Passive Lettuce Farm

I'd like you to imagine a wall of 1 gallon plastic milk jugs set at about 45 degrees so that the tops of the jugs protrude from the cavity in the wall.  In the spout there would be a paper towel shaped into a cone and filled with some small grow media like Coir.

In the jug there is a volume of nutrient rich water from your aquaponic system.  When first planted from seed each container would have one lettuce plant inside the cone of media.  The level of the nutrient rich water would be just high enough at first to moisten the cone.

As the lettuce grows the solution would be used and the level would fall creating an aerobic space where some of the roots become exposed.  As the plant contiues to grow the solution will be used up by the rrots that grow into the water.  5 to 7 weeks later the lettuce is mature and ready for harvest.

Several weeks create a harvest that required no electricity for pumps!

Here is an experiment I started a few days ago.  The water is slowly being used as the plants grow

For more information on this technique CLICK HERE

Compare this to a high production commercial hydroponic system