Hydroponic experience anyone?

Lager

Lager

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Very small scale I'm starting with. The Wife has been bugging me to get something going to provide small stuff like lettuce and spinach to sustain us thru the winter/ spring and maybe later if it works. So I built a what looks like a 4 level book rack thats 4 feet wide 2 feet deep and 6 feet high. Ive got two shelves lit with high intensity dual bulb high intensity LED fixtures that are 4 feet long and one shelf with 2 300 watt LED grow lights with blue and red spectrum along with white. So far the seedling trays that are in dirt for now are growing well. She has been combing the internet for cheap ways to hydroponic and was wondering if anyone here had any experience or suggestion for this small scale try out?
 
I used to grow orchids in a semi-hydroponic environment. It worked well, hydroton was cheap. Used full spectrum T8’s. You looking to build an automated ebb and flow system?
 
hp468 said:
I used to grow orchids in a semi-hydroponic environment. It worked well, hydroton was cheap. Used full spectrum T8’s. You looking to build an automated ebb and flow system?
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Considering that I want to do this as cheaply as possible, looks like Im going with the Kratky method since it does not require any sort of water pumps or connections. Enclosed is a pic of the shelving I built and Im trying to do this as cheaply as possible. Everything you see here has either been repurposed with stuff I had laying around or bought for cheap, I figure I have $60 invested so far and even elect cost should be minimal due to the LED lighting.
 

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Similar to how I grew Orchids. Most were Epiphytes so the roots had to have some air circulation and not be fully submerged (deep water culture was out) Biggest issue with hydroton if you use it is to make sure you flush it well every so often, fertilizer salts will build up and can cause problems. The pots had no drain hole in the bottom, only a couple in the side an inch or so up, bottom of the pot served as a reservoir and the hydroton would wick water up. Fill the pot up to the top with water, it drains, and flushes the old water in the bottom at the same time. I think I only watered once a week or so. Think of it as a small scale ebb and flow hydro set up. Very simple, might be worth trying a couple pots to see how it does for you. Pic below as an example (not my plant but identical setup).

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Hydro requires a lot more hands on maintenance than soil but usually a quicker turnaround... if you're gone a lot and you just want a pet garden, I'd keep with soil. But if you like to tinker and spend time with the plants, hydro can be really fun. And if you're gonna go hydro, you might as well add fish! https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...1748aceef1f61c73895fcd2de9300336&gclsrc=3p.ds

(no need to spend $3k, I was just going for the photo in the ad to show the simplicity) I've been planning a greenhouse aquaponics system here that I'm hoping to build this year. Inspiration was actually back during the height of the fighting in Syria, I saw where folks with aquaponic systems were feeding their neighborhoods which were cut off from the supply chain. Seems pretty smart but haven't done it yet
 
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