indoor light and modified hydropnonics for cacti

[nut]

is it poss to do this, maintain a great growth rate year round.im really wanting to try this with a few grafts and seedlings this winter

[applesnail]

yup its possible, create the right enviroment for them they will grow, any plant given adequate light,airflow, heat and nutrients as close to there natural enviroment as possible will grow..this can become quite complex, if one wishes to do it correctly. Especially in a hydroponic enviroment one must be prepared to spend the capital needed to manage pests and diseases, power expenses,heat,lighting,nutrients,ph testers,buffers etc, all can accumulate pretty quickly in price...

To grow anything hydroponically, it has to be done right(ive found) otherwise there will just be endless poor health and problems.

The one thing most ppl neglect is airflow and this is one of the most important things in creating a healthy enviroment..ducting,exhaust fans etc, having adequate airflow for c02 and pest and disease management, whilst maintaining an appropriate temperature to gain maximum growth rate in the grow enviroment can become quite tricky(especially in winter) without fine tuning or spending extra cash on power consumption!

but all this sure does make for a wonderful rewarding hobbie, with its ups & downs and challenges!

[naja naja]

yeah, lophs seem to thrive under HPS and flower their little bums off. Don't know bout hydro, but if pere likes it then it would be a goer. Soil is good, lotsa ethno's like it inside, esp over winter. A little love for them.

Edited May 16, 2011 by naja naja

[Gunter]

what type of hydroponic system are we considering here?

Some things to consider, most mature cacti exhibit CAM, Crassulacean Acid Metabolism, this means that photoperiods have a point of diminishing returns where longer day or bright period lengths does not equal more growth, likewise longer night periods does not equal more acid for respiration, you will likely find that 12/12-14/10 are just about optimal photoperiods for light/dark, likewise increasing ambient C02 levels should be done at night, not during the day, but has been shown to increase biomass per unit of time and light.

As far as light intensity, cacti are most efficient at conditions that are neither super bright nor shaded, they do very well with about 200-400 watts of high efficiency lighting per meter square, once again while the can grow with more a point of diminishing returns exists regarding the level of light. Several studies exist regarding PAR and cacti, when they are past their optimal light intensity they often grow thicker spines to create more shade!!!

Cacti do not tolerate high TDS levels and do not enjoy saline environments.

Nutrient concentration has also been correlated with root biomass and root:shoot ratio, less strong solution= more roots, this may be of use if you cycle your solution intensity up and down a bit. You can also target what you feel is the optimal root:shoot ratio.

Cacti have been grown hydroponically and in in non-soil media for years, there is a lot of information about that around online. Some people have had very good results using a raft technique where a raft holding the plant is floated on an oxygenated nutrient solution. You may want to play around with different media to see what effect the ion-exchange capacity has, but in general low ion-exchange capacity does not mean poor growth but can mean more sensitivity to fluctuating nutrient levels.

h++p://keinhong.tripod.com/hydroponics.html

[Philocacti]

Archaea thanks a lot for this info, most of what you said i never knew before

[BBGONE]

is it poss to do this, maintain a great growth rate year round.im really wanting to try this with a few grafts and seedlings this winter

 

For cacties the best is gravel culture conditions.

That is growing them soilless on substrates like pumice, lava, zeolite.

There are a lot of optimal substrates for gravel culture, such as Seramis, Lechuza pon, Bims, Akadama, Vulcantec soiles mixtures .

I grow T. bridgesii seedlings under fluorescent lights on Lechuza pon substrate.

For them i use hydroponic fertilizer. They grow super fast.

From time to time they need substrate washing with water to remove excess fertilizer.

Edited May 16, 2011 by BBGONE

[George]

Got a bag of Zeolite I'm going to try soon.

[nut]

awesome guys plenty to think bout ta mucho