Don't censor yourself fatman-
I just read through 'it', and never found your comments to be out of line (except for those deleted?); and I don't think you need to be reflexive on your particular praxis... here on the boards or across other spaces. Those many confrontational, discursive issues which you are so well equipped to draw out, as an active member of contemporary academia are beyond resolution by any one person. I greatly appreciate your contributions, logic, and science, as they challenge me to evolve my perceptions. Very few posters can do this, past simply imparting their personal, dogmatic, tacit understandings of growing; I.E. Ben. Taking your advanced knowledge out of the institutional setting is an act implicitly to be commended and of immense benefit to the community. This is an all too infrequent an occurrence, more generally, despite these difficulties inherit in turning the entrenched. Even with persistence.
... I really need to get out of my sewage buckets. How is your air assisted atomization project taking shape fatman?
I had constructed a styrofoam box, 2'x2'x4', with rows and columns of holes on the top face in which to seat netcups; however I could not get my plants to root, using two Delevan Sn assemblies and timings similar to TF's ~2 sec to 8 minutes. The setup was destroyed, as it was not sustainable through flowering. The problem of root zone air circulation has to be dealt with first. Which means constructing a full dual zone setup, with climate control on either side. The logistics of which are perhaps beyond the space limitations of my current op, besides having the patience for aero root development from clones... Another dual hose air conditioner and associated ducting, a couple more Sn-s and adapters for more complete coverage, a larger compressor tank, a silent compressor, and the divider walls... Which do not inhibit air flow on the lighted side, are light proof, and accessible to manipulate the misters. I think that is a complete structural representation...
The only remaining problem for this drain to waste, vertical sog, divided room set up, is in figuring out a feeding mechanism for the atomizers. Whether the reservoir(s) are to be local, or system wide. How to have solution ready at the nozzle with minimal venturi suction needed to draw liquid during the pulse. AND how to solve the drip problem of the nozzles, which will allow solution to stream out.
My thought that you guys could help me with, is finding a membrane to fit in-line between the open nozzle, and the pressure of a gravity fed line of nutrient solution from the res; 'resistance' which is to be overcome momentarily by the negative pressure of the compressed air, when released on the timed solenoid valve. A very low tech, and easily replaced, passive type of solenoid. Powerade bottles over a decade ago had something like this.
Sherry, your DWC/AERO hybrid is exactly right. Pull the feeder type roots down with an insuring DO solution on the floor, and hit this drinking 'superstructure' root system with mist. I'm going to try this in my isolated, 5 gallon DWC's. The only problem is, that this is a recirculating system... And so complicates things. Fatman has me assuming, that the best, complete way to feed truly aeroponically, is run to waste, in a sog style op. You'll be able to grow massive trees, but the efficacy of 'fuzzy' aero roots compared to drinking roots in uptake necessitates separate nutrient solutions... Also, if aero mist must dry on the fine root hairs, and not run having only one pass, this specifically excludes the use of recirculating nutes, No? And, what I don't know either, is how dangerous the run to waste nutes that end up in the recirculating system become over time, and how quickly. I think it is important to recognize the different types of roots. You said it yourself... Surface area. So, forcing a big root structure, and then cultivating and keeping fuzzy roots, is the way to go, and to keep the true aeroponic breed and its benefits, including speed. Today I also learned that nutrient purity on a medicinal level is also most possible in Tag. (UV bulbs kick ass by the way. I've been using the reptisun 10.0 uvb cfl's later in flowering.)
Oh, and Fatman, or others, do you possess an informed position on, pulse width modulation of photometric flux in 4 dimensional relation to the "step" like process of photon capture in photosynthesis? I'm wondering specifically if you've read any research beyond those studies limited to species, spectrum, timing, and efficacy of micro biotic action, but on a whole plant?
Morning Ya'll.
