Final Project – In Home Hydroponics

Originally, my plan for my final project was to create a drink maker machine that would create mixed drinks at the push of the button. Unfortunately, because of delayed parts I realized that I was not going to be able to complete it on time. Instead, I transitioned my focus to creating a home hydroponics system.

Hydroponics is the process of growing food without soil. It is an old technology, but is recently being explored more. Hydroponic farming uses 0 soil, 10% the amount of water as traditional farming, and allows plants to grow up to 2x faster.

There are many DIY hydroponics systems that I was able to find. However, most of these were purely functional and not very aesthetically pleasing. Because hydroponics boasts being the ‘farming of the future’, I wanted to try to encapsulate a post-modernism high-tech aesthetic for this project. I originally thought that by using white PVC, it would give the system the aesthetic I desired; trying to mimic the clean white used by Apple. I’m over all pretty disappointed with this, and I am considering taking it down to spray paint it some metallic color to look more like stainless. Also, I ended up using plastic cups for the pots, and I definitely think this detracts from the aesthetic. Im trying to figure out a better (but still cheep) alternative to this. I also wanted to emphasis that hydroponics isn’t just a means to get food, it should be celebrated as art. Thats why instead of putting this in my back yard I wanted to put it right in my living room. I think the fact that it is so clean and that it’s so easy are the coolest aspects of hydroponics, and I feel like that would be wasted outside.

Im quite happy with the project overall, and love having it in my living room. The plants so far are doing okay; although, I’m already starting to notice some are going to probably die, and I’m guessing it has to do with the water’s pH not being compatible with the wide range of plants I seeded.

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7 Comments. Leave new

  • Did you have to do any calculations for how fast you would be pumping the water/nutrition solution? Or did you more estimate it?

    Reply
  • Justin Engbrecht
    April 20, 2020 11:36 am

    As a neutral question, do the LED strips support color switching functionality?

    Reply
  • I think this is an awesome example of urban gardening! Do u think you will expand the garden to grow other kinds of plants?

    Reply
  • Noah Verspohl
    April 20, 2020 11:35 am

    Davis,
    Statement of meaning:
    I really like how you dove into the research behind hydroponics. I did not know much about this way of farming before this and think it is vert interesting.
    Artist Question:
    Low-cost lighting? – I have used LED strips that are incredibly bright, I will provide the link if needed.
    Neutral question:
    How often do you have to change the water?

    Reply
  • Rhys Rueffert
    April 20, 2020 11:34 am

    This project is very interesting and well excecuted. To increase the light output, you could use full bulbs, or try sparkfun for LED strips. What in your project mirrors the modern aesthetic? Painting the pvc may add to your aesthetic.

    Reply
  • miles radakovitz
    April 20, 2020 11:32 am

    Hydroponics is something I’ve always wanted to do and I think it’s real cool that you did that! Will you be taking this with you when you move or is it only a temporary project?

    Reply
  • Kyle Neubarth
    April 20, 2020 11:29 am

    I like how your pivoted project is still functional under new circumstances, an indoor garden sounds great during quarantine!

    Reply

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