Root space in aeroponic systems

kushforbrains

Well-Known Member
i would like to use an aeroponic system but i am afraid that roots dont have enough space and also if a pump fails while im at work i dont want everything to dry up and die plus rep for helping me understand root space in aero systems
 

Cheifin420

Active Member
I have an AEROGARDEN 3 and with 1 plant root space started to get cramped after about 6 weeks-ish. I've seen quit a few people on here get great results with Aero Elite as well as the 7 pod models. Ive also seen alot of people getting results with AG on you-tube. You have to make a few modifications with adding light and bigger airstones but Ive seen them work.
Hope that helps
 

superstoner1

Well-Known Member
it seems the never ending fear of aero is pump failure. i have run the same six pumps for close to 4yrs, the cheap ecoplus pumps. they are on for 80sec and off for 8min all day, every day. i have gone through power failures up to 12hrs with no watering and never lost a plant in flower, veg, or clone. so just to say, its not like its immediate death. u shouldnt worry going to work. or even vacation.
 

problemsolver

Active Member
I once had a power failure that lasted for 26 hours ( tripped 6 way cord ) all the plants were completely wilted (all 91 of them!). Turned the pump back on and overnight they were all as good as new and that was one of the best crops I ever got. This happened recently and I intend to "kill" another crop in the future to see if the dry out somehow made them stronger.
 

problemsolver

Active Member
Oh, you need worry less about power failure than you do pump failure. Here is what I do. I run two separate pumps each having a basket strainer ( the large ones that you find on the website vacmotion.com , they have threes sizes and large is the biggest). If one pump is clogged ( although this never happened) or ceases ( even less likely) the other fills the need . Simply set-up the sprinkler manifold so that two pumps feed each 4" pipeline and alternate the sprinklers consecutively in a row. Split the work load of the pumps in such a way that the combined wattage of the two doesn't exceed the wattage of the one pump that could handle the entire job by itself.
If you take stinkbuddies advice and connect an undervoltage relay ( to transfer pump supply power from your breaker panel to a ups system in the event of a power failure) to a battery source (part of a ups) you would protect yourself from a blackout.I would advise that this ups method be provided a separate repeat cycle timer that gives a much longer "pump off" cycle and a much shorter "pump on " cycle than your normal repeat cycle relay which would drain your battery power too fast in a critical time when ideal watering cycles are less important than giving just enough to not stress the plants but enough to keep them alive. This "backup ups repeat cycle timer" is necessary for a backup system, but a repeat cycle timer is not necessary for regular run mode. You keep the pumps on all the time if reservoir temperature permits.
 

Badmf

Well-Known Member
Well I've had a GH aeroflo going for years like since 94' , never had a pump failure that scares everyone. But I maintain my equipment and replace before it is needed. All this extra work on relays is not necessary, if say power goes out for two hours, no light no problem, no water flow is needed, when power resumes so does the pump, so where is the danger? :fire:
 

Badmf

Well-Known Member
For sure Im just worried about the space for the roots because some systems only have 3 inch pots
The net cup is only where the roots start they don't limit the roots in any way just hold the plan in place and block spray from the outter parts. But the larger the root space the larger the plant. You don't want to have roots blocking the nutes, but I have had em going down the tubes to the rez.
 
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