Alternative Bottle For Bottle Tek

[Ishmael Fleishman]

I purchase 5 liter Bottle of Distilled Water from Coles and tonight I had the thought that they could possible make great bottles for bottle tek.

 

Since they are ribbed, what if the ribs could be interlocked if cut the right way.

 

So I cut off the tops of two bottles and after a little fiddling and cutting I managed to get two bottle to go together.

 

The trick is to cut one bottle above a rib (rib in) and the second bottle below a rib (rib out) that way the bottle slide and lock into each other.

 

I think it would make better tek then coke bottles because they are 5 liters not 2 liters they are taller, more volume, and they are square so more efficient use of space when you have multiples.

 

The down side the lock in between the components is not as solid as the coke bottles and filled with 5 liters of soil I doubt that you could pick it from the top and have it hold together.

 

Would do people think?

 

 

 

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Ishmael Fleishman

[saguaro]

yeah it would work. The bigger bottle can reduce the need to transplant it to an intermediate pot

 

bottle tek is basically the same thing as takeaway tek. many different bottles or container would work. Bonus points that the container is recycled

Edited September 27, 2023 by saguaro

[Ishmael Fleishman]

I started with takeaway tek and had good success germinating however very quickly the takeaway tek lids have to removed because the seedling shot past. Then you loose the humidity controlled environment and then the roots bottom out on the bottom of the takeaway tek. Then I had to replant to soon and suffered many losses. I am hopping that these larger bottle tek will help avoid these problems.

 

I scored some seeds for some OP Terscheckii seeds from the Dawsons collection that I will put into these large bottles.

 

I also have a cat and the takeaway tek is all to temping resting spot for my cat and subsequently suffered more looses. The bottles should prove less comfortable.

Edited September 29, 2023 by Ishmael Fleishman

[Halcyon Daze]

Love it, I'll have to go find some, the square shape is brilliant too. I wonder if you could neatly fit say 10 in a styro box

[Ishmael Fleishman]

12 hours ago, Halcyon Daze said:

I wonder if you could neatly fit say 10 in a styro box

 

I doubt you could fit 10 as they their foot print is large almost 17cm x 17cm - I think possible 5 might fit into a styro box.

[Halcyon Daze]

Depends on the dimensions of the box I guess, but I've found it really beneficial to pack them into something where they're held neatly together saving space and won't fall over etc. Any box would do, but styro just has that nice insulative quality to it.

 

I've recently found some really large and thick styro boxes available for free out the back of a local pet shop. They ship live fish in from overseas. Best styro boxes ever !  

 

Can't wait to try out these square bottles.

 

 

[fyzygy]

It's great to be able to safely repurpose styrofoam. It's never recycled because the value of recyclables depends on weight -- and styrofoam particles are so light that they usually end up airborne. I think the jury is still out on the safety of growing plants directly in styrofoam (although I still do). 

 

I couldn't find those square bottles of distilled water at my local Coles. I know for a fact there's one local customer who fills their trolley with the stuff, but not for the containers.