Plans for hydroponics equipment that can be easily assembled from 2-liter
plastic soda bottles can be found in my book, Plant Biology Science
Projects (1995, Wiley) or in articles in science teaching journals
such as
Hershey, D.R. 1990. Pardon me, but your roots are showing. The Science
Teacher 57(2):42-45.
Hershey, D.R. 1994. Solution culture hydroponics: History and inexpensive
equipment. American Biology Teacher. 56:111-118.
The articles can be obtained by sending your mailing address in an
email to ej7 at umail.umd.edu and requesting hydroponic teaching articles.
Basically any watertight plastic container can be used as a hydroponics
reservoir. Supermarkets often have nice plastic food containers for the
asking. Cover the outside with aluminum foil to prevent algae from growing
in the nutrient solution. Use an aquarium air pump and tubing to gently
bubble air in the nutrient solution to provide oxygen for the roots.
Search the internet for hydroponic suppliers because you will need to buy
a hydroponic fertilizer to make the nutrient solution. Or you can get your
chemistry teacher to help make a nutrient solution from about ten
chemicals. The recipe is in the book or the second article.
You might want to consider using fluorescent light banks to make your
tomatoes grow more rapidly in the dim winter light conditions.
I would probably try growing a dwarf tomato because regular tomatoes get
very large for indoor conditions, unless you have a greenhouse.
*********************************************************************
David R. Hershey
Snail mail: 6700 Belcrest Road #112, Hyattsville, MD 20782-1340
Adjunct Professor, Biology/Horticulture Dept.
Prince George's Community College, Largo, MD 20772-2199
Email: dh321 at pgstumail.pg.cc.md.us
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On 24 Nov 1997, Xxdet0XxX wrote:
> i am in highschool and for a project my teacher has asked us to find plans for
> a hydroponics kit and make one and grow tomato plants and to see who can grow
> the best plants in a 3 month time if anyone can help me out please reply...
>
