practicallyostensible
Julia
It makes a lot of sense to use something like this for Phrags, has anybody tried and had positive results?
Ebb and Flow Systems
- Thread starter practicallyostensible
- Start date
Help Support Slippertalk Orchid Forum:
NYEric
Well-Known Member
Search threads; I think someone here does use them. I don't drain my trays as they're sitting on the floor.
practicallyostensible
Julia
Did a search before posting and couldn't come up with anything, I'll look again though.
NYEric
Well-Known Member
Try 'flow tables'.
Candace
Well-Known Member
I've got 4 6 ft. ebb and flow tables sitting in the garage that I bought cheap. I think I've got a post about it somewhere. They're waiting to get set up in g.h. #2. So, no info. to share with you now, but it's the way I'm going...
NYEric
Well-Known Member
Once you go hydro, you never go back! 
practicallyostensible
Julia
I'll admit it, hydro is the way of the future. I picked up some Hydroton from a friend, and was going to buy a system and some grow lights today, however, the windshield and rear window of my car were totally broken out sometime last night... so no new gear for me, or food. :sob:
swamprad
Memphis Orchid Society
That's terrible, I'm so sorry to hear about that!!
practicallyostensible
Julia
Jon, you and I can have a long distance pitty party. I have beer and lemon meringue pie...I had some chocolate but I ate that for lunch. The front window looks the same. Thank god they didn't take the fish tank equipment out of the back.
oke: (but, seriously, that would have sucked). Oh dear, tomorrow is another day.
Yoyo_Jo
Catt's Meow
Aw, that sucks! Can't imagine what goes on in people's heads that lets them commit acts of vandalism like that. Very sorry for you.
Candace
Well-Known Member
Aw Julia, that does suck. A couple of my neighbor's cars had their back windows shattered out last year too. No reason, just a 'fun' thing for bored teens to do:< They've also egged parked cars at night. One was a brand new Mercedes and it wasn't caught until the sun roasted it in and ruined the paint job. We don't have mail boxes in subdivisions for them to whack with baseball bats, so they found something just as entertaining. Karma will get them.
SlipperFan
Addicted
That's terrible. Makes you wonder where their brains are.
NYEric
Well-Known Member
Did they take anything? If not, leave notes w/ photos of the damage around telling them what a bunch of scum they are.
B
biothanasis
Guest
Wow! What a mess!!! I am really sorry! I hope everything turns out ok and cheap to repear!!!!
One day soon, so soon that they could not believe it, those teenagers will grow old, own their first Mercedes, or BMWs, and the next young jerks will do the same to their cars. They will understand the pain.
Nothing is really cheap in the US now a day. It will cost a couple hundred dollars, it also cost the time to bring the car in to have it worked on. The owner will need to rent a temporary car....
Sorry to hear it happened.
A friend's windshield was smashed in just for a few quarter she left in the car.
Julia,
Did it happen because you left so many things in the car that temp the thiefs?
what a mess, hopefully they got glass shards in their skin somewhere..... I have full glass coverage with my insurance, doesn't cost much and with all the gravel that gets flung up on the highways is the way to go. *** also whether or not you have insurance for glass, car window repair services will often come right to your vehicle even if you are parked at work (as long as they have clear access and the keys)
about ebb and flood systems, we have three types at work, though one the water isn't re-collected it just goes into the sewer system after going under the boardwalk between houses. one type has a huge tank, water gets pumped into a house and into pipes along walls, a valve pops two solenoids so water gets released into the floor pipe and prevented from draining. water comes up onto floor, then at preset time, the solenoid releases the drain and another shuts off the inflow at the same time. works well where the floor is the same depth all around so the same amount gets into the pots and none go dry. water gets pumped back up into big tank after going through a debris filter. another type has large tank, gets pumped up into a rolling bench; solenoid releases and closes inflow and water goes back out the hoses it came in from. the last one water goes from inflo lines, into a main line along benches, then several trunk lines go up to the benches that have 6" shallow gutters on top, slight declination away from front to back, with just enough slope so some water builds up as it flows past pots, goes into pots and then the rest runs off gutter eventually to the drain. it could be collected and filtered if so designed.
I was thinking about setting up a system for my few phrags and maybe some disas (some day), have a common 24" or so hydroponics tank maybe 5" or so wide, has two holes on one end with elbows. figured I could use an aquarium pump that can adjust inflow so that just enough water goes in the tank so that water level rises about an inch or so before draining out back into the tank. could either adjust the inflow coming in, or tweak drainage so that the water level raises to where needed before draining out, just set a timer for when you want the water to run and for how long.
the ebb and flow benches at work were designed to grow african violets, and had wicking fabric on plastic racks (about 1/2" high) above bottom of bench, ends sitting in the water, pots sitting on fabric so that pots would get moist but not be sitting in the circulating water. since bench might not be the same level all around the rack and fabric was best way to water everything as equally as possible.
I know you're looking for a design that has already been used for orchids so that you can determine the results from their design, but this should give you a good idea about different types of systems and how you might arrange something in your home.
good luck!
about ebb and flood systems, we have three types at work, though one the water isn't re-collected it just goes into the sewer system after going under the boardwalk between houses. one type has a huge tank, water gets pumped into a house and into pipes along walls, a valve pops two solenoids so water gets released into the floor pipe and prevented from draining. water comes up onto floor, then at preset time, the solenoid releases the drain and another shuts off the inflow at the same time. works well where the floor is the same depth all around so the same amount gets into the pots and none go dry. water gets pumped back up into big tank after going through a debris filter. another type has large tank, gets pumped up into a rolling bench; solenoid releases and closes inflow and water goes back out the hoses it came in from. the last one water goes from inflo lines, into a main line along benches, then several trunk lines go up to the benches that have 6" shallow gutters on top, slight declination away from front to back, with just enough slope so some water builds up as it flows past pots, goes into pots and then the rest runs off gutter eventually to the drain. it could be collected and filtered if so designed.
I was thinking about setting up a system for my few phrags and maybe some disas (some day), have a common 24" or so hydroponics tank maybe 5" or so wide, has two holes on one end with elbows. figured I could use an aquarium pump that can adjust inflow so that just enough water goes in the tank so that water level rises about an inch or so before draining out back into the tank. could either adjust the inflow coming in, or tweak drainage so that the water level raises to where needed before draining out, just set a timer for when you want the water to run and for how long.
the ebb and flow benches at work were designed to grow african violets, and had wicking fabric on plastic racks (about 1/2" high) above bottom of bench, ends sitting in the water, pots sitting on fabric so that pots would get moist but not be sitting in the circulating water. since bench might not be the same level all around the rack and fabric was best way to water everything as equally as possible.
I know you're looking for a design that has already been used for orchids so that you can determine the results from their design, but this should give you a good idea about different types of systems and how you might arrange something in your home.
good luck!
Last edited:
practicallyostensible
Julia
Thanks for the info about the ebb and flow systems... something to ponder. About the car, nothing was taken, my insurance covered replacement of both the windshield and the back window (pictured); the bill that went to my insurance company was upwards of a grand. This is really great for both me and the orchids, because I am in need of a new shelf and some grow lights. Last night a witness came forward and said that he saw the people that did it from his third floor apartment, but could not get the plate number of the truck that they were in. He said that they were older overweight Hispanic men driving a beat up truck with a lawnmower in the bed. He also said that they came back twice to break both windows. Thanks for calling the police. I think that it must have been a case of them mistaking my car for some other individual's. The police were no help. It sucks, but that's the way life goes.
I think that it must have been a case of them mistaking my car for some other individual's. The police were no help. It sucks, but that's the way life goes.NYEric
Well-Known Member
Post something in your local paper about it and offer a reward for the license info, some scummer will probably rise to the offer!
D
Damas
Guest
That really really sucks... Hopefully you got an insurance.
