DIY upcycle jar - Hydroponic/aquaponic system

humblejoe

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone has any hints or experience to share for a novice wanting to start a hydroponic and/or aquaponic system?  I have multiple jars i wanted to up cycle (2 litre capacity approx, they're quite large), and am trying to self educate as much as possible before experimenting.   

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @humblejoe. It's great to have you join us and many thanks for your question.

The most basic form of hydroponics is a wicking system. This would be a fantastic place to start and provides the most room for mistakes as a novice.

You could easily construct a simple system by using the following products:

• Black plastic grow plant pots- Select suitably sized pots so they sit snuggly inside the mouth of your jars. The tapered sides of the pots will ensure they don't fall down inside the jar.

• Wicking material- Jute webbing is made from natural fibre and will readily transfer the water from the jar reservoir up into the pot. Simply cut a suitable length of the webbing and insert it through the drainage holes of the pot. Tie a knot on the inside of the pot so it is secured in place. Make sure the length of jute is long enough to extend down to the bottom of the jar.

• Growing medium- There are a few different types of growing mediums available in our stores which will be suitable for your setup. Some common mediums would include Brunnings 5l Perlite Potting Mix, Brunnings 5l Vermiculite and Brunnings 30l Coir Potting Mix Block.

• Nutrients- We offer an extensive range of products suited to hydroponics, from nutrients to PH adjustment chemicals for the system.

The water inside the reservoir will need to be refreshed regularly to maintain the optimum nutrient balance. If the reservoir is not in a light-free area, this will also help prevent the growth of algae and other organisms in the nutrient-rich water. You can use a regular aquarium air stone and pump as your aeration system. Having an aeration system is a good choice in a wick system reservoir. This ensures that the water is adequately oxygenated. This is important as the roots of the plants are never dry in a wick system.

Let me also mention a couple of our gardening experts @Noelle and @Adam_W to see if they have some suggestions for someone starting out in hydroponics.

Please let me know if you need further information or have any questions.

Mitchell