Cross breeding undercurrent and fogponics

shawnery

Well-Known Member
I've been thinking of adding foggers to my 8 site undercurrent system. I'm wondering if this would be a wasteful idea or would it be helpful?

I have 9 13 gallon totes with 2" feed lines and a 1" return line run by a 1000gph pump. My thinking was to run a much lower water level, right above the feed lines. Then placing a fog machine in the middle of each tote. I was hoping by adding this and a few other things I can do away with airstones.

You get a lot of rooting in rdwc above the water line and often pathogen issues happen more often below the waterline or so it seems. I've been having issues with root rot and I'm hoping this might help? I'm finally dropping rockwool clones in rdwc so that might be enough.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
I've been thinking of adding foggers to my 8 site undercurrent system. I'm wondering if this would be a wasteful idea or would it be helpful?

I have 9 13 gallon totes with 2" feed lines and a 1" return line run by a 1000gph pump. My thinking was to run a much lower water level, right above the feed lines. Then placing a fog machine in the middle of each tote. I was hoping by adding this and a few other things I can do away with airstones.

You get a lot of rooting in rdwc above the water line and often pathogen issues happen more often below the waterline or so it seems. I've been having issues with root rot and I'm hoping this might help? I'm finally dropping rockwool clones in rdwc so that might be enough.
To get away without airstones, you gotta flip your lines. Use the 2" as returns and the 1"(3/4 manifold to 1/2 is better) to feed each bucket from the high side of each totes wall as a waterfall.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/i-gotta-lose-the-air-pumps-how-plus-my-awesome-mini-dwc.960807/page-2#post-14251657

https://www.rollitup.org/t/i-gotta-lose-the-air-pumps-how-plus-my-awesome-mini-dwc.960807/page-3#post-14262160

This takes you to the mini system which uses 2gal buckets, 1-1/2" returns and a 1/2" to 5/16" manifold and then below it is the larger system. Both use the same principle.
 
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Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
I've been thinking of adding foggers to my 8 site undercurrent system. I'm wondering if this would be a wasteful idea or would it be helpful?

I have 9 13 gallon totes with 2" feed lines and a 1" return line run by a 1000gph pump. My thinking was to run a much lower water level, right above the feed lines. Then placing a fog machine in the middle of each tote. I was hoping by adding this and a few other things I can do away with airstones.

You get a lot of rooting in rdwc above the water line and often pathogen issues happen more often below the waterline or so it seems. I've been having issues with root rot and I'm hoping this might help? I'm finally dropping rockwool clones in rdwc so that might be enough.
Root rot is likely because you're not using a chiller I'm guessing? 66*F is the magic number.
 

shawnery

Well-Known Member
I do use a chiller! Everything should have been perfect.

I'd love you to make a list of what you think would cause this.
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
I tried fogponics about 6 years ago. Unless you buy the super expensive fog devices you will have nothing but problems with ultrasonic foggers. The ceramic discs die quickly in ppms > 300!, AND, the head must be submerged in the nutrient in order to create the fog, but doing so generates a lot of heat

hth
 

shawnery

Well-Known Member
Most people are running a single cheaply in 5 gallon containers. I'm sure they are covering their basis.

My idea was to run the fogger in the epi center and then run 1/2" pipe from the epi to each bucket. It won't work having it in the same container once the roots hit the water.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Most people are running a single cheaply in 5 gallon containers. I'm sure they are covering their basis.

My idea was to run the fogger in the epi center and then run 1/2" pipe from the epi to each bucket. It won't work having it in the same container once the roots hit the water.
How would you get the fog to move to each bucket?
 

shawnery

Well-Known Member
It would take time but sooner or later it would fill all of them though I agree it would fill each row in succession.
 

shawnery

Well-Known Member
Wasn't my idea! The more I considered the idea of the mist making its own way the more ridiculous it sounded. Looked around and found this option. It should translate quite well to an epi center I would think. I would assume, bad word, that just like air conditioning that the mist would find it's way to each bucket.

 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
Most people are running a single cheaply in 5 gallon containers. I'm sure they are covering their basis.

My idea was to run the fogger in the epi center and then run 1/2" pipe from the epi to each bucket. It won't work having it in the same container once the roots hit the water.

I tried that too. No bueno!
 

shawnery

Well-Known Member
From the research it seems like it may be more reliable to go with high pressure aeroponics rather than a fogger? I'm wondering though if I'm running a 13 gallon tote how many high pressure heads do I need per tote? I've been looking into some of the outdoor misting systems it states they can cover a 15 square foot area so it would sound like one should be enough?
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
From the research it seems like it may be more reliable to go with high pressure aeroponics rather than a fogger? I'm wondering though if I'm running a 13 gallon tote how many high pressure heads do I need per tote? I've been looking into some of the outdoor misting systems it states they can cover a 15 square foot area so it would sound like one should be enough?
the good and bad of HPA is that it can produce an enormous rootball that makes it very difficult for ist to around. Probably 4 heads will do it, but up high, or on the lid, but that creates issues when you need to remove the lid
 

Atomizer

Well-Known Member
Depends on the chamber dimensions and nozzle spec. In most cases, the mist pattern of the nozzle will dictate where you can put it..
 
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