How heavy would it be to have a small greenhouse in your own garden where you may grow veggie , fruit and herb in an environmentally - well-disposed , clean and vigor indifferent way ? That is what the recently retired Theo van Lieshout of Wognum ( Netherlands ) , think . He did not want to sit at home , staring out of the windowpane , and decided to take up a challenge , after he had previously made his place energy inert .
Now he can also cross the construction of a high - tech nursery off his list , and the greenhouse is almost ready for the first crops . Hydroponically develop , that is , and for this , Theo relies on the advice of experts .
Theo in his greenhouse
IKEAThe nursery is 5 meter long , 2 time spacious and 2 meters high . The pelting water is collected and stored in stackable IKEA trays . " In the greenhouse I make use of 4 layer with tubes which , for exemplar , transportation water with food according to the reflux - and - flow system once per hour . A pond has been establish on the flat coat level on which the float sit . The tube has legion cutouts for plenty with flat soil as substrate . Put a seed in it , and it grows . "
potter with LED lightingIt sounds easy , but of course it is not , as Theo hump full well . A deal more is required , such as lighting .
" I have purchased customize Chinese LED Christ Within . Adjusted , because the reliability and safe were not up to scrape . Depending on the covering , the various layer have different colors , such as mainly gamy for seedlings , in the main red for leafy vegetable and broad spectrum for blossom setting . All chemical group can be separately controlled in two intensities . "
lead lamp from China
Own CO2Although light-emitting diode firing is very efficient ( 40 - 50 % ) , the lamps are still getting red-hot , Theo notice during examination . " For this reasonableness , each bed has two fans to leave a tranquil flow of air for the plants , so it is a two-fold - edged sword . "
During testing , the tube-shaped structure first became too raging
" A nice feature is that the CO2 , which we rest out at home , is measure out , and when compactness increases ( > 700 ppm ) , a fan will blow the melodic line out of the house . It is then made available for the greenhouse industrial plant . "
Tubes wrap up in atomic number 13 tape measure
Aluminum tapeEvery greenhouse owner knows the job of heating by the sun . In March , the nursery was already 20 degrees warmer than the surround . Theo has solved this in two manner . " All tube and trays are wrapped in Al tape . The light is no longer absorbed and reverberate , and thus useable for other plant . That already makes a lot of difference . "
On top of that , Theo came up with another ' interesting solution ' . " That is using semi - transparent solar panel on the cap . Around 5 percent of the spark is let through to be used by the industrial plant , but the rest is used for multiplication of electricity , an count on 1500 kWh per year . The sides have been shielded by plants , partially jam the sun light . The result is that the nursery is now no more than five degrees high than the environment . "
Partially transparent solar control panel on the greenhouse roof
Water pumpAnother interesting feature film which Theo has hold , is the coupling to a passion ticker . " A year and a one-half ago , I wholly made my house completely energy achromatic with heat energy heart , solar gore and heat generation . I alsohave save booksabout this , by the way .
" Residual oestrus is then used to fire up the nursery but cold from the ground . I also call this earth coldness , which can be used to cool the greenhouse , both with a radiator and heat money changer ( hose ) in the pool . "
TabletOn balance , the energy use come near energy achromatic , in combination with the solar panel on the greenhouse , Theo notes . " A lozenge or PC can be used for control , anywhere . As a technician , I am / was an electrotechnician , I have much experience with expert projects , and at the University of Amsterdam , I worked on projects such as the design of LED firing for plant and a photospectometer . "
Grain of saltNow Theo is ready to grow , he run into the fact he does not lie with very much about the effects of light and nutrient on the plants . Except for what can be found on the internet , but you should take that with a caryopsis of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks . Luckily , there is also some coarse sentiency . " Now , I have to principally focalise on the theory and demands of the plants . "
Cultivation + parallel projectTheo would like to get in touch with people who are as demented as he is , in his words . " I will never break even , that much is exonerated to me . I will start up with a variety of come ( vegetable , yield and herbaceous plant ) and essay to optimise with nutrient and light colors .
" A project running parallel to this is the making of a photospectometer to measure the color shift / vividness so you’re able to see whether a plant life is impregnate with light . This is an telephone extension of the work I have done before . But that is something for winter . "
Curious about Theo ’s progress ? Take a look at his site : www.hobbyvantheo.nl . Theo can be contacted at:[email protected ]
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