)
I am so glad that you are able to join the forum, thank you, and welcome.
The reason that I suggest 1 hour is for one, my pump only has 30 minute increments, and also when you adjust the ball valves so that the solution in the reservoir gets agitated as well as pumping into the tray, you want to dial it in so that the flow into the tray is not too fast for the overflow drain side. It will take several minutes to get enough solution into the tray before the rooting medium is contacted, so even if I have a digital timer I would still set it for 1 hour to allow adequate time for the tray to fill. Added to that, the motors have a certain rpm rating, but if it turns at 1 rpm, or 0.7, or 1.25, the motors would still be rated the same. So I suggest that you put a piece of tape on the cylinder, and time it just to make sure that you know exactly what your machine/s is/are doing as far as speed goes.However, if that is in fact correct, I have a quick question about the math on that (as I don't get it). My understanding is that one revolution of the wheel takes approximately 45 minutes. Yet, you suggest that the pump run for one hour a day. Would that not mean that 33% of the plants/rock wool cubes would be be watered twice?
Thank you Dave, this is going to be mutually beneficial.Anyway, those are my question for now, and I certainly look forward to seeing how this all develops. Thanks again to everyone for any help sent my way. It is very much appreciated.
Ted
Re: How to assemble, & use the Volksgarden Garden
OK, so lets move onto the medium and planting the garden. The Volksgarden TM is the sixth rotary cylinder garden design that I have done, which is funny looking back as part of the naming of the Omega Garden was the idea that the design work was finished as the dictionary definition of omega being "the final development". So, the planting sequence pictures are of the stainless steel Omega Garden, however it's almost exactly the same process. At this link you will also find a gallery of lots of photos of our carousel unit, some early Volksgarden units, the two discontinued stainless steel systems, and the yet to be released Foodle TM garden, and more.I will also post the planting sequence here for the continuity of this thread.
I suggest that if you are choosing to use Rock-wool, that you always work with it wet, and that the first thing you do with it is to wet it, as this keeps the potential dust to the bare minimum.
I also sometimes find a knitting needle handy to use.
Looking good, but not quite ready.
You want to wait till your seedlings are well established
before going into the wheel. Reminds me of the height restrictions I
faced as a child before getting to go on the rides at the fair.
Best to wait till you can see some roots coming out of the bottom of the rooting medium.
These are all looking ready to go.
If you are using the three inch cubes it will be time to get them ready.
- Now the small propagation cubes are pushed into the larger 3 inch cubes. Hmmmm what is said about square pegs, and round holes?
When it comes to Rock-wool, the square peg in a round hole seems to work well for this application anyway.
Placing the cubes into the Omega Garden is a little different then the Volksgarden, but not much.
For the Omega, the cube holders are elongated c-channels
that hold many cubes, and the Volksgardens holders are single plant
holders that are fitted into the cylinder, and held tongue and groove
style.
Even though this unit is discontinued I will finish off this
look at the details in affixing the c-channels into the system, as this
is an important detail to to make sure your system keeps operating
optimally.
Make sure these pins are in place, because you really don't
want to see what happens if one of these channels fall out of place if
you forget to pin them in place.
The equivalent for the Volksgarden are the cloth pins that
are used to hold the green sleeves into place, whether they are holding
an individual plant in place, or holding the row of sleeves back from
the opening in the slot of the cylinder.
Re: How to assemble, & use the Volksgarden Garden
Hey everyone,
It's Dave again and I must say I'm pumped (my God that pun is so bad I almost feel like deleting it - I swear it was an accident) that I have the pump system working like a charm, and all is well on that end. So, unless I'm mistaken, there's only one more aspect of the Volksgarden for me to set up before I pay attention to the blurb above about seeding rock wool and all that good stuff.
Okay, so I am now at the point where the unit is assembled, the pump is working, and now I believe I need to run out and buy a couple bulbs (I have two units, hence two lamp bulbs). So, my questions are: 1) What wattage bulb would I be best to purchase? I understand that there is a 400 watt, 600 watt, and 1000 watt bulb, and I'm not sure what the pro's and con's are between them. Basically, as I am new to this process I'll be starting by growing the easiest plants around using a Volksgarden. I'm guessing that would be leafy vegetables like lettuces (is spinach a good one? hope so). Once I start getting good results with the easier plants, like varieties of lettuce, I figure I'll then start getting fancier and try to produce some tomatos and eggplant... but for now I think I'll stick to lettuces (unless, of course, you have some other options or advice for me that would be wiser regarding what plants to grow first). Anyway, for this lettuce/spinach growing endeavor I was assuming the middle wattage bulb, the 600 watt, would be the safe way to go. Am I correct in this, or am I missing something important regarding which bulb would be best?
My second question is regarding dealing with the heat produced by the bulb. Do I need to purchase a fan of some sort to ventilate the bulb's glass chamber? If so, what do I need to know? Do you have any pictures or video clips of what that set-up would look like such that I would be able to emulate it? Also, what, if any, are the major issues that I would have to consider and deal with regarding ventilation? Again, I have no idea, so please don't assume anything is obvious or self-evident to me in your response - ha ha.
Thanks again for your time in answering my questions. Very helpful! Indeed. I must say I'm looking forward to getting the Volksgarden hardware aspect all wrapped up so I can get started germinating some seeds. This is getting fun...
Dave
. The watering/feeding system is pretty sweet, and it doesn't get any simpler.
A 200 watt CFL does not really need any air cooling as it's temperature output is pretty minimal, however if you choose a 400 watt or higher lamp, then air-cooling will be necessary. You can either cool just the lamp, which can be done with a small computer fan sometimes called 'muffin fans', and if you get one that is small enough to fit inside the tube it can be supported by wrapping a strip of foam around the fan that will suspend the fan in the tube, and this will keep the vibration noise from the fan to a minimum. The next level of cooling is to duct the heat using an in-line fan made specifically for this purpose. 6 inch round ducting is available at most hydroponics stores, and you attach it to the cool-tube, and the fan with 6 inch gear clamps. With an in-line fan you can duct the heat from the lamp out of the growing room if desired whereas the computer fan is not strong enough to do anything more then push the air through the tube, and that's all. Even if you are not going to remove the warm air from the growing room, you may still prefer the in-line fan as they are often more quiet then the computer fans.
A very good source for information on growing hydroponically is http://www.growingedge.com. I searched from "growroom ventilation" there and one of the many articles says
Ventilation
Ventilation is essential is grow rooms. Many basic grow room set ups simply use the door and window(s) as a natural form of ventilation and allow air to come in and out in this way. A ventilation fan can be mounted in an open window in a simple grow room set up and fresh air can be pushed out or dragged into the growing area in this way.
However many hydroponic retailers have an excellent range of ventilation systems specifically designed for indoor gardeners, making this a much simpler and more efficient process. This sort of equipment requires a ventilation duct and in-line exhaust fan leading from the growing area to outside. The proximity of the grow room to an outside wall will determine how easy and cost effective this sort of installation might be.
For those who have an unused clothes dryer which is vented to the outside (common in most homes), this ventilation duct could be adapted for use in a grow room without much additional expense. Ideally the ventilation duct should be positioned up above crop height (since warm air rises), as air is sucked outside, fresh, cooler and hopefully direr air will be pulled into the growing area and cross the plant, which is vital for good plant growth and development.
Inadequate ventilation is about the biggest mistake many new hydroponic growers make when positioning their indoor garden or grow room – many don't give this much thought at all, and the resulting unventilated room can be disastrous.
As well as good light, warmth, nutrients and water, plants need a certain degree of humidity control and also fresh supplies of carbon dioxide to power photosynthesis during daylight hours. It is surprising how much moisture even a small system of mature plants can release into the air (many kilograms of water vapor in fact,) increasing humidity levels to near saturation. Oversaturation in turnslows growth and nutrient uptake, promoting the development of fungal and bacterial pathogens and creating havoc with electrical equipment. In addition, a relatively enclosed grow room with rapidly growing plants can deplete ambient levels of CO2 down to just about nil within a few hours, at which point photosynthesis stops until fresh supplies of CO2 are provided.
Grow lights also put out a lot of heat that needs to be removed from the growing area to keep temperatures within an optimal range. Ventilation is the most efficient way of doing this in most climates. Having a growing space that allows for a good ventilation system is thus extremely important for a number of reasons and one that should not be overlooked when designing the grow room space.
There are of course other articles and almost endless information, so maybe we should start with your space, and that will narrow down the possibilities as far as what can be done. What kind of space are you planning to grow in? What do you have available to use for ventilation, window, some kind of existing vent, etc?
It's Dave again and I must say I'm pumped (my God that pun is so bad I almost feel like deleting it - I swear it was an accident) that I have the pump system working like a charm, and all is well on that end. So, unless I'm mistaken, there's only one more aspect of the Volksgarden for me to set up before I pay attention to the blurb above about seeding rock wool and all that good stuff.
Okay, so I am now at the point where the unit is assembled, the pump is working, and now I believe I need to run out and buy a couple bulbs (I have two units, hence two lamp bulbs). So, my questions are: 1) What wattage bulb would I be best to purchase? I understand that there is a 400 watt, 600 watt, and 1000 watt bulb, and I'm not sure what the pro's and con's are between them. Basically, as I am new to this process I'll be starting by growing the easiest plants around using a Volksgarden. I'm guessing that would be leafy vegetables like lettuces (is spinach a good one? hope so). Once I start getting good results with the easier plants, like varieties of lettuce, I figure I'll then start getting fancier and try to produce some tomatos and eggplant... but for now I think I'll stick to lettuces (unless, of course, you have some other options or advice for me that would be wiser regarding what plants to grow first). Anyway, for this lettuce/spinach growing endeavor I was assuming the middle wattage bulb, the 600 watt, would be the safe way to go. Am I correct in this, or am I missing something important regarding which bulb would be best?
My second question is regarding dealing with the heat produced by the bulb. Do I need to purchase a fan of some sort to ventilate the bulb's glass chamber? If so, what do I need to know? Do you have any pictures or video clips of what that set-up would look like such that I would be able to emulate it? Also, what, if any, are the major issues that I would have to consider and deal with regarding ventilation? Again, I have no idea, so please don't assume anything is obvious or self-evident to me in your response - ha ha.
Thanks again for your time in answering my questions. Very helpful! Indeed. I must say I'm looking forward to getting the Volksgarden hardware aspect all wrapped up so I can get started germinating some seeds. This is getting fun...
Dave
Re: How to assemble, & use the Volksgarden Garden
LOL it's hard to avoid the puns when dealing in such activities, I'm sure there will be moreIt's Dave again and I must say I'm pumped (my God that pun is so bad I almost feel like deleting it - I swear it was an accident) that I have the pump system working like a charm, and all is well on that end. So, unless I'm mistaken, there's only one more aspect of the Volksgarden for me to set up before I pay attention to the blurb above about seeding rock wool and all that good stuff.
. The watering/feeding system is pretty sweet, and it doesn't get any simpler.Lighting options range from 125/200/250 watt compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to 400/600/1,000 watt high intensity discharge (HID) lamps. The Volksgarden comes with a cool-tube lighting fixture, which is basically a 6 inch diameter glass tube that holds the bulb in the center of the Volksgarden. The bulb must be small enough to fit into the cool-tube which also comes with a socket-saddle for mounting the bulb into the cool-tube. Your lighting choice will be influenced by what it is that you wish to grow, and possibly how much power you have available, among other potential limitations such as the ability to vent the heat, etc. If you are going to start with lettuce for example, you may want to try using a 200 watt CFL, and seeing that you have two garden, I suggest that you try to different wattage lamps to widen your experience.Okay, so I am now at the point where the unit is assembled, the pump is working, and now I believe I need to run out and buy a couple bulbs (I have two units, hence two lamp bulbs). So, my questions are: 1) What wattage bulb would I be best to purchase? I understand that there is a 400 watt, 600 watt, and 1000 watt bulb, and I'm not sure what the pro's and con's are between them.
A 200 watt CFL does not really need any air cooling as it's temperature output is pretty minimal, however if you choose a 400 watt or higher lamp, then air-cooling will be necessary. You can either cool just the lamp, which can be done with a small computer fan sometimes called 'muffin fans', and if you get one that is small enough to fit inside the tube it can be supported by wrapping a strip of foam around the fan that will suspend the fan in the tube, and this will keep the vibration noise from the fan to a minimum. The next level of cooling is to duct the heat using an in-line fan made specifically for this purpose. 6 inch round ducting is available at most hydroponics stores, and you attach it to the cool-tube, and the fan with 6 inch gear clamps. With an in-line fan you can duct the heat from the lamp out of the growing room if desired whereas the computer fan is not strong enough to do anything more then push the air through the tube, and that's all. Even if you are not going to remove the warm air from the growing room, you may still prefer the in-line fan as they are often more quiet then the computer fans.
My second question is regarding dealing with the heat produced by the bulb. Do I need to purchase a fan of some sort to ventilate the bulb's glass chamber? If so, what do I need to know? Do you have any pictures or video clips of what that set-up would look like such that I would be able to emulate it? Also, what, if any, are the major issues that I would have to consider and deal with regarding ventilation? Again, I have no idea, so please don't assume anything is obvious or self-evident to me in your response - ha ha.
A very good source for information on growing hydroponically is http://www.growingedge.com. I searched from "growroom ventilation" there and one of the many articles says
Ventilation
Ventilation is essential is grow rooms. Many basic grow room set ups simply use the door and window(s) as a natural form of ventilation and allow air to come in and out in this way. A ventilation fan can be mounted in an open window in a simple grow room set up and fresh air can be pushed out or dragged into the growing area in this way.
However many hydroponic retailers have an excellent range of ventilation systems specifically designed for indoor gardeners, making this a much simpler and more efficient process. This sort of equipment requires a ventilation duct and in-line exhaust fan leading from the growing area to outside. The proximity of the grow room to an outside wall will determine how easy and cost effective this sort of installation might be.
For those who have an unused clothes dryer which is vented to the outside (common in most homes), this ventilation duct could be adapted for use in a grow room without much additional expense. Ideally the ventilation duct should be positioned up above crop height (since warm air rises), as air is sucked outside, fresh, cooler and hopefully direr air will be pulled into the growing area and cross the plant, which is vital for good plant growth and development.
Inadequate ventilation is about the biggest mistake many new hydroponic growers make when positioning their indoor garden or grow room – many don't give this much thought at all, and the resulting unventilated room can be disastrous.
As well as good light, warmth, nutrients and water, plants need a certain degree of humidity control and also fresh supplies of carbon dioxide to power photosynthesis during daylight hours. It is surprising how much moisture even a small system of mature plants can release into the air (many kilograms of water vapor in fact,) increasing humidity levels to near saturation. Oversaturation in turnslows growth and nutrient uptake, promoting the development of fungal and bacterial pathogens and creating havoc with electrical equipment. In addition, a relatively enclosed grow room with rapidly growing plants can deplete ambient levels of CO2 down to just about nil within a few hours, at which point photosynthesis stops until fresh supplies of CO2 are provided.
Grow lights also put out a lot of heat that needs to be removed from the growing area to keep temperatures within an optimal range. Ventilation is the most efficient way of doing this in most climates. Having a growing space that allows for a good ventilation system is thus extremely important for a number of reasons and one that should not be overlooked when designing the grow room space.
There are of course other articles and almost endless information, so maybe we should start with your space, and that will narrow down the possibilities as far as what can be done. What kind of space are you planning to grow in? What do you have available to use for ventilation, window, some kind of existing vent, etc?
Re: How to assemble, & use the Volksgarden Garden
Hey everybody, it's Dave again...
Well, the great news is that I now have the two Volksgardens completely set up (everything appears to be working quite nicely), and so it seems to be time to take those first few steps on the path to germinating some seeds and growing some food. However, before I do, there's a few questions I have.
First, I took Ted's advice and got two different bulbs, as I have two different Volksgardens. This will allow me to experiment with different plants and get a feel for the range of my grow options. The first Volksgarden has been equipped with a 200 watt bulb, and the second Volksgarden has been equipped with a 400 watt bulb. **And, in case it's important to those reading, I got a ballast for the 400 watt bulb, whereas the 200 watt bulb apparently didn't need one (as it doesn't use and require the same amount of energy). However, both Volksgardens have had fans attached, just to ensure that too much heat doesn't accumulate within the glass tubing.**
So, my questions are: What kind of plants would I want to grow in the 200 watt bulb Volksgarden, and what would I wish to grow in the 400 watt? Personally, what I would like to do is try and grow romaine lettuce, spinach, and basil in the 200 watt Volksgarden. Would those be the appropriate plants for that wattage set-up? Next, as far as the 400 watt Volksgarden is concerned, I'm guessing that I'll be able to grow peppers, tomatoes, and hopefully eggplant. But, I'm not sure if that's correct. So, I'm wondering if it would it be wise for me to grow those kinds of plants in the 400 watt set-up (my concern being that the wattage is incorrect, or that the fruits of those plants are rather large and hence not what one would wish to start growing with without knowing the proper techniques)? And if not correct, why? Last, which plants, in your opinion, would be most appropriate for me to grow, using a 200 watt and 400 watt bulb?
My next questions are: Is there any advice one could give me regarding things to definitely look out for when getting started with growing (i.e. some tricks of the trade that would save me from making obvious blunders and mistakes that set me back a bunch)? Next, are there any kinds of seeds that I would want to seek out in particular, and any I would wish to avoid? For example, I understand that a rather large (I believe the largest, unfortunately) seed supplier in the world has designed a 'terminator seed' that can be purchased and used only once, as any seeds produced from said plant's fruit cannot be used for future growing (hence, back to the store to buy more seeds). Frankly, that doesn't sound like the best to me. If given the choice, I'd rather stick with nature's seeds; you know, the seeds that produce fruits that produce seeds that produce more fruits... good 'ol nature. Any advice on that?
Last, regarding my having to worry about ventilation (this was a subject I inquired about in my previous post), I don't think it's an issue. As my Volksgardens are set up out in the open in large rooms with lots of air flow, the building up of CO2 concentration levels shouldn't be a concern. However, as they are out in the open in the basement, which is not winterized, and I live up in the Big White North, could temperatures be an issue for me, or does the bulb produce enough heat to offset a chilly basement? Or, to put it differently, would it be wiser for me to move them upstairs where the house is warmer, or does it not matter?
Thanks again for taking the time to read my questions, and I'll certainly look forward to reading up on any replies.
Best regards, Dave
Well, the great news is that I now have the two Volksgardens completely set up (everything appears to be working quite nicely), and so it seems to be time to take those first few steps on the path to germinating some seeds and growing some food. However, before I do, there's a few questions I have.
First, I took Ted's advice and got two different bulbs, as I have two different Volksgardens. This will allow me to experiment with different plants and get a feel for the range of my grow options. The first Volksgarden has been equipped with a 200 watt bulb, and the second Volksgarden has been equipped with a 400 watt bulb. **And, in case it's important to those reading, I got a ballast for the 400 watt bulb, whereas the 200 watt bulb apparently didn't need one (as it doesn't use and require the same amount of energy). However, both Volksgardens have had fans attached, just to ensure that too much heat doesn't accumulate within the glass tubing.**
So, my questions are: What kind of plants would I want to grow in the 200 watt bulb Volksgarden, and what would I wish to grow in the 400 watt? Personally, what I would like to do is try and grow romaine lettuce, spinach, and basil in the 200 watt Volksgarden. Would those be the appropriate plants for that wattage set-up? Next, as far as the 400 watt Volksgarden is concerned, I'm guessing that I'll be able to grow peppers, tomatoes, and hopefully eggplant. But, I'm not sure if that's correct. So, I'm wondering if it would it be wise for me to grow those kinds of plants in the 400 watt set-up (my concern being that the wattage is incorrect, or that the fruits of those plants are rather large and hence not what one would wish to start growing with without knowing the proper techniques)? And if not correct, why? Last, which plants, in your opinion, would be most appropriate for me to grow, using a 200 watt and 400 watt bulb?
My next questions are: Is there any advice one could give me regarding things to definitely look out for when getting started with growing (i.e. some tricks of the trade that would save me from making obvious blunders and mistakes that set me back a bunch)? Next, are there any kinds of seeds that I would want to seek out in particular, and any I would wish to avoid? For example, I understand that a rather large (I believe the largest, unfortunately) seed supplier in the world has designed a 'terminator seed' that can be purchased and used only once, as any seeds produced from said plant's fruit cannot be used for future growing (hence, back to the store to buy more seeds). Frankly, that doesn't sound like the best to me. If given the choice, I'd rather stick with nature's seeds; you know, the seeds that produce fruits that produce seeds that produce more fruits... good 'ol nature. Any advice on that?
Last, regarding my having to worry about ventilation (this was a subject I inquired about in my previous post), I don't think it's an issue. As my Volksgardens are set up out in the open in large rooms with lots of air flow, the building up of CO2 concentration levels shouldn't be a concern. However, as they are out in the open in the basement, which is not winterized, and I live up in the Big White North, could temperatures be an issue for me, or does the bulb produce enough heat to offset a chilly basement? Or, to put it differently, would it be wiser for me to move them upstairs where the house is warmer, or does it not matter?
Thanks again for taking the time to read my questions, and I'll certainly look forward to reading up on any replies.
Best regards, Dave
Re: How to assemble, & use the Volksgarden Garden appliance
Hi Dave,
Sorry for the delay responding to your posts. I am on the road and my access to the net has been limited.
About the lighting, we have grown all different types of plants under varying lighting conditions from 95 watt CFLs up to 600 watt HPS, and MH lamps. Some plants do better then others both in the lower and higher ranges, so I don't think you should limit yourself to what our experience has been, for example the tomato pics above where grown under the 95 watt CFLs, and the red leaf lettuce was grown under the 600s.
I think the one mistake the people make is to run the pump 24/7. The pump will usually only need to come one once of maybe twice a day, and remain on for one revolution of the cylinder to make sure that each plant is watered. Constant watering will create dripping on the inside of the system, and that is to be avoided, as it will usually create some damage to the plants.
For seeds in Canada, I suggest www.westcoastseeds.com, and in the USA a google search for "organic heirloom seed companies" produces a nice harvest of companies, sorry for that. http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&clien ... +companies
As for temperature, some plants are better at colder temps such as chard, however basil only performs well at much warmer temps. The seed packages from West Coast Seeds I believe had some info on best temps, but again google searching will likely be a good thing to do to determine the best operating temps, and also the growingedge.com people will likely be a good source for this type of information for specific plants.
How are things going so far? Have you planted anything yet?
Ted
Sorry for the delay responding to your posts. I am on the road and my access to the net has been limited.
About the lighting, we have grown all different types of plants under varying lighting conditions from 95 watt CFLs up to 600 watt HPS, and MH lamps. Some plants do better then others both in the lower and higher ranges, so I don't think you should limit yourself to what our experience has been, for example the tomato pics above where grown under the 95 watt CFLs, and the red leaf lettuce was grown under the 600s.
I think the one mistake the people make is to run the pump 24/7. The pump will usually only need to come one once of maybe twice a day, and remain on for one revolution of the cylinder to make sure that each plant is watered. Constant watering will create dripping on the inside of the system, and that is to be avoided, as it will usually create some damage to the plants.
For seeds in Canada, I suggest www.westcoastseeds.com, and in the USA a google search for "organic heirloom seed companies" produces a nice harvest of companies, sorry for that. http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&clien ... +companies
As for temperature, some plants are better at colder temps such as chard, however basil only performs well at much warmer temps. The seed packages from West Coast Seeds I believe had some info on best temps, but again google searching will likely be a good thing to do to determine the best operating temps, and also the growingedge.com people will likely be a good source for this type of information for specific plants.
How are things going so far? Have you planted anything yet?
Ted
Re: How to assemble, & use the Volksgarden Garden
What spectrum of lights work best? I see everything is offered in either blue or red (growing or flowering). Is there a need to use a flowering spectrum with any legitimate veggie crops? Thanks!Ted wrote:Lighting options range from 125/200/250 watt compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to 400/600/1,000 watt high intensity discharge (HID) lamps.
Re: How to assemble, & use the Volksgarden Garden
Thanks Dave for all the great first timer
questions as it's been my first time with hydroponics as well and your
questions were some of the exact same things I had on my list.
Also, thanks for all the awesome replies Ted as it's helped make the transition all that much easier.
See you guys on some of the other forums once I get off the newbie pages
.
Cody
Also, thanks for all the awesome replies Ted as it's helped make the transition all that much easier.
See you guys on some of the other forums once I get off the newbie pages
.Cody