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Hi again,
This is a new project from my website alternative-innovation.com. Check HERE for a complete hydroponic guide and more free hydroponic system plans. Also more free plans and an awesome MMJ hydroponic growers guide can be found HERE
The idea for this hydroponic system came to me while I was hunting for useful stuff at our local thrift store. I noticed there was a huge supply of dry mist humidifiers. Apparently these things aren't very healthy to use in your home because unlike steam and evaporation humidifiers, these things actually create a nasty fog of bacteria and fungus that is easily inhaled. Not that this really matters so much, they generally just suck as humidifiers, usually soaking every horizontal surface in your room. So everyone is throwing these things out and, one mans trash is my new thing to toy around with. I bought 3 of them for a $1 a piece and headed to the hardware store.
Fog Hydroponics is not by any means a new concept, I call this system experimental due to the fact I have no idea, as of right now, whether this thing will work. In a normal Hydroponic Fogger System a submersible micro-sonic transducer that has been manufactured to produce a 3-5 micron mist is used. Needless to say, they aren't too cheap but they are pretty cool. I couldn't find any manufacturers specs on the humidifiers' model that states the output . Odd right? like anyone would ever want to know that ...Weirdos O_0...Spose if you were crafty enough you could pipe some pretty funky fog into someones life.
I should add a note of caution, If you plan on building this bad boy Keep in mind, this thing wasn't manufactured to do what I did. Electrocution, Death, Fire, A small chance of the death fog (you may have heard about this on the news...)Very Scary! and tragic very,very, tragic ....
OK The thing is a easy build and in theory, should work pretty well. I'm currently rooting some rubber plants (Ficus elastica) and some Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) cuttings and things look good so far. I added an aquarium pump to the fog chamber for extra O2 and circulation. The humidifier has a built in heater and keeps the root zone at optimal temp. I covered the clones with a dome and left one of the plant sites covered but with a small hole to keep the humidity high. I will update on progress as soon as I can. I designed the system with an over flo that allows about an inch of nutrient to always remain in the bottom of the fog chamber. This is a fail safe ,should the power or humidifier happen to fail. The system does recycle the nutrient as well and so far everything has been working fine.
Don't forget to check out my website http://www.alternative-innovation.com for more info and lots more free hydroponic system plans
This is a new project from my website alternative-innovation.com. Check HERE for a complete hydroponic guide and more free hydroponic system plans. Also more free plans and an awesome MMJ hydroponic growers guide can be found HERE
The idea for this hydroponic system came to me while I was hunting for useful stuff at our local thrift store. I noticed there was a huge supply of dry mist humidifiers. Apparently these things aren't very healthy to use in your home because unlike steam and evaporation humidifiers, these things actually create a nasty fog of bacteria and fungus that is easily inhaled. Not that this really matters so much, they generally just suck as humidifiers, usually soaking every horizontal surface in your room. So everyone is throwing these things out and, one mans trash is my new thing to toy around with. I bought 3 of them for a $1 a piece and headed to the hardware store.
Fog Hydroponics is not by any means a new concept, I call this system experimental due to the fact I have no idea, as of right now, whether this thing will work. In a normal Hydroponic Fogger System a submersible micro-sonic transducer that has been manufactured to produce a 3-5 micron mist is used. Needless to say, they aren't too cheap but they are pretty cool. I couldn't find any manufacturers specs on the humidifiers' model that states the output . Odd right? like anyone would ever want to know that ...Weirdos O_0...Spose if you were crafty enough you could pipe some pretty funky fog into someones life.
I should add a note of caution, If you plan on building this bad boy Keep in mind, this thing wasn't manufactured to do what I did. Electrocution, Death, Fire, A small chance of the death fog (you may have heard about this on the news...)Very Scary! and tragic very,very, tragic ....
OK The thing is a easy build and in theory, should work pretty well. I'm currently rooting some rubber plants (Ficus elastica) and some Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) cuttings and things look good so far. I added an aquarium pump to the fog chamber for extra O2 and circulation. The humidifier has a built in heater and keeps the root zone at optimal temp. I covered the clones with a dome and left one of the plant sites covered but with a small hole to keep the humidity high. I will update on progress as soon as I can. I designed the system with an over flo that allows about an inch of nutrient to always remain in the bottom of the fog chamber. This is a fail safe ,should the power or humidifier happen to fail. The system does recycle the nutrient as well and so far everything has been working fine.
Don't forget to check out my website http://www.alternative-innovation.com for more info and lots more free hydroponic system plans
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Signing UpStep 1Gather Material
Everything should cost you about $20 [edit $21-$22 max]
$5 Fog Chamber, Rubbermaid tote
The "Fog Chamber" can be any food grade, dark colored, water tight, and seal able large container. You want it to be dark to keep out light ,so nasty stuff wont grow and choke you every time you open it. A bucket could be used as well, just paint it black. Black buckets are cool, If you really like buckets. Bucket people, you're cool too.
$1 Dry Mist Humidifier
I got my death fog humidifier at a thrift store for a dollar, check at flea markets and garage sales Ect. dark alleys seem to be a good source of death and sometimes fog.
$5 PVC Parts for adapter
The parts for the "adapter" are 1 1/2" PVC. Home Depot usually sells the pipe by the foot so you don't have to buy a full 10 foot piece for five hundred thousand dollars.
$5 PVC Parts for stand.
Shouldn't even cost you $5 I always buy the contractor bags to save $$. I used 3/4" ,4 Tees and 4 Elbows and about 6 feet of pipe. You can use whatever you want. Old text books, Cinder blocks , wrapping paper rolls... Get creative if you have to ,Its just a stand.
$2 1 7/8" ID Rubber Gasket
What the? 2 freaking dollars for 2 freaking cents worth of rubber? Ok, maybe a dollar or two over budget
$3 Foam Gasket Tape
You can find this in the insulation or weather proofing aisle. Used to seal the lid ,comes in handy for...hmmm...for...uhmm...well nothing much else, just sealing odd spaces and parallel weirdness.
Oh snap, I forgot the Neoprene Inserts.
What? you don't have any extras just sitting around? hmmmm.....
These are actually pretty important. You can make your own out of any thick foam. Cut a 2" Diameter circle and Just drill a hole in the center and cut a slit from the hole to the edge to slip the plant through
Well I give up F the budget
$5 Fog Chamber, Rubbermaid tote
The "Fog Chamber" can be any food grade, dark colored, water tight, and seal able large container. You want it to be dark to keep out light ,so nasty stuff wont grow and choke you every time you open it. A bucket could be used as well, just paint it black. Black buckets are cool, If you really like buckets. Bucket people, you're cool too.
$1 Dry Mist Humidifier
I got my death fog humidifier at a thrift store for a dollar, check at flea markets and garage sales Ect. dark alleys seem to be a good source of death and sometimes fog.
$5 PVC Parts for adapter
The parts for the "adapter" are 1 1/2" PVC. Home Depot usually sells the pipe by the foot so you don't have to buy a full 10 foot piece for five hundred thousand dollars.
$5 PVC Parts for stand.
Shouldn't even cost you $5 I always buy the contractor bags to save $$. I used 3/4" ,4 Tees and 4 Elbows and about 6 feet of pipe. You can use whatever you want. Old text books, Cinder blocks , wrapping paper rolls... Get creative if you have to ,Its just a stand.
$2 1 7/8" ID Rubber Gasket
What the? 2 freaking dollars for 2 freaking cents worth of rubber? Ok, maybe a dollar or two over budget
$3 Foam Gasket Tape
You can find this in the insulation or weather proofing aisle. Used to seal the lid ,comes in handy for...hmmm...for...uhmm...well nothing much else, just sealing odd spaces and parallel weirdness.
Oh snap, I forgot the Neoprene Inserts.
What? you don't have any extras just sitting around? hmmmm.....
These are actually pretty important. You can make your own out of any thick foam. Cut a 2" Diameter circle and Just drill a hole in the center and cut a slit from the hole to the edge to slip the plant through
Well I give up F the budget
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However what is the average size of the water drops in the fog? Do you have any info on that? thanks. nice instructable. :)
Deposits do develop on the plates but its easy enough to clean them off when you add more nutrient or do a nutrient change. So to say they wont last is not something I would agree with. I the model I used was and very well made. It would be important to not use a really cheap model.
I could not find the droplet size anywhere.
Do you keep using this system?
BTW about the droplet size I think they must be small (less than 200 microns maybe (rolleyes)) for the fog to look more like smoke than actual droplets (at least what i have seen). Which I think is pretty good - not the "ideal" 50 but.. close enough.
And do you have any observations about the deposits of crystals - have you tried to calculate what % of the nutrients is left over the HF part. If you haven't I can try, if you don't have time or just don't care. :) Reply me please.
Have you observed some nutrient deficit in the plants. Did you have to increase/decrease some of the nutrients, or the EC.
Sorry but I can't hold my self. I really want to try this but now I don't have the time nor the money. :( So could you feed the home-scientist-buddy with some statistics :D
actually, if you put a small amount, maybe 1% - 2% by mass of food grade peroxide to your water (food grade, 30% titrated to 1%), then you'd probably be ok and it wouldn't hurt the plants either.
this method is used for mushroom spawn innoculation as the modern, preferred way of preparing the spawn versus autoclaving.
it's also used in keeping bacteria, yeasts and molds from ruining edible sprouts.
Hello. I like the idea of the set up however in some instances compactability is a better choice. I was curious if any of you have a simpler version say using an aquarium pump?
http://alternative-innovation.com
Lots of simple (and not so simple) DIY system plans