ADVANCED AEROPONICS
have increased transpiration rates,
requiring more water.
Later in a plant’s life cycle, it will
begin to drink less water. Notice how
in late summer and early autumn
there is typically less rainfall than
there was in the spring? The plants
are now ripening and not growing as
aggressively as before. So, spraying the
roots for shorter ON times and keeping the same OFF times, or perhaps
even slightly increasing OFF times
as the harvest begins to ripen will
provide plants with the moisture they
need and prevent issues that occur
with overwatering.
Low-pressure Aeroponics
Low-pressure aeroponic (LPA)
systems use submersible, pond-style
pumps that move a large volume of
water at a low pressure. Usually these
set-ups use 360-degree spray nozzles
and a manifold. Some LPA systems
use a sprinkler-style product made of
tubing with holes cut in it. Critics of
LPA call it a version of nutrient film
technique or shallow water culture,
a.k.a. recirculating hydroponics. In a
way, each comparison is true, but this
style of growing is indeed aeroponics.
After all, there is minimal amounts
of medium in the small net pots,
which only act as an anchor for the
plant. Roots are still hanging in the
air within the root chamber and being
sprayed with water.
High-pressure Aeroponics
High-pressure aeroponics, a.k.a.
fogponics, uses external pumps that
create a fine mist and much smaller
water droplets. These droplets are in
the 30-80-micron range—the ideal
size for nutrient delivery, as determined by NASA researchers aboard
the International Space Station during
their experiments growing aeroponic
potatoes in the late ’90s. Misting cycles
are more precisely controlled with
repeat cycle timers to provide roots
access to more oxygen. Fine hairs
called trichoblasts appear off the spider
webs of roots, increasing their surface
area and nutrient-uptake capabilities
(see “Aeroponics 2.0” in Maximum
Yield, November 2015).
Critics note that if systems are not
maintained, nozzles often clog and
high temperatures cause the most
stress in high-pressure systems when
compared to other aeroponic systems.
Following the proper cleanup procedures and setting yourself up for success will address these challenges and
provide the full benefits of this system.
Cleanup
Probably more so with aeroponics
than any other style of growing, the
cleanup process is of vital importance.
Successful hydroponic growers know
that cleanliness is godliness, and in
aeroponics, this statement is definitely
true since problems such as diseases,
pathogens and unwanted biology can
occur more frequently. With aeroponics, everything happens faster,
including problems. This is why it is so
important to properly clean your gear
after each harvest.
After removing plant material and
debris, clean the room thoroughly.
Sweeping, mopping and spraying off
the walls with a light bleach or peroxide solution is good practice. Next,
all the gunk needs to be removed
thoroughly from the system and the
reservoir. You’ll need to apply a bit
of elbow grease for this step. It is
also important to clean the tubing,
nozzles, manifolds and pumps. A
good method is to run hot water
with hydrogen peroxide through the
“
With aeroponics, everything happens
faster, including problems. This is
why it is so important to properly
clean your gear after each harvest.”
system, which purges it of any growth
inside the lines. After the system is free
of nutrient buildup and other debris,
repeat this process at least one more
time to ensure the system is completely
flushed, and then power down and let
the system dry out.
In controlled environment agriculture,
growe