Hydroponic System

I am planning on building a hydroponic Water Culture system.
I have already purchased the nutrients, I am using Seagro (it was recommended by my local nursery)
My pump is quite small. It is the sonic 9103. It is 230V, 50Hz and 1.2W

I first want to use 5 litre bottle to see if it works then I will use an old small fish tank. (I used the same pump for my tank)

I need to know if I can use aquarium gravel as a growing medium for my plants (perlite and vermiculite are not available to me and not sure where to get clay stones). Also will I be able to use polystyrene instead of styrofoam?

Thanks

This is my pump:
http://www.onlinepetshop.co.za/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=69&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=267&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=79&vmcchk=1&Itemid=79

Doesn't sound very bonsai to me. Personally, I know nobody that grows bonsai hydroponically. The only people I know that grow this way are usually under my supervision on a Sunday, for community service.

I am going to be growing chili peppers in this system.
Take a look at www.fatalii.net
I want to grow this way as to get a thick stem fast.

Actually, has anyone tried rooting cuttings using hydroponics? The usual problem I run into is the water getting stagnant and the rooting end turning to mush. By using a water circulation system with in-line aeration and filtration and maybe inserting the cuttings into rock wool cubes it might provide a better growing environment for cuttings. (I just happen to have everything I need to take a go at it!)

Do we have those Sunday meetings this side of the pond?

Jay

Hello Jay. I seem to remember a few years ago, Boy George did some community service in the US, for drug offences.

Probably is a good method for raising cuttings but what do Chilli plants have to do with bonsai?

will baddeley wrote:Hello Jay. I seem to remember a few years ago, Boy George did some community service in the US, for drug offences.

Probably is a good method for raising cuttings but what do Chilli plants have to do with bonsai?

Maybe he's growing miniature "Chilli" trees in little pots!

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!
When posters hand you chillis, you make Chilli-ade?
Noooooo!
You plant the chillis in your garden and get back to your bonsai!

Well, Jerry Meislik (www.bonsaihunk.us) has a few articles on hydroponics and bonsai.
Very interesting stuff

stavros wrote:Well, Jerry Meislik (www.bonsaihunk.us) has a few articles on hydroponics and bonsai.
Very interesting stuff

Great site over all, I'm a Ficus fan and looked more there than at the hydroponics. But the hydroponics looks worth investigating.

Jay

Hydroponics is a good way of growing material for bonsai, giving to your plant the opportunity to use its full capabilities for growing. I think it is worth experimenting. Over and again we see how effective the method is.

Putting on my Moderator hat for a moment here, it is worth bearing in mind that one of the aims of this forum is to reinstate the old database of useful articles (Kev working manfully on this aspect) but also to start adding new ones.

It would be excellent if you guys who are experimenting with hydroponics could keep some sort of log of your activtities so we can pick your brains at a later date and pool resources for such an article.


Fiona

Airoponics would work even better as the roots are just hanging in midair and are sprayed with water . You could root prune very easily.

Personally, I can't for the life of me see why anyone would grow chillis using hydropnics, they are so easy to grow in large pots. I grow five plants of five or six varieties every year and when the sun shines enough, they produce prolifically with minimal organic fertilising (chicken manure pellets). I usually gather a few kilos of chillis for drying, pickling or using fresh in chilli dishes.

hoboman wrote:I am planning on building a hydroponic Water Culture system.
I have already purchased the nutrients, I am using Seagro (it was recommended by my local nursery)
My pump is quite small. It is the sonic 9103. It is 230V, 50Hz and 1.2W

I first want to use 5 litre bottle to see if it works then I will use an old small fish tank. (I used the same pump for my tank)

I need to know if I can use aquarium gravel as a growing medium for my plants (perlite and vermiculite are not available to me and not sure where to get clay stones). Also will I be able to use polystyrene instead of styrofoam?

Thanks

This is my pump:
http://www.onlinepetshop.co.za/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=69&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=267&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=79&vmcchk=1&Itemid=79

You can use aquarium gravel. I know you can use Shale also. Think sharp, and small. Volcanic rocks work too.




What happened to doing things just for the fun of it? I have very limited space where I live so, a hydroponic system in my basement would work out very well for me personally. It would be helpful to the bonsai community say, if we were growing accent plants this way, or anything for that matter. Hydroponic doesn't mean drug cultivation. It just works very good for that when your trying to be low key.

Hiya
I have just started my experiment yesterday, I will definitely post a log/ journal with my results.
The reason why I am using chili is because they are readily available to me, I'm just doing this as a test if I have progress I will use other plants as well.

Hydroponics just mean you can grow a plant to its optimum strength , all the water it needs , all the nutrients , and all the light it needs if you use artificial ones. Lights can be on for 23 hrs a day if wanted so things can grow at a very quick rate. CO2 can also be pumped in so to maximise growth.
The set up can be left for days on timers so you can at least go on holiday.