Because your plants can’t grow themselves.


Aeroponics DIY is here to help take your aeroponics system to the next level.

Tower Garden Farm in LA

High-Pressure Aeroponics Spray Nozzle Monitor

aeroponics misting nozzle monitoring

The perfect nozzle monitoring system is solved

It is a challenge to find a solution to verify if your misters are working or not working in your high-pressure aeroponics grow chamber.

Two things must be verified:

  1. One, are the misters activating?
  2. Two, are they spraying at the right or programmed interval?

Humidity sensors – No way!

My first approach was to use a humidity sensor. They don’t work well in 100% humidity or when they get rained on 24/7.

The second approach is to use a rain moisture sensor. This kind of worked with some faults. Its response is slow. It could take hours before your notified of a failed nozzle or spray interval problem. after  nozzles failed to get the alarm. Moisture left on the sensor needed too much time to dry before it registered a change in wetness.

We Have Corrosion?

Another problem with this sensor is since the electrodes were exposed to the environment, they start to corrode just after 7day. Not good if toxins are released in your grow chamber .

Wet bulb to dry bulb

Next, I used a wet / dry bulb measurement. It worked poorly as well. Due to the lack of air movement in the grow chamber, the difference in temperature of the bulbs were always too close to get fast accurate reads.
So what do we? Give up?

An innovative way to remotely monitor the high-pressure misting -Your Ear!

Since I could never depend on these humidity sensors, I would always just wait and listen to hear if the nozzles are firing. By the sound along I could tell if the nozzles were firing and nozzles weren’t clogged.

Eureka!

Use a sound sensor in the grow chamber. So here is my experiment. I placed a mini microphone into the grow chamber and recorded the sounds from inside.

You can listen by playing the media file below:

 

Here’s the sound waveform (click it to enlarge):

aeroponics-spray

As you can see and hear, I mist for 6 seconds about every 4 minutes. Cool! Right?

The experiment is a huge success!

No one. and I repeat, no one is doing this kind of monitoring of their aeroponics system.This will come in handy when growing profitable herbs .

You show me who uses a microphone to monitor the deep bellows of an high-pressure aeroponics system. No one is doing this kind of research online.

The aeroponics controller

As you know I’m engineering a master aeroponics controller and this sound sensor will be incorporated into the system and all data will be logged and presented in real time.

Monitor the health of…

heart-monitor-ekg

You know this kind of remind me of those heart monitors (EKG) doctors use on their patients. As long the chart on the monitor is bouncing up and down the patient is alive. But once it goes straight line, panic sets in because his patient is dying.

My sound sensor serves the same purpose. Now the patient is your system. As long we can hear the misting. Our high-pressure aeroponics system is alive and well. Our plants are happy.

Please send me a message if you have any comments to share.

 

Basil Seed Germination Covered with White Slime Gooey Mucilage- Is It Normal?

basil-seed-covered-white-slime

Yes. It’s normal for basil seeds to be covered with a layer of mucilage.

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds produce a thick layer of mucilage(slime) around the pericarp within minutes after hydration (watered). Mucilage (a substance like snot) is most prevalent among plant species adapted to surviving in arid(dry) sandy soils, though its significance in determining ecological fitness is unclear.

basil-seed-slime
The mucilage produced by seeds is reported to be composed of cell-wall polysaccharides that are deposited in testa pericarp cells during development. In this study, sweet basil seeds were examined using light and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The mucilage of basil seeds is held together by columnar structures that unfolded from the pericarp and helped hold and stabilize the mucilage to the outer surface.

The mucilage was removed using diluted hydrochloric acid to compare the performance of seeds with and without mucilage. Mucilage removal did not inhibit seed germination under ideal laboratory conditions but decreased the water content of seeds significantly. The water content of intact seeds was almost 4 times greater than seeds without mucilage.

Mucilage enabled seeds cling to an incline board set to a steeper angle than seeds without mucilage.

The fully hydrated seeds approached zero water potential, so the mucilage did not prevent seeds from fully hydrating. Soil (media) germination testing showed the seeds with mucilage had higher germination percentage than the seed without mucilage on several different types of media.

White Slime Over Seeds Is A Good Thing

Seeds with mucilage also had higher survival percentages after 10 days on different types of media. Basil seeds mucilage acts as a reservoir to hold loosely bound water at high water potential so it is available for seed germination and early seedling development.

The Modern Farmer DOES NOT Need Land

female modern farmerConvention holds that a farm requires a tractor, some animals, an acre of land or so, and definitely a barn. Well, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) disagrees with that notion.

The USDA defines a Farm as:

A farm is defined as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year.

Reference source from the USDA farm definition

So there you have it. If you can grow $1,000 worth of produce for sale, you’re a farmer, no land, no animals, no tractor needed.

Farms in unusual places

An high-pressure aeroponics owner can farm out of their one bedroom apartment. Let see how this works out.

Okay, let’s say you operate two aeroponic grow chambers growing 20 to 30 plants each. This would take approximately 8 sqft. of floor space if the units are side-by-side or just 4 sqft. of living space when stacked, about the space of an average coffee table in your living room.

A single grow-cycle for most leafy plants is 30-days from seed to harvest. You grow 12 crops in a year but that’s only of all goes well. You know nothing is perfect so let’s be less optimistic and plan for 10 crops. This allows for some bad crops and failed starts. Therefore, if we grow 10 crops a year and each crop yield 40 to 60 plants, our annual harvest could be 60 times 10 (60 x 10) or 600 leafy lettuce or greens a year.
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Yes!  You can sell 600 heads of lettuce a year. Now the lowest market price for a head of lettuce is $2/each.

So the rest is simple to compute. 600 heads of lettuce times it by $2 each (600 x $2) equals $1,200 gross profit annually on just two aeroponic systems.

Guest what? You  qualified USDA’s requirement  to be a farmer by having sales of over $1,000.

Do you have a Garden or a Farm?

Out of this morass of stereotypes, a useful distinction emerges: A garden produces food for private use, whereas a farm produces food (or flowers or fiber) for others and for sales.

This idea gets closest to how the USDA defines a farm: “any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold” in a given year.

Government money anyone?

The only definition that matters to a farmer who wants to qualify for a federal grant, loan, or subsidy, it nevertheless surprises many people, since it means that a container planted with herbs counts as a farm if those herbs happen to be sold for $1,000 a year.

window farmer modern farmer

Be a modern farmer…

I hope this short post inspires you to think about being a farmer: an apartment farmer, a window farmer, a balcony farmer, a bedroom farmer, an urban farmer, the modern farmer.

We need new farmers

There is a potential farmer shortage looming on the horizon. If you’re in the agricultural business, naturally, you see why this could give you indigestion.

According to the U.S. D. A. , the average age of the American farmer is 58.3 years old, and only 6 percent of farmers are under the age of 35. In the next quarter century, more than one-fourth of American farmers will likely retire. Approximately 700,000 new farmers are going to be needed to replace them.

Stereotype farmer

If you’re like me, when you think of a farmer, you have a certain image in your mind, like that of a middle-aged guy waking up before dawn and maybe sitting in a tractor covered in dirt and trying to figure out how to keep crops from dying in a drought or being consumed by non-native insects or birds.

The modern farmer

Well, welcome to the 21st Century. The modern farmer never sees or touches dirt. He now controls the environment for his crop using high-tech and engineered systems. And, you all know aeroponics is near the top of the list.

Aeroponics for your Health: AD 003

lea ann aeroponics smoothy

lea ann aeroponics smoothy

Welcome to Aeroponics DIY Podcast


My guest today, Lea Ann Savage, is a wife and a mother of three sons. She says, “I’m not a gardener and know very little. However, the aeroponic Tower Garden made it easy and was quite forgiving.”

Lea Ann mentions her battle with chronic fatigue and how she was able to overcome it through diet. This explains why she started using her aeroponics system for health reasons.

The health benefits of green smoothies is a huge factor to Lea Ann’s health and is the reason she supports her Vitamix so dearly that she calls herself the Blender Lady. So please listen to her advice if you are facing similar challenges.

In This Episode, you’ll learn:

  • Lea Ann talks about what she grows for health.
  • What doesn’t like to grow because it takes over the garden.
  • How she handles pest without using chemicals.
  • Why she stopped eating addictive foods.
  • The importance of rotating your greens for better health.
  • How to make Green Smoothies.

Links and Resources mentioned in this episode:

aeroponics fast food

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Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us here on Aeroponics DIY.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

Also, please subscribe and leave a review for the Aeroponics DIY Podcast on iTunes if you liked the show! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

How to Pollinate and Grow Vegetables in the Winter: AD 002

pollinating and growing in the winter with aeroponics

pollinating and growing in the winter with aeroponics

Welcome to Aeroponics DIY Podcast


I like you to meet Linda Woosley. She’s a life-long gardener who grew up on a  watermelon and cantaloupe farm in Southern Utah. If you’re ready to get serious about growing all year long with  your aeroponic gardening, this is the episode for you.

Earning her certificate in Horticulture from Lake Washington Technical Collage, Linda has a vast amount of information to share that’s coupled with her experience with aeroponics.

Linda gives you the tools and information on hand pollinating. Do you want to garden through the winter? Then listen how Linda keeps her garden producing all year long in her greenhouse.

In This Episode, you’ll learn:

  • How Linda grows 112 plants in a 9′ by 9′ small patio space.
  • Learn how to hand pollinate your plants and which ones you do not.
  • Grow outdoors through the winter with Linda’s help.
  • Why it’s very important to keep vertical aeroponics system level.
  • You will get your investment in aeroponics back in a year from the savings of growing your own greens.
  • Having success growing strawberries with your aeroponics with sweet results.

Some pictures:

linda's sweet strawberries
aeroponics in small space
aeroponics growing

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Links and Resources mentioned in this episode:

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us here on Aeroponics DIY.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

Also, please subscribe and leave a review for the Aeroponics DIY Podcast on iTunes if you liked the show! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

Aeroponics Gardening Seed to Harvest: AD 001

Jan at her living towers garden

Jan at her living towers garden

Welcome to Aeroponics DIY Podcast


I love talking about aeroponics, but the best is with experienced growers like my guest today. Let’s welcome Dr. Jan Young ND of Living Towers.

Living Towers is home to a 4,400 square foot, state-of-the-art greenhouse that produces all types of  lettuces, herbs, and vegetables.

Jan built her greenhouse to educate others and sell to co-ops, stores, and missionaries in her community. She is able to grow all year long for them.

This aeroponic greenhouse of “Tower Gardens” is a prototype of the future in community and family food production and consumption. Their food is produced “Clean and Green” using rainwater collection and solar energy, creating the smallest possible ecological footprint.  Here they grow over 5,000 plants in their greenhouse using some of the latest technology in aeroponics.

In This Episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why she was hesitant growing without soil.
  • How to use rock wool to start a seedling for your aeroponics system.
  • Why she now feels aeroponic growing is better than planting in soil.
  • She’ll show you why aeroponics is for everyone, all ages, and why it doesn’t need to be a science project.
  • How to control pests naturally, and the benefits of using complimentary plants keep pest down?
  • Having an aeroponic tower garden is like having a farmer’s market right outside your backdoor.
  • And so much more in becoming a successful aeroponics gardener.

Links and Resources mentioned in this episode:

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Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us here on Aeroponics DIY.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

Also, please subscribe and leave a review for the Aeroponics DIY Podcast on iTunes if you liked the show! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

About aeroponics DIY: AD 000

about me podcast

about me podcast

Welcome to Aeroponics DIY Podcast


In this episode, I’ll talk about this website and about me, who I am. Hear me as I tell you my story, why I’m so passionate about aeroponics, and why I want to share it with you.

In This Episode, you’ll learn:

  • My challenges with gardening.
  • Topics we’ll cover on the podcast.
  • I will tell you my story and my life in Hawaii.
  • How I discovered aeroponics.
  • Some of the benefits of aeroponics.
  • Why plant roots need oxygen?
  • Why is not everyone doing aeroponics?
  • What I want to offer to you.

Links and Resources mentioned in this episode:

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Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us here on Aeroponics DIY.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

Also, please subscribe and leave a review for the Aeroponics DIY Podcast on iTunes if you liked the show! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

Transcript

Click Here to Read the Transcript for Episode 000

What is Aeroponics

aero-epcot-plantsI might seem a little controversial in this discussion of “What is Aeroponics?” However, someone needs to clear up the misconceptions being preached.

The term is used way too freely by those who either don’t know what they are talking about or who are trying to sell you on hype.

The True Meaning of Aeroponics

So let’s get to the true root meaning of what aeroponics is. The word Aeroponics is derived from two Latin words meaning aero (air) and ponic (work), air at work.

Did you know?
Tower Garden is NOT true aeroponics.
Why?

In other words, the whole plant, roots and all, are suspended in mid air. Simple put the roots are not covered, not buried, not submerged in any form of liquid or matter, they are revealed openly in thin air.

It’s so simple and basic. Why do so many complicate the issue? Because, they have their own agenda to make or they want to profit from it. Please, don’t be taken by such false advertisement.

Good! We got that out of the way. We will return to the definition later. But for now let’s focus on what aeroponics really is.

Grow it Fast! Grow it Big!

Getting right to the point, Aeroponics is the fastest way to grow plants than any other growing method.

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in thin air where its roots are exposed to a misty environment. No soil or aggregate medium is used to support the plant.

Aeroponic is an advance method of developing plant growth, flowering, fruiting and health for most plant species and cultivators.

Aeroponics is a method of growing plants suspended (hanging) in mid air without the use of soil or any medium. The bare exposed roots get all of their nutrients from the environment it’s in. There are two forms of aeroponics: High Pressure Aeroponics (HPA) and Low Pressure Aeroponics (LPA). Read More

Carbon dioxide in the air is necessary for healthy plant growth. However, oxygen is needed for roots to absorb the nutrients that surround them. True aeroponics is conducted in air enriched with micro-droplets of nutrient water.

Did you know?
The most popular aeroponics system sold on the market is a lie. It’s not aeroponics.
who’s guilty

The Aeroponics system can grow herbs, vegetables and flowers continuously to allow the grower to obtain yields like never before.

You can use me for…

Aeroponics is perfect for indoor gardening, grow rooms and greenhouses. However, it has been used successfully for outdoor growing of large or tall plants.

Which Aeroponics are you talking about? High or Low

This opens another issue about aeroponics. There are two types or forms of aeroponic systems. The first one is HPA (High Pressure Aeroponics), and the other is LPA (Low Pressure Aeroponics).

HPAs are considered to be True Aeroponics and was used by NASA to grow vegetables. It also is the most expensive and the most complicated growing system to build. However, HPAs use less resources for plant grow: 98% less water, 60% less fertilizer, and 100% less pesticides (no pesticides), all supported by NASA laboratory studies.

LPAs are lower cost system. LPA systems are the most common used and built by DIYers.

High Pressure Aeroponics is True

The HPA (True Aeroponics) system was revolutionized by NASA in the 1990’s by reporting it as the most efficient way to grow plants in space. Studies have shown many benefits of growing plants with aeroponic techniques on both Earth and in space.

plant-spray1

HPA systems must operate at a high pressure, normally above 80 PSI, but ideally at 100 PSI. The high pressure is used to atomize the nutrient water through a small orifice (hole) to create water droplets of 50 microns or less in diameter, in other words a fine mist like hair spray.

One micron is one-millionth of a meter. The average diameter of human hair is 80 microns. So we are talking about a really tiny water drop.

HPA also must run on a much accurate time cycle. HPAs might run 1 to 5 seconds on, and then off for three to five minutes. Specific components are required in controlling the timing interval and creating the proper size mist.

The basic components of a HPA are as follows:
1. High-Pressure water pump
2. Pre-Pressurize Accumulator Tank
3. Electrical-Solenoid hooked to an adjustable relay timer
4. Pressure switch
5. Mister nozzles

Low Pressure Aeroponics is Cheaper

LPA systems use a standard magdrive pump couple to some PVC or tubing, and a few miniature sprinkler heads. The water spray from an LPA sprinkler head has large droplets that drown the plant roots.

LPAs generally run the pump 24 hours and 7 days a week, continually wetting the roots. This works well, and are cheap and easy to build. However they are not as efficient as HPA systems.

Also, for this to be truly an aeroponics system the reservoir most be separated from the grow chamber of the plants.

The basic components of a LPA are as follows:
1. High flow water pump
2. Micro sprinklers

Aeroponic systems on the market

Getting back to the definition of Aeroponics: Air at work – This means the plant roots are suspended in mid air.

Simply put the plant roots are not covered, not buried, not submerged in any liquid or matter; they are openly suspended in thin air.

So if some or all of the roots are sitting in any liquid, then it’s not aeroponics.

Any system using a single container to grow and store nutrients, can’t be aeroponics.

Aerogarden is a Fake

Aerogarden ™ is Not aeroponics – Ginger Booth, the Indoor Salad Lady, calls it a glorified nutrient film technique hydroponics system. It’s sold on the market alluding it’s aeroponics. However, it’s just a twisted hydroponic system. The plant roots are submerged in a pool of water. Guess what? It’s a single container solution.

Tower Garden aeroponic growing system is NOT TRUE

Tower Garden ™ is aeroponics LPA style, it’s not True Aeroponics. The system drips the nutrient over plant roots in a hollow tube. I like Tim Blank the inventor. Due to the Tower Garden being easy to operate and includes a very supportive network, it has become popular with many gardeners. However, it’s overly sold as THE AEROPONIC system which it’s not. The Tower is sold as part of a multi-level-marketing company that became successful providing and healthy choices. Remember, true aeroponics must atomize the nutrient to a fine mist using high pressure.

The Best Water for Your Aeroponics System

best water source for aeroponics

What type of water is best for your aeroponics system and plants?

The best water for your aeroponic plants must be free of impurities such as minerals, chemicals, micro-organisms, Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs), and have a pH of about 6.0.

Here’s a multiple choice question.

Which of these water sources are good for your aeroponics system?

  • A) Rain Water

  • B) Distilled Water

  • C) Spring Water

  • D) Drinking Water (Tap or Filtered Water)

  • E) Reverse Osmosis Water

  • F) Softened Water

Click Here for Answer

First let’s eliminate the evil sources:

Softened Water

Avoid soft water. While water softeners are great for removing the hardness in your water, the sodium levels it leaves behind are deadly to your aeroponics system and plants.

Spring Water

This water is what you often find in bottled water, a well, river or just from a natural spring. It could come from an underground source or may or may not have been treated or purified.

Although spring water sounds appealing, it contains minerals and possibly bacteria that could overwhelm the nutrient balance of your aeroponics  system. This is not what your plants need. The unstable water can cause plaque like deposits to build up and plug your misting nozzles like a massive heart attack.

Drinking Water

Drinking water is just that, it’s water intended for drinking. Drinking by whom? Humans, that’s right not for your plants. Normally this water comes from your local municipal source or bottled as drinking water.

Some drinking water contains fluoride for kids growing teeth and gums. When was the last time your plants had teeth? And just about all tap water is Chlorinated. So, just like spring water, we don’t want this either.

Plants that are grown indoors are especially susceptible to chemicals like chlorine. Without the presence of rain to wash away the chemicals found in faucet or tap water, they are left to build up in the container.

When using water that contains high mineral levels, the minerals can form what looks like a white crud in your growing system. This deposit can cause injury to your plant leaves and roots. Tender plants are at a higher risk of damage as a result of hard-water usage.

If you must use tap water, it is recommended that you allow the water to sit out in a wide mouth container for at least 24 hours to allow time for the chemicals, like chlorine to dissipate.

Rain Water

Were you surprised that rain water did not make the list of a good sources. Hey what’s up? Isn’t it the water source for all outdoor plants? Yes for outdoor plants in dirt.

Rain water introduces too many UNKNOWNS. What’s the pH? Any minerals I don’t want. How about bird poop? Oh, yes harmful bacteria. Nitrate levels? The list goes on.

The only good thing about rain water is you can get it free on the right days and if you live in a pristine area the water would have the right pH and hardness for healthy plants.

Stored rainwater will contain some organic matter. If collected from your rooftop, rainwater contains traces of organic material. While the water is very clean and should run clear, it was exposed to everything on your roof. We’re not talking about chunks (these get pre-filtered out on their way into properly-designed rain barrels)–we’re just talking about contact exposure to leaf litter, pollen, bird droppings and the like (which perhaps not surprisingly are great for your plants but not for aeroponics). It’s like a light application of fertilizer every time you water! Right?

Distilled Water – The Best

This is the BEST water to use in your aeroponics system which provides a clean slate to build on.

Where exceptionally high purity water is required, distilled water is used. Distilled water is water that has many of its impurities removed through distillation.

Distillation involves boiling the water and then condensing the steam into a clean container. Water that has gone through this rigorous filtration process is stripped of all contaminants and minerals.

This water is the best to use in your aeroponics system because you have complete control what is in the water by adding your own minerals without any byproducts forming. But more importantly, you wont introduce any bacteria or other micro-organism that could harm your plant roots.

Producing distilled water in large quantities can become a challenge. The energy cost and maintenance could become your second career. If you need to use more than a gallon of water a day, you might want to move on to reverse osmosis.

Reverse Osmosis Water

Reverse osmosis (RO) is probably the second best water source for your aeroponics system. There is some complicated science behind it on how it works, but it can be explained has a filter or membrane with tiny holes that allows only water molecules to past through.

Reverse Osmosis is a process in which dissolved inorganic solids like salts are removed from water. This is accomplished by household water pressure pushing the tap water through a semi permeable membrane. The membrane which is about as thick as plastic wrap, allows only the water to pass through, not the impurities or contaminates. These impurities and contaminates are blocked and flushed down the drain.

The advantages of RO:

  • It is a highly effective water purification process.
  • It will remove 92% to 99% of all pollutants and contaminates.
  • It uses or consumes no energy. However you do need some water pressure over 50 PSI.
  • It’s convenient to use.
  • It autonomously flushes away pollutants away without collection.
  • It’s easy to maintain and clean.
  • The best part is the low production cost – gives you quality water for pennies on the gallon.

If you need large quantity of water for your aeroponics system, this is the way to go.

Final Thoughts

If you want to increase your success with your aeroponics system use distilled water. For larger crops demanding more than a gallon per day, use RO water. These two are your best choices for water sources.

Some feel bottled distilled water should be avoided, but if it’s all you can do, feel free to use it. It could get pricey at over a buck per gallon.

Okay you don’t have access to distilled water or RO water, so what should you do?  I know tap water, well water, and rain water are not the best; however you can do things to make it better.

By performing further water treatment on these water sources you can greatly improve the acceptability for your aeroponics system.

First simply filter the water through a store bought water filter. Here are some good filters:

  • Best – ZeroWater: The filter removes- Above 95% of estrone, PFOA, PFOS, fluoxetine, BPA, ibuprofen; above 80% of atrazine, tonalide, TCEP, DEET, and all other drugs but primidone (73%).
  • Great – Pur: Pur filters removes all estrone. It removed above 71% of all drugs as well as PFOS, and above 80% of DEET, tonalide, TCEP, and BPA
  • Good – Brita: The Brita filters remove above 60% for all contaminants except PFOA (55%) and sucralose (49%), but for only half the filter’s life.

Secondly, boil the water if you can. Boiling the water will kill most bacteria and remove nitrates that were still left behind. Be sure to let the water cool to room temperature before adding it to your system.

Always use a clean container for water storage and keep it in a dark and cool place out of the reach of sunlight.

High Pressure Aeroponic System Flowchart – Block Diagram

aeroponics-flowchart

Here’s a block diagram (flowchart) of a basic high pressure aeroponic system.
Let’s take a trip through the aeroponic system starting with the misters or nozzles.
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First – Solenoids (Automatic valves)

The solenoids attached to the misters work as valves to open or close the flow of nutrient to the misters. Most solenoids are controlled by a computer or automated by an electronic timer. The solenoids turn on for short intervals to release the pressurized nutrients through the misters to create a fine mist that is sprayed onto the plant roots.

Second – Store it in the reservoir

Any nutrients not absorbed by the roots get returned to the reservoir at the bottom of the root zone by dripping through a drain with an inline filter.

The nutrient is stored here until the system calls for more pressure. The booster pump sucks nutrient from this reservoir and pressurizes it up to about 100 psi.

Monitor nutrient level

As the nutrient is used and as the plant grows, your reservoir will drop lower and lower. So any makeup water and nutrient needs to be watched here. As the reservoir drops in level, add more water here. A water level sensor could be used to monitor the nutrient and signal you when it’s time to add more.

Main component – Pressure Pump

The pump will send the pressurized nutrient to the pressure tank which acts like a big bladder that expands like a tough balloon. The tank works like a collector for the pump so that the pump does not have to work all the time. Without the tank, your pump would run every time the misters operated.

Now at the Tank

Since the tank is pre-pressurized with the nutrient, when the misters call for nutrient at 100 psi, it would be there instantly. Without the tank, the pump might take some time to build the nutrient up to 100 psi. Thus, your roots will not get the right water droplet size of less than 50 microns.

Sensing system pressure

Here is a good place to put a pressure sensor to monitor system performance between the pump and the tank. This sensor will tell you if the pump is functioning and that the system is activated. The sensor could work in unity with the pump to control its operation to maintain 100 psi.

Keep it clean – filter it

The pressurized nutrient now passes through an inline filter to remove any solids before the nozzles. These misting nozzles have a very small orifice (tiny hole) that could clog easily if there were stuff floating around in the nutrient. So removing it here will prolong a health spray.

Repeat it again through the system- Recycle it

Now we are back to the solenoids that control the misting to the root zone. This cycle gets repeated and continues by reusing any nutrient that is returned into the reservoir.

The ideal would be to spray just enough nutrient to feed the roots and have nothing returned to the reservoir. However, this would be very difficult and expensive to accomplish.

Pressurization, A Key Component to atomizing the nutrient

The nutrient is stored in the reservoir and pressure tank. The pump activates when ever the pressure to the system drops below a certain threshold. Let’s say 80 psi and turns off at 105 psi. This is normally controlled independent of the system computer but could be governed by the system controller.

As the nutrient is used on the roots, the pressure in the system will start to drop. The booster pump will now kick on to make up the pressure drop.

As the pump runs, it will siphon nutrient from the reservoir of the leftover nutrient that dripped off from the root zone to the aeroponic system.

Fast and Easy – Vegetative Plants We Can Eat Tomorrow

vegetative basilThere are so many plants to grow. However, the most successful plants to grow are vegetative vegetables. You are saying that’s silly. Vegetative vegetable. Right?

Well vegetative growth is the growing stage between germination (the seed sprouting) and sexual maturity (flowering).

Vegetative Stage

In the vegetative stage, the tiny plant is putting all of its energy in growing stems, leaves, and roots. All plants go through this phase. Eventually, all plants follow the vegetative stage with flowers and seeds. We like to pick and eat them before they get there.

With greens, we eat the vegetative parts of the plant. We eat the leaves and stems mostly, and sometimes the roots.

Let’s eat leaves

With greens like herbs and lettuce, the game is grow-baby-grow. These crops are relatively brief, and short lived. Because we consume the leaves, we want to keep the plant lush and healthy.

The nice thing is that for most of these plants, the need for lots of light isn’t a big issue. Usually, they grow well in somewhat low light. The critical thing is to have the right amount of nutrients in high quality water with the right pH.

Humudity is the key to good healthy leaves

We need to remember that the thinner the leaf, the more important humidity plays in the health of the plant’s grow and appearance. If the air is bone-dry, your greens will go limp and be more acceptable to diseases.

Two vegetative groups

You know you can separate the vegetative crops into two groups: Ones that love their roots wet all the time, and those that don’t like to be in water all the time.

The nice thing about high pressure aeroponic systems are that they can support either type of plants just by varying the spray interval. Use shorter spray interval plants for plants that like their roots wet, and longer spray intervals for plants who want their roots just moist like lettuce and basil.

Way to go, Aeroponics

We all know all plants can grow in soil. However, these greens like lettuce and basil will grow twice or more as fast aeroponically. Hurray! Aeroponics may be more convenient and more suited for indoor growing than soil. depending on your home circumstances.

If these plants continue on to sexual maturity, we call it bolting, and when this happens, the crop quality declines. We want to eat these crops before they flower.

Stages of Plant Growth

Many of you will find this subject fascinating. There are many similarities between how humans develop and pro-create to how plants develop and reproduce. Just as adult humans don’t eat the same kind of foods or wear the same type of clothes when they were babies, plants don’t use the same nutrients throughout all their stages of growth or need the same amount of light.

All of us would laugh or thought it to be strange to see a thirty-year-old woman eating baby food. It would be a struggle for her to maintain her health and weight with just eating baby food. However, this is what some of you are doing to your plants and wondering why your veggies are sick looking. You need to know the growth stages of your plant to determine the nutrients they need to thrive.

First Stage – Seed Germination

The plant’s life cycle starts with germination of the seed. All you need is water, oxygen, and the right temperature for the seed to germinate. How about light? Well, most seeds are not affected by light or darkness, but some seeds will not germinate until they see sufficient light.

As the right temperature is reached, and water is provided, the seed will germinate. When a dry seed uptakes water, we call it imbibition. Imbibition means to drink; seeds imbibe water.

This process is so similar to a dry sponge exposed to water. As the sponge absorbs water, it grows in size. The color of the sponge becomes more vivant and becomes heavier. Seeds do the same.

Right temperature for germination

Most common annual vegetables have optimal germination temperatures between 75-89 F (24-32 C). Some species like radishes or spinach can germinate at significantly lower temperatures, as low as 40 F (4 C).

Swelling to grow

As the seed drinks water, it expands while enzymes and food supplies in the seed become hydrated. The seed is now activated and starts to go to work. The increased metabolic activity provides energy for the growth process. In addition, the water causes turgor pressure to increase in the cells.

Turgor pressure is the outward pressure that occurs in a plant cell when the seed’s cytoplasm and vacuoles fill up with water, and the cell membrane pushes against the cell walls. These guys swell up like water balloons in cells of the seed.

Time to make roots

Roots start to emerge from the seed. This activity is the first indication that the seed is viable and will grow. Eventually, the plant shoot, top of the plant, will sprout out and emerge from the seed.

Attached to the shoot are tiny leaves. Once these leaves begin to manufacture food, the plant will grow and enter the seedling stage.

Plant will now develop its first set of true leaves and roots.

The root growth that takes place at this time is crucial to how fast the plant will grow. Providing the ideal environment for the roots will ensure that your crop will have a chance to flourish.

What about the darkness?

If germination occurs in darkness, root growth slows after the shoot emerges and shoot elongation accelerates. This behavior occurs because the seed thinks it’s still covered with soil and needs to emerge from soil to see the light where it can obtain energy from the sunlight by photosynthesis. Once it is in the light, the plant undergoes dramatic changes like turning green and producing leaves. This transformation with the light is called photo-morphogenesis.

Second Stage – Vegetative and Growth

Now that the root system can support growth, the vegetative stage begins. Plant nutrient requirements call for a large amount of nitrogen for the production of chlorophyll. Growth during this stage is primarily dedicated to stem, branch, and leaf areas.

The most substantial growth over the life cycle of the plant occurs in the vegetative stage and will continue unless hindered by a change in environment or lack of water and nutrients.

Third Stage – Reproductive, Flowering and Fruit

The final stage of the plant growth is the reproductive stage. Since the objective is now to reproduce, the plant’s energies are directed to the production of flowers, fruits, and seeds.

Nitrogen is no longer the main nutrient the plant needs. We now need to boost up other nutrients like phosphorus and potassium (P-K). This is all due to a slowing down of plant growth.

Let it Bloom

This is when a change in nutrients are made, from vegetative formula to a flowering, or ‘bloom’ formula. This is why many aeroponics solution nutrients come as a two or three-part system.

In some plants, the reproductive stage is triggered by the change in the length of the daylight, this process is called photoperiodism. The length of the day is what governs plants grown outdoors to flower or produce fruit.

When growing indoors we must provide the right photoperiod for the crop to develop properly. Changing the length of artificial light can trick the plant to deliver flowers or fruits early. Commercial growers use this technique to provide flowers to markets out of season. As a reward, these growers demand a premium from vendors and customers alike.

Pollination – Spreading the love

Plants are pollinated by various means like wind, water or bees and other insects. Pollination occurs when the pollen from one plant is transferred to another plant. Reproduction in flowering plants begin with pollination, the transfer of pollen from one plant to the stigma of another flower or to the stigma of another flower of the same plant.

reproductive-stage

Pollination is required for the fertilization of the plant. Pollen contains the male gametes, or sperm, of the plant. The male gametes are transferred through this pollination process to the stigma of the plant. The stigma contains the female gamete (egg cell) where fertilization can occur with the male gamete.

When pollination occurs between plants of the same species it is called self-pollination. Pollination between plants of different species it is called cross-pollination.

Fertilization – This one is for you baby

Once the pollination is completed, a pollen tube grows into the ovary of the plant. The male gamete cells move along the pollen tube toward the ovary. Here the male gamete cell fertilizes the female gamete cell. This results in the development of a zygote. Zygotes develop into embryos and become the beginning basis of a new plant.

Now comes the seeds. A second male gamete cell fuses with polar cell bodies found in the center of the embryo sac, and produce the endosperm tissue material that provides food and energy for the development of the embryo. This endosperm is the seed or fruit produced by the plant. The fertilized ovule develops into a seed.

Time to be Bees

Now for growing indoors away from natural insects, you must play ‘bee’ by pollinating the flowers on mature plants manually. A delicate touch with a soft painter’s brush to each flower is all is needed to pollinate the plant to produce fruit.

For larger crops a plant ‘shaker’ is used to vibrate the pollen loose to cross pollinate the plants. However, a good breeze from a high velocity fan is usually sufficient to pollinate indoor plants in a confined area. This be the method to use for our aeroponics system. We want to automate as much as possible for repeatable and transferrable success.


Aeroponic Plant Roots – Healthy Plants have Healthy Roots

Hey, my friend when was the last time you checked your roots?

She gave her plants more light, changed the nutrient solution, and even sang to them, but nothing worked. Why? Her roots were plagued with algae and starving of oxygen, plant roots not the blonde stuff on her head. This becomes our next topic for discussion and is a very important matter.

Regardless of the size of your plant or the species, roots serve the plant in three essential functions:

 

1. Uptake water and nutrients.

2. Store and manufacture materials needed for plant growth.

3. Give physical support to the plant section growing above-ground.

Aeroponics is all about the roots, that is vibrant healthy roots!

The absorption of nutrients in the water takes place at the tip of very fine root hairs. The nutrients pass through these roots in a selective matter. The root hairs are very delicate and tend to die off as the root grows further into the root zone.

The diffusion process

The method roots use to absorb water and nutrients is called diffusion. This process causes water and oxygen to pass into the root structure through smart membranes in the cell walls of the root. Diffusion actually takes place at the ionic level. Meaning that the nutritional elements are absorbed by the exchange of electrically charged particles.

Maybe this might be the first time you heard of this, but roots need oxygen. They absorb the oxygen and utilize it for growth, in return carbon dioxide is expelled. If oxygen is not present, the roots will asphyxiate or suffocate to death. This leads to root damage and will adversely hurt the tops of your plants. Wouldn’t you feel sick if someone tied your legs in a tourniquet?

Many studies have proven that oxygenation to the root zone is a major factor in determining a plant’s growth potential. This is why the method of Aeroponics was developed to maximize growth leaps beyond the conventionally soil and steps beyond hydroponics. Yep, aeroponics rule over hydroponics. As we all know, plants grown aeroponically have their roots suspended in thin air! All the power to you baby.

Hydroponics could drown your plant roots

Since we brought up a distant cousin of aeroponics, hydroponics can have problems of stagnation of water in the root zone which causes asphyxiation. Next will come root rot. Once a plant’s root becomes sick or dehydrated, death to the organism is usually imminent.

Roots – Please keep me in the dark and wet

Roots should not be exposed to much light. Exposure to light can promote the growth of green algae. Algae appear as a green or brown slime on the roots, on the container, and on any tubing. Studies have concluded that plants suffer when the roots are exposed to light. This is probably due to the algae growth on the surface of the roots.

Algae won’t just suffocate your roots but will also compete for the water and the nutrients in the root zone.

Therefore, only opaque containers should be used to house the plant roots. Black, green or blue work best for tubing and the reservoir. Remember, roots grow naturally into the dark earth and never see the light of day. We need to respect this if we want our plants to be successful.

aeroponic plant root structure

Roots – Hey, be careful with me

Plant roots are very delicate and should not be handled. If you need to handle your plant, please be gentle and keep the roots wet.

In the event that the roots begin to obstruct your misters or tubing or other components in the root zone, you may have no choice but to adjust their position. Your last resort is to trim back the roots.

Roots – It’s time for a haircut

Most plants will tolerate simple root trimming. You will want to do most of your root cutting on the smaller thread roots, not the larger tap roots. The tap roots will be the larger roots and the thread roots will be the smaller roots that grow off the tap roots.

All you have to do is take the plant and pull the tap roots apart, removing no more than a third of the thread roots in the process. You shouldn’t shorten the tap roots at all during this process, but using clippers to trim the thread roots is acceptable. Also, prune roots that are dead looking away from the plant.

One thing you should know is that root growth occurs at the very tip of the tap and thread roots. If you want to encourage lateral root growth, clip root tips going vertical. Vice versa to encourage vertical root growth, clip the root tips going lateral, but no more that a third at a time.

Healthy Aeroponic roots are:

Three simple indications will reveal if the roots are healthy or sick:
1. Visual Indications – Healthy roots appear full and white in color with many fine hairy tips. As plants mature, you might see it turn a faded yellow. This is normal to a degree.
2. pH Measurement – If the pH is off, your roots won’t be happy. A pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is generally considered an ideal range for most plants. A pH of 7.0 is neutral.
3. PPM measurement – Too much or too little food is no good either. The PPM of your nutrient solution can range from about 800 for crops like lettuce under low light to 1600 for tomatoes under low intense light and supplemental CO2.

In conclusion the plant roots…

In conclusion, it’s important to maintain sufficient humidity around the roots at all times with proper misting cycles. Low humidity in the root zone will cause dehydration, and root die back. Dead roots are visible in the form of being dark and brown. Keep the nutrient pH around 6.0. Once roots are dead, there is no way to revive them so trim them with sharp clippers. Remember if root damage is serious, your crop stands a slim chance of surviving.

Controlling the Environment to Aeroponic Systems

Be in control

You have the power to control your plant’s destiny. Are you using it properly? What power is that? It’s controlling the environment. Many aeroponic systems are built totally focusing on the root zone when they should devote some with the environment. So let’s talk about the best environment for your plants.

Indoor gardens or greenhouse must take full advantage of the benefits of a controlled environment and system automation. By keeping your crops favorite growing conditions, you will get productive crops, faster growing and most important a better quality produce or crop, whether it is tomatoes, lettuce, flowers or herbs. Let’s assume you already have plenty of natural sunlight or high-intensity lights for your aeronponic garden, then the remaining considerations are temperature, humidity, and air quality.

Let me keep it comfortable for you – The Temperature

If you were to control the temperature in an outdoor greenhouse, you will need to install circulation fans. The fans would vent the hot air outdoors while drawing in cooler air from the lower dampers near the ground. The exchange of the air is usually controlled with a thermostat connected directly to the vent fans.

For indoor aeroponic systems, you would do the same function in a similar manner but on a much smaller scale. Some leave the vent fan running continuous while the light is on because some lights seem to function more like heat lamps. The problem here is that the air used to cool the garden is only as cool or warm of the indoor space.

Most popular crops prefer if the temperature is kept near 70F, about 65F to 75F is acceptable.

I’m sweating – Please turn it down

Too high of a temperature will force your plants to transpire a good amount of water to nutrient. Higher temperatures result in rising nutrient concentrations and possible problems with pH and nutrient lock-out.

What are you talking about? All this means is that when your plant gets hot, it’s thirsty. So your plant takes up more water to keep it hydrated. Think of it this way. A dry sponge will absorb more water than a damp sponge. The problem here is that the plant is drinking so fast that the nutrients give it a stomach ache. This happens because the plant can’t break down the nutrients fast enough.

I’m chilly – Get the fire going

Too low of temperature will slow down your plant’s growth significantly. Everything slows down even nutrient absorption. Why? It’s because the plant wants to go dormant. It’s like putting it to sleep for the winter.

There are many commercially available cycle timers that allow the user to preset a particular length of time for the switch to provide power and then a particular length of time for the switch to turn off. The cycle can be adjusted to operate ventilation fans, CO2 gas generators and pumps.

For our aeroponics, we will use a programmable controller to monitor and operate elements to control the environment.

Wet and Dry – The Humidity

The next factor you will want to control in your aeroponics system for indoor gardens is the humidity. If the humidity is too high, your crop will suffer from rot and mold problems. Also, there’s a tendency to overheat due to the fact that the plants can’t transpire moisture into already saturated atmosphere. It’s like using evaporation to cool down.

Humidistats control the humidity in such the same way as the temperature. Thehumidistat can be set to operate a ventilation fans at a certain level of moisture in the air. It’s rare when growing with aeroponics you’ll run into low humidity but the dry winter month\s could become a problem. This because you would be growing in an enclose chamber or in the home’s living space.

A level of 60% to 70% humidity is generally.ideal for most plants. Too dry of an atmosphere will cause excessive water to transpiration (water leaving the plant too quickly) AND LEAVE a high concentration of nutrients is the spray. This very similar to what happens with high temperatures or too high of a light intensity.

There are thermostats (slash) humidistats that combine their function to control fans and heaters.

Unless you plan to keep a constant close watch over your aeroponic system’s temperature and humidity, it is best to invest in an automatic environmental controller. These controllers will not monitor and control the environment but also alarm you of any problem that require your immediate attention.

Now we will going high tech with our system and interface the micro-controller to monitor the humidity and temperature and be able to regulate them both. The system can be configured to set different environments for certain times of the day. Also,a log of all points along with charting will be of great benefit. You want a controller that will assist us with monitoring and preventing failures.

Indoor Plant Lights for Aeroponics

indoor plant light for aeroponics
“You light up my life”

“You give me hope to carry on.”

“You light up my days.”

Okay, we are here to talk about grow lights and not sing along with Kenny Rogers.

To select an indoor light that is right for your plants, you need to know how plants use light and about the options you have.

Grow lights are not all created as equals. Just because you have light, your plants might love it or hate it. Why? because plants respond differently to different colors of light (spectrum), and to different light intensity (lumen).
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The first grow light

In the beginning, there was light, the everlasting powerful sun. Some grow lights try to supply a light spectrum similar to that of the sun, or at least a spectrum that is more suited to the needs of the plants being cultivated. Natural sun light provide varying colors, temperatures and spectral.

Depending on the type of plant being cultivated, the stage of cultivation, and the photoperiod required by the plants, aeroponically grown plants need a specific range of light spectrum, luminous efficacy and color temperature. Not only this but also a light schedule for lightness and darkness.

Grow lights use electricity to generate light and can be used for plant growth in three different ways:

  • To provide all the light a plant needs to grow.
  • To supplement sunlight, especially in winter months when daylight hours are short.
  • To increase the length of the “day” in order to trigger specific growth and flowering.

Pay for it now or much more later

As a general rule, inexpensive lights you can purchase tend to be the most expensive to operate and the least effective. While price is not necessarily an indicator of performance, many of the efficient grow lights require ballasts as well as specialized fixtures.

Please give me light

The distance of your light source to your plants makes a huge difference in what to use. The light radiating from your lamp that reaches the surface of your plants is inversely proportion to the square of the surface’s distance from the source. Ha? It just means that if you move the light just a little more away from your plants, the amount of light that now reaches the surface of your plants will drastically drop.

Many methods are designed to use light as efficiently as possible. Reflectors are one often used with lights to maximize light efficiency. These reflectors focus the light toward your plants. Plants or lights are moved as close together as possible so that they receive equal lighting and that all light coming from the lights falls on the plants rather than on the surrounding area.

The Right Color

Sunlight contains the complete spectrum of light, including all colors of the rainbow: red through yellow to blue and violet. Plants use the full spectrum for photosynthesis, although red and blue light seem to be most critical.

Plants need red light

Red light stimulates vegetative growth and flowering, but if a plant gets too much red light, it will become tall and spindly.
Red light, on the opposite end of the spectrum, triggers a hormone response which creates blooms.

Plants need blue light

Blue light regulates plant growth, which makes it ideal for growing foliage plants and short, stocky seedlings.
Blue light, referred to as cool light, encourages compact bushy growth.

Orange and reddish light

Grow lights producing the orange and reddish light typically produce substantial heat., However, some lights are able to produce full spectrum light without the heat.

The light spectra of different grow lights

Different stages of plant growth require different spectra. The initial vegetative stage requires a blue spectrum of light, whereas the later “flowering” stage is usually promoted with red–orange spectra.

Turn the lights out.

No matter what types of plants you are growing indoors, you must be sure to give them a rest. When it’s dark, plants respirate, which is an important part of their growth process. The balance of rest time to active growth time affects many biological processes, including the growth rate, and the setting of buds and fruit.

In addition, many plants also require both dark and light periods, an effect known as photoperiodism, to trigger flowering. Therefore, lights may be turned on or off at set times. The optimum photo/dark period ratio depends on the species and variety of plant, as some prefer long days and short nights, and others prefer the opposite or intermediate “day lengths.”

How much light? Right Intensity

The intensity of light that a plant receives is determined by the wattage of the bulb and by how close the plant is to the light source. Just as plants differ in their need for certain colors of light, they also differ in their need for light intensity. Typically, those plants that are native to tropical jungles or shady forests do not require as much light as plants that evolved in dry, sunny climates, such as the Mediterranean or southern Mexico.

Most indoor flowering houseplants are happy with the light source 10 to 12 inches away. Foliage plants, such as leafy lettuce, can be placed 36 inches away from the light source. However, closer is better. However major flowering plants vegetable plants like tomatoes, require a higher light intensity to flower and produce fruit.

Lux and lumen are photometric units, in that different wavelengths of light are weighted by the eye’s response to them. This makes them inappropriate measure of the lighting level in a horticultural lighting system. Instead, lighting levels are quantified as amount of radiation in the wavelength range from 400 to 700 nm, or photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). It can can be expressed in units of energy flux (W/m2) or photon flux (mol m-2s-1).

Plants require light levels between 100 and 800 mol

Light intensity plays a very important role in photosynthesis rates. Photosynthesis rate is the major determination in our yields. To a point, more light = more yield.

We use a light meter to measure light intensity. However, a light meter only determines how much light there is lumens (lux), not the spectrum. So we have to estimate the amount of spectrum light our plants our getting. For everything but LED grow lights, these are close to the readings to what we want at the top of the plant canopy:
15000-20000 lux – the lower end of what we want for veg growth
35000-40000 lux – what we want to try to hit this level for flowering
75000 or so lux – way too much light, you are wasting beyond this level of light intensity, saturation level

Kinds of light sources:

Fluorescent

Fluorescent lights are available in color temperatures ranging from 2700 K to 10,000 K. Standard fluorescents are usually used for growing vegetables and herbs indoors or for starting seedlings to get a jump start on spring plantings. Fluorescents have an average usable life span of about 20,000 hours. Cool white fluorescent lights are sometimes used as grow lights. High-output fluorescent lights produce twice as much light as standard fluorescent lights. A high-output fluorescent fixture (T5) has a very thin profile, making it useful in vertically limited areas.

Compact Fluorescent lights are smaller versions of fluorescent lights used for propagation, as well as for growing larger plants. Compact fluorescents work in specially designed reflectors that direct light to plants. Compact fluorescent bulbs are also available in warm/red (2700 K), full spectrum or daylight (5000 K) and cool/blue (6500 K) versions. Usable life span for compact fluorescent grow lights is about 10,000 hours.

High-output fluorescent/high-intensity discharge hybrids combine cool operation with the penetration of high intensity discharge technology. The primary advantages to these fixtures is their blend of light colors and broad even coverage and reduced electric requirements.

They are a common choice for homeowners. Fluorescent lights are reasonably energy efficient and relatively easy to install. A typical fluorescent bulb will last approximately 20,000 hours. Fluorescent light is typically on the blue end of the spectrum. Blue light encourages bushy compact growth which makes them perfect for seed starting. Blue light is also cool to the touch making it possible to place lights within just a few inches of the seedlings.

New Full-Spectrum Fluorescent Lights. Provide the red spectrum as well to encourage blooming. Combining the lights in a fixture makes for even, all around growth. The next generation in fluorescent lighting includes the new T-5 lights. These new lights have extremely high output but are energy efficient and long lasting.

The T-5 lights triple the light output of normal fluorescent lights without increasing the wattage, less heat. Plants absorb a high percentage of T-5 lighting with their fixture. High output T-5 bulbs require a high output fixture to operate.

Incandescent

Bare incandescent lights generally have a red-yellowish tone and low color temperature (approx. 2700 K). They are sometimes used to highlight indoor plant groupings but not as a true plant “growing” light. Some incandescent bulbs specifically marketed as “grow lights” come with a blue filter coating which reduces the amount of red light the bulb gives off. Such “grow lights” have a brief life expectancy of about 750 hours and are energy inefficient, producing more heat than usable light.

The least expensive lights to purchase cost around $30. These incandescent lights work well for specific plants where the light is placed a minimum of 24” from the plant. These lights get extremely hot so they must be used with care. Spot grow bulbs, color corrected incandescent lights, install easily and are good for use with a specific plant or a small grouping of plants. Most spot incandescent bulbs last less than 1,000 hours. Some light fixtures come with a clip handle so you can put them exactly where they’re needed.

LED Lights

The newest type of grow lights use LED technology. One major advantage to the LED lights is the small size. LEDs is short for Light Emitting Diodes. They were first invented in 1927. LEDs are more efficient than any other type of artificial light. LED lights sold for growers are more powerful than ever before. Within the last few years, LED grow light systems have flooded the market for indoor gardeners.

LED grow lights offer the dual benefit of low energy-consumption and low heat- generation. LED lights weigh a fraction of other lights and are easy to configure where needed. According to LED manufacturers, LED grow lights maximize blue and red light to provide and excellent balance for plants.

LED grow lights are designed to stimulate photosynthesis by providing light in the frequencies that plants primarily use for this critical biological process. Individual LEDs may contain one of 29 known combinations of elements that emit light in different colors when excited by electrons. Grow light manufacturers emphasize blue and red LEDs in their fixtures, sometimes with other colors, which gives many LED grow lights their distinctive purplish-red color. Optimizing the light spectrum helps in two ways: it enhances photosynthesis and saves energy by not generating light in colors that plants do not use.

For vegetative growth, blue LEDs are preferred, where the light has a wavelength in the mid-400 nm (nanometer) range. For growing fruits or flowers, a greater proportion of red LEDs is considered preferable, with light very near 600-640 nm, the exact number this wavelength being more critical than for the blue LED. So hopefully by using red and blue light combination, you’ll plants happy and use less energy.

LED lights are only a few inches in diameter and are easy to mount. This make LEDs more suited to be placed close to your plants for better efficiency and waste of the light.

In conclusion – How should I light up my aeroponic plants?

For indoor crops, we have so many lighting options to choose from. Each has it pros and cons.

The easiest way to go for beginners are fluorescent lights. Purchase the most High-output fluorescent light you can afford, CFL or T-5. Use 6500K daylight bulbs. For fruiting plants, begin by adding 4100K cool white bulb. When your plants begin to flower, transition to half 6500K and half 4100K lights.

If you have the money and want to keep the electricity bill down go for LEDs. To keep the cost down get a multi-colored LED module, red, blue and white.

Stay away from high intensity discharge (HID) lights, metal halide lights and high pressure sodium lights . These lights get too hot. Not only could they be a fire hazard but these lights can heat up a small room or your home to uncomfortable levels.

Keep lights close as possible to your plants without burning them. An be sure to provide at least six hours of darkness.

Aeroponic Nutrient Solution – What you must know.

Aeroponic Nutrient Solution – The Water

Water is not just water. Have you ever traveled to different locations on vacation and noticed how the taste and even the feel of the water varies.

I was fortunate to have a short stay at Mt. Shasta in California. I was amazed how well the water tasted. It was sweet. And when I bathed for the night, how good if felt on my body, nice and soft. Oh not to mention how well the soap suds during the shampooing of my hair. I did not know water could be so good right out of the faucet. I was loving it and missed it ever since.

Plants are just like us when it comes to water, most water they hate and some they love. Why is that? What kind of water do plants love and can thrive in?

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The Good News

An indoor aeroponic system uses way less water and nutrients because the plant roots are sprayed in intervals at set periods using a precise spray mist of droplets that can be utilized most efficiently by osmosis to nourish the plant. Very little excess nutrient solution is lost to evaporation or runoff.

Plant disease is minimized because the roots are left open to air, avoiding soaking in a stagnant moist medium and the root chamber can be kept sterile.

Plants hate hard water. Why?

hard-waterHard water has high levels of calcium carbonate which is dissolved in it. Ground water like well water is very hard and mostly comes from dissolved limestone. You can’t remove calcium by using a filter.

Plant roots take up nutrients by osmosis. The root membrane allows nutrients to pass through to reach the plant. Calcium is a nutrient that plants metabolize, just as salt is a nutrient humans use.

However, if we drink salt water to quench our thirst, we get more thirsty. The only way for us to get rid of the excess salt is to flush it out with water. But drinking more salt water just makes us more dehydrated and thirstier.

This is a rough analogy of basically the problem plants have growing in hard water. So even though the nutrients that the plant needs might be in the hard water it can’t get enough. For each sip of water the plant needs, it gets too much of what it does not want and has a hard time getting rid of it. This puts stress on the plant and it will not grow well.

So even though the nutrients that the plant needs might be in the hard water it can’t get enough. For each sip of water the plant needs, it gets too much of what it does not want and has a hard time getting rid of it.

Plants need the right concentration (PPM)

ec-meterAs we mentioned earlier plants take up nutrient by osmosis, for each type of plants, there’s a limit to the total dissolved concentration of all the minerals it can handle.

There are different methods to measure the dissolved nutrients in the solution or concentration. The most common way is to measure the electrical conductivity, or EC with a meter.

For example, lettuce grows best with an EC of about 1.6. Remember this is the concentration of minerals in the water, whether good or bad stuff. Let’s say the EC of your tap water before adding any nutrients is 0.3. So if you make up a nutrient solution for your aeroponic system to an EC of 1.6, nearly 19% of the things dissolved in the water is things the plant does not want. (0.3 divided by 1.6 equals 19%)

Electrical Conductivity or EC is the concentration of minerals in the water, whether bad or good minerals.

Aeroponic Nutrient Solution – The Right pH

ph-scaleHard water tends to have a high pH for most plants to grow well with. Most plants take up nutrients best when the pH is slightly acidic. Neutral pH, not acidic or basic, is 7.0. However most plants like a mild acidic pH of about 6.0. You need to know that pH is a logarithmic scale and not linear. A move from 7.0 to 6.0 is about ten times more acidic. Most hard water has a pH above 8.0, which is not ideal for plants.

Most aeroponic and hydroponic nutrients purchased will lower the pH by themselves. These nutrients assume you are starting with water that’s neutral, a pH of 7.0. So if your water is neutral, and you add these nutrients, your final solution will be down to 6.0 pH. Bingo! Which is what we want for most plants.

Roots use the Ions in water

Complicating the formula more, roots use nutrients as ions in water; positively charged cations, or negatively charged anions. An example of a cation is ammonium, NH4+, and an anion nitrate, NO3- , both important nitrogen sources for plants. As plants use the ions, the pH of the solution can change, meaning it can lean too far positive or too far negative. The optimal pH for plant growth is between 5.8 and 6.3.

In aeroponics systems where water and nutrients are recycled, it is important to measure the acid/base or pH measurement to allow plants to absorb nutrients. Aeroponic systems using spray to nourish the roots use much less liquid resulting in easier management of nutrient concentration with greater pH stability.

Finding pH 7.0

If the starting water is not neutral pH, you can purchase a pH kit to adjust it by adding base or acid until the nutrient solution is between 6.0 to 6.5 range. This might take some fiddling around but is the way to go for healthy plant growth.

Rain water is generally close to the ideal neutral pH of 7.0 and the most natural and cheapest way to go. However, depending on where you live air pollution, birds, and dust all could affect the quality of the water. So if you’re living in the middle of Los Angeles, think twice before using rain water.

If you don’t have access to rain water or your tap water is poor, you can use distilled water. You can either purchase it from your local store or buy a distiller. The process is quite easy. When you convert water into water vapor or steam, the calcium carbonate is left behind along with other imparities. What you get after the vapor condenses is just plain old H2O, water with a pH of 7.0.

Another process to make good water is by reverse-osmosis, RO. These system produce good water by wasting some water. These systems can be installed in most kitchens but require monthly maintenance. If neglected, it will produce bad water, and most have high concentrations of nitrogen.

By the way, the garden lingo for nutrients is nutes. So if you are ask what kind of nutes you want, they are not asking to sell you nuke bombs.

Nutrient parts

Nutes come in different packaging styles: one-part, two-part and three-part. The one-part nutes could come in liquid or dry forms.

One of the oldest and still the best nutrients are the three-part Flora The. bottles of concentration come in three ways: Micro, Grow and bloom. With this system, you mix up the nutrients by adding the concentrations to water in different proportions based on the life stage of the plant’s growth.

You might be thinking why not just mix the three bottle together into one and make it easier to deal with. There’s a problem with this.

If the nutrients are not added to the water in the right order, they will react with each other in a bad way. The nutrient mix could become nutrient lockout. The result is a mixture that wouldn’t be usable for plant growth.

So when making these multi-part nutes, add the concentrations to the water in the right amount and order.

The nutrients in Aeroponic Plant Food for Vegetables

Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are present in air and water. Water may contain a variety of elements according to your local treatment plant additions and should be factored into your final conductivity factor. Rain water should have an EC of 0.0.

Primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and are used by plants in different amounts according to the growth stage. Secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, and micro-nutrients are iron, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, and chlorine.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the pH and the EC should be monitored for optimal plant growth. These will change as the nutrient solution is being used, and as it ages. So check the nutrient weekly and make changes for the type of plant growing in your aeroponic system. Your pH should stay in the 5.5 to 6.5 range. Use rain or distilled water with a neutral pH of 7.0.

How to Make Your Own High Pressure Aeroponics System

Know what it takes to build your own High Pressure Aeroponics (HPA)

Gathering information on HPA is very important before building your own system. We can learn a lot from other people’s mistakes and just avoid heartaches. Why go through the school of hard knocks if someone else has done it already? The problem we have is knowing what information is good advice while others are poor. So let’s talk about some of my research here.

First let’s set this straight that true aeroponics is high pressure. It happens to be more complicated but the most rewarding when it comes to plant growth.
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The design of HPA can be traced to 1970. However, NASA revolutionized in the 1990s by reporting it as the most efficient way to grow plants in outer space. Many studies have proven the benefits of growing plants in an aeroponic system, both on Earth and in space.

Here are some of the benefits – PROS:

  1. It uses up to 98% less water than conventional growing methods
  2. The nutrients used are 1/3 the amount needed for hydroponics and soil growing methods
  3. We can plant more plants in a closer spacing
  4. There is no cost for any soil
  5. Some crops can produce up to four harvests annually rather than just two.

Even though aeroponics sound great there are a few downfalls – CONS:

  1. There are more pieces or parts to purchase compare to other growing methods
  2. It uses an expensive high pressure pump
  3. HPA requires close monitoring and maybe frequent maintenance, mainly clogged spray head due to salt buildup.
  4. The system depends on electricity to keep it running
  5. Relative short failures of the system could lead to loss of your whole crop in minutes instead of hours.

Now, let’s talk about the specifics of building an HPA (High Pressure Aeroponics) system.

There are basically two types of aeroponics

One that NASA produced HPA (High Pressure Aeroponics), and the LPA (Low Pressure Aeroponics) lower cost system. LPA systems are the most common used and built by DIYers.

LPA systems use a standard magdrive pump couple to some PVC or tubing, and a few miniature sprinkler heads. The water spray from an LPA sprinkler head has large droplets that surround the plant roots. LPAs generally run the system 24 hours and 7 days a week, continually wetting the roots. The works well, and are cheap and easy to build. However they are not as efficient as HPA systems.

HPA systems must operate at a high pressure, normally above 80 PSI, ideal is 100 PSI. The high pressure is used to atomize the water through a small orifice to create water droplets of 50 microns or less in diameter. One micron is one-millionth of a meter. The average diameter of human hair is 80 microns. So we are talking about a really tiny water drop. HPA also must run on a much accurate time cycle. HPAs might run 1 to 5 seconds on, and then off 3 to 5 minutes. Specific components are required in controlling the timing interval and creating the proper size mist.

Droplet size

NASA research has shown that plants are more willing to absorb nutrient water in 5 to 50 microns droplets more effectively than any other sizes. Water droplet size is crucial for sustaining aeroponic growth. Too large of a water droplet means less oxygen is available to the root system. Too fine of a water droplet, such as those generated by the ultra-sonic mister, produce excessive root hair without developing a lateral root system for sustained growth in an aeroponic system.

In review, HPAs require high pressure to operate properly for producing the optimal 50 micron droplet size from the misters. Also, HPAs need precise timers that are adjustable down to seconds.

The components of our system:

As mentioned earlier, NASA as shown that plants ae more willing to absorb water in the 5 to 50 microns. Therefore, it is for this understanding that HPA (High Pressure Aeroponics) is more efficient than the most common Low Pressure Aeroponics system.

Again, to achieve the optimal conditions for plant development, it requires some primary components and tools.
The basic components of our HPA are as follows:

  1. High-Pressure water pump
  2. Pre-Pressurize Accumulator Tank
  3. Electrical-Solenoid hooked to an adjustable relay timer
  4. Pressure switch
  5. Mister nozzles

High-Pressure water pump

High Pressure Aeroponics require a PUMP that can produce enough to pressurize the water to produce the ideal droplet size of 20 to 50 microns. These pumps are generally diaphragm pumps or reverse osmosis booster pumps. The pump must produce a steady 80 P.S.I. at your required nutrient flow. So look for a pump that can generate 100 psi or more. Some are using the Aquatec 8800 RO Booster pump. It can produce a maximum of 150 psi, so it gives you some play room. Its relatively cheap compared to other pump costs and its quieter when runnig.. The Aquatec 6800 RO Booster pump is also a good option as it can create 100 psi. However, verify you purchase it with the right regulator, and it is set for 80 to 100 psi. It’s difficult to change it later.
With most moderate systems with an accumulator, this pump will work. For larger HPA systems or if you plan to expand your system down the road, buy the Shur-flow pumps. They are used in carpet cleaners and soda machines and is a dependable brand.

Pre-Pressurized Accumulator tank

These tanks are used in many homes on well water and in travel trailers (RVs) to help maintain water pressure in the pipes They. prevent the pump overworking every time water is called for at a faucet.
These accumulator tanks have rubber bladder that can expand and contract with water and pressure. This bladder creates two spaces in the tank; one of liquid and one of pressurized air.

A little physics here. You can not compress water, but you can compress air. If the accumulator tanks were filled to the very top you will find you will have no water pressure to get the water out. So for these tanks to work, there always has to be some top space in the tank to hold just air to build pressure.

Once the pump fills it with water, the accumulator will be able to let out pre-pressurized water, using the air pressure as a driving force to move the water out when a faucet is turned on.

So you may be thinking why we need a tank if we have a pump that can create the water pressure for the HPA system? Why spend the time and money on an accumulator tank?

Well, let see why?

The pump is easily the most expensive part of HPAs so extending the life of the pump is going to cut down on long-term costs. So the first benefit of the tank is too reduce the fatigue and demands of the pump, less use, more pump life, it’s that simple.
But more importantly, the accumulator tank serves another purpose in creating an instant and constant pressure once the solenoid opens so that the spray heads can operate for short intervals with the exact pressure, they need to produce 30 to 50 micron droplets. If the pump was directly connected to your misters instead of going through the accumulator tank, there would be a brief period of time where the pressure would be lower than 100 psi, and this slow start pressure would create droplet sizes greater than our 50 micron range.

Examples of some accumulator tanks are Well-x-trol tanks. They are specifically designed to do exactly what we want in HPAs. Some common ones are about 2 gallons in size, however, you can use different sizes. The smaller ones save space or larger tank to make sure the pump has less of a running cycle.
Somethings to consider choosing a tank size
Keep in mind for larger tanks is that the larger the tank, the more “stagnant” the solution may become if you oversized it to system demands because the same solution will sit in the tank for long periods of time.

Larger tanks take more solution. So if you need to change your nutrients before the tank empties out, it will go to waste, if it can’t be recycled. Once you add water to your nutrients, it becomes volatile and starts to break down. So check with the supplier and ask what’s the usable life of a mixed solution.

Smaller tanks hold less per a given pressure and tend to drop fast if your system has heavy demands. This will force your pump to run more frequent.

***CAUTION: Always install a pressure release valve on your accumulator tank. If the pump or pressure-switch malfunctions and doesn’t shut-off properly, the tank could become a bomb and explode. The pressure release valve will prevent increases in pressure beyond a certain point. This is a very important safety feature!

An Electrical SOLENOID

An Electrical SOLENOID is simply the item in HPAs that will start and stop the water flow to the system when the timer turns off and on. It is an electronically operated shut-off valve. You plug in the solenoid into a relay timer circuit. The timer will control when the solenoid opens and closes, and when the plants receive their nutrients.
This system is not much different than an automatic lawn sprinkler system. So if you understand your lawn system, you know what this is all about.

Timers for running the solenoid are best when accurate down to 1 second “on” times, and “off” times in the minutes range. One timer to use is the ART DNe Recycle Timer, but there are many other brands that can be used. I plan to build my timer based on the Aurdiono.

The PRESSURE SWITCH.

This component if what controls the pressure to the whole system. It is either purchased separately or is built into the pump as a unit. The Aquatec 8800 doesn’t have a pressure switch so be sure to purchase it separately.

The pressure switch tells the pump at what pressure to turn on and at what pressure to turn off. It’s that simple. What does is sense the water pressure in the line and when the pressure is low, it turns on the electricity to the pump, as the pump is running the pressure climbs. Once the pressure reaches the set point the pressure switch turns the electricity off. The pump stops running.
If you want your accumulator to be maximally pressured at 100 psi, but to be no lower than say 80 psi, then you set the pressure switch to activate the pump at 80 psi and turn off at 100 psi. Again, pretty simple.

The Aquatec company manufactures pressure switches made specifically for its Reverse-Osmosis pumps, and they can come pre-set to 80 psi cut-off, which is what you want to use.

The Spray Misters

Atomization is achieved by pumping water through nozzles at high pressure. Nozzles come in different spray patterns and orifices. Larger nozzles and orifices reduce the chance of clogging but need pressure to operate and have high-flow rates. This is not good if we are trying to save on our nutrients and cost of operation.

Selecting nozzles that produce the droplet size needed will provide adequate coverage at the intended rate and pressure. For most HPA applications choose a full-cone nozzle pattern.

Droplet size in a given spray may vary from sub-microns to thousands of microns. These droplets are categorized in different classifications. For HPA the classification is fine-atomization a fine mist of 10 to 100 um.

Fixed nozzles have certain velocity or pressure ranges of effectiveness. It makes since that higher pressure nozzles have high velocities. Caution is needed here. Such velocities have the power to cut off fine root hairs in an HPA system. So stay away from these types of nozzles.

Use a fine-mesh filter prior to your misting nozzles to prevent clogging.
Hydro-atomize water and nutrient solutions to 5-50 micron droplet range Spray. Jet nozzles with 0.025″ orifice operating at 80 to 100 psi should deliver droplets of 5 – 50 microns at a rate of 0.08 fl. oz. per second.

Hydro-atomize water and nutrient solutions to 5-25 micron droplets.
Spray Jet with 0.016″ Orifice operating at 80 to 100 psi should deliver droplets of 5 – 25 microns at a rate of 0.04 fl. oz. per second.

You bet, there’s a lot to grasp

Now, this system may seem overwhelming to you at first. I cannot tell you how many hours it took me to find enough resources to verify the items needed to make a HPAs, but it took a good deal of time over the past few months. Keep in mind that once you understand the above components though, the rest is just connecting tubing to the parts.

However, since I love computers and electronics, the system I build will be much more complicated than what’s needed or called for. My system will not just run as an HPA but will also be self-monitoring. Meaning my system will know the temperatures, humidity, light, and spray intervals. All of this information will get logged and store automatically and be used to tweak the system.

The Right Place for Your Aeroponics System

Site Selection for your aeroponics system

Give careful consideration to the following macro environmental parameters and conditions. A lack of any of these environment conditions or parameters can hinder the system to grow plants in air.

Light:

Based on the variety of plants you want to grow, try to find a place of eight to 16 hours of adequate lighting. Ask yourself, would a potted plant grow at this site? If the answer is yes to these questions, it is highly probable the site is suitable for your aeroponics system. If lighting is an issue, be prepared to supplement it with grow lights.
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Your light source should provide a light spectrum suitable for growing indoor plants. Aim for eight hours (minimum) to 16 hours of light. Most research finds this to be a good range. Remember lighting times may need to be adjusted based on the growing stage of the plant.

Continuous lighting can help to increase plant growth. This might seem strange to us humans who sleep, but the light can be left on for 24 hours without harming most plants. Place the light source close to the plants but in a position that will not overheat the plant or cause dry out. Stay away from hot lamps that could cause fires. As the plants gain in size, relocate the light source to stay just above the foliage canopy.

Water Source:

Use distilled or RO (reverse osmosis) water only. Stay far away from using spring or drinking water. Have a gallon on hand for topping-off your system when needed. Definitely, DO NOT use well water or tap water, their contents my cause variations in the aeroponic water solutions’ chemistry. If possible store the water in a dark place, away from sun-light.

Air movement:

Is there air movement suitable for growing plants? It has been proven that plants do better in a light breeze than very stable stagnant air.

Sanitation:

If you anticipate that pests are going to be a problem (such as white flies, spider mites and aphids), use a vapor shield and a natural
liquid biocontrols. Use Clorox for disinfecting all your tools and containers prior to adding to your aeroponic system.
If you have outdoor pets that have access to your home, realize they have the potential to be a carrier for introducing problems to your system.

Temperature:

The temperature range for fast growth is 72° (minimum) to 86°F (22.2° -30 °C). Excessive temperatures may dehydrate the plants.
It is important to keep in mind that, as in nature, low temperatures will delay plant growth, and higher temperatures will accelerate it.

Moisture Levels:

Seeds and plants require different moisture levels than some others. The spray interval (period between sprays) and duration (spray period)
should be properly set. These parameters will vary between plant species. Moisture levels will also need adjustments during the stages of plant growth. The progression is normally more moisture at the start of the growth cycle to less as your plants reach maturity.

Review – The ideal environment for the aeroponics system is:

· Photo Period range: 8 to 16 hours of light
· Room Temperature range: 72°F (22.2°C) to 86°F (30°C)
· Light Source: Artificial (grow lights) or sunlight or combination, continuous if feasible
· Sanitation: Keep it clean and pest free
· Moisture levels: Adjust as plant reaches maturity.

Plant Transpiration in Aeroponics

So, what is plant transpiration?

Plant transpiration is the process where moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves has it changes to water vapor and released back into the atmosphere. Plant transpiration is really evaporation of water from plant leaves. It’s the way plants perspires.
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Transpiration and plant leaves

Plants grow roots down into the soil to draw water and nutrients up into the plant stems and leaves. Some of this water is returned to the atmosphere by transpiration. The amount of transpiration varies widely depending on weather conditions, such as temperature, humidity, sunlight, precipitation, and soil type.

How much water do plants transpire?

Plant transpiration is an invisible process, since the water is evaporating from the leaf surfaces you can not see the leaves “sweating”. Even though it’s not noticed, during the growing stage, a leaf will transpire many times more water than its own weight. For instance, an acre of corn gives off about 3,000-4,000 gallons of water each day, and a large oak tree can transpire 40,000 gallons per year.

What does transpiration mean for aeroponic growers? It means every square foot of aeroponics growing has the potential to transpire 1 1/3 cups of water per day. However, for most crops grown indoors it more like 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water per day per square foot.

As the temperature climbs so does the transpiration:

Transpiration rates go up as the temperature goes up, especially during the growing season, when the air is warmer due to stronger sunlight and warmer air masses. Higher temperatures cause the plant cells which control the openings (stoma) where water is released to the atmosphere to open, whereas colder temperatures cause the openings to close.

As the humidity climbs, transpiration drops:

As the relative humidity of the air surrounding the plant rises the transpiration rate falls. It is easier for water to evaporate into dryer air than into more saturated air. As plant growth progresses in an aeroponics system, the humidity will rise. Therefore, the transpiration will slow down. So the plant requires less misting of the roots.

More air movement increases transpiration:

Increased movement of the air around a plant will result in a higher transpiration rate. This is somewhat related to the relative humidity of the air. As water transpires from a plant leaf, the water saturates the air surrounding the leaf. If there is no wind, the air around the leaf may not move very much, raising the humidity of the air around the leaf. With some wind movement, the more saturated air close to the leaf is blown away and replaced with drier air, thus increasing more transpiration.

Dry roots drastically drops transpiration:

When moisture is lacking in the root zone of an aeroponics system, plants begin to senesce. This is like premature ageing, which can result in leaf loss. Sick or no leaves on the plant leads to less or no transpiration, sadly the death of your plant.

Aeroponics Misting Frequency for Root Growth

Aeroponics Misting Frequency for Root Growth

True aeroponics use a mist of nutrients over the plant roots inside a dark growing chamber. The nutrient and spray interval will produce fast growth rates, high yields and healthy roots, as long as the root chamber is kept at temperatures between 62F to 71F with good stability.

Some of the more complicated aeroponics systems are temperature controlled. The temperature is continually monitored in the root zone of the plant. When the temperature exceeds preset thresholds, the controller triggers the misters to activate to bring the temperature down.
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When moisture is lacking in the root zone of an aeroponics system, plants can begin to senesce (premature ageing, which can result in leaf loss) and transpire less water.  Proper misting on the right schedule will prevent drying of the roots.

Simple regular interval misting method

One way to deliver nutrient spray to the roots of an aeroponic system is to use a regular, interval misting cycle. A set time is used to spray the roots for fixed durations. Some mist for three to five seconds every 5 minutes. However, this cycle can change depending on the growth stage. This technique which could change or never change during the life of the crop insures the plant roots  do not dry out. The emphasis is a regular cycle of nutrient to deliver fresh aerated food to the root, with keep in temperatures down.

So why mist only for a few seconds? Is not more better? No! The absolute perfect misting cycle will first keep the root hairs close to 100% relative humidity without much excess nutrient dripping from roots.

You only want damp roots, not dripping after a feeding. The science behind high pressure aeroponics (HPA) is to barely moisten the roots then repeat before they get too dry. This maximizes nutrient uptake.

Keep it short and sweet

Short feed or mist cycles, less than five seconds, help to prevent the ability of the 50 micron atomized droplets to recombine on the root hairs. The longer the  spray interval is per a feeding cycle the more time the droplets have to recombine into larger droplets, which defeats the purpose of a high pressure aeroponics system.

What you would like to achieve is to mist the roots just before the previous misting cycle has dried. This will encourage the fastest absorption of nutrients through the root cell walls. And guess what, this is where the low pressure systems fail terribly.

Good misting conditions

With the proper nutrient temperature and oxygen levels in the root chamber, the plant root system will NOT become water logged or root rot diseased.

The root system using a continual misting will NOT produce healthy root hairs and high yields of plant material. Continuous misting eliminates the problems of root drying out between root cycles and is one way of ensuring temperatures in the root system are stable.

However, continuous misting can introduce some problems if the system is not properly designed. Some of these are heating, lack of oxygen, clog misters and more nutrient expense.

Remember that continuous misting or low pressure areoponics is just a glorified deep water culture system and does not work the same or provide the same results as a high pressure system on an interval timer for feeding.

Vary the misting intervals

A good Aeroponic timer give the ability to control the duration of the misting time (how long the misters are on) down to seconds and control the frequency of the misters (how long the misters are off).

By changing the cycle misting timer during the plant growing stages of life, you’ll receive better production without any other improvement in the system. This is based on applying more oxygen to the root zone than continuous misting can achieve. Less is actually more beneficial than more when it comes to misting your roots.

Follow these points when using this method of misting:

  1. Remember, there is not just one set point for the misting interval. The duration of the nutrient mist needed is largely dependent on the plant, the stage of the plant growth and more importantly the temperature of the root zone.
  2. Different growing environments require different misting cycles. You need to experiment or depend on others with the same system and crop to achieve extreme growth. When adjusting the misting times, do it slowly and gradually over a few days, never in one big step that could shock the plant. Maybe set the misting for three seconds ON and three minutes OFF. Observe the plant’s reactions, take copious notes and log any changes, whether good or bad. Increase the misting OFF period, see what happens. Decrease the misting ON period and see what happens. Do this weekly. Watch for signs of root wilting or color change. Try and repeat this program weekly.  Most plants start with a heavy misting cycle during its initial grow and less toward the flowering or fruit stage. You could end up with one second of misting and five minutes of no misting.
  3. Another benefit of an adjustable misting program is the ability to grow plants in all stages of its life. When propagating in an aeroponic system, newly clipped clones need to be constantly mist until roots develop.In the flowering stage, plants need oxygen intake to the root system to maintain its healthy appearance.
  4. Besure to keep a close eye on the root development in the aeroponic chamber. Even a slight drying of the root system will result in tissue damage and may lead to pathogen diseases.
  5. You must use a quality sediment free nutrient in the system for both day and night time feeding. This is important to prevent spray misters from clogging. Remember in aeroponics, the PPM (EC or concentration) in the nutrient solution needs to be less than any other soil-less systems. The root intakes the nutrient much easier and faster in an aeroponic system.

Other factors controlling nutrient uptake of roots

Most plants take up nutrients both day and night.

Temperature changes control nutrient absorption by influencing transpiration. As long the humidity is moderate, higher temperatures will increase transpiration, and the plant will demand more misting nutrient.

The ideal root zone calls for it to be slightly cooler than the plant zone during the day. Warmer temperatures in the root zone not only encourages diseases but will shut down photosynthesis and transpiration and reduce the nutrient used by the plant. The plant is shutting down.

Calcium is taken up during the nights while root pressure permits more water uptake. This allows for calcium to be carried into the plant tissue.

Aeroponic root development

Plant roots in a high pressure aeroponic system will commonly be thin and branched. Due to the mist droplet size, aeroponic roots are fine and fluffy root hairs with a light color appearance. So monitor your roots for very fluffy, fine, bright white root hairs to signal good health and development.

Airgrow Aeroponics Growing Tower

Revolutionary aeroponic vertical  growing system

AirGrown is a new aeroponics company that has developed the Airgown tower. The grow tower is a closed-loop system in a vertical stand. The vertical tower sits on a reservoir containing water and a plant nutrient solution which is misted on the plant’s roots.
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Thirty plant sites

The tower has dedicated “plant sites” allowing 30 separate plants to grow on a single vertical column. Since neither soil nor growing medium is used there is nothing for weeds to grow. Spraying with herbicides is not necessary and no toxic chemicals are left on the produce.

Vertical growing systemThe inventor

Robert Scott Simmons from Indiantown of Florida is the inventor of Airgrow towers. The patent for the system was filed on September 11, 2009 and granted on July 24, 2012.

Mother helped me

After creating early models that worked, but about which his mother said he needed a better design, he eventually built the now patented aeroponics system. It includes a tower with conical tiers to house plants, a liquid nutrient reservoir, a pump to transport the nutrients and a power supply.

“Rrobert’s mom said it was too ugly and tall originally, so I created a personal garden system specifically designed for her,” he says. “She loves it and still plays with it every day.”

The business

Simmons’ residential aeroponics unit can hold 30 plants and a industrial version fits 60 per cubic yard. He’s marketing the towers through his business, Airgrow.

“Aeroponics offers much better solutions for growing food—you get away from herbicides and you can use organic pesticides,” he says. “We have to stop poisoning the Earth and ourselves. This opens the door for new science at a time when it’s definitely needed. Aeroponics is how we’re going to feed ourselves.”

Followed NASA in aeroponics

Robert’s AirGrown tower is a revolutionary vertical aeroponic plant growing system that provides economic benefits to the farming industry. Using aeroponic technology developed by NASA, the AirGrown system uses no growing medium and grows the root systems in a fine mist. With the AirGrown vertical aeroponic growing system plants can grow up to 45% faster than traditional farming methods.

Vegatables cleaner, tastier

Robert’s plants yield cleaner, safer, tastier, and more aromatic produce. The AirGrown vertical tower is engineered to maximize food production in the smallest horizontal footprint and can be established in difficult or harsh environments where growing produce is hard or too expensive.

Good job Robert

My comment is that I’m happy for Robert. I am sure you invested much time and money in developing the Airgrow tower. My question for you is how affordable is your system for the struggling family fighting to feed their family healthy when junk food is cheaper.