Table of Contents

0. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2 1.1 Background: ........................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Advantages:......................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Disadvantages ..................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Design: ................................................................................................................................................ 3 2. Literature Review ................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Nutrients.............................................................................................................................................. 4 2.2 pH Levels ............................................................................................................................................ 5 2.3 Aeration............................................................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Bacteria and Stagnation ...................................................................................................................... 6 3. Methods.................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Common Designs Considered............................................................................................................. 7 3.1a) Hanging Window Frames ............................................................................................................ 7 3.1b) Central Towers ............................................................................................................................ 8 3.2 The Vertical Tower Design ................................................................................................................. 8 3.3 Building the System ............................................................................................................................ 9 3.4 Calculations: ....................................................................................................................................... 9 4. Design / Results ..................................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 How the Reservoir System Works .................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Self-Contained System...................................................................................................................... 10 4.3 Plant Media Chosen For Use ............................................................................................................ 13 4.4 Growing the Plants in the System ..................................................................................................... 13 4.5 Materials: .......................................................................................................................................... 13 5. Discussion............................................................................................................................................... 15 5.1 Plant Growth Evaluation ................................................................................................................... 15 5.2 Physical Evaluation of the Hydroponics System .............................................................................. 15 5.3 Efficacy in Comparison with Other Designs .................................................................................... 15 5.4 Factors Not Accounted for in the Design.......................................................................................... 16 5.5 Overall Cost ...................................................................................................................................... 16 1

Table B1 Items shown in green are items that were purchased with YSU money and items in white are donated items. ................................................................................................................................... 17 5.6 Marketing .......................................................................................................................................... 18 6. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 18 6.1 The Project ........................................................................................................................................ 18 6.2 Growing Information ........................................................................................................................ 19 6.3 Building Method ............................................................................................................................... 19 6.4 The Apparatus ................................................................................................................................... 19 6.5 Analysis............................................................................................................................................. 19 6.6 Future Steps ...................................................................................................................................... 20 References .................................................................................................................................................. 21

0. Executive Summary Garden trowels, muddy plant rows, dirty trousers: these are the images that commonly come to mind when imagining growing vegetables. However, not all methods of growing involve the images listed above, or even dirt. Hydroponic growing is defined as growing plants in a water-based media rather than in soil. In this method, plants are cultivated in an apparatus that circulates water and nutrients though roots for direct uptake. Not only can these systems be used to produce healthy pesticide-free vegetation, but they are also good tools for instructing the public on soil-free growing. Accordingly, a free standing vertical hydroponics garden was built to educate Youngstown State University (YSU) students on the importance of soil-free growing. Because the garden will need to travel around campus, it was required to fit on a mobile cart and be self-contained, only drawing outside power from an electrical outlet. As such, research was conducted to determine a sturdy design that would support a multi-plant hydroponic vegetable garden. Since the system needed to accommodate a variety of different sized plants, a traditional central tower design was chosen instead of a hanging window design. As such, larger plants like lettuce could be more easily grown in the system, because they had more room for foliage to mature. Additionally, the tower design was chosen for its stability; a 6 inch diameter schedule 40 PVC was chosen for the central column. The tower was built on a 2-foot by 4-foot wooden base with a wooden frame that houses growing lights for the system. A 550gal/hr submersible pump was used to circulate water and nutrients from the 5 gallon reservoir up a tube in the 48 inch tall main pipe. Acting as a free jet, water exited the tube and hit the curved PVC cap. This resulted in water draining down the inside walls of the larger pipe, and wetting the Rockwool and plant roots. The excess then drained back into the tank, aerating and mixing the water for the next cycle. One Red Oak Lettuce seed or one Black-Seeded Simpson Green Lettuce seed was planted in each of the fourteen growing ports. A growing period typically lasts 40 to 50 days for full plant maturation. After the maturation period, all 14 heads will be harvested and 14 new plants will be planted. The apparatus will be transported around YSUs campus for education purposes throughout the entire growing period. The hydroponics system will be tested for efficiency and ease of use in the remaining eight weeks. The red and green lettuce growing in the tower will be compared to lettuce that will be planted as a control in soil. They will be judged by the following criteria: plant size, overall appearance of plant, and general taste. Through weekly maintenance and monitoring, the physical elements of the tower along with water and electricity use will be evaluated to determine the designs efficacy.

1. Introduction Over the course of a fifteen week semester, the project was to design and build an optimal, efficient and functioning hydroponics system that would be used to grow plants indoors throughout the year. Additionally, over the course of the following semesters, the system will be used for research, teaching, and demonstration purposes throughout the college. Seated on a two feet by four feet wheeled cart, the hydroponics system is a compact design that is easily maneuvered through doorways. As such, it will be readily available for education opportunities located around campus. Because it sports a mobile design, it is entirely self-contained, and only requires the use of an electrical socket to power the lightening and pumping components. 1.1 Background: The creation of a mobile hydroponics system allows professors to easily educate students on the importance of sustainable indoor growing. Derived from the Greek words hydros for water and ponos for labor, the word hydroponics describes growing plants in a water based media rather than soil (Perez, 2008). As such, it allows the user to control the uptake of nutrients directly through the roots of the plant. Furthermore, by the addition of grow lights, the process can thrive year-round in an indoor location, even in environments where outdoor circumstances inhibit plant growth. Seen in figure 1.1 below is a basic hydroponics system with the essential parts being a pump, a nutrient reservoir, and a spray jet to get water to the roots of the plants.

Figure 1.1 - General hydroponic system that is seen in (Taylor, 2010)

Recently, awareness of sustainability and organic consumption has increased interest in growing plants hydroponically; however, the practice of growing plants in water has existed for centuries. In the early 1600s, scientists experimented with hydroponics to determine the
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composition of plants. Historians have even discovered prehistoric Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting plant growth in gravel-like media instead of soil. Furthermore, the hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Aztecs Floating Gardens are prominent examples of early hydroponic cultivation (Roberto, 2003). 1.2 Advantages Hydroponics has been in existence for many years because of the numerous advantages in growing plants with this method. One main benefit of growing vegetation in water is that it allows the grower to plant crops where soil or the environment is unsuitable for proper plant development. Additionally, removing soil from the growing process reduces the amount of plant disease which, in turn, allows more plants to be grown in a shorter period of time (Perez, 2008). With a reduction of time needed to grow, mature, and harvest the plants, the grower can increase the amount of crops produced which would allow them to increase their profits from selling the plants. Finally, another big advantage is that this method does not require any form of pesticides, which will generally produce plants that will taste better in addition to being healthier (Jones, 2005). 1.3 Disadvantages There are multiple disadvantages to growing plants hydroponically. First, the upfront cost may dissuade new growers. Additionally, as the process of growing hydroponically requires more week-to-week measurements and additions, new growers must research precise methods of growing and problems that are specific to water-nutrient uptake. Plants require frequent pH monitoring and feeding, and the water in the reservoir must be changed often to avoid putrification, as bacteria growth can occur. The choice of vegetation also factors into what system design must be chosen; large plants could have trouble growing in hanging towers that have restricted greenhouse-like growing areas. Also, plants that produce fleshy fruits and vegetables would require a system with a larger reservoir as they consume more nutrients and water than leafy greens do (Jones, 2005). 1.4 Design The design criteria first included creating a vertical hydroponics growing system. Second, the apparatus needed to be mobile, and at minimum move through standard doorways. Accordingly, the entire growing system was required to fit neatly on a 2 feet x 4 feet mobile cart
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that stands a maximum of 6 feet high. Because the cart was to be portable, the system was also designed to be entirely self-sufficient, except for a single outside source of electricity that would power the garden. Next, as the apparatus would be later used for educational purposes throughout the University, durability and ease of transportation would be paramount in its design. Lastly, the system was evaluated in its ability to grow healthy and abundant vegetables in relation to a control garden planted in soil. The entire system needed to be designed and built on a budget of $200.

2. Literature Review Building a hydroponics system and growing plants successfully by this method can involve a large amount of research. First time growers must be especially vigilant of tips and problems that are specific to growing through direct water-nutrient uptake. In hydroponic growing, plant root balls rest in a non-soil media. As such, roots do not have the protection provided by soil surroundings. Accordingly, special attention must be paid to the amount and method of nutrients added to the systems reservoir. The pH of the water also could vary with the addition and depletion of nutrients, so this must be monitored as well. Because of a lack of soil and abundance of water, numerous problems could arise within the watering process. For instance, proper aeration must occur so that plants can absorb oxygen. Further, if natural bacterial growth occurs within the system, each plant would be affected as water is circulated past each plants roots (Venter, 2010). 2.1 Nutrients Plant nutrition plays an extremely large role in a hydroponics system. Clearly, without proper nutrition, plants will not flourish to their potential and the desired crop output will not be obtained. As complicated as plant nutrition may seem, the proper amount of food can be reached fairly easily; the three major nutrients required for plants to grow properly are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. With endless amounts and varieties of plant nutrients available, these three nutrition requirements are not difficult to fulfill for different crops. In a vertical tower system, the nutrients are placed in the reservoir containing the systems water. Once in the water, the pump will provide circulation throughout the tower providing each of the plants roots with their required nutrients (Harris, 1992). Seen in figure 2.1 below is the analysis of the nutrients used in the system.
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Figure 2.1 - Shows amounts of nitrogen, phosphate, calcium and many other types of nutrients present the dry power plant food used.

2.2 pH Levels Potential hydrogen (pH) levels within the reservoir can also affect plant growth. Measure on a 1-14 scale, a pH of 7 is considered neutral. On this scale, numbers above 7 are considered alkaline, or basic, and numbers below 7 are considered acidic. Although many plants have the ability to grow in a pH of 5.0-7.5, this large range is not always ideal for proper growth (Low, 2002). This is because the roots will not properly absorb nutrients unless pH is at an ideal level for the specific plant. This, of course, will result in reduced plant growth and production (Alexander, T., et al., 2000). In the hydroponics system, the pH levels will mostly change large amounts during nutrient uptake. As the roots absorb certain nutrients from the water, the remaining elements can raise the acidity or alkalinity. To avoid a large variation of pH, the growing tower is monitored daily using an indicator testing kit, as well as when nutrients are added into the reservoir. Recommended values for the pH within the tower are between 6.2 and 6.3 (Taylor, 2010). Figure 2.2 below demonstrates the different color ranges for the pH levels typical in pH reading systems.

Figure 2.2 - pH scale that shows the different colors associated with different pH levels. The pH level for towers is 6.0 to 6.5. This is found in (Taylor, 2010)

2.3 Aeration Typically, growers focus solely on nutrients and water reaching the root base of their vegetation; however, aeration is exceptionally important when cultivating a hydroponics garden. Vital for root development, aeration in the system allows respiration to occur without drowning the plant in water. When this occurs properly, air filled pores supply oxygen to the roots while also removing gaseous byproducts of root respiration. This is of the utmost importance because approximately 98% of oxygen absorption occurs at the roots (Taylor, 2010). Within a reservoir system, correct levels of aeration could be difficult to maintain. Oftentimes, an additional air pump is needed to pump small bubbles into the tank. Many other vertical systems also utilize spray jets to aerate the water before it reaches the roots. Recirculating reservoir systems can also be designed so that water returning from the roots splashes into the basin, aerating water below as it does so. The mobile vertical garden was designed in this manner (Taylor, 2010). 2.4 Bacteria and Stagnation In any hydroponic system, bacteria and stagnation can lead to many problems. Stagnation is an unwanted effect in a system because without proper water movement, nutrients will not be circulated to each of the plants. Along with improper plant nutrition, stagnation causes air to be inadequately circulated throughout the system as well. As an outcome, plants will have a decreased survival rate and will not produce the amount of crop expected from a healthy plant. Bad bacteria and fungi also could collect and grow in stagnant water and lead to various diseases. Bacteria, however, are not always bad for a system. Some bacteria can help increase a plants ability to fight off disease, and thus increase its chance of survival. Although the presence of some bacteria may help the plants, too much harmful bacteria can collect in stagnant water adversely affect the growing process by causing disease. To avoid considerable bacteria buildup, reservoir hydroponic systems should be flushed weekly with clean water (Winterborne, 2005).

3. Methods A vertical design was required for the hydroponics system. Additionally, it needed to sit on a mobile cart that could fit through doorways. As such, research was conducted to determine what the best blueprint for the garden would be.
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3.1 Common Designs Considered 3.1a) Hanging Window Frames As the science of growing hydroponically has existed for centuries, numerous modified vertical designs exist. In one model, a frame supports hanging greenhouse-like bottles that house different plants. Water is pumped to the top of the frame where it is dripped down columns of hanging, assembled bottles. When it reaches the bottom, it is recirculated through the pump back to the top of the frame where it drips down the columns again. In this system, nutrients are often injected into the tubes that connect each bottle in the column. An adapted form of this design does not have enclosed bottles; instead, tubing travels directly down the column through each root base. Models of this nature are typically called hanging window systems because they can be fitted to a window where natural light could be used. Figure 3.1 shows a generic example of a hanging window frame hydroponic system (Window, 2009).

Figure 3.1 The left shows how the plant is put into the net cup with some clay pellets. The net cup is placed in the side hole of the bottle and the hose is put through the tap hole on the top of the bottle. The water is then dripped through the bottle and circulates on to the next bottle through the drip tubing. This can be found on the webpage (Window, 2009).

3.1b) Central Towers In a central tower system, a large main pipe is fitted atop a water reservoir tank. The central pipe is drilled with columns of holes where plants are inserted. In some designs, smaller pipes are fitted within these holes so that the plants have more support and so that water does not splash out of the tower (Roberto, 2003). Nutrients are then inserted into the reservoir and pumped up a tube within the central pipe. Here, the water is jetted vertically out of the tube where it hits the pipe cap. This causes the water to flow down the walls of the main pipe, wetting the roots of the plants. Once water passes through the roots, it returns, splashing, back to the reservoir to be re-pumped. The splashing entrance in the reservoir can act as an aeration technique. Figure 3.2 illustrates a modified central tube with horizontal lines. These lines are smaller pipes that transmit water to the root. Also, for this model, a smaller central pipe is used, greatly reducing start-up costs. Plant buckets are then stacked so that water can drip through each plant root media, and return to a central reservoir. The water is then remixed, and circulated through the system again.

Figure 3.2 - This central tower hydroponic system holds three plant stacks that all have different types of Vegetation. This can be found (Resh, 2003) .

3.2 The Vertical Tower Design Both the hanging garden design and the central tower design have advantages and disadvantages: the hanging garden design utilizes natural light, but because there are many tubes

delivering nutrients, it is flimsier than the column model. Similarly, a central tower system holds more plants per square foot area than a hanging garden, but a large reservoir must be used as a recirculating tank. Because the system needed to be sturdy when mobile, a traditional central tower design was chosen instead of a hanging window design. Additionally, the larger lettuce plants were more easily grown in the system, as they had more room for foliage to mature. In contrast, if a vertical window design with enclosed bottles was chosen, it could have hindered growth as the plants would have been encompassed in small greenhouse-like bottles. 3.3 Building the System First, a wooden base was measured and cut. Next, the uprights were mounted and the four caster wheels were attached to the bottom board. To plan where each additional piece would be attached, the design plan was drawn on the base. Next, the wooden water reservoir enclosure was constructed and mounted on the base. All wooden components were sanded. Following, the main tower pipe and mounting flange were cut, modified, and fitted. Here, the side ports were drilled for the plant holders. Smaller PVC sections were then inserted into the side ports and glued. To ensure that water would not warp or degrade the base and frame, all wooden sections were stained and sealed with Minwax seal. After, the main pipe and growing lights were securely mounted. Pictures of the building process can be seen in appendix C1 C12. During this process, two types of lettuce seeds were planted in a rockwool media. Seeds were lightly pushed into the pre-holed cubes, and the rockwool was wetted until damp. A grow light was positioned over the seeds for a few days until the lettuce began to sprout. Once the system was built, the rockwool cubes and seedlings were placed in net cups, and fitted into the side port pipes. The pump was placed in the bucket reservoir, and the system was ready for growing and testing. 3.4 Calculations: As the dimensions of the cart and system were specified, the basic calculations performed were in the analysis of the water movement from the reservoir to the top of the tower and its return. Since the water exits the interior hose as a free jet, the system relies on the velocity of the water and the shape of the PVC cap to force the water to the inner sides of the main tower. Basic analyses of the effects of gravity were used to find the necessary velocity to accomplish this. This is shown in appendix A.

As the diameter of the inner hose (and therefore cross-sectional area) way fixed, the only way to ensure the proper velocity was by controlling the volumetric flow of the water. Thus, the pump size was determined by the minimum velocity requirements, the friction loss in the inner hose, and the height to which the water must be raised. The analysis of these constraints was accomplished with the energy equation derived from the First Law of Thermodynamics, the Darcy-Weisbach equation, and a Moody Diagram. An in depth analysis is provided in appendix B. (Munson, 2009).

4. Design / Results Using the methods described in section 3, a vertical tower hydroponics system was built. Under the central tower design, a large reservoir was constructed to hold water and nutrients. Water is pumped through the tower so that plants receive the proper nutrients to grow. 4.1 How the Reservoir System Works A five gallon bucket was placed at the base of the system to act as a water reservoir. To protect the water from light and contaminants, the bucket was hidden by a wooden 15.5 inch by 17 inch by 16.5 inch enclosure to protect the water from light and contaminants. This was especially important to ensure that nutrients added into the system would not break down due to natural or artificial light exposure. The box was built with a hinged door to allow easy access to the reservoir to monitor water status, add nutrients, adjust pH, and periodically flush the system. A submersible 550 gallon per hour pump was positioned in the bottom of the bucket to move the water through a 0.75 inch inner diameter plastic tube to the top of the pipe. When the system is run, the water reaches the top of the tube and exits as a free jet, striking the top of the slightly rounded pipe cap so that water is directed to the sides of the pipe in all directions. As the water runs down the inside of the main tower pipe, it wets the rockwool media in which the plants sit. The roots are then able to absorb nutrients mixed into the water. Excess liquid continues down the pipe until it drains back into the reservoir, causing aeration and mixing. Here, it is collected and recirculated through the system. 4.2 Self-Contained System In order for the hydroponic garden to be a completely mobile system, the apparatus was designed to be primarily self-contained. All lighting, hydraulic, and mechanical components were designed to operate within the mobile cart, with the only outside source of power from an
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electrical socket. Two 5 foot T-5 80 watt 6400k light bulbs were attached to the vertical frame posts. Each was connected to the light timer, which operates the lights on a 12 hour per day schedule. The timer was connected to the surge-protected power strip. Similarly, a second timer for the 550 gal/hr pump was connected to the power strip, and operates on a continual basis. Seen in figure 4.1 are top, right side, front and orthotropic views of the hydroponic system. The overall height of the system is shown to the center of the caster wheels. The caster wheels have a diameter of 3 inches. Figure 4.2 shows a 3-D hatched version of the hydroponic system that shows the inside of pipe, where the pump is in the reservoir, and inner tube. The main pipe does not completely enter the reservoir because the reservoir water needs to be changed weekly. This allows easy access to remove the reservoir from the system and change the water and nutrients accordingly. Figure 4.3 shows a 3-D model of the hydroponic system.

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Figure 4.1 - Hydroponic system with dimensions given for the main features such as the box that surrounds the reservoir, the overall height of the system, and the width and length of the base that was constructed. All units are in inches.

Figure 4.2 - In this figure, lights can be seen which are mounted on the uprights on the left and right sides of the frame. Also, the smaller pipes that hold the plants just barely enter the larger main column so that water and nutrients can continue to the roots while they are hanging over into the center of the column.

Figure 4.3 The general design that was used to construct Youngstown States hydroponics system. The door is open and the reservoir can be seen.

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4.3 Plant Media Chosen For Use From lava rock to sand, from coconut fiber to saw dust, hydroponics allows for a variety of different mediums to be used (Resh, 2003). For this design, rockwool was chosen as a growing media. Made from artificial filaments, rockwool is a fibrous, non-biodegradable material that allows water to flow past roots. Typically, the rockwool is perforated, cubed, and holed so that plants may grow within. For the system, Red Oak Lettuce and Black-Seeded Simpson Green Lettuce were planted in the media at depths of inch and inches, respectively. The rockwool was dampened with water, covered with a clear lid, and incubated under a T-5 80 watt 6400k growing light for 3 weeks. Next, the rockwool cubes and plants were separated, and placed into 2 inch net cups. Each of these were then fitted into a 1.75 inch growing port on the main pipe. 4.4 Growing the Plants in the System FloraMato nutrients were added to the reservoir after each time the system was flushed. To ensure that no bacteria or fungi collected in the system, this was done every 2 weeks. After the nutrients were added, a pH meter calculated the acidity or alkalinity in the system. The desired pH value was between 6.2 and 6.3. If the solution was too basic, pH Lower solution was added to the water. During plant maturity, teaspoon of nutrients was added per gallon. When the plants reached 2 inches in height, one teaspoon per gallon was added. Seen in appendix D1D7 is the growing process of the lettuce seeds. 4.5 Materials: Main Pipe: The main tower is a four foot section of 6 inch diameter Schedule 40 PVC pipe. Fourteen holes measuring 1.875 inches in diameter were cut into two columns on opposite sides of the main pipe. Each hole is spaced 5.25 inches apart from the center of each hole. Growing Port Pipes: The plant supports were cut at 30 degrees from the vertical from 1.75 inch schedule 40 PVC. PVC cement and caulking were used to secure the ports in the main pipe. Pipe Cap: A rounded 6 inch PVC cap was attached to at the top of the main pipe, but not cemented to allow maintenance access. Pump: A 550 gal/hour submersible, foam filter pump was used in the system.

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Lumber: The cart was constructed of 2 inch by 4 inch No. 1 pine, and .5 inch plywood. The cart base measures two feet by four feet, and the vertical wooden frame stands the maximum height of 6 feet to support the growing lights and tower. Torx head 3 inch exterior screws were used in the construction of the cart. Caster wheels: 4 wheels were used on the base of the cart for mobility. Each has a safety rating of 300 lbs. Water reservoir: A black five gallon bucket and lid were modified to be the tank reservoir. A valve was inserted to the bottom of the bucket for draining. Additionally, a schedule 80 PVC flange with a 6 inch inner diameter was installed to hold the main pipe on the reservoir enclosure Wooden Enclosure: A 16.5-inch by 17-inch by 15.5-inch wooden enclosure was constructed out of plywood to surround the water reservoir. It has a hinged door to access the reservoir. Minwax stain and seal was used to protect the wood from moisture. Torx head 1.675 inch exterior screws were used to construct the enclosure. Lighting: Two T-5 80 watt 6400k lights were attached to the vertical frame posts to provide light. Timers: One timer was used, one to control the lighting schedule, the other to run the pump. Power Strip: A surge protected power strip was used to transfer outside electricity to the system. Plant holders: Initially, a humidity dome was used to sprout plant seedlings. Then, fourteen net cups measuring two inches in diameter were used to hold the plants in the tower. A 10 inch by 20 inch cubed rockwool Cut Kit tray was used as a growing media. Seen in the figure 4.4 is an example of a net cup and rockwool.

Figure 4.4 Net cup that was used

Figure 4.5 Rockwool that was used in the growing process.

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FloraMato Nutrients: The nutrients used to feed the plants consist of 10% Nitrogen, 6% Phosphate, 18% Soluble Potash, 6% Calcium, 2% Magnesium, 3.5% sulfur, and 0.15%Iron. It is powder in form and requires mixing with water. pH Monitoring: A Pro pH Test Kit was used to monitor acid levels. pH Lower Solution was used if the system needed to be more acidic. Additionally, pH Upper Solution was added if adding the nutrients made the system too acidic. Plants: Red Oak Lettuce and Black-Seeded Simpson Green Lettuce were planted and grown in the system.

5. Discussion Over the course of the next eight weeks, the plants will be grown and monitored. The efficacy of the system will be based primarily on the health of the plants in relation to the control group, as well as the physical condition and ease of use of the tower. Additionally, energy and water use can be monitored. 5.1 Plant Growth Evaluation The growth of both the hydroponic tower plants and the soil-grown control plants will be evaluated based on basic criteria. The size of the plants will be compared, as well as the amount of edible vegetation produced. Next, overall appearance and aesthetics of plants will be considered in terms of health. Finally, because the plants grown are edible, general taste of the vegetables and herbs will be tested as well. 5.2 Physical Evaluation of the Hydroponics System As the hydroponics system was required to be built for long term educational purposes, the physical state of the apparatus will be assessed throughout the remaining eight weeks of the semester. Through maintenance each week, its ease of use and general appearance through the growing period will be judged. Additionally, complications of the system will be documented to determine the efficacy of the design chosen. 5.3 Efficacy in Comparison with Other Designs Hydroponics allows for a variety of systems to be used that have their benefits and flaws. When comparing a vertical tower system to a window garden system, the vertical tower is typically more durable and therefore is a longer term solution. This is because hanging window
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gardens are usually made from recycled thin-plastic bottles. Towers, conversely, are frequently constructed with thicker PVC pipe. In addition to a simple design, the vertical tower system saves space because it allows for more crops to be planted in a smaller area (Perez, 2008). The central pipe diameter can range between 6 and 8 inches, and can hold 2 to 4 columns of growing ports. Thus, in a relatively small land area (usually dependent upon size of the reservoir), central towers can hold much more plants than hanging gardens per square foot. 5.4 Factors Not Accounted for in the Design Although the hydroponics system was built to house a mostly self-sufficient growing tower, a few factors were not accounted for in the design process. After each growing period (especially in the case of annual, or yearly, plants), the hydroponic apparatus must be cleaned to allow new seeds to be planted. The water from the system can be purged through the drain in the reservoir; however, a more thorough cleaning of the main tower may be needed depending upon the root structures of the previous plants. If so, the entire main shaft must be disassembled from the base to properly remove debris. This could be cumbersome depending on thickness of plant roots, but is generally unavoidable in a tower design. Outside and continuing costs were also not considered in the design, including the amount and price of the external power sources used within the system. The electricity draw would include power to light the grow bulbs, run the pump, and control the timers. At the beginning of each growing season, seeds and rockwool media would need to be purchased, resulting in an ongoing cost for each continuing season. Additionally, plant nutrients would be a ongoing cost throughout multiple growing seasons. Nutrients and accompanying pH lower and higher solutions cost approximately $15, $8, and $8, respectively, and would need to be purchased as each is depleted.

5.5 Overall Cost The projects budget was not to exceed a total cost of $200. The entire cost of the project is listed in the following table, including with-donations total cost and project cost without donations. Seen in Table B-1 is the budget for items purchased and items donated. The total cost of the project was $107.27, and was well under the $200 budget.

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Table B1 Items shown in green are items that were purchased with YSU money and items in white are donated items.

Item 6''x10' Sch40 PVC 1.5"x10' Sch40 PVC PVC Flange PVC Cement 6" PVC Cap Pump, AAPW550 2" Net Cups Rockwool Caster Wheels Tank Lumber - 2''x4''x8' SPF Lumber - Plywood 1/2'x4'x8' M isc. Fasteners/Screws (1 Box) Stainless Eye Bolt 3/8''x6''w/2nut,2wash 12' clear tubing, 1/2" dia. Seeds pH lower Pro pH Test Kit 5' Single T5 Fixture w/ Bulb Timer 5 Gal. Bucket FloraM ato 1.5lb Dry Humidity Dome Cut Kit Tray 10" x 20' Power Strip Silicone Caulking

Description/Use M ain tower Plant holders M ounting for main tower M ake plant holders stay in place Disperse water on plants Pump Plant holders Plant holders Base 5 gallon bucket Cart Cart - Base/Box Put the cart together Hold hose & pipe in place at top Feeding tube, (price per foot) Plants! M easure pH of plants pH test kit Flourescent Light Fixture Set times the lights & pump will run Water Reservoir Nutrients Used to grow seeds Used to grow seeds Supply power to pump and lights Sealant

Estimated Price 42.48 6.53 19.84 6.95 11.00 25.00 0.15 0.15 4.95 7.95 3.00 22.26 12.00 2.00 4.00 0.75 1.35 8.95 5.95 24.97 15.00 3.00 15.34 2.50 2.00 4.00 3.00

Quantity 1 1 1 1 1 1 30 30 4 1 6 1 1 4 1 8 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Total Cost 42.48 6.53 19.84 6.95 11.00 25.00 4.50 4.50 19.80 7.95 18.00 22.26 12.00 8.00 4.00 6.00 2.70 8.95 5.95 49.94 15.00 3.00 15.34 2.50 2.00 4.00 3.00

Bolt 1/4''x1.5'' w/ 2 nuts, 2 washers each Hold flange & pipe in place/Stainless

Bought Donated Bought Bought Bought Donated Donated Donated Donated Donated Donated Donated Donated Bought Bought Donated Donated Donated Donated Donated Bought Donated Donated Donated Donated Donated Donated

Total Cost = Actual Amount Paid =

328.19
107.27

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5.6 Marketing There are multiple ways to market the hydroponics system. First, the physical design and prototype can be sold. Secondly, the product grown in the system can be sold as specialty produce. Both approaches would result in profit and would spread information on hydroponically growing. To market the system, the correct target audience must be selected and appropriately informed of advantages of the tower design. These would include ease of use, a year-round growing cycle, lack of pesticides, and the rewarding and enriching experience of growing food naturally. Use of the designs experimental data in relation to soil-grown plants would be key to testifying the effectiveness of the design. A simple demographics study could be completed in order to select a target audience in the local area. Ideally, the model could be communicated over the Internet, where a multitude of viewers around the world could have access to the design. Only the cost of a domain name would be the initial investment, so selling the idea electronically would be recommended. Next, the produce grown in the system could be marketed and sold either to independent markets or to local grocers. Since the lettuce was grown with steroid-free nutrients in a pesticidefree environment, it would have marketability as a healthy alternative to commercially grown produce. Profit could be used to build additional gardens, and even to promote the idea of urban gardening throughout the local metropolitan area. Demographic research would be conducted to determine how best to advertise selling the produce in the Youngstown region.

6. Conclusion Growing plants hydroponically is exactly what its name implies; using only hydro, or water, to grow plants. Nutrients are injected into the water reservoir, and then ingested through plant roots. No soil media is used, so water must travel through the hydroponic system over each set of plant roots for the vegetables to survive. 6.1 The Project Although the practice of hydroponic growing has been around for centuries, it has recently been gaining popularity as a method for urban growth. Soil-less planting allows for year-round growing, and a vertical tower can decrease the amount of land used. As such, a
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vertical hydroponic tower was designed and built to efficiently grow fruits and vegetables. Because the system will be used around YSU for educational purposes, it was required to fit on a mobile cart and only draw external power from an electrical socket. The cost to build and maintain the system was not to exceed $200. 6.2 Growing Information In the practice of hydroponic growing, nutrients reach plants through direct water uptake. No soil is used, so no filtration occurs before the water is absorbed through the roots. Consequently, the water in the system must be closely monitored to ensure that proper nutrient and pH levels are maintained. Additionally, water in the system must be purged often so that bacteria does not form and circulate through the system. 6.3 Building Method The project criteria required that a vertical design be chosen for the mobile cart. Needed to move easily through doorways, the cart was required to stand at maximum 2x 4 x 6 tall. Therefore, a central tower design was chosen to maximize the number of plants possible on the unit. This design also allowed more stability and durability than a traditional vertical window model. 6.4 The Apparatus A black, opaque five gallon bucket was fitted atop the main wooden cart, and acts as a reservoir for the hydroponics system. Water is then pumped up a central column using a 550 gallon per hour pump, and trickled down along the inside walls of a 6 inch PVC pipe. It flows through the plant roots, where nutrients are absorbed. Since the water needed to reach the top of the central tower, a submersible pump with the capacity to pump up to 6 feet of head was chosen. The pump and grow lights operate periodically through timers that are attached to the main electrical strip. 6.5 Analysis The hydroponic systems efficacy will be evaluated in the next 8 weeks as it is run and monitored. The physical state of the apparatus will be noted as well as the general growth of the plants in relation to soil control values. Fourteen other lettuce plants will be planted in soil, and compared to the hydroponically grown produce. Overall, the designs merit will be assessed in comparison with other vertical models based on amount of food produced in relation to expected
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values for other systems. Finally, its success will be measured in terms of financial cost to create and maintain the system as well. 6.6 Future Steps After the efficiency of the hydroponics system is evaluated, problems with the tower will be corrected. Durability of the central tube must especially be monitored, so that movement between classrooms remains possible without possible harm to the plants. This will allow professors in various departments across campus to use the hydroponics system to teach students the importance of many subjects, including botany, hydraulics, and urban growing. Even after the testing period, pH, nutrients, and water levels must be monitored for the entire duration that plants are grown. If the design and plants in the garden flourish, similar carts could be built to allow the University to have its own large scale hydroponic garden where pesticide-free food could be grown for local businesses or grocers. Produce can also be sold to students that live in on-campus housing as a healthy alternative to over processed, nonperishable dorm snacks.

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References Alexander, T., et al. (2000).The best of growing edge. (2 ed., pp. 47-51). Corvallis, OR: New Moon Publishing, Inc Doboski, T. (2012).Personal Communication. February 5, 2012. Harris, D. (1992). Hydroponics: the complete guide to gardening without soil. (pp. 18-22). London: New Holland Publishing. Jones, J. (2005). Hydroponics: a practical guide for the soilless grower. (2 ed., Vol. 1, pp. 4-5). CRC Press: United States of America. Low, G. (2002). Integral hydroponics: Indoor growing principles for beginners and intermediates. (3 ed., p. 6). North Charleston: BookSurge Publishing. Munson.B. (2009). Fundamentals of fluid mechanics. (6 ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Perez, L. (2008). Hydroponics for the home. (pp. 5-12). San Jose: Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. Resh, H. (2003). Hobby hydroponics. (pp. 9-16). Mahway: Newconcept Press. Roberto, K. (2003). How to hydroponics. (4 ed.). Farmingdale: The Futuregarden Press. Smith, D. (1987). Rockwool in horticulture. (pp. 10-15). London: Grower Books. Taylor, A. (2010). Flairform growers guide. (1 ed.). Kardinya, Western Australia: Flairform Growers. Venter, G. (2010). Successful hydroponics. (pp. 116-118). Bloomington: Xlibris Corporation Window farms: Hydroponic edible garden for urban windows. (2009, November 05). Retrieved from http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/window-farms-hydroponic-edible-100638 Winterborne, J. (2005). Hydroponics: Indoor horticulture. (pp. 198-204). Guildford: Pukka Press Ltd.

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Appendix A: Finding necessary flow for design As per the design, the water flows upward in the central hose, exiting as a free jet. This jet then strikes the slightly rounded cap which forces the water to turn toward the inside surface of the main tower. This design requires a minimum velocity of the free jet to overcome gravity so that the water will reach the interior surface of the main tower. As the diameter of the hose is fixed, to fix a minimum velocity of the water, a minimum flow was found. Flow of water: Find: The velocity of water, V, at points 1 and 2 such that it reaches the inside surface of the pipe before falling 1 inch from the cap. Find: Minimum flow to achieve this velocity. Assume: Negligible effects of air resistance. The friction on the PVC cap is negligible. Approximate the inside of the cap as a flat plate. Point 1 lies just above the inner hose Velocity of water at 1 is entirely vertical. Velocity of water at 2 is entirely horizontal. Inviscid, steady flow Water is incompressible Acceleration in the horizontal direction is zero Constant acceleration of gravity is 32.2 ft/s2 in the vertical downward direction.

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Free Body Diagram:

Figure A1 Free body Diagram of the inner hose and water hitting the flat plate of the hydroponic system. Procedure: At Point 2: Acceleration is constant so kinematic equations are used:

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Vx2i = initial velocity of water in horizontal direction ax = acceleration in horizontal direction = 0 Y2f = final position of water in vertical direction = 0 Y2i = initial position of water in vertical direction = 1 in = .0833ft Vy2i = initial velocity of water in vertical direction = 0 ay = acceleration in vertical direction = gravity = 32.2ft/s2 t = time in seconds Substituting gives:

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Free Body Diagram:

Figure B1 Free body diagram of the main pipe and the reservoir. The water is pumped from point 1 to point 2.

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Procedure: Volume of hose, Vhose:

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 = kinematic viscosity V = velocity of water D = diameter of hose

Using Moody Diagram (Munson, et. al, 2009):

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Where: P1 = pressure at point 1 = h* V1 = velocity at point 1 = 0 z1 = height at point 1 = 0 P2 = pressure at point 2 = 0 V2 = velocity at point 2 = 4.21 ft/s z2 = height at point 2 = 5.2 ft = specific weight of water = 62.4 lb/ft3 g = acceleration due to gravity = 32.2 ft/s2 hL- = minor head loss = .055 ft hL+ = major head loss = .584ft hP = head added by pump Substituting in and solving:

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Appendix C The Building Process

Figure C1 Construction of the base.

Figure C2 Putting caster wheels on the cart.

Figure C3 Finished base with caster wheels and supports for light structures.

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Figure C4 Sanding of the base and preping for stain.

Figure C5 Construction of the box that surronds reservoir.

Figure C6 Completion of the box that surronds reservoir

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Figure C7 Wooden structure stained with reservoir box connected to base.

Figure C8 drilling of holes in the main base.

Figure C10 Finished main pipe with all the small pipes glued in.

Figure C9 Half of the small pipes glued into the main pipe

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Figure C11 The cross member is stained and placed on structure as well as the lights supported to uprights.

Figure C12 Finished hydroponic system with lights connected and turned on as well as some net cups inserted in the small pipes.

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Appendix D Growing the Plants

Figure D1 First day of planting seeds

Figure D2 Second day of planting seeds

Figure D3 Day three of planting. Sprouting occurs .

Figure D4 Day five of planting. Leaves begin to sprout from rockwool.

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Figure D5 Day seven of planting. Roots form in the rockwool.

Figure D6 Day eight of planting. Plants continue to grow.

Figure D7 Day nine of planting. The roots continue to form in rockwool.

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