Vertical Aeroponic garden

[slowz1k]

Last spring I purchased a vertical aeroponic garden. I'm still doing the yearly traditional soil garden, but I really wanted to try one of these to see what kind of yield I could get. The down side to this system::::
1. It uses electricity for the water pump that is timed to turn on 15 to 30 minutes every hour depending on the time of day and time of year. (less at night, and cooler weather)
2. You have to purchase the nutrient solutions to mix in the reservoir.

The benefits of this system:
1. It's stupid easy to do.
2. Plants grow at astronomical rates.
3. With grow lights you can bring it inside for year round production.
4. You get high yields for an extremely small foot print. (42 tomato's off of this one, last year)
5. Other than keeping the reservoir filled and PH levels in spec, there is no Maintenance.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk95/slowz1k/TowerProgress_zpstnrvfepp.jpg (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/slowz1k/media/TowerProgress_zpstnrvfepp.jpg.html)

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk95/slowz1k/IMG_1389_zpsvho1j2ds.jpg (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/slowz1k/media/IMG_1389_zpsvho1j2ds.jpg.html)

This is a shot of one of the baskets as I was cleaning out the old tomato plants last fall. LotOroots!

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk95/slowz1k/IMG_1450_zpsfen0svhg.jpg (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/slowz1k/media/IMG_1450_zpsfen0svhg.jpg.html)

[helomech]

I do aquaponics which is similar, but uses fish instead of adding nutrients.

[bacpacker]

Have you taken any measurements on how much power they use? Also how much do the nutrients cost?

I would really like to set something up in the basement to run thru the winter.

[robsdak]

this is really cool. i wished i had time/space to do it. i would be a neat thing to have going. other than the lights, it could be set to run off a small solar/battery set-up. being that the pumps consume very little power and only run twice an hour.

[slowz1k]

Have you taken any measurements on how much power they use? Also how much do the nutrients cost?

I would really like to set something up in the basement to run thru the winter.

I have no idea how much juice the pump pulls. Like robsdak said, it cant be much. It's nothing more than a somewhat large aquarium pump.
Nutrients cost $40.00 for enough to treat 200 gallons. (about 1 season, or 3/4 of a HOT season) it does evaporate.
I like helomech's idea of having the fish do the nutrients. I just don't have room for a tilapia tank.

[robsdak]

Have you taken any measurements on how much power they use? Also how much do the nutrients cost?

I would really like to set something up in the basement to run thru the winter.


I have no idea how much juice the pump pulls. Like robsdak said, it cant be much. It's nothing more than a somewhat large aquarium pump.
Nutrients cost $40.00 for enough to treat 200 gallons. (about 1 season, or 3/4 of a HOT season) it does evaporate.
I like helomech's idea of having the fish do the nutrients. I just don't have room for a tilapia tank.



have to see the pump, but doubt it's more than a universal pump, like what you would use in a fountain in the yard. well depending on the size of said fountain. see fellas ' size does matter'... LMAO! :p

[bacpacker]

I wasn't sure what kind of pump was used. Using LED lights, if you can find the correct wavelength for plant growing, flowering, fruiting, would cut lighting cost way down. I would guess to maybe 25% from Incandesant.

I will be researching this to see how feasible it would be for me to get something set up by late fall.

[ElevenBravo]

I think this thread has a LOT of great ideas with multiple routes!

I am very interested in the OP's setup, would love to hear more and read more. Even a 10min "teach me" video on youtube would be great!!

I once grew tomatoes out of a bucket, from a 2" hold I cut in the bottom. I just hung them outside, watered from time to time... I never got many cherry tomatoes in the house, ended up eating my entire pick before I crossed the yard! Delicious!

EB