The second plant started dieing too. We checked the pH a lot and kept at a good level. we always kept good nutrient solution in at all times. we realized some little leakage in the second tube. The caulk started to deteriorate which is what messed up the pH and killed our plant. We did everything we could to keep the plant alive but since we were already on our second design and could not change the system.
In order to fix our system, we took the air hose off of one segment and we changed it into just one tube with a single air hose. We then changed the water in the new system. It seems to have stopped growing and is starting to look unhealthy.
One of the plants has died at this point. We decided to scrap the one tube that had the dead plant in. That tube leaked anyways so it was good that one died.
It seems that the plant in the canister closest to the bottom of the picture is starting to shrink in size again. We tested the pH and it was a bit high. We mixed a new batch of nutrient solution and replaced it. It also seems that the caulk that we used to seal the canister is starting to rot through. We haven’t thought of a fix to this problem yet. perhaps the caulk disintegration is the cause of the high pH level.
Today we tested the pH level of our system and found it to be a bit too base. We mixed up a new batch of Nutrient solution and replaced the water hoping that will solve the growth issues we have been having.
We came in today and the plant that was showing significant growth is now looking unhealthy. It shrank in size and was a bit wilted. It also looked a little brown. The other plant showed more normal growth.
Today we came into class to a presents surprise, one of the seeds that we had started in moist paper towel was growing out of the Rock-wool. We could also see evidence of growth in the other tube.
After picking the solution we wanted we started building it. It was two plastic tubes with bottoms instead of wood so it would be more water proof. We could only fit one plant in each of our columns so we have less chances to grow plants. So we planted our seeds in our new hydroponic system.
When we came back from the weekend break we realized we lost a lot of water. we were not very confident in the solution to work too well in the first place. After confirming our suspicion we started to think up some new ideas.
We choose our idea to be a wooden box with stryofroam floating in there to hold up our cups with the plants in them. After we finished assombling we decided to test it over the weekend by filling it with water.