Where is the
reservoir? |
| The
reservoir is built in. No external reservoir is required. The entire
forward lower portion of the system is the integral reservoir. Our design
it truly modular, automatically expanding the reservoir volume as
additional GrowTubes are added. |
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How far will your completed systems disassemble? |
| The completed system will
disassemble down to two levels. The first level .... for moving, cleaning, or inspection
.... results in a reservoir assembly, and a grow tube assembly for each run in the setup.
The next level, for long term storage or transportation, results in the removal of the
free standing leg and 90 elbow on each GrowTube. All levels of disassembly can be
accomplished in five minutes without the use of tools. The guarantee of watertight
operation is maintained after assembly/disassembly .... without the use of any additional
sealants. |
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| How do you
access the reservoir for measurements and nutrient additions? |
| The upstanding portion of the
center GrowTube contains the fill port with lid. Easy access is made by simply lifting off
the lightproof PVC cover. Ample room is provided for visual inspections, nutrient
additions, and pH and TDS measurements. |
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| What are
the three knobs on the reservoir for on your system? |
| These valve handles control our convenience
valve package. This feature results in a dramatic
reduction in the labor associated with the maintenance of hydroponic systems, and is the
subject of four separate patent claims. This built-in unit controls the powered pump
overboard feature, reservoir self-agitation for mixing and self cleaning,
and nutrient distribution features. Our
clean running system requires virtually no routine cleaning. Our QuickConnect drain/fill
hose attachment and powered pump overboard feature dramatically reduce the labor involved
in routine reservoir changes, and eliminate annoying hydraulic-potential concerns. There
is no more need to drain the reservoir tank to a lower elevation .... no need for a floor
drain. You may now drain uphill. You are able to locate your machine anywhere, and rely on the pump to empty your system,
instead of gravity .... even uphill. Reservoir nutrient change hassles are a thing of the past. |
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| What areas
are accessible for cleaning? |
| All interior surfaces are
easily accessible .... this includes all portions of the reservoir and the entire length
of each GrowTube. The system is completely light proof .... and runs perfectly clean. This
helps eliminate insect infestations and algae, significantly improving cleanliness while
simultaneously reducing cleaning labor. The system also contains a built-in self-cleaning
capability that automatically removes particulate matter from the system. The filter
element is commonly available, inexpensive, reusable, is changed in less than five
minutes, and only needs to be cleaned once every two years. |
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| Please
explain the function of your valves. |
| Our valve system
inexpensively allows for a tremendous reduction in the repetitive labor common with
routine reservoir maintenance and nutrient changes. All hydroponic systems require routine
periodic nutrient changes in order to replenish the nutrients removed from solution by the
plants. This labor can easily become an extreme burden .... depending
on the frequency of reservoir changes .... which jeopardizes the crop when
neglected. Every 4-6 weeks is a common frequency. By automating the draining and refill,
and auto-mixing during nutrient and pH additions, labor is reduced and
system health is maintained. The valve system also eliminates any concern regarding
hydraulic potential .... allowing the system to drain in most locations and
orientations without the need for a floor drain.
We solved these problems by designing into our system a cost effective system to empty the
reservoir 'uphill', under pump power, regardless of your location. The pump overboard
feature allows for much quicker reservoir changes. Once the tank is empty, simply reverse
the flow in the attached drain hose by connecting the hose to the water source, and
refill through the bi-directional port .... in one-fifth the time required when draining under gravity alone. |
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| What
watering schedule do you use with your reduced medium? |
| The system is extremely
flexible with respect to the watering schedule. The roots are not deprived or able to dry
out when the pump is not operational due to the light proof 99% humidity environment
inside the GrowTubes. Some users run the pumps whenever the lights are on. We recommend
starting the plants with something like 30 minutes of pump on every 3 hours when the
lights are on, and ending them on something like 60 minutes of pump on every 3 hours (near
harvest time). The optimum feed schedule will be dependant upon the grow methodology, type
of plant being grown, and the users preference. The system is very flexible, which leaves
the user's options open. The same way many experienced growers ramp the nutrient PPM up as
the plants mature .... we recommend ramping the feed cycle as they mature. This only makes
sense .... to increase both water and nutrient availability in proportion to the plants
requirements as it matures. In addition, in our system the GrowTube environment is optimal
for the uptake of oxygen throughout the root system .... thereby eliminating the need for
a secondary oxygenation sources such aquarium pumps and air stones. If desired, these
auxiliary air units may be added easily, however our side by side tests demonstrate that
they are not required. |
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| What type
of emitters do your systems use? |
| None! We have reliably
designed the emitters out of the system .... they are simply not required. Our patented pressure equalizing internal watering harness and distribution manifold eliminate
the need for emitters by guaranteeing equal pressure at each plant site regardless of the
number of plants .... thereby eliminating the major maintenance hassle of clogged
emitters. We have our own custom designed turbulent-flow FeedStake now being produced for
us which allows all feed lines to remain internal to our grow tubes. The pressure
equalizing nature of our design also allows for the use of a much smaller and less
expensive pump than is required in other systems of comparable size ....benefiting the
user with lower initial cost, ease of replacement, and extended life. |
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| Where can
I get a compatible pump for your system? |
| Our systems are designed to
eliminate the requirement for a specialized pump .... even in larger systems.
Your best source for an inexpensive pump is now North American
Hydroponics. We now supply pumps with all of our systems and, should
you experience a failure, replacements may be ordered from us as
well. In an emergency, your local
hardware store probably stocks the inexpensive and reliable Little Giant fountain pumps,
which work perfectly in our system. The commonly available Dayton Hudson pumps,
as well as the MaxiJets, sold in
most local grow shops, also work well. Any standard submersible pump with a
1/2" diameter discharge port, and a flow rate of 3-5 gal/hr for each
plant site in the system will function fine. |
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| What is
nutrient lockup and pH potential? |
| pH is a measure of the
relative concentrations of the H+ and OH- ions in the root environment .... having said
that, it may be best to think of pH as an electrical measurement. Simply put, if the ionic
charge is not correct .... the charged nutrient molecules are not accepted for use by the
plant, i.e. they are 'locked up'. All plants have very specific pH requirements for the
proper uptake of nutrients through their root systems. Most nutrients may only be utilized
by the plant through a specific, narrow range of pH. An understanding of this simple
requirement .... and an adequate nutrient supply .... is just about all that is required
to remove the guesswork from growing. The proper pH control you can eliminate the constant
guesswork involved in trying to diagnose nutrient deficiencies. It is just that simple! To
control pH you require either constant attention to your system .... or a pH neutral
design that maintains the pH you set ....effortlessly! This 'natural' pH level of the
system is what is referred to as 'pH potential' .... it is the 'potential' or 'charge' on
your system. This is the natural potential that you will constantly fight for the life of
the system .... and it represents a major system cost .... in pH adjustment solutions,
labor, and lost crop productivity. Our system .... by virtue of its pH neutrality and ease
of maintenance .... eliminates these problems. The use of pH neutral, ultra-violet
stabilized, food grade PVC components and a very small volume of grow medium results in
the easiest, most productive, and most efficient grow system available. Want more information on pH? Select here. |
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| How do you
reduce the pH potential of your medium? |
| Our system is designed to
support the root system in the optimal growth environment .... without the use of large volumes
of grow medium. Eliminating the large pH potential of most mediums stabilizes the system.
When combined with the neutral pH of our entire system, and the
extraordinary cleanliness of our pump-powered filtering, the resulting design eliminates
the single greatest cause of growing problems .... failure to maintain the pH within the
range required for wide spectrum nutrient uptake. Our system's 3"
diameter NetPots will support
all popular mediums, including HydroCorn, LavaRock, RockWool, and StoneWool. |
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