The Aerated living soil Cointainers?

Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
Hi RIU'ers
I will use a living soil mix I designed myself and some organic additives as well as compost teas sugars molasses this run indoors.

Looking at the concept of brewing compost tea and a past experiment I made a decade ago in a simple soil pot, got me to think about what you read here today.
In that experiment I ran a big airstone on a small pondpump in a single plant soil pot near the rootzone.
It made a difference but as soon as the airstone got clogged by the dirt the pump gave up.

Now my idea, its not a quantum leap, but maybe a tweak on the right end in my case.
I' ll use 30gal. Tubs (no drain holes) I used them successfully in the past....
They messure about 80cm x 47cm and about 35-40cm deep.
Filled with a nutrient rich living soil with a complete set of microlive.
This is 2/3 of the Containers filling. The top layer 1/3 is a relatively neutral soil from one of my outdoor beds for vegetables.
I water very moderatly to prevent run off, so no drain holes needed.

All of them organisms in the soil, plus the roots, need lots of oxygen.

Now I think about running a pvc tube with tiny holes on its underside in each tub. Fixed to the very bottom of the tub. I will connect the tubes of the tubs and power them by a pond compressor ~3500L/h

The benefits I see is a totally aerated soil. This activates root growth.
And on top of that, after watering, the bottom of the tub would kind of brew tea and grow more micro organism, if I allow enough water to run down to the bottom? Right?

Any inspirations/suggestions are verry welcome!

Good idea, no good idea? Worth it?

Peace
 
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ShLUbY

Well-Known Member
Hi RIU'ers
I will use a living soil mix I designed myself and some organic additives as well as compost teas sugars molasses this run indoors.

Looking at the concept of brewing compost tea and a past experiment I made a decade ago in a simple soil pot, got me to think about what you read here today.
In that experiment I ran a big airstone on a small pondpump in a single plant soil pot near the rootzone.
It made a difference but as soon as the airstone got clogged by the dirt the pump gave up.

Now my idea, its not a quantum leap, but maybe a tweak on the right end in my case.
I' ll use 30gal. Tubs (no drain holes) I used them successfully in the past....
They messure about 80cm x 47cm and about 35-40cm deep.
Filled with a nutrient rich living soil with a complete set of microlive.
This is 2/3 of the Containers filling. The top layer 1/3 is a relatively neutral soil from one of my outdoor beds for vegetables.
I water very moderatly to prevent run off, so no drain holes needed.

All of them organisms in the soil, plus the roots, need lots of oxygen.

Now I think about running a pvc tube with tiny holes on its underside in each tub. Fixed to the very bottom of the tub. I will connect the tubes of the tubs and power them by a pond compressor ~3500L/h

The benefits I see is a totally aerated soil. This activates root growth.
And on top of that, after watering, the bottom of the tub would kind of brew tea and grow more micro organism, if I allow enough water to run down to the bottom? Right?

Any inspirations/suggestions are verry welcome!

Good idea, no good idea? Worth it?

Peace
there was someone on youtube that is kind of already working on this... he had a video posted on youtube. Someone posted it a while ago in the organic forum, can't remember which thread though. the guy's video on youtube is not with cannabis as an example, but it should work for cannabis all the same. you just have to make sure you have a lot of air pumping and I think it would be totally fine judging from what his plant looked like. just seems like one of those systems where if something goes wrong in a 30gal container... you're gonna be in for a lot of work to correct an issue! but i totally say give it a try!
 

Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
there was someone on youtube that is kind of already working on this... he had a video posted on youtube. Someone posted it a while ago in the organic forum, can't remember which thread though. the guy's video on youtube is not with cannabis as an example, but it should work for cannabis all the same. you just have to make sure you have a lot of air pumping and I think it would be totally fine judging from what his plant looked like. just seems like one of those systems where if something goes wrong in a 30gal container... you're gonna be in for a lot of work to correct an issue! but i totally say give it a try!
Yes I'll try it.
Looked for Aquarium pumps with four outlets but they have not enough air and pressure for pvc tubes.
The compressor I found is made for koi ponds they offer 3 sizes the biggest is 4200L/h the smallest 2100L/h.
9mm outlet.
Should make some pressure I guess.

I use four tubs.....
For numbers thats 70L/minute for the big model. So ~ 17.5L/min./Tub

For the small model 35L/min.
Thats 8,75L/min/Tub

Lets count in -20% loss of pressure on the way of the air to the pot.

Thats why I will take the middle sized compressor its just between those two.
But somehow i tend to the big one.

I aim around 10L/min/Tub

But like you say I will need lots of air.
Never heard of over oxygenation.
Gonna make a decission.

I'll try to find the video on ebay.

Thanks for the input!

Peace
 
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Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
The only problem I can see right now, is the possibility that the plants dont like it. The solution in that case is to pull the Plug of the compressor.
 

dubekoms

Well-Known Member
I feel like letting water sit on the bottom is a bad idea, even if it is aerated. Its basically a form of hydro at that point and then you do actually have to pH, I'd be worried about it going acidic sitting in water all day. But I could be totally wrong, don't know until you try. It does sound like a cool idea and I'd love to see it in action.
 

Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
I feel like letting water sit on the bottom is a bad idea, even if it is aerated. Its basically a form of hydro at that point and then you do actually have to pH, I'd be worried about it going acidic sitting in water all day. But I could be totally wrong, don't know until you try. It does sound like a cool idea and I'd love to see it in action.
No Bro wont sit in water all day only for a short period of time after watering every 2-3 days or so.

Peace
 
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ShLUbY

Well-Known Member
here is the video.


don't know how it'd work with living soil and cannabis... but seems to work well for these flowers! lol
 

Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
Cool I watched the video.

I will def. use more air and less water than that guy. That much water would kill the worms.

But good to see someone had a idea so close to mine.

Courious if the guy also grows weed or just flowers. He's cool.

The guy stated a 60% advantage. Sounds inspiring to me :hump::bigjoint:
 
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Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
I mean hey I just want my soil to be happy so my plants are happy.
I dont hope for 60% + at harvest just to make that clear.
I have the Tubs here and can buy the tubing and compressor in time I have 2/2.5 month of time to build the system or so.

I will take pics from the stuff and post here if anybody is intrested.

If it works for our purposes and if there is a difference compared to non aerated soil, I will know when it is running.

But I have a good feeling about doin it.

If its bullshit I still can.pull the plug at any point.

Peace
 
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ShLUbY

Well-Known Member
I mean hey I just want my soil to be happy so my plants are happy.
I dont hope for 60% + at harvest just to make that clear.
I have the Tubs here and can buy the tubing and compressor in time I have 2/2.5 month of time to build the system or so.

I will take pics from the stuff and post here if anybody is intrested.

If it works for our purposes and if there is a difference compared to non aerated soil, I will know when it is running.

But I have a good feeling about doin it.

If its bullshit I still can.pull the plug at any point.

Peace
I think you should definitely document it here. why not?!?!
 

Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
I think you should definitely document it here. why not?!?!
Yes I'll do it.
Just have to go to our version of home depot to check out what they have.

But I will start a new Thread when I am ready. Just recognised that I was so stoned and mad when I started this Thread that I fucked up the Title ..... lmao Cointainers

Peace
 

Gbuddy

Well-Known Member
Compressor.png Update

Two days ago I ordered this Baby on ebay. ^^^

Yesterday I had a day off work so I was Haeding to a hardware store looking for tube and fittings.
They got tubing but no fittings.
What a shame. I have to order over the Internet. Lmao
I asked the Dude for a bathroom fan for a friend after that and the Price he was asking was fife times the Price of ebay! And they are wondering why nobody buying their stuff? Thats soo....
Urggghhhhh
 
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