I didn’t know exactly where to post this so i went with indoor growing. Here’s my question… does anyone used full automated systems these days? (specifically hydro)? Over 10 years ago i saw people using these automated systems that automatically adjust ph/ppm , you just fill the tubes with your nutes and ph up/down and you’re good to go after adjusting your settings. I haven’t seen anyone using them since then so i’m curious… does anyone use them or know people that use them? I have no intention of using one anytime soon but i’m curious to see if they ever made it into the hydro market these days.
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Absolutely people use Dosatrons. Most, if not all, commercial facilities are using them.
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I’ve toured 4 or 5 commercial grows in Oklahoma and all of them were using Dosatrons. Typically your home grower can’t afford those systems, I sure can’t. I did see one grow on here where the grower had scales under each planter and his system watered to a specific weight. I don’t remember who it was though.
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A pH controller from blue lab or elsewhere are usually a couple hundred bucks. If you were always dosing the same amount of nutes could probably do something there. Reef setups would have all the info there… unsure on auto dosing nutes with ppm control tho. That’d be that dosatron or something similar which is going to be at least double the money if not adding a 0 to the end.
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Wish I could afford a system to do all! 🫤
I have two buddies using dosatrons, they are awesome and I’d love one but it would have to be on a bigger scale to justify. Both run new hydro-x controllers too (touch screen not old school like mine) it’s crazy they don’t even have to be there for a week or so . I have a bluelab controller for my RDWC setup but it’s just a ph module and the temp/ph monitor
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well isn’t that nifty
Oh and it’s only like ~$1200 USD
https://www.bghydro.com/trolmaster-hydro-x-plus-controller-w-4-in-1-sensor-cable-set.html
I’m pretty sure a $35 raspberry pi with some free open-source software could most, if not all, of this May need some extra work for the ppm stuff though but Pimoroni and/or PiGrow maybe
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Ya it’s nuts, I’ve got the old school one (300$) it does a ton with add ons of course lol. It’s pretty epic if you are moving weight it’s only a drop in the bucket, it’s funny you mention the Pi I’ve been looking into it myself but I’m so computer illiterate when it comes to programming etc. it’s insane.
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Maybe they’ve changed them to sell to smaller growers, but back in the day the Dosatrons needed a decent sized res to be effective. Most home growers weren’t rocking big enough reservoirs.
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If you’re savvy enough you could probably put your own together based around an arduino raspberry pie brain. Sensors and servos could do the rest.
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