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Greenhouse Design and Construction
Originally slated to be a 10 foot long system, I thought I would build a
prototype using 2x6 and 2x8 lumber to create a larger version of the AeroFlo®.
I used a 1/2" QuexPlex Poly Pipe to run the water into the chamber. A hole
was drilled inline with each plant. A 8 gallon container was used for nutrients.
These plants were started indoors under the 400 watt light. Click here
to see more pictures of the seedlings. There was a few design flaws with this
system. The Pipe was used just to support the plants.
Going off the original design of the Salad Machine,
I created two large boxes. These measured 9 feet high, 10 feet long, and 7 feet
wide. The original roof design was the same as the lettuce system. This failed
and was replaced by 3/4" Schedule 40 piping.
This is an inside view of how the injectors were built. Two 5/32" holes
were drilled for each plant position. This would help incase the system clogged,
and it did. Another design flaw if you use powder nutrients. I do not think this
would have been an issue with liquid.
Here is a picture of the injector system. 1/2" line was run and the pipes
connected. I know what everyone is thinking and what a few have brought up, the
black plastic.
Would you believe because the wood is 3/4" plywood and 2x6" top that
the inside temperature never rose above 90 even when it was 95 outside. The
average temperature was in the 80's in the daytime.
The good that came out of this design is the roots had plenty of space to grow.
The bad is that I lost 12-15 plants over the course of the summer with issues of
not enough water until the roots hit the bottom.
A few of those were lost in the first system because the water clogged or ran
dry, and a few were because a lot of the roots were torn off the plants when I
transplanted the tomatoes into the new system.
What happened is it took a little longer than expected to complete and the roots
grew into a big mess in the original temporary system. The plants were only 4
inches apart. |
