Help Please on Hydroponic Gardening

[colbra]

HI All I am from the Woodwork part of the forum and have just poped over to ask some questions about a gardening project that I am about to start I have had a vegetable garden for about the last 30 yrs but of late I have ended up with nematodes I have tried to get rid of them but to no avail so I am going to start over..... But with a different approach I have acquired some 400mm hi impact electrical conduit and I plan to have some sort of hydroponic set up using the conduit.
I know very little about this system of gardening and would like some help please.... all advice would be greatly appreciated I already have a watering system installed and intend to make some stands to hold the conduits and that's about it..... as for as knowing what to do next?... hope there is someone out there to point me in the right direction.:(
Colbra :)

[fxst]

Plenty of help online. An interesting method is aquaponics as well..backyardaquaponics.com - The Dream (http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/dream.html) Remember google can be your friend:D
Pete

[Boringgeoff]

Hi Colbra,
To get rid of your nematodes try covering your vege garden with black plastic sheet and leave it there till next autumn, apparently the heat cooks the little suckers out.
Geoff.

[colbra]

Hi Colbra,
To get rid of your nematodes try covering your vege garden with black plastic sheet and leave it there till next autumn, apparently the heat cooks the little suckers out.
Geoff.


Thanks Geoff I was also told to day to pour sugar over the area and that would get rid of them as well. Have you heard about that method originally, I got a load of river sand in and that was how I got them, they spread like wild fire.
The other day I came by some 400 mm conduit and thought I would put new soil into that... I thought a bit more and decided to find out about putting in a hydroponic set up but I know nothing about doing it…. Like lots of things I do it just seemed like a good idea at the time. And here I am to talking to you people and scratching my bald head :doh:

Colbra :)

Ps For all I know I could run around the veggie garden when it’s a full Moon in the bollocky and it would get rid of the little buggers:D

[Tonyz]

Backyard aquaponics is a great idea...but its a challange as well.
Simpler with hydroponics

http://www.mygarden.net.au/community/groups/hydroponic-gardening/forum/

HYDROPONIC GARDENING SIMPLIFIED (http://www.hydroponics-simplified.com/)

2 that I came up with quickly.Your hardest part is getting set up going looking for containers/grow medium etc you get strange looks from some suppliers. "are they growing real vegies or just 'herbal tomatoes' nudge budge wink wink etc

Many years ago Vic police were hoping to control the market in Vic so they set up a covert business suppling everything and offering free delivery. Didnt take them lokng to work out the genuine v the cash crop suppliers then BANG quick drug bust and another operator got shut down.

[Boringgeoff]

Colbra,
Your running/full moon/bollocky method will result in you being arrested.
I've not heard of the sugar trick but anything is worth a try.
Geoff.

[colbra]

Backyard aquaponics is a great idea...but its a challange as well.
Simpler with hydroponics

http://www.mygarden.net.au/community/groups/hydroponic-gardening/forum/

HYDROPONIC GARDENING SIMPLIFIED (http://www.hydroponics-simplified.com/)

2 that I came up with quickly.Your hardest part is getting set up going looking for containers/grow medium etc you get strange looks from some suppliers. "are they growing real vegies or just 'herbal tomatoes' nudge budge wink wink etc

Many years ago Vic police were hoping to control the market in Vic so they set up a covert business suppling everything and offering free delivery. Didnt take them lokng to work out the genuine v the cash crop suppliers then BANG quick drug bust and another operator got shut down.

Darn I been busted in before I new what I was doing!!! :U

Thanks Tony for your reply maybe I should have asked how to get rid of the nematodes.... but I do have this very large diameter electrical conduit and I am determined to use it for growing something in I'm sure it must have some merits. So in mid-flight I will go in that direction….. So can I get some help on this one please?
Colbra:)

PS That link was also me asking the same question

[colbra]

Colbra,
Your running/full moon/bollocky method will result in you being arrested.
I've not heard of the sugar trick but anything is worth a try.
Geoff.

Hi Geoff
Point taken..... But although I have never been it that situation

I do believe they have gardens in those place and maybe even woodwork facilities as well... :U LoL Col:)

[johnredl]

HI All I am from the Woodwork part of the forum and have just poped over to ask some questions about a gardening project that I am about to start I have had a vegetable garden for about the last 30 yrs but of late I have ended up with nematodes I have tried to get rid of them but to no avail so I am going to start over..... But with a different approach I have acquired some 400mm hi impact electrical conduit and I plan to have some sort of hydroponic set up using the conduit.
I know very little about this system of gardening and would like some help please.... all advice would be greatly appreciated I already have a watering system installed and intend to make some stands to hold the conduits and that's about it..... as for as knowing what to do next?... hope there is someone out there to point me in the right direction.:(
Colbra :)

Gardening Australia did a good section on getting rid of those pests from vege gardens last year. Try their website. I think it had something to do with mass planting a certain flower that when grown & dug back into the garden bed killed nematodes.

[gidgee 1]

Hi Colbra
There is plant 'Nematode Mustard' Brassica juncea available from Southern Harvest. [email protected]
It grows very fast and is then dug in before any seed has set to give off a gas that supposedly kills off the nematodes.A word of caution if you choose to go down this path--Don't let any plants go to seed,they have the potential to multiply rapidly and takeover.
Cheers
gidgee 1

[Tonyz]

When we lived in Adelaide the neighbor was a card but always ghelpful.
We also had a nosey sod over the back fence, so one day the 'good'neighbor asks in a loud voice how the cash crops were going.
3 days later knock on door a police,dog squad and drug squad all waiting to invited in.

[fxst]

heres a link to a simple hydro setup....its USA but the priciples are the same:D
DIY Hydroponics for $300. 70 Plants. Indoors/Outdoors. NFT. 7 x 10. - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oOqHncUcbc4)
Pete

[colbra]

heres a link to a simple hydro setup....its USA but the priciples are the same:D
DIY Hydroponics for $300. 70 Plants. Indoors/Outdoors. NFT. 7 x 10. - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oOqHncUcbc4)
Pete


Thanks Pete I will have a look :2tsup:
Col

[SawDustSniffer]

the best set up is "flood and drain "
where every 3 hours , a pump turns on and fills the " gravel " to the top with nutrient water , then drains , empty

this will force out all the old air between the roots , and draw in fresh air
air is 70% nitrogen gas ,

all you need is a smaller drain than what the pump can supply , and a ball valve to stop it over flowing , an irrigation timer and a pump

if you leave the roots in a standing solution , root rot will get them fast

radishes do really well , size of an apple , and juicily

[colbra]

the best set up is "flood and drain "
where every 3 hours , a pump turns on and fills the " gravel " to the top with nutrient water , then drains , empty

this will force out all the old air between the roots , and draw in fresh air
air is 70% nitrogen gas ,

all you need is a smaller drain than what the pump can supply , and a ball valve to stop it over flowing , an irrigation timer and a pump

if you leave the roots in a standing solution , root rot will get them fast

radishes do really well , size of an apple , and juicily

Thanks Saw Dust Sniffer
I found that reply very interesting and informative but I am not geared up to move in that direction at the moment do you grow things this way I would like to try in at some point in time thanks for your help :2tsup: Col:)

[whitey56]

Hi Colbra
I had a little play with Hydroponic's about 30 yrs ago, i think your 400mm pipe is too big as most farm use around 75mm, my setup was a budget one using old Brocolli boxes and 150 mm pvc pipe 1-8m long with the ends blocked and about 25% of the pipe removed from the top where the plants would go, the medium [what the plants grow in] was Perlite and Vermiculite mixed 50/50 and washed coarse sand which i washed again so it was inert [ no nutrients].
Fill your boxes/pipes with medium and at about 1/3 from the bottom drill a 3/8th hole drain hole in the boxes and pipe end cap, 1 hole for each container this creates a reservoir for nutrients then about every 2 or 3 days i would mix nutrient and flood the boxes until it run out of the drain hole.
Buy your perlite from a rural store like Elders and Packaged nutrient is ok but not suited to every plant.
Try this method before you commit to a flood and drain system it is interesting.
I read 2 books one by Joe Romer and one by Albert [bert] Sundstrum from Port Macquirie he had brick raised beds full of sand using this method also have a look on You/tube for idea's.
Hope this helps.

[colbra]

Hi Whitey56 thanks for your reply
I obtained the 400mm conduit from a company laying a high voltage power cables. They were short off cuts with no collars and were not of any use to them.
The reason I was going to get into hydroponics is that I had nematodes in the garden soil and could not get rid of them, so I thought that may have been the best way to go seeing I had the conduit I now realise that the conduit is to big and that there is a lot of work in setting it up for hydroponics
So what I have done is follow the advice of Gidgee 1 and put some nematode mustard plant seeds in when they grow a little, dig them back in before they go to seed I hope this works at this stage I must apologise to Gidgee 1 for not replying to his post on his message and thanking him for his advice which I have taken so thank you Gidgee1

I will now put some drainage holes in the conduit and seal the ends fill with new soil and make a tiered hanging garden I am not sure how it would go but I have to use the conduit somewhere, how I have it sitting about the place all fifty meters of it when it’s all laid out end to end.
Cheers Colbra :)

[doug1]

Hi Colbra
I use an auto pot system mostly for tomatoes but also small amounts of other veges. I have gone over to coco peat and renew it each year. it can be added to the garden without issue. I have stopped using perlite / vermiculite as I believe there is some asbestos fibre in those products, I also use simple grow GP1 nutrient

its 2 part and easy to use at a reasonable price ( powder) PM me if you want more info

Doug

[johnredl]

If u want a super easy system, go for the autopot system. It's a bit pricier than others to set up, but there's no power & it's good for a beginner. I've found it to be idiot proof for me, & there's no water loss to evaporation.