I’ve been thru this list (and the suggestions in the instruction guide and similar suggestions), but I can’t get a consistent drip in my V3 windowfarm kit. I’m assuming I should, but maybe I am over-estimating the consistency of the last version of the kits?  Either way, air is consistently bubbling up in my reservoirs and backing out of the airlift tube. With the system initially setup, things seem to work more consistently (I get a flow and drip for the most part). Eventually (or when I turn off the pump and then go to turn the pump back on), ‘pockets’ of water get ‘stabilized’ in the airlift tubes and the pressure seems to be enough that the airflow will only escape back out of the airlift tube.

I’m not sure that this is what is happening, but it seems to be (because I get waterflow if I clean the airlift tubes out and reinsert them, and the water pockets stay ‘stable’ in the airlift tube after I turn off the pump).

Any suggestions? I’ve been at this for hours and am running out of ideas (except I imagine a gigantic resevoir would help?)

Thanks

What do i look for in a pH meter?

I’ve found this on a dutch ebay-like site

http://link.marktplaats.nl/508174677

It doesn’t list a brand, and i bet it’s a cheap piece of junk (can’t expect much for 18,50 Euro =^ $ 24, can i?), but my gut says it’s still a lot better than those pieces of paper. Anyone?

Hallo,

as the title says this well be exiting. I came across the idea over ted. So I planed to build the V3-Version as it is and optimize it later. But I could not hold on me to give it my one twist. Customiced for my needs, so her is the plan:

The main difference are the bamboo containers. I will install this windowfarm in our kitchen, so i like it to look a little bit more pleasend as the pet bottle version.The second difference is the mixing of water and air. I want to put up an almosted closed system, so i thought I’ll try to mix the air and water with a t-piece and two check valves. This idea is simple, maybe so simple, that it was already thought of and didnt work.

0. Contents

1. Part list

2. Installation and Mounting

3. Plumbing System

4. Problems to solve

1. Part List:

Installation:
1 x 3.5m bamboo trunk 2 x 4m of 3mm steel rope 8 x eye nut m3 (maybe 10x) 8 x female screw 8 x washer – small inner, big outer diameter 8 x luster terminal (inner metal part) 2 x hook for the wall 4 x hydroponic planting cups
Plumbing:
1 x APS 50 airpump 1 x check valve (need one more) 1 x 4m transparent tube – inner diameter 8mm 1 x 4m semi transparent green tube – inner diamter 4mm

2. Installation & Mounting

1. Cut the bamboo trunk into pieces, just right above the in wall. Put some “after work” on the cuttings (sandpaper).
2. Drill two 1cm holes, each hole facing the other hole one the opposite site of the trunk. Positioned about 2 cm below the upper rim of each bamboo container.
3. Also drill a 6 to 10 mm hole in the bottom of each bamboo container (exept the water reservoir). Be carefull and drill gently, so the wood doesent break.
4. Put an eye nut in each hole and fix it with a washer and an appropriate female screw. Maybe you need to cut the screw little bit to safe space inside the trunk.
5. Take a piece of bamboo, which you don’t plan to use. Peal of some bamboo fibers. At least 3 x 10cm for each bamboo container.
6. Tie 3 fibers together. If they are too curved, you can straighten them by heating the bamboo up. I think the temperature should be around 170 ° Celcius. So take a heat gun or one of these kitchen things to make creme brulee. WATCH OUT! Dont burn yourself.
7. Put them into the bottom hole of the container.
8. Now take the luster terminal and get ride of the plastic. Work your way as far as possible with a princers and then try to rip the rest of with a comb pliers.
9. Put it together.

PS: I will add some images.

3. Plumbing system

ToDo

4. Problems to solve

1. As i told, i would like to mix the air with a t-piece and two check valves (see sketch above). Solved!

2. The water tube will be inserted to the bottom water container either by:

1. vertical: V3 System at the bottom with a bicycle valve or
2. horizontal: at the side like this (just at the bottom of the container):

It fits pretty tight. I will see if it leaks.

Hi folks,

I am new here and want to start Windowfarm at  yard,hoping gain a little bit sense of achievement,but stopped by that problem:  nutrients for plants? could your guys help  me find the right  solution? Thank you so much.:)

I’m thinking about doing the vertical window garden, as I already have a large floor window garden.  Can anyone say if they have to rotate their bottles to help keep the plants growing straight?

I rotate my floor pots or else they all start leaning  towards the window and it also seems like I get a better plant when I do this.

Plants below are all window grown dirt-based.  Thai basil, Italian basil, queen basil, and the bottom pic is of a pineapple i’m growing indoors. ( never thought I could do this)

Does anyone happen to know the average water capacity one window farm would hold? Or possibly the average weight of one window farm?

How on earth do you get the inflation needle to stay onto the check valve!?

I have average petco check valves (the ones recommended in the online WF set up) and basketball inflation needles. The two will not stay together and after an hour of functioning they come apart. It’s so sad and such a tease, adivce would be greatly greatly appreaciated!

Ciao ciao

I am new to gardening and hydroponics. I was excited last summer when my snap peas grew outside with gusto. Now indoors I’m trying again.

My leaves are curling up and wilting, even the stems are wilting. I’m not sure where to start. Could I be overwatering the beans? (15m on, 15m off).

Thanks!!

Hi all

So, I’m new here, but highly experienced in hydroponics generally. Here are a few very basic improvements/suggestions to the WF system that I would consider beneficial. forgive my waffling in advance as this is all top of my head (but useful never-the-less)

1. use BLACK SPRAY PAINT, not white. here’s why;

a) black paint will definately prevent ANY light getting to the root zone, as compared to white which, as I have found in my own DIY systems, is less efficient at this (algae formation as visual evidence)

b) root zone temp. As a basic principle, the warmer the root zone the faster the root growth and so, plant growth (up to an optimum temperature, above which becomes detrimental). So, black paint in sunlight has better heat absorption properties than the reflective white paint. In theory, black paint would assist the root growth more than white by keeping a warmer root zone.

2. a possible UPGRADE?

adding a water heater to the reservoir (set at 18-20 celcius) would also promote root growth for WF in the colder windows of winter in which the water temp may drop to a point of plant growth inhibition.

3. increase the RESERVOIR SIZE.

a)The smaller the reservoir, the quicker the P.H can shift. a very important aspect of hydro growing, if this shifts too much (and it will if not checked) the PH will go beyond the zone of nutrient absorption and lock-out nutrients to the plants… which stresses and ultimately reduces efficiency of the plant. increasing the reservoir will add an extra buffer zone for human error (forgetting to check p.h) and makes the hydro system a little more forgiving. for example. in a DIY dripper system I constructed, the 4L reservoir (feeding 4 plants) went beyond the p.h absorption parameters within 24 hours, due to the plants using far more Nitrogen than other nutrients in the solution. Upon upgrading to a 10l reservoir the plants now maintain a stady p.h for a number of days.

b) the smaller the reservoir, the quicker the E.C (or T.D.S [total dissolved solids]) will increase. Plants use far more water than nutrient so in a small reservoir in which far more water is being used than nutrient, after a period of even a few hours (if the WF is full of plants) the water could have dramatically reduced whilst nutrient has only minimally reduced. So, the relative concentration of nutrient (E.C) has increased. This is not good for control.

4. buy an E.C meter. NOT ESSENTIAL BUT RECOMMENDED FOR OPTIMUM CONTROL AND GROWTH

Now, I will state that I do not know to which degree readers of this post will be acquainted with E.C etc so I will quickly, and rather superficially, explain it in basic terms.

E.C (electro-conductivity)  is the concentrations of ions or nutrient in a solution (dissolved nutrient strength). As a basic rule, the higher the E.C the stronger the nutrient concentration, the benefit of an E.C meter is that it gives you control over the feed strength BEYOND knowing what you put in at first. So, if say, you carefully measure 10ml of nutrient feed into 10L of pure water, and the E.C meter (digital reading) reads an E.C of say 1.0 as a rough example(note this is purely for exemplary purposes), which is fine for your plants age and stage etc. you add this to your reservoir and begin the feed regime. After a  few days, the plants may have used 2l of water, yet only 0.5ml of nutrient along with it, so now, your carefully calculated nutrient strength is out the window because you now have 8l of water with 9.5ml of feed…

so; from 10l-10ml= 1ml/l (a balanced strength)

to 8l-9.5ml = 1.18ml/l (now stronger)…

So, now you know, to bring equilibrium back to the nutrient strength, you must add water until the E.C drops to 1 again. without this meter, it is very difficult to know how much of what has been used by the plant.

so,  just a few basic ideas, this is my first contribution (actually currently procrastinating from studying for an exam)and I hope to add more in depth ideas and suggestions when I have the time to write them up after my exam period next week.

any questions or whatever really, please don’t hesitate… I love talking hydro!

Hey guys!

So I’m in research phase for building my WindowFarm after I saw Britta’s TED talk and I have to admit that I have a ridiculous amount of information swirling around in my head and it’s starting to overwhelm me. I’ve read dozens of articles on here and there are still a few things unclear to me.

Basically, I was hoping I could do a site visit to someone that has an established WF somewhere near my neighborhood (Clinton Hill, Brooklyn) so I can see it in action and get a good visual of all the working parts in person. Would anybody be willing to let me in to see theirs?

I’m thinking of doing a set up similar to Jenna Spevack’s (seen here: http://our.windowfarms.org/2010/05/05/plastic-free-window-farm/) though I may have to cut corners on the no plastic idea. I’m also trying to start off with three or four columns in my GINORMOUS 7.5′ x 8′ living room window. I know that’s pretty ambitious, since it’s my first aeroponic system, but I think the process is pretty straight forward, and I’d rather just get it all done, rather than build the first and then have to scale up later. My research seems to indicate that I should have two separate air lift pump systems so that I have enough lift. Is that correct?

Thanks in advance for all your help and I can’t wait to be eating my very own pak choy!