Example of a Successful Hydroponics Indoor Grow Room
One of the questions that is common in hydroponics gardening, and is definitely one that I had when I was considering whether or not to get started in hydroponics, was whether sufficient produce can be grown for the family using hydroponics techniques. This video convincingly answers “yes” to this question.
This hydroponics gardener has a self-contained hydroponics indoors garden, also known as a grow room where he is using a simple and cheap drip hydroponics system to grow all of his produce.
If you’re interested, instructions to build this hydroponics system can be found here for part 1, and here for part 2.
The hydroponics plants that are being grown are dill, basil, and lettuce. As you can see, there is sufficient produce for a small family to consume. In fact, I believe that if you focused your growing on only one type of plant, e.g. herbs or lettuce, that you would be able to produce enough produce for a small business, being able to market to a restaurant or to market sellers.
The grow room contains of the hydroponic drip system growing units, each of which has its own 90W grow light, and silver reflective lining on the walls, roof, and floor of the grow room. This serves to increase the amount of light within the system by around 60%, and is able to direct the light to all parts of the plant, such as those below the canopy, which would normally be in shade.
Filed under: Homemade Hydroponics
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Cool set-up. This is the first time I have seen the LED lights in action. They look like they do a great job. But do they really produce that much heat to burn the plants? Also, do you plan on growing any other plants like tomato or peppers? I have pepper plants going right now and are flowering. I am trying to get them to pollinate, wish me luck. Lettuce grows very fast as you are seeing. I want to grow some spinach soon too
Hi Scott,
These LED lights look awesome. I like how you can choose the colours so that you can stimulate both the vegetative and blooming phases of plant growth. The fact that they’re small also means you can choose how much power / light you want coming from your unit.
I have only planted tomatos and peppers in an outdoor hydroponics system, which did not use artificial light.
With your pollination, if it’s and indoor system, I have heard that using a fan helps to both strengthen the plants, and to pollinate them.
Good luck!
Pavel.
Hi Pavel,
Thanks for the responce. I have been using cfl bulbs for my light with good results and cheap on the energy, but I am sure that the LED lights are even better. I have not done any aeroponics out side but am thinking of a vertical garden next year. I know it will rock. I saw a video using a electric tooth brush to pollinate the flowers. I had one sitting around the house and am giving it a try. I really like my peppers for cooking, next to onions. The guy was using a fan blowing back into the plants as hr used the tooth brush to vibrate the flower. Lets keep in touch as I know we are like minded. I am looking forward to trying under ground soon. Onions will be first, then carrots. But for now above ground is the experiment. I am going to get some spinach seeds next, as we like that spinach.
Talk to you soon, and do you have a link to where you got your LED lights?
Hi Scott,
The electric toothbrush is an interesting idea!
I actually haven’t used any LED lights just yet – only fluorescent tube ones. I really enjoy customising each product for my use, which almost always means building my own. The video in this post is what I plan on using when I come to build my own LED grow lights. I have had trouble sourcing high power (~3 Watt) LEDs, which would provide much more light intensity than the “standard” electronic ones.
Thanks for the CFL bulb tip. Do you know what wavelengths they emit? It might be a good way to tie me over until I get the LEDs up and running.
I would also like to ask what your under ground system involves. Is it a hydroponic system or does it contain some soil? I have been wanting to grow root vegetables hydroponically (carrots, radish, beetroot), but haven’t come across a good way of doing it yet.
I like your site BTW.
Speak soon,
Pavel.