/diy/ - Do It Yourself

Hi diyers,

Trying hydroponics for vegetable and fruit (No drugs, not commercial). Trying with lettuce first.

SETUP :
Based on NFT model with a lot of scavenged part.
Water circulation by pump on a tank that will be on top of the shelve. Flowing by tube to the tupperwares (holes will be drilled on top and pots with rockwool and seeds will be put.
Slight leveling between the pots will be created for the natural flow of nutrient solution (NS) between the pots. Then the NS will go to a collector with the pump. A little tap will be installed to ajust the flow according to the power of the pump so that the level of NS in main tank and collector is as constant as possible. Air pump with ball.

I already had :
- tupperwares
- water pump

I spent total of 170$ for everything else :
- shelves
- nutrients (GHE flora, grow, micro hard water) i might switch to making my own in the future
- ec and pH meters
- air pump + air ball
- tubes + tap for regulation
- LED 50W (cob, spectrum with blue red and bit of the rest)
- solution for calibrating ec and pH meters
- seeds (still have to choose which)
- distilled water for cleaning meters
- black tape for covering pots, tubes, tanks from light.

I might close the shelve with an improvised cardvoard door for light conservation but i am hesitating because i don't have temperature regulation, and letruce can be sensitive to it.

I know the ratio of nutrient to put in my 5 gallons tank and how to control it with my ec and pH. I know the range of pH and EC to keep ( between 6 and 7 and between 1000 and 2000 microsieverts per cm according to tap water)

I watched videos (Bright agrotech, different people suming their experience, mistakes, ...) and read scientific publications for all of this and i think i covered everything...

Did I ?

Did someone tried different kind of nutrients than the GHE ? Made their own ?
Kind of salad you used ?
I will try strawberry after. Advice on those ?

Thanks !