Greenhouse hydroponics

[YYZ Skinhead]

Has anyone grown in a greenhouse using some sort of hydro rig? My greenhouse shall be electrified so I figured I may as well try an aeroponic getup, possibly a drip rig. I have all the gear for both. I have a collection of free beans from various orders that I can use to experiment.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

The problem is keeping your res water cool enough.

 

[docfishwrinkle]

set up a chiller. i'd over size it a touch as you will be fighting greenhouse temps

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Doc is right--a chiller would be the easiest way to go, but probably expensive. I am not sure what your temps are like, but I would advise on really oversizing a chiller if you decide to go this way. My greenhouse can get 100 real easy. I do need to say that I have never looked at chillers--are they rated to bring a given quantity of water down x number of degrees? You could most likely figure out how large a chiller you would need based on your ambient temps, the quantity of water you needed to cool, and the number of degrees you need to bring the temperatures down.

You could also think about some kind of underground reservoir. It is amazing how much cooler it is 3' or so underground.

Curious why you are thinking of hydro outside? Hydro has more to do with the lack of soil as a medium than it does the way you water. Drip doesn't need to be hydro...I use a soaker hose set-up on a timer to water my outside girls.

 

[docfishwrinkle]

Yes the underground idea is awesome. Might be a challenge to clean though.

 

[YYZ Skinhead]

Basically it is herd animal curiosity. I want to take advantage of the fact that sunshine is free (for now). In addition I want to see if aero and drip rigs make the plants grow bigger and faster than potted Fox Farm.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

YYZ, have you run hydro before...I can't remember? As someone who has done a whole lot of hydro...I'd say that "No, I don't think that you can get bigger and better with outdoor hydro." Hydro can be difficult as it is so critical to keep your pH, PPMs, and res temps within certain, fairly narrow parameters. I see this as a big challenge outdoors for the small hobby grower. One small mistake and you can kill your plants overnight. Aero also presents extra potential problems as I personally find that a lot of the misters can clog fairly easily. I tried aero several times, but never had anything that I felt was really dependable.

And like I said, drip is not necessarily hydro. In fact, most drip systems are used in soil grows, not hydro. You can use that free sunshine with any type of grow.

 

[YYZ Skinhead]

YYZ, have you run hydro before...I can't remember? As someone who has done a whole lot of hydro...I'd say that "No, I don't think that you can get bigger and better with outdoor hydro." Hydro can be difficult as it is so critical to keep your pH, PPMs, and res temps within certain, fairly narrow parameters. I see this as a big challenge outdoors for the small hobby grower. One small mistake and you can kill your plants overnight. Aero also presents extra potential problems as I personally find that a lot of the misters can clog fairly easily. I tried aero several times, but never had anything that I felt was really dependable.

And like I said, drip is not necessarily hydro. In fact, most drip systems are used in soil grows, not hydro. You can use that free sunshine with any type of grow.

My first hydro rig was an aeroponic one from Foothill Hydro near North Hollywood. The seller had been given it but he had a preference for soil. It worked well in San Francisco, where the tap water is clean, but the water in So Cal is so hard it can break bones. I have done both aero and drip and what you said is 100% accurate, that hydro is high-maintenance and everything has to be MEGA precise. And with aero you perpetually have to check the misters because they are indeed prone to clogging.

I had no idea that drip rigs weren't always hydro, i.e. without soil. When I think "drip" I think of mesh cups, aquarium heaters and hydrocorn because all the drip rigs that I have built have been soilless. I still like building and running Rubbermaid hydro tanks, but after reading what you wrote I think that I shall confine my hydro grows to indoors.