Here is a great helpful article that can help the community of growers. Aeroponics!

So far, from a lot of research and personal experience, Aeroponics has proved its worth! Aeroponics is quite different, It uses the same aspects as DWC ( Deep Water Culture). This is actually so much more easier to take care of, No more soil and slow growth! Get prepared for amazing results when using Aeroponics.

Aeroponcis is the process of growing plants in air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium. Aeroponic culture differs from both hydroponics and in-vitro (Plant tissue culture) growing. Unlike hydroponics, which uses water as a growing medium and essential minerals to sustain plant growth, aeroponics is conducted without a growing medium, but just an anchor medium such as Hydrotons(clay pebbles) This allows a lot of root growth and FAST plant growth. The speed compared to soil growing is amazing.

Here is an AWSOME write up on how to make a DIY aeroponics setup by FilthyFletch (rollitup.org)

Here is what you will need:
1 20 gallon rubbermaid tub with lid darker color is best no clear roughly $4
1 10ft 1/2 inch pvc pipe $ 1.67
4 1/2 inch pvc end caps $.28 each
2 1/12 pvc “T” $.38 each
1 1/2 inch threaded pvc “T” fitting $.45 each
1 can pvc cement $2.65 each
1 piece 1/2 hose about 1 foot is more then enough $1
1 1/2 inch threaded barb with 1/2 inch hose barb on opposite end ( $1.86)
6 3 inch net pots ( about $.40 each)
either 6 360 mister micro sprayers ($.65 each) or 1 2″ pop up lawn sprinkler with 1/2 inch thread ($.6
1 submersible water pump 350 gph or bigger (varies in cost ebay good to buy from)

These items area your basics for the setup and can all be found at Home Depot or Lowes. Tools that you will need are few such as…..

1 drill
1 3 inch hole saw
scissors or razor knife
hack saw to cut pvc or other cutter
1 drill bit ( varys on misters you buy I used 7/32 for the red ones in this)

2. Next we are going to make the sprayer setup. I will show 2 ways 1 way is very quick and takes aboyt 2 minutes the other is a little more classic and takes some cutting and fittings so 1 at a time.The first way is so simple I just kind of thought about it walking around home depot blowed last week (this is a hobby for me when I got time to go).Ok so you have your pump and have a 1/2″ hose barb on it (get 1/2 barb if it didnt come with one).Place your pump next to your res outside you will then need your piece of 1/2 hose.You wanna cut the hose so your sprayer head will be out of the water but about 2-3 inches lower then your net pots( you can add 2 or 3 of these if you want by using T barbs and more hose).My hose length from my large pump was about 2 inches.Now take your 1/2 inch threaed hose barb you bought and screw it into the female threads on the 2 inch lawn sprinkler head. This is a large sprikler that sprays in every direction in large amount of fine mist like the one you see watering yards.1 is enough 2 is great 3 is the limit.Take the hose and use it to connect the barb from the pump to the barb you just screwed onto the mister head and center it in the rubbermaid tub.Thats it for this misting setup. Just pop the top on make a mark on the edge where your pumps power cord is and cut a small notch so your lid closes.Insert your net pots and add your young plants in 2 inch rockwool cubes and fill with hydroton clay pebbles and plu it in.Simple huh heres som pics to show this particular setup and the lawn mister head to give a btter visual..Next will explaint the more common mister setup..

 

3. Heres a couple of the power cord notch before I show the second sprayer option.I also suggest using duct tape around the lid edge to help prevent any spray leaks as these heads put out some serious spray

 

4. Ok now we will make the second mister option which is a little more classic and probably more popular for smaller pumps.This is where your 1/2 inch pvc pipe and fittings will be used.First cut 4 10 inch lengths of pvc pipe.Then cut 1 piece of 1/2 inch pvc pipe at 7 1/2 inchs.You will need the 4 end caps, the cement, the 2 regular 1/2 in pvc T fittings, 1the 1 threaded 1/2 inch pvc T,the 6 misters and the 1/2 inch threaded hose barb.Here is the basic layout of what this manifold will look like after having everything cut

 

5. Make sure all excess filings are out of the pipes and the burs cleaned off each end. You will take the pvc glue which has a brush in th can and swab 1 end of each of the 4 10 inch pieces 1 at a time then twisting the end cap onto the end then tap it on the ground seating it firmly.You should have 4 10 inch lengths with caps on 1 end. Next you will use 1 of the 1/2 inch regular T fitting apply the cement to the other end of each of the 4 10 inch pieces 1 at a time.You will slip the end you applied the cement to into the T fitting. Then repeat this with the other 10 inch long pieces using the second regular T fitting tapping them into place tightly with cement on them.You now have 2 lenghths with end caps on each of the ends with a T fitting in the middle of each length.Now using your hack saw cut the 7 1/2 inch pice in half which is 3.75 inches giving you 2 pieces.Next you will need the Threaded 1/2 inch pvc T fitting. Put the pvc cement on 1 end of each of the 2 pieces inserting the glued end into the threaded T fittings non threaded ends.You should now have what looks like a T with an open threaded end on the T fitting.You will now put cement on each of the ends of this new middle bar 1 side at a time.It is important that the threaded opening in the middle is pointing straight down when you glue the 2 ends into each of the 2 longer pipes you made as the thread will go directly to your pump barb.You will now have what looks like an H with the cenetr having a threaded T fitting pointing directly down…

 

 

6. Next you will use the 1/2 inch threaded hose barb and screw it into the threadedT fitting in the center of the H you made looking like the pictures above.

 

7. Next we will need to drill the holes for our twist in mister head,You will use the drill bit 7/32 or what ever is slightly smaller then the mister threades you chose. I use these which you can get online at Alternative Garden Supply - Hydroponics and Indoor Gardening Supplies and Equipment ..Dont use the round cylinder heads with holes as they clog to easy.

8. Ok I like to use 6 mister heads I lay my H on the ground and use my tape measure to pull down from 1 end cap and mark the center of the pvc pipe at 6 1/2 inches and 15 1/2 on both of the H’s legs.I then like to make a mark on the center of each of the 2 small lengths of pvc on either side of the center T fittings so there are 2 in the middle bar totaol 6.Thes middle marks are about 3 1/2 inches in from the outer T fittings.This allows misting to all the net pots and all roots.You should have something like this after you drill each marked hole and twist the mister heads in to the 6 holes…
 

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9. After its dried and fully assembled you will put the H into the tub and cenetr it pushing down gently til it lodges nicely against the tub walls. Now measure from the pump barb to the mister manifold barb and cut it to length mine was about 2 inches.Use the hose to connect the pump barb to the mister manifold barb and your ready for action…

Now you know the basics you can use it to also make a simple clone bucket or seedling starter.All you need is a bucket with a lid some 2 inc net pots a small pump 6 inches of 1/2 inch pvs , 1 1/2 inch threaded T 1 1/2 inch threaded hose barb 1 inch of 1/2 inch hose , 5 micro misters,2 1/2 inch end caps and your ready to go.Just make a bar with the pvc put the T fitting in the center of the 6 inch pvc pipe you cut in half.put the threaded barb into the threaded T.Cut the 2 inch netpot holes in the lid and add the misters inline on the pvc pipe and away you go…

This entry was posted on Friday, April 4th, 2008 at 3:58 am

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and is filed under Daily Posts. Written by: Dr.Roots