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Problem
What we were trying to accomplish was a way to make a sustainable, reliable, efficient, and cheap way to grow plants quickly. The main trouble we had to go through was getting the materials. Research What we used to figure out were YouTube videos. We saw prototypes, and learned about what plants needed to grow efficiently. We were provided with liquid fertilizer that we would put in the water. We would efficiently recycle the fertilized water, and grow different vegetables. |
Design
(deep water culture) Hydroponics
What happens, is that the air pump is powered by our off-grid system. Air is pumped slowly through a tube to the bottom of the tank. This keeps the water in movement and well full of oxygen, helping the roots, and plant overall. The tank isn't big, but not small enough to be considered a bucket. Net pods are placed atop, leaving only the roots of the plant touching the water. We held our net pods up with styrofoam. This also helped keep the sunlight away from the roots, yet providing it to the plant.
(deep water culture) Hydroponics
What happens, is that the air pump is powered by our off-grid system. Air is pumped slowly through a tube to the bottom of the tank. This keeps the water in movement and well full of oxygen, helping the roots, and plant overall. The tank isn't big, but not small enough to be considered a bucket. Net pods are placed atop, leaving only the roots of the plant touching the water. We held our net pods up with styrofoam. This also helped keep the sunlight away from the roots, yet providing it to the plant.
Feedback
We needed to go back and refine final details...like the length from water and nets...as well as getting the air pump... I used a box cutter to cut through the styrphome, and make the holes for the net pods. No sunlight can get in the roots because the roots cannot do well like that. we just place the pieces of styrphome over the bucket, and the roots will sprout through the nets, and into the water, so we needed to raise the water enough for the roots to reach. |
Solution
Prototype
We haven't finished out system
Prototype
We haven't finished out system