QWAK,Now can the DUCK grow FOOD?

[GOLD DUCK]

QWAK,I finished seting up the Green house there are 7 independent hydroponic units, 5 are out of odds and ends but two are made from off the shelf parts and can easaly be duplicated and scaled up just by increasing the number of tanks.
I planted a bunch of stuff,watermelons,pumpkins,sqwash,peas,
radishes,onyons and letuce. NOW we will see if the automated garden can actualy grow FOOD! :)
Check out the pictures!
http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=40499909/a=42015607/t_=42015607
I am sure tecnique is important and it just may be that building it all the equipment may be the EASY PART!:cheerful:
LOL
the DUCK

[Earth&Man]

Nice setup there Duck, you may have a problem with algae growing on your perlite (the white stuff). I find that putting a layer of expanded clay over this stops the light penetrating enough to stop the algae.

In my experience, hydroponics require a bit more effort along the way, but as long as you keep an eye on the PH (as this can affect the nutrient uptake rate) and the strength of your nutrient solution, you should be right.

[Jasper]

DUCK, if you want to survive all you need do is shift to a raw food diet and learn to get by on one meal a day. A nice daily salad will keep anyone in tip-top shape. And drink lots of pure water.

:cheerful:

[Atahualpa]

DUCK, if you want to survive all you need do is shift to a raw food diet and learn to get by on one meal a day. A nice daily salad will keep anyone in tip-top shape. And drink lots of pure water.

:cheerful:

Maybe if you're old and sit all day, but people who expend large amounts of physical energy can't function on such a small amount of food energy.

[GOLD DUCK]

QWAK,Well I have been living on one meal a day for many years now but I am addicted to JUNK FOOD and junk snacks and want to change to more RAW FOOD as I know it is much better for health.

I intend to use "Miracle-Gro" as nutrient solution but not shure on concentration or how to properly moniter PH and other factors so will have to get a good test kit.

What I am trying to develop is a fairly simple and cheep design that almost any one could build and maintain to GROW FOOD. As we go deeper in to the coming "NEW DEPRESSION" people are going to need to become much more independent of "the system" if they are going to survive and hopfully I may be able to HELP as many as I can.

the DUCK

[Atahualpa]

Some of the toughest fighters in the Imperial Indian Army were the Sikh regiments and all Sikhs are vegetarians.

I would venture to guess that cooked rice (grains) was their main source of energy, not raw vegetables.

This notion that vegetables can't provide enough food energy is a myth concocted by ranchers. Nobody needs meat.

This is true to a degree, if you have the proper combination of complex carbohydrates and amino acids, you can get by. Properly raised domestic meats or wild meats provide concentrated nutrition and can be part of a healthy diet.

Why do you think there are such an enormous number of seriously ill people in the States? Why this epidemic of illness? A lot of it the result of a faulty diet.

No doubt. Low quality fats (hydrogenated), refined white sugar and highly processed foods are the major culprits, not moderate amounts of animal proteins combined whole grains and vegetables and fruits (including raw).

[GOLD DUCK]

Nice setup there Duck, you may have a problem with algae growing on your perlite (the white stuff). I find that putting a layer of expanded clay over this stops the light penetrating enough to stop the algae.

In my experience, hydroponics require a bit more effort along the way, but as long as you keep an eye on the PH (as this can affect the nutrient uptake rate) and the strength of your nutrient solution, you should be right.

QWAK,Earth&Man, I have built many hydroponic gardens in the passed usualy for house plants and they were more decoritive than functional for growing food.

Yes I always had problems with algae so seeing as this is an experiment I will place several SILVER ROUNDS in one of the independent units in the solution tank . Knowing that the pionears did this to keep both water and milk from spoiling because the SILVER kills all single celled organisems by interupting their respotory system I hope it will have that effect on the algae, I guess we will see. As for the expanded clay I have concerns it would plug up the drip emiters or cause other problems.

Any comments or sugestions are apreciated as I realy hope to develop this as somthing to help people when things get realy bad. For now it is a way to develop the knolage and skills nessary.

the DUCK

[mightyspuds]

I experimented with this once,using a kids wading pool.It grew salad veggies packed tight,i had the nutrient solution pumped through twice/daily.
I changed my solution every other week,using a commercial product.
The results were super,til my pump died.I used pea gravel as the medium.

Never did it again,but may yet in the future.
I know for sure its viable and really grows a lot in a small space with minimal care.NO weeding!Never had an algae problem.
Your link wouldnt work for me :{

Spuds:sheep:

[GOLD DUCK]

QWAK,Spuds, Great minds think alike! :proud: I have a heavy duty kids waiding pool and a bunch of pea gravel I hauled down here in bags just for that purpose! HONIST! LOL

I never set it up but it is here should I need to. I also bought a bunch of LAVA ROCK to mix with the pea gravel or alone as media.

Don't know why the link won't work for you ,it does load very slow with 12 pictures so if your conection speed is slow you may just have to be paitent.

Originaly I intended this place for a SURVIVAL TEAM but that was back in 81 and it was more WORK and less FUN than most were willing to deal with. When I bought the place all there was ,was a SHELL of a cabin no runing water and just an electric hook up to the pole and a single fuse box with a heavy duty extension cord plus a 40 watt floresent light!

Twenty five years later it is just FINELY coming together I sort of feel like "The little RED HEN" because when TSHIF I expect lots of old friends (?) will sort of show up and perhaps lots of new ones too!:redface: :wink:

I have tents and basic equipment I have set aside to help them but NOTHING is FREE and they will have to WORK to SURVIVE!

the DUCK

[mightyspuds]

QWAK!

Spuds:sheep:

[GOLD DUCK]

QWAK,I contacted Scots "Mirical-gro" to ask about concentration and how and if it could be used for hydroponics,this is what I got back.

"Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food can be used for hydroponic gardening, however, we have not
conducted any research on this use. Our plant food has been developed and tested for use in traditional
soil-based growing environments. We cannot offer any advice on its use as a hydroponic plant food. For
more information on hydroponic gardening, contact your local County Extension Agent or visit one of the
many hydroponic websites on the internet.

Again, thank you for your interest in Scotts. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be
of assistance.

Sharon Newell
Consumer Service Representative
The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries
14111 Scottslawn Road
Marysville, OH 43041"

Got to say THEY were LESS than helpfull! :mad:

I was suprised as I expected a bunch of technicle info but got ZIP! I believe they are ignoring a marketing nitch that could well be substancial.

the DUCK

[Earth&Man]

hey duck,

aparently Miracle Gro receives ALL of it's nitrogen from ammonia and urea. Both forms of nitrogen require bacteria in the soil to break it down into a form that is usable for plants. So unless you add some sort of activating bacteria or agent, you might be best off either making your own solution, or maybe getting some hydroponic nutrients mailorder?

Be sure to let me know how that silver vs algae goes too ;)

[GOLD DUCK]

QWAK,Earth+Man, I contacted the Miracal-Gro pepole this is what I got back:

Thank you for your interest in Scotts and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden
endeavors.

Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food can be used for hydroponic gardening, however, we have not
conducted any research on this use. Our plant food has been developed and tested for use in traditional
soil-based growing environments. We cannot offer any advice on its use as a hydroponic plant food. For
more information on hydroponic gardening, contact your local County Extension Agent or visit one of the
many hydroponic websites on the internet.

Again, thank you for your interest in Scotts. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be
of assistance.

Sharon Newell
Consumer Service Representative
The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries
14111 Scottslawn Road
Marysville, OH 43041
-------------------------------------------------
Less than USELESS!:bawling:

I am sending for a TEST KIT IF you know of a better one or a better source please let me know quickly.

Have not yet put silver in but the green stuff has started! :)

The tiney plants have started coming up too Radishes,Lettuce and Peas so far.:cheerful:

the DUCK