Micronest - Phase 1 test results
I'm getting ready to tear down the current iteration of the micronest, mostly because the apartment complex is getting ready to paint, so we need to clear the balcony. As a result, the nest is moving indoors in the next couple days. This is good because it gives me a chance to change things up more than a little in response to a few lessons that I have learned.
First - thermal stability of a small tank in an outdoor environment is problematic at best. Honestly, I knew this going in and the past few months haven't been too bad due to a rather mild winter season (this is AZ, after all) but I know that it's going to start warming up in the next few months, so it's probably best to move it indoors in any case. Keeping the tank warm is not a problem, but I don't have a chiller, so maintaining the temperature during the summer would be a near-guaranteed failure.
Second, a float is not particularly viable with a tank of such a small size. Although some of the plants did reasonably well (I have a couple garlics that are going apeshit in the floats, not to mention the aloe plants) other plants failed completely and died. This is likely due in a large part to item three below, but coupled with the fact that it main tank maintenance a real bitch it's just as well to move away from the float in any case until I get a larger tank/full-sized production facility.
Third, good lighting is essential. I did fairly well on this, but I'll be investing in a couple good lights in the near future so that the second iteration will be (hopefully) a bit more successful. Judging by the growth pattern, I would say that I need more light in the blue spectrum, so I'll be getting some fluorescent lights to balance it out. As natural lighting will be eliminated as a factor with the new setup, this should balance everything out nicely. The eventual intention is to build an LED lighting array which should allow me to automate the lighting cycle a bit until I can arrive at something resembling a optimal mix.
Fourth, I need a much better setup for germinating seeds. All of my germinated seeds ended up as abject failures. Part of this is no doubt related to lighting deficiencies, and it probably didn't help at all that the germination tank was not linked into the main system, resulting in a lack of nutrients. Even with the addition of nutrients by way of rabbit droppings the seeds failed shortly after germination. I've got a few plans regarding this, and with some luck the second iteration will include a more viable germination process resulting in a greater output.
That said, I've got some garlic doing well, a tomato plant that's growing like gangbusters, and a cucumber and broccoli that are doing reasonably well. For a purely experimental first shot, I'd say that it didn't go too badly. Presently, the lighting will be improved whilst I await completion of the outside painting, and then I will get to work on the second iteration of the setup, which will increase the total tank capacity and add a great deal more grow space. I'm going to have to work around a few rules regarding the apartment complex, but I don't see that as a big problem. And by god, there will be basil this time around, dammit! ;)
First - thermal stability of a small tank in an outdoor environment is problematic at best. Honestly, I knew this going in and the past few months haven't been too bad due to a rather mild winter season (this is AZ, after all) but I know that it's going to start warming up in the next few months, so it's probably best to move it indoors in any case. Keeping the tank warm is not a problem, but I don't have a chiller, so maintaining the temperature during the summer would be a near-guaranteed failure.
Second, a float is not particularly viable with a tank of such a small size. Although some of the plants did reasonably well (I have a couple garlics that are going apeshit in the floats, not to mention the aloe plants) other plants failed completely and died. This is likely due in a large part to item three below, but coupled with the fact that it main tank maintenance a real bitch it's just as well to move away from the float in any case until I get a larger tank/full-sized production facility.
Third, good lighting is essential. I did fairly well on this, but I'll be investing in a couple good lights in the near future so that the second iteration will be (hopefully) a bit more successful. Judging by the growth pattern, I would say that I need more light in the blue spectrum, so I'll be getting some fluorescent lights to balance it out. As natural lighting will be eliminated as a factor with the new setup, this should balance everything out nicely. The eventual intention is to build an LED lighting array which should allow me to automate the lighting cycle a bit until I can arrive at something resembling a optimal mix.
Fourth, I need a much better setup for germinating seeds. All of my germinated seeds ended up as abject failures. Part of this is no doubt related to lighting deficiencies, and it probably didn't help at all that the germination tank was not linked into the main system, resulting in a lack of nutrients. Even with the addition of nutrients by way of rabbit droppings the seeds failed shortly after germination. I've got a few plans regarding this, and with some luck the second iteration will include a more viable germination process resulting in a greater output.
That said, I've got some garlic doing well, a tomato plant that's growing like gangbusters, and a cucumber and broccoli that are doing reasonably well. For a purely experimental first shot, I'd say that it didn't go too badly. Presently, the lighting will be improved whilst I await completion of the outside painting, and then I will get to work on the second iteration of the setup, which will increase the total tank capacity and add a great deal more grow space. I'm going to have to work around a few rules regarding the apartment complex, but I don't see that as a big problem. And by god, there will be basil this time around, dammit! ;)