Archives for: July 2010, 16
07/16/10
Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/wellknown-varieties-of-hydroponic-systems-p-1006.html
Hydroponics - the growing of crops without soil - can be achieved by a vast variety of methods. The obstacle in each technique is to suspend the plant in place while exposing the roots to a regular supply of water-nutrient formula. There are several ways you can do this and some of these methods are more effective that the rest. Typically hydroponic systems fall into the classes of active or passive (active normally means a pump is used) and recovery or non-recovery (recovery means the solution is captured and re-circulated). Some systems make use of grow trays to hold the plants and a container for the solution. With these things in mind, here are some of the most common hydroponic systems.
Ebb and Flow
In this active recovery method, plants in the grow tray are usually anchored by some sort of medium (ideally one that retains water, like rockwool). A pump floods the grow tray with water occasionally depending on the time you set on the timer, it then shuts down and lets the nutrient solution drain through a maze of tubes attached to the tray that leads back to the tank. This technique is otherwise known as the flood-drain system which is very famous among beginners.
The Drip System
This system is more or less the same with ebb and flow but instead of surging the grow tray this system uses a pump that pushes the nutrient solution around the network of tubes that drips the solution straight on the plant roots. Depending on your choice you can turn the hydroponic systems into a recover or non-recovery system. If you would like to do without the constant monitoring of the pH level then you might want to utilize the non-recovery version.
The Wick System
This is a simple, passive non-recovery hydroponic method in which the nutrient formula is carried from the reservoir to the crop roots by means of a wick (like an oil lamp wick). There's no need for a pump and for water circulation thus making this system easy and cost-efficient. However, the produce may not be as impressive because regulating the water flow is a challenge which means that the roots are getting too much or too little solution.
Nutrient Film Technique
Also called NFT for short, this is an active recovery system in which the plant roots are hanging in a continual flow (or film) of solution. The "grow tray" is generally a tube, where the plants are suspended on top and the roots are open below. The pump sends the solution into one end of the tube, and it drains out the other end back again into the tank. While efficient, this approach is also more complicated and higher-maintenance.
There are a number of variations of hydroponic systems but the ones mentioned are the most common. Which hydroponic systems you choose will rely mainly on your skill level and budget.
Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/primary-use-of-hydroponic-nutrients-p-1005.html
The nutrient solution is one of the crucial components in a hydroponic garden. The right mixture of nutrients in the right quantities will help you grow a great crop; the wrong combination can have the opposite result. There are a lot of brands and varieties of hydroponic nutrients, and finding out what to choose can be a challenging task. Nonetheless, if you know about the basic information concerning the use of hydroponic nutrients then your task in choosing the right one can be a whole lot simpler.
In general terms, plants grown in hydroponic gardens need 3 important nutrient components during the different stages of growth and development. During the growth or vegetation phase the plant needs a nitrogen-rich solution then it will need a potassium-rich solution during the fruit bearing stage and for the whole process it will need different kinds of micro-nutrients. This is the reason why most hydroponic nutrients sold come in formulas with three parts, first one the grow part which is nitrogen-rich, the second is the bloom part which is potassium-rich, the last part is the micro part and all these parts reflect all the three stages of plant growth.
Secondly, as far as how much nutrient formula to buy and use, as a rule of thumb, it is best to plan for between one-half and one gallon of formula per crop. Condition will play a huge role in determining the amount of concentration of the nutrients. The formulas are designed to be used in regular strength as long as lighting, space, ventilation and temperature are in correct parameters; if lighting is low, temperature is high and/or space is crowded, your plants will do better with a weaker solution, and with high quality lights and exceptional ventilation, your plants may be able to deal with a bit higher concentration. It is most essential not to over-fertilize; also, sudden changes to the concentration of your hydroponic nutrients can damage the plants, so make sure any changes are progressive.
Furthermore, keeping track of the current conditions of the water-nutrient solution regularly is of utmost value. Understand that the alkalinity or acidity of the nutrient-water mixture can affect the quantities of nutrients being soaked up by the plants directly. Nutrient formulas tend to be on the acidic side, and can throw the pH off. You’ll need a pH test kit or monitor to monitor this. A pH that is beneath 5.8 or above 6.8 is considered inappropriate, but a pH that falls withing 6.0 or 6.2 is considered best. To regulate the pH level of your nutrient solution you can purchase and use additives. Additionally, the plants will absorb nutrients and oxygen best if the water is maintained within 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Different plants have different requirements therefore it is important that you are aware of the specific nutrients needed by type of plant you are growing and this will help you find or create a solution that is suited for your plant. Your hydroponics supplier can suggest you on your options. By keeping these things in mind, you will be that much farther along in the application of hydroponic nutrients for your garden.
Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/where-to-find-hydroponics-starter-kits-p-1004.html
You do not have to spend a lot in order to get your hydroponics garden on your windowsill or porch started. What you need to have the ball rolling is a hydroponic starter kit.
To find a hydroponics starter kit, you just need to let your fingers do the walking through the world wide web. A lookup on www.bing.com for example nets 104,000 responses to the term “hydroponic starter kits”.
On one site, I found several small kits that you can put just about everywhere. A starter kit is even branded as the Garden of Ease. It is composed of a Reservoir with a plastic lid, 4 net cups, (for your seeds or seedlings) 2 liters of grow rocks, and a water pump. Normally, all the instructions are included, and the price is just $59.95.
Stealth Hydroponics also offers a beginner kit called Bubbleponics Kit. This package has anything. This package comes with 6 net cups, an automatic irrigation and drainage system, and of course a planting media known as rockwool. It even includes the grow lights to make your crops grow extra large! For all these products you get to spend only $189.95. The Bubbleponics kit is a great way to get started.
Nevertheless, when you are using the internet to search for these hydroponic starter kits, always make sure that these kits are offered in the US. Many of the starter kits available on the net are listed in GBP, (Great Britain Pounds) not US Dollars. This is fine if you live to be in the UK, but you might have to figure the conversion, and if the company is willing to ship across the pond, you will likely pay a premium.
Using a starter kit is a fantastic way to get started into hydroponic farming. It’s also ideal if you simply don’t have the available space for anything larger.
A small venture like this is ideal for novices. You can usually extend in case you find out the need to do so. Some people will start out with a small-scale kit like the ones mentioned above, and might expand the garage, or a shed. Some might even end up constructing a green house and concentrate more on hydroponic farming.
Nevertheless, when starting out, it is really best to keep things small. To wit, a hydroponics starter kit.
Make certain that the kit you purchase has everything you need to get kicked off, especially the nutrient solution. Many instances the solution will be in packets of powder you will have to mix, but they should be integrated. Nevertheless, grow lights are optional because some hydroponic starter kits do not include these and you may need to buy these lights individually.
History informs us that people worldwide for many centuries have honored both their loved ones as well as their pets upon their passing away via intricate human funerals, as well as holy pet memorials. Cremation began around 3000 B.C. in the Near East, later across northern Europe, going to the British Isles and what's now Spain and Portugal around the time of the Bronze Age -- 2500 to 1000 B.C. During the Roman Empire around 27 B.C. to 395 A.D. cremation is now employed all over the kingdom and the use of intricately decorated jars to hold the ashes became a custom. By 400 A.D., Constantine's Christianization of the Empire resulted in earth burials completely replacing cremation. For the next 1,500 years, this kind of disposition has remained the standard all throughout Europe.
An example is the uncovering of an old pet cemetery along with the graves of 1000 dogs that can be traced back to the Persian rule in Palestine around 539 to 332 BC.
Modern cremation and pet memorials began a little over a hundred years ago in the United States. Hartsdale Pet Cemetery and Crematory is the earliest and most prestigious pet memorial and burial area. Established in 1896, close to the end of the War there were more than 2,000 burial plots in this Westchester County, New York cemetery. In this place pets are placed to rest in coffins and urns made especially for them along with custom made gravestones and pet memorials services at the graveside. There are more than 70,000 pets buried there today.
The Le Cimetiere des Chiens D'Asnieres-Sur-Seine in France has put up a huge sculpture of a Saint Bernard and a child. A dog named Barry lost his life while attempting to save the 41st person in the Alps; he already saved 40.
In the last few decades, there has been a dramatic rise in cremation in comparison to ground burials, which has increased the need to find a final resting place for a pet's remains. Some individuals choose to spread their pet's remains, but the majority decide to place them in a permanent cremation urn which can be kept at home.
At present a new style has emerged and this trend is labelled as tribute paintings where painters are commissioned in order to paint a portrait of their beloved pets and loved ones.
with the use of the cremated ashes. These remains, and or a few strands of the hair are painted into an abstract expression of a loved one's life. Abstract art is the type of artwork that follows a narrow trail behind religious art except that it is not religious art and it concentrates more on color and form.
Testimonies confirm the fact that tribute paintings as pet memorials help people through the healing process after their loved one has passed on.
Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/how-to-make-a-one-of-kind-creative-pet-memorial-p-1000.html
Some individuals consider their pets as part of their family and some view their pets as their very own children. Whenever a valued pet passes away, it can create just as much a sense of sadness and loss as losing a close family member. And just as we have memorials and grave markers to memorialize our loved ones who have passed, the loss of a pet often creates the same desire in us to remember them in some way - to create pet memorials, to point out to us of the joy that pet's life brought to ours.
Some individuals might find it weird for others to go through all the hassle of conducting a memorial service for their pets. Unfortunately, those who never experienced having a pet will never comprehend how a pet affects one's life. Sometimes a pet helps us through a lonely time, or makes us chuckle when our circumstances are anything but joyful. Moreover, the mere fact that these pets of ours are in a position of loving us without question is enough to make our world a whole lot better. Pets enhance our lives; that's why we keep them. Therefore when we lose one, it is natural that we feel the need to find creative ways to hold a pet memorial. It makes a mark that states, "The life of this pet is meaningful to me. Owning this pet made a big difference.”
We must realize that our pets are not the one's benefiting from the funeral but us which is more or less the same when we hold a memorial service for our loved ones who passed away. It is a part of the grieving system, to recount how much their lives have meant to us, and to come to grips with the fact that we must now say good-bye. The grieving process can be differ from one person to another this is the reason why no two funerals and memorial services are the same and this is also relevant for pet memorials. Nevertheless, what is important is the fact that we are doing one thing that is full of meaning.
Pet memorials do not have to be luxurious this can take place in the backyard or it can take place while you shower your pet's ashes in his favorite spot. There are pet cemeteries where owners can bury their pet and erect a grave marker at the site. Often a pet memorial can be a kind of art, like a shadowbox containing sentimental items like fur clippings or the pet's favorite toys, a pet portrait, or even a plush reproduction. There is one artist that makes artworks like special tribute paintings helping owners memorialize their domestic pets. What type of memorial we choose, again, is more about what helps us treasure the memory of our pet, to recognize the way that pet touched our lives.
There are a lot of methods to creatively bid farewell to our beloved pets. There is no wrong or right when it comes to recalling our pets and you are free to choose the most creative pet memorials you find.
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