Day 9 RET summer training

Day 9

Lots going on today!! The ladies spent the morning cleaning out the cucumbers plant roots to place in our systems reservoir (sump). These plants will not require soil instead we will incorporate a hydroponic growth system. Basically, Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium (wikipedia). The cucumbers roots are inserted through a modified styrofoam platform that rests on top of water. In addition to cucumbers we are also raising water lilies in our reservoir, which to my surprise look like a glob of dirt.

                                                      cucumbers

                                                        roots coming through styrofoam suspension

                                                             water lilies

                                                                  cucumbers

                                                                      tomatoes

We are keeping a daily log of tank conditions:

We spent the second part of the day at Discovery Park learning how to turn on an LED light using an arduino with the help of Vardhman's guidence; we then came back to ESSAT to work on creating a set up for pH dispensor. As mentioned on earlier posts we will control water pH conditions using a pH neutralizer liquid which is dispensed using a solenoid control valve. This solenoid is ultimately controled by the processed information within the arduino. In addition to setting up pH dispensor we added the fish tanks lid (we constrained it to tank as the volume of water displaced the lid) which we will rest the otterbox (by the way the otterbox came in today!!:)) on to.

                                                          

                                                The otterbox will house sensor cluster

                                             You can see the small solenoid right of otterbox

We zip tied a 3/4" PVC pipe to tank wall, then zip tied the "soon to be" pH dispensor

PVC platform and plastic container for food dispensor (Super simple build)

We will build a similar dispenser as shown in video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjyT92oPe20

Problems with ebb and flow; ideally we want for water level to fill in plant container, water siphon down PVC pipe through properties of a vaccum eventually draining tank-- water should stop draining at this point and the plant tank fills up again.  Our current set up fills the tank, drains water, but keeps this drainage; not allowing for tank to fill (the suction continuous). Through research we found that there are two ways to solve this problem: 1. Extend the bulk head outlet to a 1' and add a 90 degree elbow (we currently have this elbow but not at the suggested depth)...2. keep a short 90 degree elbow but extend PVC leading to sump. We tried option #2 but no luck.We are currently tackling this problem. Through a youtube video over the siphon we placed an intermediate siphon PVC (we have tried short and tall). Basically we want to create enough of a pressure difference between siphon and cap PVC sleeve to siphon water through but not enough that water drains continuously.

Finally, had to bold this part (important).  Vardham has been working hard to get an accurate reading between sensor cluster and PASCO sensors. pH and temperature are almost accurate but DO sensors are still off. 

Sensor Cluster
pH reading  :- 8.1
DO reading :- 7.01
Temp Reading:- 23.12

Individual reading of all the sensors
pH reading :- 8.2
DO reading :- 7.1
Temp reading:- 23.4


Pasco Reading:-
pH Reading:- 8.21
DO reading:- 5.9
Temp reading:- 22.1