Hydroponics?

Spike2 · June 6, 2017

Any of you mess with this stuff? If so can you point me in the direction of information that makes sense? A friend happily gave me a hydroponic planter and gave me directions that make NO sense at all.

AlittleSalt · June 6, 2017

Spike, I have no info for you, but this post will remind me to see the answers of others that are experienced

Nematode · June 6, 2017

Spike, there are many forms of hydro.
What is a hydroponic planter?

Spike2 · June 6, 2017

I am calling it a planter due to my vast hydroponic experience . . .

There are 2 boxes about 13" by 36". The bottom box is supposed to hold the water. The top box has like a grate on the bottom that sits inside but raised in the bottom box. They are about 8" tall? My friend was given 3 of them, only had room for 2 and gave me this one. She filled her top boxes full of dirt to grow her plants. Ummmm? I thought the point of hydroponics was the water? I am so very confused. If you are growing in dirt why mess with a water mixture.

ANYWAY, I just thought if someone was into hydroponics they might be excited to teach me or tell me where to go

Rockporter · June 6, 2017

That's a wicking planter, like an Earthbox. The medium sits above the water on the grate and wicks the water into the medium for the plants. Think Raybo's Earthtainer, Global Buckets, Earthbox. Don't use soil, it won't wick and will be too heavy. It will smother your roots.

What brand is it?

Nematode · June 7, 2017

Rockporter is right on.
Maybe if you post some pics the wicking container folks could help you out?
I do hydro but not like that.

zipcode · June 7, 2017

Yeah, sounds like an sub irrigated planter, to use the word planter. Luckily, the word does exist (SIP). It's just that it gives constant moisture from below, so less maintenance and more consistency.
You should be careful what medium you put in it, it needs to be something that will keep aerated. Then you should worry how to fertilize it. Probably just look the Earthbox instructions up.

Spike2 · June 7, 2017

Since nothing my friend told me made any sense to me I left the silly thing in the trunk of my car. I will get it out shortly and take pictures. See I knew you guys would be able to help my dumb arse out!! <3

Rockporter · June 7, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike2

Since nothing my friend told me made any sense to me I left the silly thing in the trunk of my car. I will get it out shortly and take pictures. See I knew you guys would be able to help my dumb arse out!! <3

You aren't dumb. I only know about them because I had to figure out how to garden without digging in the dirt. I was living in my RV at the time and had only a concrete patio to garden on. I knew I needed pots to garden with and started on my adventure to learning about Global Buckets, then discovered, Earthbox, then I discovered Raybo's Earthtainer. See, it's that rabbit hole I often find myself in, lol.

Spike2 · June 7, 2017

You can see now why I was so confused. This looks NOTHING like what I understood hydroponics to be.

Rockporter · June 7, 2017

LOL, yeah, that's not hydroponics, but if you follow Earthbox setup instructions you'll be good to go. Honestly though, I'm using my earthboxes as regular planters now with my mels mix. They aren't setup to wick anymore because it was too hard for me to do all the work required to set them up. Arthritis gets in the way of that and I don't really understand how they can say Earthboxes are good for those with arthritis? It's painful to mix all that stuff and take it out only to redo it. I can't get on the ground so it has to be up on something for me to work with it, which then means my hubby has to put it where it's supposed to go after I set it up. It's much easier to use as a regular planter for me and the earthboxes I have I bought somewhere around 2010. They look almost new, they have held up well to the sun out here.

shatbox · June 8, 2017

Hydro just means plant available nutrient solution with soilless media, so yeah it could be hydro planter.

49tandc · June 11, 2017

I've got 20 or so tomato plants in Dutch Buckets with Perlite only as growing medium. Each bucket is fed 3 times a day for 8 minutes each time, automatically on a timer with 20-18-38 nutrients and then drains back into the nutrient sump - a closed system. All run off one 12 volt battery and connected to a Harbor Freight solar charger. I planted out on Mar 9th. Plants are now over 10ft tall and I have to lower/lean them as they are taller than the green house 8 ft. ceiling. I get 2-3 lbs of fruit each day or so. Wife is giving a lot of it away to other teachers.

Hydroponic is the only way for me from now on. No getting on the ground; No weeds; no pests; only plant, add nutrients every other day or so and then harvest. I like that cycle, and was pretty easy to setup. You do not need the greenhouse part to have dutch bucket setup.

49T&C

encore · June 11, 2017

pictures would be nice.

Worth1 · June 11, 2017

If there is any soil involved at all even the stuff I use it is NOT hydroponics.
Not then and not now.

June 6, 2017	#1
Spike2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 992	Hydroponics? Any of you mess with this stuff? If so can you point me in the direction of information that makes sense? A friend happily gave me a hydroponic planter and gave me directions that make NO sense at all.

June 6, 2017	#5
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	That's a wicking planter, like an Earthbox. The medium sits above the water on the grate and wicks the water into the medium for the plants. Think Raybo's Earthtainer, Global Buckets, Earthbox. Don't use soil, it won't wick and will be too heavy. It will smother your roots. What brand is it? __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ Last edited by Rockporter; June 6, 2017 at 11:25 PM.

June 7, 2017	#11
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	LOL, yeah, that's not hydroponics, but if you follow Earthbox setup instructions you'll be good to go. Honestly though, I'm using my earthboxes as regular planters now with my mels mix. They aren't setup to wick anymore because it was too hard for me to do all the work required to set them up. Arthritis gets in the way of that and I don't really understand how they can say Earthboxes are good for those with arthritis? It's painful to mix all that stuff and take it out only to redo it. I can't get on the ground so it has to be up on something for me to work with it, which then means my hubby has to put it where it's supposed to go after I set it up. It's much easier to use as a regular planter for me and the earthboxes I have I bought somewhere around 2010. They look almost new, they have held up well to the sun out here. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ Last edited by Rockporter; June 7, 2017 at 02:06 PM.

June 11, 2017	#13
49tandc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: North Florida Posts: 24	I've got 20 or so tomato plants in Dutch Buckets with Perlite only as growing medium. Each bucket is fed 3 times a day for 8 minutes each time, automatically on a timer with 20-18-38 nutrients and then drains back into the nutrient sump - a closed system. All run off one 12 volt battery and connected to a Harbor Freight solar charger. I planted out on Mar 9th. Plants are now over 10ft tall and I have to lower/lean them as they are taller than the green house 8 ft. ceiling. I get 2-3 lbs of fruit each day or so. Wife is giving a lot of it away to other teachers. Hydroponic is the only way for me from now on. No getting on the ground; No weeds; no pests; only plant, add nutrients every other day or so and then harvest. I like that cycle, and was pretty easy to setup. You do not need the greenhouse part to have dutch bucket setup. 49T&C Last edited by 49tandc; June 11, 2017 at 07:49 PM.

June 6, 2017	#2
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Spike, I have no info for you, but this post will remind me to see the answers of others that are experienced

June 6, 2017	#3
Nematode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: massachusetts Posts: 1,710	Spike, there are many forms of hydro. What is a hydroponic planter?

June 7, 2017	#7
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Yeah, sounds like an sub irrigated planter, to use the word planter. Luckily, the word does exist (SIP). It's just that it gives constant moisture from below, so less maintenance and more consistency. You should be careful what medium you put in it, it needs to be something that will keep aerated. Then you should worry how to fertilize it. Probably just look the Earthbox instructions up.

June 8, 2017	#12
shatbox Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Los Angeles County, CA Posts: 258	Hydro just means plant available nutrient solution with soilless media, so yeah it could be hydro planter.

June 11, 2017	#14
encore Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: wisconsin Posts: 536	pictures would be nice.

June 11, 2017	#15
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	If there is any soil involved at all even the stuff I use it is NOT hydroponics. Not then and not now.