whakatane

Hello whakatane, looking forwards to seeing pic of you hydro setup.

The big Ag School here in korat always has a hydro display at their Ag show, I asked where they

got their nutes and they said "ACK", I guess they don't teach the fine points.

I get my chem from WESCO.

They are a major supplier of hydro chems/micros in LOS.

rice555

Hi Rice555,

How much do you pay for your nutrient, is it a and b?

Have you had any experience using coconut fibre?

Have just looked at what they call Dutch bucket system, which could be ideal for growing tomatoes, any ideas on this?

The main reason I am focusing on tomatoes is that I know of no one in Ranong that can grow them successfully due to the rainfall, and this includes local Thai market gardeners. I saw some that had fruit just coming on to ripening, and the next time I looked they were dying.

Bear in mind that everything I have looked at were growing in soil.

The only decent "farang" tomatoe that one can buy here, are hydroponic, coming all the way from Chiang Mai, and sold at a local organic vege shop.[200 baht kilo}

Have been to ACK and was not that impressed, but I must admit that there lettuce production could not be faulted.

However, I thought that everything else they were experimenting with lacked the basic know how, and when I suggested to the lady that worked in the office a very simple improvement,, just got the blank stare, as you are well aware, ' "what does stupid Farang know" and even if he does, the face issue comes into play!!!lol

Take care

Whakatane.

Hi Guys,

Have finally finished my hydro shelter, 4 mt x 2.8.

1 inch square tubular steel frame, semi clear plastic roof, white nylon very fine mesh wall coverings, 4x3 mt white plastic guttering trays, 180ltr nutrient tank, and plastic feeder pipes. All going good and into 3rd week of growing. total cost, 17,000 bt.

Sourcing nutrient was my hardest task, and after visiting the outlets in BKK., was not happy about the quality, and prices.

After tedious and frustrating false leads, I finally got on to a mob in Surat Thani, that supply govmnt. trials.

The nutrient is the same as what I was using in AUS, dry powder A and B. WHICH i bought of a guy doing govmt. backed trial, allthough he had "moved on" and was doing a small aquaponics venture ,that looked very very suss.

the price I paid him for 1 kilo of each powder was 600 bt, which made up 10 ltrs of each. I will eventually track down the source as you all know, everybody takes a cut!! [ 300 each]

By doing every thing myself, except for the welding of the frame, I consider a job well done , as it is easier to train monkeys, than persevere with the cheap Burmese labour.

I came up with a next to nothing cost for the growing medium, a layer of what we call in Aus., blue metal, and a very coarse grained sand that comes from the old tin mining areas, that is sent to China for the use in making ceramics.

Both mediums are ph nutral , and just use simple aquaiam tester.

In the whole time I was doing hydroponics in Aus., and on a semi commercial scale, did I ever use anything else but a simple ph tester.

I have imported some tomatoe seeds from China that are suitable for Ranong climate and that is my goal.

Am observing closely my trial crop of Chinese type greens and bush long beans.

Will be 3 weeks Friday and the latter allready 4inches tall!!

Have been reading all the postings and just thought that I would contribute.

Will take some pics and post later.