally, I use an online multi-sensor (temperature, humidity, and CO2) and an online measurement for pH and EC.

PROS: Fast growth, large yields, and efficient use of resources like water and fertilizer. Some see it as a disadvantage, but for me, it is an advantage when deficiency or excess symptoms appear quickly. You can determine quite accurately what a plant is lacking and correct it immediately.

CONS: Initial cost and learning curve. I started raising the plants with aero from the beginning and got quite small popcorn buds on my first GROW. After going back to the books and optimizing my system, I achieved great yields. Initially, I checked and corrected all values important for the cultivation of the plants in the morning and evening. Personally, this was too imprecise for me, which is why I then also obtained the online measurements. This way, I can constantly find out how my plants are doing without any effort.

 

[Butter Ball]

Very neat, my system has an 2ltr accumulator that holds the pressure at 80psi and a timed solinoid for release. From 1/2 second on, up to 20 mins off. I found it best not to point the nozzles at the roots as it can cut them or make them too wet. Also I found as the plants grow bigger you have to reduce nutrient strength, as they become more efficient at nute take up.

 

[LukeHighWalker]

I also installed a pressure tank and a solenoid valve in my second project, which was set to turn on for a 5-second interval every 600 seconds. However, I had significant issues with the pressure in the tank, as I couldn't find a suitable check valve and the nutrient solution kept getting forced back into the pump. As a result, I decided to directly control the pump. On one occasion, the entire system shut down due to a loose connection (the irrigation stopped). However, I realized that it wasn't so critical for the plants to go without nutrients for a few hours. I now always keep a spare pump on hand. Another issue was that the air cushion in the tank gradually lost pressure over time, meaning that the tank was no longer able to maintain a constant pressure of 4.5 bar. As a result, I simplified the system: no valves, no tank, and no check valves. The pump is powered by 12V and can handle constant on/off cycles.

I installed the spray nozzles at the top edge of the chamber so that the roots would receive the most mist. My experience with nozzles at the bottom was a total disaster because the roots quickly covered the nozzles, resulting in no mist being sprayed.

 

[ufo]

My friend build a really cool true high pressure aeroponic kit. Outside of the custom built components - computer controller and temperature controller, he needed to order batches of components to get the prices down to something reasonable; so he has some kits for sale. It is smart phone controlled, has temp, pressure, sensors, etc. We have only been using the system to grow leafy and tomatoes, would love to have some real deal growers join us and help us prove our the system capabilities to generate crazy yields.

If you are interested let me know and I will give you more info on the system.

Does he still have kits for sale?