How to Build a Floating Raft Hydroponic System 

I needed nutrens mix

Holiday 😅

@@Hoocho well deserved

Get yourself friends that look at you the way I look at my screen when there's a new hoocho video out

At least from my understanding, the air space or gap you see between the water and the surface your plant is being held with (styrofoam), is for oxygen needed by your plant. The reason they don’t drown is because of this gap, as the plant is still a baby it’s roots shouldn’t touch the water yet because as the plant grows it will create this fuzzy looking white roots that absorb the oxygen in the surrounding gap whilst trying to reach the nutrient filled water. As the plant grows and uses the water, the water level decreases and you will see more fuzzy oxygen roots. You never want to refill the water as it will surround the oxygen roots and essentially suffocate (drown) the plant and if you do need to add more water for whatever reason just do it up until a pint there is still a small gap between the oxygen roots and the water surface.

I think it’s because plants only develop the air roots above the water level. So, if your kratchy system’s water level goes down, then you refill it, you’ll water log those air roots. I think in this system, you won’t get as many air roots and the raft will keep them above the water level.

Also I'm getting into building cheap wooden troughs and lining them with pond liner for shallow hydroponics and bottom watering. I shall try building a version of that instead of using a plastic kiddie pool. Worried about UV damage out here but once again thanks for the inspiration

You could cut a circular piece of plywood slightly wider than the kiddie pool (with occasional vertical bricks or 2x4 as legs for support). Drill holes for the net cups/jiffy pellets. With this you could preserve the kiddie pool from UV damage, evaporation and algae, and you'd basically have a jumbo Kratky pond grow (the platform doesn't descend with the water level like this video). I think I might just go test this one out since I have a few pools laying around. Might even try wicking up into fabric pots too from the pool below to test the viability.

in Australia the hardware store sells solid plastic wading pools that might be usable or the solid plastic square plastic pond

You could use abet... to kill the mosquito larvae. I use 2 layers of mesh 60 and create a walk in tent.

Same question

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Wait until the roots have grown down 3" and then add some strips of XPS underneath the main boards. This will create an air gap as thick as the spacer strips

To get the full picture you`d need to know what the EC was at the end. The water used over the growing period represents the transpiration and evaporative losses. If you provided 25% of the water at the same nutrient strength (EC1) you`d only have 25% of the total nutrient that was available in the 365L of solution

Yeah I couldn’t find them when I was searching to link. A search of “bastion xps” should give you a local supplier though, or something analogous.

Oh too funny, I made my post half way through vid.. and you answered my question abou air stone/productivity at the end Thank you

Cabbage will probably work if you do less of them. The panels are more buoyant than I expected

@@Hoocho Thanks and are cabbage at half or full strength nutrients. I am using the special T stuff you use. Also, I am on the gold coast, in summer the plant will get half sun half shade , will they do alright?

@@sherieryan6176 I’d go full, they’re hungry

@@Hoocho You're amazing. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for all your videos, they keep me endlessly amused.

Screw 2 or more thinner boards together with stainless screws to increase the thickness.Make larger holes in the upper board(s) so the jiffy is still held at the correct depth

I’m sure it’s based on how deep it is so I would say it’s basically easy

There was no aerator.

I have no affiliation with the business except doing a review for them. You’ll need to contact that business.

I could see that reflecting light and drying out the underside leaves. Shade cloth could solve that though

He’s talking about a fish tank aeration stone, which requires an inexpensive air pump. Essentially, an aquarium bubbler.

It’s a stone for aquarium to pump air through, it’s need a pump with electric

Haven’t run out of diamond t yet

Minimal aeration only what the grow media can provide I assume it would slow the growth rate drastically doing it this way

Bunnings

@@HoochoI can’t find anything like them panels anywhere. Could you post a link please. Love your work❤

@@miggy2628 search bastion xps panel

Also - great video, Thank you ❤

I bought it from bunnings a few months ago, looks like they are out though.

Bastion XPS panel. No longer available at Bunnings. Google search finds it in W.A. Very expensive to ship to other states. Let us know if you can find an alternative, I haven’t yet.

9x5 per sheet…. So it should’ve been 90… Though if you count the holes… man I was way off hahahah There’s more like 35 per side once I shifted the rows.

@@Hoocho oooh of course, "per sheet" is basically nuff said 👍🏻

Bunnings

You can find it in any hardware/home improvement store. Foam Board Insulation. Usually about 6-7 bucks per 2'x2' board here in The U.S.

Did you miss the part where he said he wanted to setup a system that requires no electricity? Some people use systems like this in areas where they don't have electricity such as a backyard etc. Or they simply don't want the added cost of running air pumps.