Aeroponic Space Shuttle

[Earl]

The 6 inch tubes are 36 inches long.

The grow area is 3X3

It would be easy to expand this another foot and grow 6 plants.

The tubes in the rez on the right
are 1/4 inch lower
than the tubes mounted in rez on the left.

This allows the pumps to be all in the high side rez
and that keeps it free of roots that follow the flow.

This is the low side rez.

Some root still try to grow back into the pump side rez

But most of the roots end up in the low side rez.

Some of the parts

The spray pump.

This is a smaller pump so you can see some of the deatail.

A Jamaican Baby in the aero tube before the insulation,

Jamaican all grown up and ready to chop.

Afghan in the aero tube with insulation over the tubes to help the chiller.

The chiller

The chiller return line acts like a waterfall,

Each side holds 10 gls
for a total of 20gls.

I only grow four plants at a time, so the rez volume is 5gls/plant.
I am able to achieve very stable nute solutions.

I use RO water,
and I have a 40gl RO rez connected to a float valve
that maintains a constant water level in the nute rez.

The cross flow tubes at the bottom of both rez' ,
allow the solution to return to the pump side.

 

[fdd2blk]

very well done. looks like you spent some time doing it right. i love the root shots.

 

[VictorVIcious]

Professional looking setup. I'd be interested in the float valve control if you could share some pictures and parts detaill. Are you uusing any thing to auto fill the ro reservoir?? VV

 

[email468]

very cool! looks like it works well. I like how the roots are trained.

 

[Earl]

Thanks guys I'm glad you like it.


This is the way I start seeds
for the space shuttle
and is the reccomended method by all seed dealers.

I like the coco coir starter plugs. These are four years old and still good as new. I do not re-use them.

I use Hydroton clay pellets. I do re-use these.

Place the plug in the bottom of a three inch net pot
and hold it like this so you can scoop the clay pellets into it.

Notice that with the plug on the bottom, this will give us room to add clay pellets once the plant is larger. This will help block light from the stem.

Flush/Rinse the net pot with clay pellets,
until the water runs clear out the bottom.

Next fill your tub with tap water just to the bottom of the net pots
when they are positioned like this pic.
Mark the water level inside the tub with a pencil.

When you place the lid down,
this will position the net pots
at the appropriate level.

Poor the tap water out,
and replace with RO or Distilled water.

Keep the water at this pencil mark level mark until the seeds sprout
and roots are showing from the bottom of the net cups.

With the tub full of water at the appropriate level,
put the seed in the coco coir plug.
I use the screw driver that came with my ph pen.
First, I make a new "hole" with the screw driver,
and then push the seed into the smaller hole until it just barely disappears below the surface.

If you use the hole in the center of the plug, the seed will fall too low and have a harder time sprouting.

If your net pots are just submerged in the water, they will stay wet and your beans should sprout in three to four days. After a week they should look like this and be ready to move into your growing system.

Growing more plants?, use a larger tub with more holes.
Move the plants into your growing system after they are a week old
and start feeding 1/4 strenght nutes.

If you are going to continue with DWC,
lower the water level to the bottom of the net pots,
after the sprout has roots showing.
Add your bubbles
and 1/4 strenght nutes for the first week.

After adding nutes then adjust the pH

DO NOT adjust the pH of the RO water before addding nutes.
DO NOT add nutes before the sprout has it first set of serated leaves.

 

[Earl]

Sorry about the color.

 

[VictorVIcious]

why, it looks awesome, oh yeah, I'm partially color blind. lol VV

 

[Earl]

 

[cybersholt]

glad to see another aero grower here, awesome setup you got i'm going to build one similar in a month or so. I have a commercial built aero setup right now. How well does that chiller work, i may need one in the summer. but all in all i look foward to watching this one.

 

[Earl]

The chiller is awesome.

I am going to expand the system
and move the chiller
when this grow is finished
in about 6 weeks.

 

[Earl]

I added a 48" t-12 fixture,
with two 40 watt Iguana lamps.
This has 7% uvb at 12 inches.

I also swapped out two 400w HPS bulbs
with two Sunmaster Cool Deluxe MH 400w bulbs,
in two of my digital ballast.

 

[Garden Knowm]

OH earl, I love your roots!!!!


SWEET PHOTOS BRO!!

 

[Earl]

Thanks for checking out my grow.

Here is some more root porn for you guys n girls.

This plant is growing some very skinny leaves for an Indica.

 

[Garden Knowm]

I wish you were in CALI.. I'd love to come feast my camera on that!!

iloveyou

 

[sgtpeppr]

That thing is pretty badass.

 

[BoostJunkie]

why did you switch from the nutradip 3 way meter, to the milwaukee meters? im about to purchase a nutradip, any issues?

 

[Earl]

The tds on the trimeter went to shit.

I am very disappointed in the trimeter.

I am using it for a pH meter on another grow. But what a waste.

 

[BoostJunkie]

was it the probe? or the screen, because ive heard of screen issues, but you can always buy a new probe.

 

[Earl]

The pH probe is detachable. The tds probe is not.

I don't think it is the probe.

The tds will not calibrate,
and it reads way off from my two other meters.

This trimeter is less than two months old.

Screw the Chinese and their junky electronics.

As long as I have a choice,
I will try to avoid buying chinese crap again.

My Milwaukee meters are made in Romania.

 

[SnowWhite]

fuck man....that is a REALLY nice setup you got going there!

btw...I have the same CRAPPY chinese trimeter thing. Got it cheap off eBay. What can I say....you get what you pay for. I find the EC more reliable than the PH. The PH gives fuicking crazy readings. Good job I got it mostly for EC as I have a reliable PH pen already.

With my Trimeter you can only measure PH and then measure EC/PPM etc, you can't do both together or the readings go really wacky! Wish I hadn't wasted my money. Should of spent a bit more on some proper instruments!