Month: June 2011

Since today was the last day before our hydroponic system was due, there wasn’t much work we could do on the system itself. We filled the nutrient solution with a gallon and a half of water. Based on our research, we learned that as the water evaporates from the reservoir, it is necessary to fill it back up with water to dilute the nutrient level.

We also checked the pH level and temperature of the solution, which we’re pleased with.

7.0 pH

73.1 degree Fahrenheit

Lastly, we finished our documentations and technical drawing.

We have some good things to mentions as well as some not so good things.

I’ll start with the good. The four plants that are growing in the rockwool look pretty healthy, although some more than others. Three of the four have roots growing all the way through the rockwool and into the nutrient solution. The plant who’s roots have not grown down to the nutrient solution definitely looks less healthy than the others (its leaves are slightly wilted).

Now the not so good. As you can see, the plant in the upper left cup within the picture–the one growing in Perlite–has basically died. We now understand that the Perlite was not providing a moist enough environment for the plant, which didn’t even allow the roots start growing. Also, the three other cups full of rockwool have not produced any plant growth. As of now, it’s too late to replant anything, so we’ll leave the system as it is and continue showering our attention on the three healthiest plants.

Unfortunately, our first sprout seems to have taken a turn for the worst today. Droopy and still not making any progress of finding its way through the perlite into our tank full of the nutrient solution, it cannot feed. We’ve tried manually feeding it, but we cannot keep that up over the weekend. We are ready for the worst when we get back, it seems that anything we tried to grow in the perlite just wouldn’t work. We suspect it is because of the rather large size of the pellets, which leave little room for any potential roots to maneuver through.

We were absolutely thrilled today to find roots hanging down into the nutrient solution from two of the cups. The healthiest looking plant definitely has the longest roots, which extend a few inches out of the rockwool. We’ve been waiting for this to happen for quite some time because it usually means the plants are growing properly. We are hopeful that the other plants will eventually extend their roots into the nutrient solution as well.

The lone plant growing in Perlite does not look as healthy as the ones in rockwool, but it’s much to late in the semester to germinate and plant seeds for a third time, so all we can do now is wait and see if that one hangs on to survive.

pH: 7

Temp: 77.6 degrees Fahrenheit