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Monthly Archives: January 2012

Answers January #1

Posted on by Posted in Aquaponics, Compost, Help, Hydroponics, Nutrients, Pests, Plants/Garden, Seeds Leave a comment

A few questions has been asked on my blog and in this article I will be answering them. Hope it contains enough information for you guys!

Worms in hydroponics
I don’t think that this is a good idea. Because in a hydroponic system, people mostly use chemical nutrients. And a worm will definitely die in these chemicals. So if you want to put worms in your hydroponic system, make sure you’re using natural nutrients. For example worm tea.

Organic way to kill grubs
You can start a
Garden Insectary and attract other animals that can eat the grubs.
The other option is to use Milky Spore. It is a bacteria that iis very effective against grubs. And it lasts for years.
Or beneficial nematodes. They eat grubs and transmit bacteria that kills them.

Hanging hydroponics
I’ve never tried a hanging hydroponic system. But this idea can be great for people with less space for gardening. If I ever design a system like this, I will post an article on how to make a system that will be hanging.

When to pick tomatoes hydroponic
The best time to pick your tomatoes is when they start to soften. Doesn’t matter where they are planted.
Store your tomatoes in a room where the temperature is above 25 degrees celsius. And it’s best to use them in 1 day.
When tomatoes are stored in a refrigerator, they will start to rotten faster than normal. Find more information here.

Brandon Koots
Hydroponics Curacao

Email: support@hydroponics-curacao.com

Taking care of seedlings in your system

Posted on by Posted in Aquaponics, Help, Hydroponics, Nutrients, Seeds Leave a comment

In this article I will be talking about taking care of your seedlings in your system.

Taking care of them is easy (these following tips can be used for an aquaponic and hydroponic system):

  • Choose the healthiest seedlings from you garden.
    Wash your seedlings’ roots. For the soil not to get into the system’s water.
  • Plant them into your system. I recommend you to put them into a plug (see picture). Maybe when you were taking out the seedling out of the soil, you broke some of the roots. But when putting the seedlings in a plug, the roots will grow back fast.
  • There’s more chance for them to rotten if they aren’t in a plug.
  • When the seedlings are in the system, you shouldn’t give them too much water. This can lead to rotting of the roots.

I hope I’ve given enough information in this article.

Brandon Koots
Hydroponics Curacao

Email: support@hydroponics-curacao.com

Hanging Planter

Posted on by Posted in Help, Plants/Garden Leave a comment

Last December I’ve started growing some vegetables in a hanging planter.
I’ve planted a few tomatoes, some celery, a pepper, a spinach and a colander.

The advantages of a hanging planter are that you won’t have problems with animals such as lizards eating your vegetables.
When a tomato (fruit) comes in contact with the soil, it has a lot of chances to rot. But in the hanging planter, it won’t touch the soil. So your tomatoes will also grow better.
In a hanging planter you plant about twice more plants in the same area than in soil.
With a hanging planter, you can put your plants anywhere you want! But they do need their required sunlight, etc.

My plants are growing great in my hanging planter. Fast and healthy!

Brandon Koots
Hydroponics Curacao

Email: support@hydroponics-curacao.com

More fish were born

Posted on by Posted in Aquaponics, Help 2 Comments

Last week I was separating the pregnant females from the males to my new raft aquaponics system.
After that, there were only females in the system. I went to see some videos of what to do when the females are about to have their babies.
About an hour later I went back to look at the fish and saw that the babies were born. So I waited a few minutes to see if there are more babies coming. But there weren’t.
Then I’ve decided that it is time to separate the babies from the adults. Otherwise they will be eaten by the adults. I’ve made a few little holes in the bottom of the cup so the water can get in but that the baby fish can’t get out.
Until they are big enough to protect themselves, I will let them go into the large tank.
There were 8 babies born. And there are still about 2 females pregnant. Maybe they arre more than 2. Then I saw that not all the females in there were pregnant. So I added 2 males to the tank. Among the 7 females.
In the video, you can see the baby fish in the cup. And the picture is the new system. I will be posting an article on how to make that system this wednesday.

Brandon Koots
Hydroponics Curacao

Email: support@hydroponics-curacao.com

Update on my garden #3

Posted on by Posted in Aquaponics, Compost, Help, Hydroponics, Nutrients, Pests, Plants/Garden, Seeds Leave a comment

A few weeks ago I started a few plants in a hanging planter. When I transplanted them in there, they were just born. But look at them now. They are growing fast and healthy. (See photo 1 & 2)

My plants are growing great in my aquaponics systems too! I’ve planted a few pepper plants in there. But I still have to wait a few months before they start to have flowers. (See photo 3)

There are a lot of pepper growing on my hot pepper plants outside. On photo 4 you can see how the peppers I’ve harvested in December.

Just a few weeks ago I found out how a worm egg looks like. The worms’ population is growing very fast in my 2 worm bins. I’ve written an article about it.
(See picture 5)

Brandon Koots
Hydroponics Curacao

Email: support@hydroponics-curacao.com

Answers December #2

Posted on by Posted in Aquaponics, Compost, Help, Hydroponics, Nutrients, Pests, Plants/Garden, Seeds Leave a comment

This post came a few days late. But I was very busy these last days.

Passive hydroponic culture
This is the simplest way to grow your plants. You don’t use any growing medium and the plants’ roots are always in the water. This method of hydroponic or aquaponic system reduces labor to the grower. So it is perfect for people with large gardens.

Where to get planting pot in Curacao
Planting pots are available at any gardening stores here in Curacao.
Hydroponics Curacao is also planning to start selling planting pots in May or June.

Upside down hydroponics
I’ve also thought about growing in hydroponics upside down. But I’ve never tried it. When I do, I will write a post about it.

Hydroponic watering
Normally, the plants get watered automatically in a hydroponic or aquaponic system. That is what the system in supposed to do.
The most common way of watering in a system is:
1. Water is pumped to the plants.
2. The roots get watered.
3. And somehow the water falls back into the reservoir.

But there are many other ways.

Hydroponics raft system
This system is a system where the roots are 24/7 in water. Most of the times there’s a growing medium used. The plants float above the water and the roots are in the water.

Red wrigglers in aeroponics
As in an aeroponic system (also called Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) ), the roots hang in the air and there is no growing medium. So I don’t think it’s a perfect place for the worms.

Brandon Koots
Hydroponics Curacao

Email: support@hydroponics-curacao.com

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