Looks like a good system. Think I might make one and get the wife to work it. I just started juicing and growing my own produce seems like a good idea.
@perfektolisem no you turn them on for 15minutes every hour of lightibg. And fir 15mins half way through darkness.. That will be enough on any aero/hydro system.. You can have them on for the entire lighting yime but then it will cost more.
You use a 1000watt bulb to grow 100 heads, consider you want it on for 16 hrs a day, 7 days a week for a month.(because ur smart and used 6500k Florescent lights to start your plugs which cost very little).
Cost
1000 watt bulb @ 16kWh x 30days = 480 kWh per month
Electricity price = 0.10 to 0.15 per kWh
Between $48 - $72 bucks a month
Cost per head of lettuce if you don't screw one up = .48 -.72 per head
@bgreenall01 i just realized u have 42 holes in them vc's n i was reading that many times it is more cost effective to double up on the plugs thus build n host two sets of your pcv construction to share the same lighting. build costs increase with the pvc and possibly an additional water pump but u recoup ur investment faster since u growing more in same share light. im wanting to do something like u have but multi tiered or levels if possible. i need pvc pipe though. i really like your setup!
Do you have problems with the root space, once the plants get bigger? Assuming you grew tomatoes in here, when the tomatoes get bigger and drop their adult sized root systems down, does this cause a problem with a lack of space?
@jigmesam I only grew lettuce in this system. The roots were quite substantial, even with lettuce. If I were to grow a crop like tomatoes, you would want a bigger grow tube diameter for sure. I think this size grow tube with tomatoes would clog. Check out my dutch bucket video. I've had good luck with this type of system for vine crops.
im wondering how much the head of lettuce will cost after its grown. 50 dollars? hehe the electric bill has to be a lot??? im asking seriously. i really wanna know how much it cost to do this both hardware and electricity total over a grow period divided by the amount of crops grown.
@rsdoctorrx The lights cost about $30 per month to run. As far as the other costs, it's not cost effective to grow 15 heads of lettuce for sure. Commercially, I think this is the way to go, for home use, its just a hobby and like most hobby activities it's more about the activity than the money or the cost effectiveness of the process.
@rsdoctorrx Cost varies with project size, but if we're talking 60 heads of lettuce, and you used a system like this (lets say its a 600Watt MH conversion bulb grow light / rail system Here's the basics, Lights are about $400 w/digital ballast, system is worth about $250 if you build it yourself) . Monthly this would run you $23.04 @ .08 per KWH. This assumes your lights are on 16 hours a day / pump is low wattage. So investment aside production is $0.76/ per head of lettuce before investment.
@bgreenall01 well idk if u looked at ur electric bill lately but if u figure in all the taxes n other bs then do the math here in rhode island we r paying 16 cents per kwh. i figure u r figuring this on 30 heads of lettuce based on your math u shown so if the system cost 250 just for the lights? n u also have pvc piping n water circulation equip etc then u r initial investment of at least 10 bux a head plus 1.50 a head for electricity throughout the grow. how many grows can u do a season?
@bgreenall01 i think lettuce is about 2.50 a head so if u can grow and eat 10 grow months (30 heads a month) thus 300 heads of lettuce then u break even at 2.50 a head (1.50 a head for electricity and 300 bux for initial equip investment) i see people growing these under less light with great success though with their electric needs amounting to less than 4 cent per head at 10 cents per kwh thats pretty amazing. dont get me wrong i love hydroponic idea and concept i wanna do it but cheaply XD
@bgreenall01 thats why i been scouring the internet for ways to do it cheap. i dont want my mom flippin out when she gets the electric bill n i dont have money to buy equip. i collected cell phone batteries n a few solar panels n have an idea to do it with LED lights if possible but mostly use natural lighting n just extend the light day with some leds from cheap 9 led flashlights they r pretty bright n use 3 AAA batteries. which is 4.5 vdc so i figure to use the batteries from the cell phones.
@rsdoctorrx If you sold at $2 a head at your local market you'd have a margin of just over 60% (give or take nutrient cost, which for lettuce is peanuts). That beats the pharmaceutical companies margin of 13% and that's considered HUGE!
@bgreenall01 but unless u r producing 1 million heads of lettuce u really can not use the pharmaceutical companies profit margins as a realistic scale XD
what time schedule do you use for your water? and does the rockwool retain water well? and what is the spacing center to center of your holes and what is the diameter of those holes? how many gph (gallons per hour) does that pond pump.. pump? much appreciative!
@stu806704 The rock wool does a great job of balancing water and air to the roots. They hold water for quite a while, but the structure of the rockwool will not drown the plant roots. The holes are 6 inch on center, and 1.5 inch diameter. I would drill holes to accomodate the size of your rock wool cubes. Not sure of the pump volume, I just need to pump enough to supply the irrigation tubes with a steady stream of water. This is NFT so you don't need to flood the tubes. The water runs 24/7
the skies the limit with these systems outdoors. YOU can actually make skyscraper hydroponics if you are that crazy enough. YOU could make hydroponic system 100 foot tall and call it skyscraper hydroponics. YOu can actually make a tower out of pvc tubing e.t.c. Or build a giant resoivr out of wooden frame lined with pvc several feet across for an aeroponic system so the roots truly hang in air and never touch the ground mounted high so the water fall back to the res by gravity
I haven't used them yet. We're putting together a vertical NFT wall that is under 2 4'X8' skylights and in front of a large plate glass window. The window faces East so I am planning on using some full spectrum LEDs as a supplement to the natural lighting. I'll post the results as they get in; the system is 2 stories tall so I may choose to not uplight a couple of rows to see if there is any difference.
You'd be better off using one feedline to the top of your chambers then branching it off from there. Aside from using less line the pump wouldn't need to work as hard if it was only lifting water in one line vs 6 smaller ones
Great Job, It seems to be a very will thought through system, I am very interested in building one for me kids. Would it be possible to email to parts list and any diagram you have. If you don’t have a diagram or manual just sent picture and can work the pictures also. Thank you in advance. Marvin - marvinstuart at hot mail dot com
@BrownsABQ just out of curiosity, is this system efficient, or is the yield provided not worth the cost of raising it. I'm wondering, because i've considered trying to make a self sufficient garden system that would save me money on food.
@brb941 On a commercial scale, probably yes...to grow at home probably not. This is for sure a hobby, and not cost efficient on this scale, but its fun and you know what you're eating...
@thepro410 depending on what nutrients are being used. I have several resivors I leave uncovered and I never get algae growth. It has a lot to do with temps also It's good to cover, but not always necessary. Just to clear things up, no pun intended. (This is a great setup, I'd love to see how things go here.)
Looks like a good system. Think I might make one and get the wife to work it. I just started juicing and growing my own produce seems like a good idea.
Prancinglion1 3 weeks ago
@perfektolisem no you turn them on for 15minutes every hour of lightibg. And fir 15mins half way through darkness.. That will be enough on any aero/hydro system.. You can have them on for the entire lighting yime but then it will cost more.
alanbegley1 1 month ago
Here's the simple economics of it,
You use a 1000watt bulb to grow 100 heads, consider you want it on for 16 hrs a day, 7 days a week for a month.(because ur smart and used 6500k Florescent lights to start your plugs which cost very little).
Cost
1000 watt bulb @ 16kWh x 30days = 480 kWh per month
Electricity price = 0.10 to 0.15 per kWh
Between $48 - $72 bucks a month
Cost per head of lettuce if you don't screw one up = .48 -.72 per head
bgreenall01 7 months ago
@bgreenall01 i just realized u have 42 holes in them vc's n i was reading that many times it is more cost effective to double up on the plugs thus build n host two sets of your pcv construction to share the same lighting. build costs increase with the pvc and possibly an additional water pump but u recoup ur investment faster since u growing more in same share light. im wanting to do something like u have but multi tiered or levels if possible. i need pvc pipe though. i really like your setup!
rsdoctorrx 7 months ago
WOW U SHOULD COVER THE REZ OR YOUR ASKING FOR MICROBS TO START GROWING
Mr420ways 7 months ago
@Mr420ways You're right. It's covered normally. Just open so people can see better...
BrownsABQ 7 months ago
@BrownsABQ do u leave the water running witout ligths on ? 24-7 ?
perfektolisem 1 month ago
How do you start your lettuce seeds?
GregoryBoudro 8 months ago
Do you have problems with the root space, once the plants get bigger? Assuming you grew tomatoes in here, when the tomatoes get bigger and drop their adult sized root systems down, does this cause a problem with a lack of space?
jigmesam 10 months ago
@jigmesam I only grew lettuce in this system. The roots were quite substantial, even with lettuce. If I were to grow a crop like tomatoes, you would want a bigger grow tube diameter for sure. I think this size grow tube with tomatoes would clog. Check out my dutch bucket video. I've had good luck with this type of system for vine crops.
Good Luck!
BrownsABQ 10 months ago
is it needed to pump 24/7
cnphillips93 10 months ago
@cnphillips93 with this type of system, yes.
CRfun21 10 months ago
im wondering how much the head of lettuce will cost after its grown. 50 dollars? hehe the electric bill has to be a lot??? im asking seriously. i really wanna know how much it cost to do this both hardware and electricity total over a grow period divided by the amount of crops grown.
rsdoctorrx 10 months ago
@rsdoctorrx The lights cost about $30 per month to run. As far as the other costs, it's not cost effective to grow 15 heads of lettuce for sure. Commercially, I think this is the way to go, for home use, its just a hobby and like most hobby activities it's more about the activity than the money or the cost effectiveness of the process.
BrownsABQ 10 months ago 2
@rsdoctorrx Cost varies with project size, but if we're talking 60 heads of lettuce, and you used a system like this (lets say its a 600Watt MH conversion bulb grow light / rail system Here's the basics, Lights are about $400 w/digital ballast, system is worth about $250 if you build it yourself) . Monthly this would run you $23.04 @ .08 per KWH. This assumes your lights are on 16 hours a day / pump is low wattage. So investment aside production is $0.76/ per head of lettuce before investment.
bgreenall01 8 months ago
@bgreenall01 well idk if u looked at ur electric bill lately but if u figure in all the taxes n other bs then do the math here in rhode island we r paying 16 cents per kwh. i figure u r figuring this on 30 heads of lettuce based on your math u shown so if the system cost 250 just for the lights? n u also have pvc piping n water circulation equip etc then u r initial investment of at least 10 bux a head plus 1.50 a head for electricity throughout the grow. how many grows can u do a season?
rsdoctorrx 7 months ago
@bgreenall01 i think lettuce is about 2.50 a head so if u can grow and eat 10 grow months (30 heads a month) thus 300 heads of lettuce then u break even at 2.50 a head (1.50 a head for electricity and 300 bux for initial equip investment) i see people growing these under less light with great success though with their electric needs amounting to less than 4 cent per head at 10 cents per kwh thats pretty amazing. dont get me wrong i love hydroponic idea and concept i wanna do it but cheaply XD
rsdoctorrx 7 months ago
@bgreenall01 thats why i been scouring the internet for ways to do it cheap. i dont want my mom flippin out when she gets the electric bill n i dont have money to buy equip. i collected cell phone batteries n a few solar panels n have an idea to do it with LED lights if possible but mostly use natural lighting n just extend the light day with some leds from cheap 9 led flashlights they r pretty bright n use 3 AAA batteries. which is 4.5 vdc so i figure to use the batteries from the cell phones.
rsdoctorrx 7 months ago
@rsdoctorrx If you sold at $2 a head at your local market you'd have a margin of just over 60% (give or take nutrient cost, which for lettuce is peanuts). That beats the pharmaceutical companies margin of 13% and that's considered HUGE!
bgreenall01 8 months ago
@bgreenall01 but unless u r producing 1 million heads of lettuce u really can not use the pharmaceutical companies profit margins as a realistic scale XD
rsdoctorrx 7 months ago
@rsdoctorrx PWNED!
threadtroll 8 months ago
@threadtroll how an i PWNED? Oo r u high? stop growing illegal plants! :P
rsdoctorrx 7 months ago
Simple and effective setup but I would cover the reservoir to avoid algae problems..
1984jesp 10 months ago
do you use the same light bulb for growth and flowering ? 400 watt HPS?
infectedsilence 11 months ago
@infectedsilence Yes Just HPS. 400 Watt.
BrownsABQ 11 months ago
what time schedule do you use for your water? and does the rockwool retain water well? and what is the spacing center to center of your holes and what is the diameter of those holes? how many gph (gallons per hour) does that pond pump.. pump? much appreciative!
stu806704 1 year ago
@stu806704 The rock wool does a great job of balancing water and air to the roots. They hold water for quite a while, but the structure of the rockwool will not drown the plant roots. The holes are 6 inch on center, and 1.5 inch diameter. I would drill holes to accomodate the size of your rock wool cubes. Not sure of the pump volume, I just need to pump enough to supply the irrigation tubes with a steady stream of water. This is NFT so you don't need to flood the tubes. The water runs 24/7
BrownsABQ 11 months ago
some good tips there m8,thanx alot
InfoBimbo 1 year ago
i thought about trying jalopenos this way doesnt the plastic leach toxins into your water
waylan3 1 year ago
@waylan3 It's potable grade PVC. I wouldn't think so, but I may be wrong.
BrownsABQ 10 months ago
what water pump do you use? .
diegoz333 1 year ago
@diegoz333 just a pond pump from lowes...cheap and it works
BrownsABQ 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
i like the setup!
for all growers needs check out
laweshydroponics. com
brandonlawes 1 year ago
the skies the limit with these systems outdoors. YOU can actually make skyscraper hydroponics if you are that crazy enough. YOU could make hydroponic system 100 foot tall and call it skyscraper hydroponics. YOu can actually make a tower out of pvc tubing e.t.c. Or build a giant resoivr out of wooden frame lined with pvc several feet across for an aeroponic system so the roots truly hang in air and never touch the ground mounted high so the water fall back to the res by gravity
1982FMJ 1 year ago
can you use energy friendly lights to grow hydroponically and does the water run 24 seven or is it on a timer?
shaner1ray 1 year ago
@shaner1ray There are plenty of LED grow lights on the market now that use much less energy than the sodium and metal halide lamps.
brob1969 1 year ago
@brob1969 any yield from them i've seen is woeful .
MoontownMoss 1 year ago
@MoontownMoss
I haven't used them yet. We're putting together a vertical NFT wall that is under 2 4'X8' skylights and in front of a large plate glass window. The window faces East so I am planning on using some full spectrum LEDs as a supplement to the natural lighting. I'll post the results as they get in; the system is 2 stories tall so I may choose to not uplight a couple of rows to see if there is any difference.
brob1969 1 year ago
I'd like to make a suggestion.
You'd be better off using one feedline to the top of your chambers then branching it off from there. Aside from using less line the pump wouldn't need to work as hard if it was only lifting water in one line vs 6 smaller ones
roomsupervisor 1 year ago
i use old toilets and get better cost efficiency...no bash...just info!
yersisterlovesme 1 year ago
Great Job, It seems to be a very will thought through system, I am very interested in building one for me kids. Would it be possible to email to parts list and any diagram you have. If you don’t have a diagram or manual just sent picture and can work the pictures also. Thank you in advance. Marvin - marvinstuart at hot mail dot com
localspicejamaica 1 year ago
very nice
hogridingfathippy 1 year ago
where did you purchase your lighting from?
AnArchist9T9 1 year ago
@AnArchist9T9
I got from Gold Coast Hydroponics. But the light is Hydrofarm, pretty common , you can get about anywhere.
BrownsABQ 1 year ago
How many hours a day do you need to run a 400 watts lamp to grow indoors, and what are you growing?
patonbike 1 year ago
@patonbike
I ran the lights 14 hours/day. I was growing leaf lettuce and basil. Worked great.
BrownsABQ 1 year ago
@BrownsABQ just out of curiosity, is this system efficient, or is the yield provided not worth the cost of raising it. I'm wondering, because i've considered trying to make a self sufficient garden system that would save me money on food.
brb941 1 year ago
@brb941 On a commercial scale, probably yes...to grow at home probably not. This is for sure a hobby, and not cost efficient on this scale, but its fun and you know what you're eating...
BrownsABQ 1 year ago
@brb941
It might be good to grow my cannabis...
IkeDyson 1 year ago
very nice system, very simple keep going man
tonyone001 1 year ago
You need to cover up the water tank or your going to have a lot of algae growth
thepro410 2 years ago
@thepro410 depending on what nutrients are being used. I have several resivors I leave uncovered and I never get algae growth. It has a lot to do with temps also It's good to cover, but not always necessary. Just to clear things up, no pun intended. (This is a great setup, I'd love to see how things go here.)
sensi42069 1 year ago
Well done, I had one like that, when I had my farm, and I want go big, good job.
vieira56 2 years ago
oh oh looking like a pro ! make me one ,,,,
silverpizza100 2 years ago