SPROUTS

[JCO]

That's the way it has progressively gotten in this world. Someone is always trying to take advantage of those less informed and it is easily done in the Aquaponics field because even though it isn't a new technology, it is just now beginning to come into it's own.

When I started this website, there were only one, possibly two other Aquaponic websites on the net. Now from out of nowhere it would seem that everybody and his brother are Aquaponic gurus, a lot of whom have parroted or copied items from other Aquaponic websites and used it as their own.

Worse yet to my thinking are those who lack the knowledge or imagination to come up with their own material and infringe on the Trademark of another.

Take for example, this is the one and only, original DIY Aquaponics website on the internet yet if you Google for DIY Aquaponics, suddenly hundreds upon hundreds pop up using my Trade mark "DIY Aquaponics".

Murray Hallam even used DIY Aquaponics for his Aquaponics video.

If you can't think of it yourself, then steal it from another and call it yours, that's the way business is done.

[Aloha Don]

Sorry for the delay in updates...Day job is keeping me from my addiction...
I ordered a 6 head mister from amazon for $12 - Works great!
I had an old 18 gallon tub laying around that used to be a small FT so I already had an overflow hole drilled in it.
I made a few "make-shift" shelves out of an old milk carton. They fit nicely into the bottom of the tub and gives space for the water to drain out....I drilled a hole and installed a 3/4" grommet into it.
This allows 1/2" pvc a good water tight fit. I have the water draining into my FT. This provides an automatic top-off of my FT so I do not have to worry about evaporation as much.
I purchased a water timer from Lowes ($37) and put it on my outside spicket.
I have it programmed to turn on every 6 hours.
I also purchase 50' roll of burlap for $9
i doubled the burlap, wet it, and placed on my shelves and sprinkled my sprouting seeds on top.
I was afraid the seed would get washed into the FT but the mister provides such a fine mist that is no longer a concern.

[Aloha Don]

Top view last night with misters flowing

[JCO]

Looks great Don, I will be greatly interested to see how it all turns out. Don't forget, more photos please.

[Aloha Don]

Simple build anyone can do that provides nutritious veggies every week...
bin - $5
timer - $37 (probably can get this cheaper if you look around)
mister - $12
Grommet - $.80
1/2" PVC - cheap...
If system is outside you could just let the water drain out of the bottom onto the ground or other plants.
Total cost under $60....I should turn around and sale it for $150
Anyone want to buy?...
Most of us already have these items laying around anyway...DIY is the way to go!!

[dead_sled]

...DIY is the way to go!!

Don, do you have more than one level of sprouting trays in your contraption?

[Aloha Don]

One of the things that slowed me down on this project is the trays...
I have been looking for some nice stackable-type trays that would fit nicely in the bin and easy to pull out for harvest and cleaning but I could not find any around my area...
I currently have 2 trays and yes they are on different levels.
This current crop is a "sacrificial" crop to see it I can sprout this way....
Because i have it outside, I am thinking I may need more air-flow through the system... but I will see in a few more days
sprouts were starting to grow last night

[Aloha Don]

I think I shall declare Victory!!!
The new mister-sprouter worked very good.
I experimented with a 5 part salad mix and in 5 days...this is what I got

[Roger L.]

So do you harvest the tall ones and put the burlap back in?

[Aloha Don]

I harvested all the veggies
I had two sheets of this burlap full of veggies
I could have reused but I wanted to try something different.
I want to see if I can germinate seeds faster in the misting system.
I placed 10 rock wool cubes with lettuce seeds in the system and I will see how it does.