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Dave Spencer`s Attempt.

Dave Spencer

Member
Joined
3 Jul 2007
Messages
1,387
Location
N. Wales
First off, thanks to Super Duper Coley for some useful starting up info and pictures.

Here are all the component parts. I don`t know whether the cable heater is really necessary, but it may help to keep the humidity up. Most light will be daylight, but I may supplement it with one or two 11W Arcpods. We shall see about this, plus the photoperiod.

The plastic pots are off Ebay, but there must be plenty of these knocking around people`s houses. The rockwool is from TGM, but available from hydroponic sites off the internet.

The propagator itself is from Wilkos and cheap. :D They are cheaper still off ebay, but I wanted to see one in the flesh, so to speak.

Stuff.jpg


Here is the cable going under the gravel.

Cable.jpg


This gives me a rough idea of how many pots will fit in there.

Pots.jpg


Lilaeopsis brasiliensis being added to the rock wool. All I did was cut the rock wool in half, which is how Tropica seem to do it.

Potting-up.jpg


Here is the final product.....grow damn you. :lol:

Done.jpg


And here is the final shot with L. brasiliensis, HM, HC and Ludwigia arcuata. This set up is really for my 120cm Crypts, Anubias etc when it is broken down. The HM and HC were being acclimatised for under water growth in my bedevilled 60cm, but I have taken them out and am now trying to re acclimatise them.

The-End.jpg


So, all I have to do now is figure out water levels, dosing regimes etc. My fingers are well and truly crossed.

Dave.
 
Great start 8)
Did you have something in mind for the gravel or does it just keep your pots above the cable? (It definitely makes it look neat and tidy tho)
 
SO19Firearms said:
Great start 8)
Did you have something in mind for the gravel or does it just keep your pots above the cable? (It definitely makes it look neat and tidy tho)

This is nowhere near as Gucci as your set up SO19Firearms. The gravel is primarily for the cable, but it also helps even out the base, which had a few peaks and troughs moulded in to it.

Got anything you want to try in here Stu?

I have just added a pot of Staurogyne sp too. I reckon I may invest in some plant labels, considering how different stems can look out of water.

Dave.
 
Really interesting Dave... I'm considering where I might be able to set up something small like this in my flat! How does the humidity work, just heating water in the base and keeping the lid on?
 
SteveUK said:
Really interesting Dave... I'm considering where I might be able to set up something small like this in my flat! How does the humidity work, just heating water in the base and keeping the lid on?

You can get smaller propagators than this, Steve.

Basically, I am hoping that the lid will keep the humidity up, but it is very trial and error for me. The cable will hopefully keep the water warmer and, therefore, the humidity should be high enough.

I will probably mist the plants at every opportunity whilst I am still a little unsure.

Dave.
 
Keep an eye out for mold in the more compact systems.
If you can maintain the humidity with the vents open that will go some way to preventing it
 
I tend to leave the lids 'ajar' on all of mine. It's amazing how hot these can get inside without any assistance ;)

When I first started I found that the humidity is fine. You can barely see into the propogator, however with the lid closed and the temp high I had all sorts of yellowing on some plants like HC from just getting too hot I guess.

I may be splitting a cheap £5 Wilko Air pump to 4 airstones and slipping them in 4 props soon to see if that does anything soon.

My dose is EI ;) Just 5ml Macro and 2ml Micro weekly but on different days due to there being a smaller amount of water and also no movement. Yet to see if that is ideal but it works so far.

AC
 
Nick16 said:
i take it you will have to open the top every now and again to let some co2 in? cant wait to see this with a little water and some light.

how much was it from wikos? was the cable included?

was it this one?

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/Seed-Trays+Propagators/Propagator-Electric-38cm/invt/0273540

Mine was a basic £5 or so one as I already had the cable from my naive days in the matrix.

The vents are open, so CO2 levels will hopefully be OK.

Tonser said:
How much water do you need in there - just covering the gravel or up to the height of the pots ?

Tony

Cheers Tony. Sorry about the lens dude. :oops:

I will be keeping the water at about 1cm below the top of the rock wool for now.

Cheers Andy. I keep going and looking at it to make sure it is fogged up. Hopefully I will be able to unplug the cable, then it will truly be useless. :lol: So far it is just tap water with a small amount of EI dosed water from my 120cm.

Dave.
 
so what does the 'electric' version of the wikinsons propergator contain that the other 'basic' one doesnt. it says a heater? will this be in cable form?
 
Nick16 said:
so what does the 'electric' version of the wikinsons propergator contain that the other 'basic' one doesnt. it says a heater? will this be in cable form?

I'd guess a mat in the base
 
i think the wilkos one will have a heater buried/sealed in the plastic base Nick

has anyone tried putting something like amazonia or oliver knotts stuff directly in the bottom and growing HC in it rather than pots? guess you could do the same thing with moss?
 
yeah, could be worth it for HC or glosso. maybe even some dwarf hairgrass, providing you have enough substrate.
 
I have some worn out aquasoil that's mixed with sand, this could be the perfect use for it!
 
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