Fogponics Method Build

Fogponics Method Build Intro

Our Fogponics Method Build is nearly identical to our Deep Water culture totes container with lid build. The only difference is the nutrient delivery system. In the Deep Water Culture system, the plant roots are constantly in the water. In the Fogponics method Build the plant roots are immersed in a constant layer of fog or fine mist

Need more info or are not sure how to proceed? Take a step back and learn more about Fogponics or check out some other Fogponics designs before you jump in to start your build.

Fogponics Method Build- Container With Lid System

Materials

• 27 Gallon Reservoir, or similar size (choose 1 of the following options)
  • Non-transparent or translucent Totes or storage container (Size will depend on what is locally available, how much room you have, and your garden plan)
    • You will always want to select a none transparent or translucent reservoir in order to limit light getting to your nutrient solution as this will cause algae growth.
    • Can I use a fish tank if I already have one? (Sure, why not? This selection could make your Deep Water Culture System an Aquaponics System! Just don’t select large plants or you won’t be able to lift the styrofoam lid to service and feed the fish!
• AGPTEK Aluminum Mist Maker Fog Maker for Water Fountain Pond Rockery Fishtank Vase Birdbath – Larger containers may need 2 or more fog misters
• Fog Mist Maker Float– to be used with the AGPTEK Aluminum Mist Maker Fog Maker for Water Fountain Pond Rockery Fishtank Vase Birdbath mist maker
• Net cups
  • 2″ – 3″  or 4″ (Net cup size will depend on the size of your reservoir, and plants selection)
    • 2″ lettuce, Greens, Herbs
    • 3″ Kale, Chard, larger greens
    • 4″ Larger and Vining vegetables
• Air pump (aquarium or other) This one comes with 2 air hoses, check valves, and air stones 
• Air hose (Usually comes with the air pump)
• Check valve (Comes with better quality air pumps)
• Airstone (Comes with some air pumps. Get the biggest one your reservoir and air pump can handle)
• Distilled or Filtered Water (preferably reverse osmosis filtered)
• Plants
  • Fresh Plant cutting (if you are cloning a plant)
  • Seedling
  • Seeds in a net pot and Rapid Rooter starter plugs  (These work amazing! But, If you find them a little too expensive you can use the stone wool starter cubes)

Tools

• Power drill
• Hole saw Match your net cup size selection. This may be more difficult than it seems as the exact hole saw size you need may not come in your hole saw kit. See more details in the instructions below.
• 1/4″ Drill bit  for wood or plastic. The size of this hole will depend upon the diameter of the air tubing you have purchased.
• Razer or Exacto knife  I would normally never recommend the “snap-off blade” type of box cutter knife, but the ability to extend this blade out a few sections to cut a clean slice on the 1″ styrofoam makes this particular knife design the right choice for this job.

Instructions

Reservoir

• Clean the selected reservoir. Be careful with your cleaning solution here. Don’t use anything you would not use to clean your own drinking glass. We like to use clean water with a little Hydrogen peroxide. It’s best to follow the manufactures instructions as each bottle is sold with different strength percentages.

Reservoir Lid

• Layout and Mark Hole locations (Here are 2 layout options.) These layouts are set up for the Homz Tough Durabilt Tote Box, 27 Gallon, Stackable, 2 Pack, Black/Yellow. You may have to rescale and /or print multiple pages to get it to fit right for your selected reservoir) No need to engineer this or be super critical here. If you have space between each plant and the edges of your reservoir your plants will be fine.

• Drill Holes in the raft with a hole saw. The size will depend on your net cup size selection. Remember, the drilled hole size needs to be the diameter of the net cup just before the lip (or flange) at the top. Don’t make it too big or the net cups will fall through the holes. (running the drill backward at a slow speed will make it safer, easier and won’t destroy your lid.)

• Mark and Drill a 1/4″  Hole for the air hose in one of the corners. Alternately you can sometimes just run it under the lid into the reservoir.
• Mark and Drill a 1/4″  Hole for the mister power wire in one of the corners. Alternately you can sometimes just run it under the lid into the reservoir.

Place 

• Place the reservoir in its permanent location
• Place your net cups into each drilled hole
• Push the air hose through the 1/4″ hole

Fill

• Fill the reservoir with filtered water (Make sure the water  level touches the bottom of the net cups when the styrofoam is placed on top of the reservoir)
• Add nutrients as per manufacture instructions
  • Pre mixed Nutrients are easier to use
  • Later you can learn how to use dry nutrient ingredients and mix yourself. They are cheaper to purchase and easier to store.
• Check pH
  • pH will rise or drop after adding the nutrients (usually drop)
  • Adjust the water pH with pH up or pH down to read about 5.8 to 6 

Connect

• Cut a small 6″  length of hose and connect to the air pump
• Connect the end of the air hose inside the container to the air stone
• Connect the outside end of the air hose to the check valve. Look closely on the check valve to see an indicator on the side indicating the proper direction of the flow of air and position the direction of the check valve accordingly.  Note that the air flows from the air pump to the air stone inside the container. If you are uncertain, you can blow through the valve one side at a time. One side will be more restrictive. That is the side that will connect to the hose or tubing that goes to the airstone.

• Connect the check valve to the small 6″ piece of hose already connected to the air pump.
• Connect the mister head to the mister
• Connect the mister head to the float and place it in the reservoir on the surface of the nutrient water

Plant

Option 1 – Seedlings

• Put your plants into each net cup

• Fill each cup with the medium of your choice (we like using expanded clay pebbles)

Option 2 – Starter plugs and seeds

• Seeds in a starter plug
• Put Starter plug in a net pot and fill with the rest of the space with medium

Detail

• The only difference between the Deep Water Culture System and the Fogponics system is the introduction of the fog mister or nebulizer and the water level. The Fogponic water level is much lower.

Additional Instructions

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