Hydroponics - continued.

Tonight I bought a better gallon-sized water bottle for the reservoir.  The bottom is mostly flat.  We stuck the tubes and the bottles in, and were briefly disappointed when we realized it wasn't reaching the top of the bottles.  I asked Lawrence if the pump was turned up all the way - it wasn't.  So, we turned it up and WOAH, it pumped better than it did yesterday.  The most influential factor may have been the higher water level in this bottle.  We speculate it may produce more water pressure, letting the water rise more.

In any case, it turned out perfect.  We used some more zip ties to hold the water bottles to the dowel/air tube.  I also planted my seeds in the starter cubes.  Our next step is to wait for them to germinate, sprout leaves, and grow roots.  As soon as that happens we can transfer them to the water bottles!  :D

Here's the entire setup:

Here are a few close-up shots (ok, so they're not THAT exciting...but I'M excited!):

Garden materials bought

Less than $30 for a single vertical system?  Maybe if I shopped around for the best deals and already had half the initial supplies, or was able to get some of the materials in smaller quantities.

Ralphs
3x - 1.5L bottles of Fiji water = $2.35 x 3 = $7.05
1x - 1G bottle of Arrowhead water = $1.10

Dick's Sporting Goods
1x - 3-pack of Inflation needles  = $2.73 (+tax)

Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH)
1x - 7/8"x48" circular poplar dowel = $3.47 (+tax)
3x - packets of seeds (chives, cilantro, thyme) =  $1.89 x 3 = $5.67
1x - utility knife = $2.40 (+tax)
1x - 1/2" x 260" pack of plumber's tape = $1.20 (+tax)
5' - 3/8" vinyl tube = $0.39 x 5  = $2.14 (+tax)
1' - 1/4" vinyl tube = $0.32 (+tax)

BetterGrowHydro
1x - Eco Air 2 pump = $14.87 (+tax)
6x - Rockwool Cube = $0.12 x 6 = $0.79 (+tax)
3x - 3" Round net pot = $0.42 x 3 = $1.38 (+tax)
6' - Airline tubing = $0.25 x 6 = $1.65 (+tax)
1x - 1qt Pure Blend Pro Grow = $19.54 (+tax)
1x - 1qt Pure Blend Pro Bloom = $19.54 (+tax)
1x - 10L Hydroton Rocks = $9.55 (+tax)

Total Cost so far: $93.40

However, I'm going to have a lot leftover of the hydroton rocks, plumber's tape, and seeds.  The inflation needles also came with an extra 3rd needle.  If I made two more units, it would probably be a lot more cost effective.  The nutrients cost a lot more than I expected.  I could probably also get away with a thinner dowel.

DIY Window Farm

The resources out there are rather spotty.  I want to document this process in written & video form, perhaps coming up with a better instructional manual as well.  Being completely new to the hydroponics scene, the details are a little confusing and I could imagine that being a hindrance to others as well.

Hydroponics - "Window Farms"

Today I read an article on re-nest about Window Farms.  The idea is to let urban dwellers grow hydroponic gardens inside their apartments all year long using vertical, hydroponic, modular, low-energy, high-yield edible window gardens built using low-impact or recycled local materials.  These structures are DIY, although the developers are in the process of putting together kits for sale.  They have a blog they use as a forum.  The site is not an ideal medium for communicating and for growth as specific information is sparse and hard to find.  But, they do have pdf files on the site with material lists and step-by-step instructions on how to create your own vertically-hanging hydroponic garden.  I never realized it would be so cheap, but the site claims you could get it all together for less than $30.  I did some research and some math and without any special deals, it is nearly that low.

I proposed to Lawrence that we give it a shot and he agreed.  Now my biggest difficulty is figuring out where to put it.  The reason this idea really appealed to me was that one giant wall of our studio is all window.  We've got 4 sets of blinds.  I want to put the plants at the window on the opposite side of the room from our bed.  There's also an Ikea bookcase in the corner.  Actually, that corner of the room has long been a logistical problem for me.  We've too many things that need to take up the space there.  Currently, it's effectively a 5'x8' space in our room that's completely useless.