Thursday, December 06, 2007
DIY R-DWC hydroponic garden
Here's my recirculating deep water culture hydroponic garden. It's called "deep water culture" because the roots are completely submerged in water and it's called "recirculating" because water constantly flows through each bucket (as opposed to aerating water in individual unconnected buckets). I spent $150 - 175 on the parts, less than half what one would pay for an equivalent pre-made system.
To emphasize that the system will grow garden-fresh winter produce I chose to "set out" my seedlings on Thanksgiving Day - our culture's harvest celebration.
Rinsing landscape "lava rock". This will support the roots.
Assembled buckets, tubes, pipes and grommets from Home Depot, Menard's and a hydroponic specialty store. Water comes in through 1/4" pipe, exits through a 1" grommet on the opposite side.
The reservoir. A submersible pump pushes water out to buckets, gravity returns water to reservoir.
Air wands from aquarium shop in the reservoir. The water must have a lot of dissolved oxygen in it it or the roots will drown.
Can't have too many bubbles. The more oxygen in the water, the faster nutrients are absorbed through the roots.
Covering the reservoir. If light hits the water algae will grow, wasting nutrients and looking scummy.
Seedlings dropped into the contraption.
Two weeks later.
Labels: gardening, hydroponics
// posted by Erik @ 12/06/2007 08:46:00 AM
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