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Hydroponically grwon veggies in home, not commercial plant. It is technically possible in North Slope, I guess.
Heating inside of house, bucket of water(running water is not necessary), and electricity is available in most of dwelling unit, I assume.
Question 1. Are there people who are growing veggies(NOT POT) at home over there?
Question 2. Hydroponics system for indivisal home is workable in economical point of view over there?
Thanks.
I think if you read this thread, number 1 was answered from you. I think number 2 was kind of answered as well.
Question 1: If somebody is, nobody is aware of it... so probably not.
Question 2: Due to costs of shipping media, nutrients and equipment. Not to mention most home in Barrow are small, so you wouldn't have much room the answer is no.
If it was economically feasible, I would imgaine there would be a coop in Barrow, at least amongst the restaurants to have an indoor hydroponic greenhouse to grow the stuff they need for their businesses.
Then again, there is a lot of opportunity in Barrow to make money and perhaps you having an indoor garden may make a ton of money from businesses and locals. Lord knows you can charge high prices and get away with it. You need to do the research. Look, I'll help you out there as well.
Figure what equipment you need to grow. Call the supplier and ask how much to ship to Zip Code 99723.
Look online and see if there is any space for rent up there. Determine that cost.
I looked online, looks liek Electric will be around $0.15 to $0.16 for electric.
Determine your electric usage.
You know what..... I;m tired..... I think you see where I am going with this. Nobody knows if it is economically feasible cuz nobody does it. Figure it out, do the research.
I just finished rereading this entire thread from the beginning and I'm close to a conclusion this person isn't really interested in what he's asking but he's trying to emulate our late friend RRP. Since post #2 he has been told repeatedly that it can be done whether in a cave, hole in the ground, small greenhouse with proper heat and light or at the South Pole Station where they do it because of lack of resupply during their winter. He can't seem to grasp the essential fact that all it takes is the will to do it, the necessary funding for lights and heat, and knowing how plants grow whether in liquid or soil, and to make it all come together being capable of doing the necessary labor to perform all the tasks to fulfill all the above requirements. If he is so stretched out on whatever he can't comprehend the simple facts that if he can afford it and provide the labor the answer is sure you can as long as you understand what you are doing. Can a profit be made doing it in Barrow? I await the results of his doing it.
I looked online, looks liek Electric will be around $0.15 to $0.16 for electric.
Here are some utility rates, obtained from the Barrow Utilities & Electric Coop Inc (BUECI) webpage. These are listed as part of a 2005 document, and may not be exactly correct for today but I doubt that any of them have changed significantly.
Electricity -- $0.0961 per KWH
Natural Gas -- $18.02 for 0-55 CCF, $.28 per additional CCF
Water -- $55.00 for 3000 gallons, $0.02 per additional gallon (Senior citizens: $11.00 for 3000 gallons)
Well now that all the experts have given their opinons.
I will speak from first hand knowledge and exprience.
Hydroponics is NOT the way to grow (anything) on the North Slope.
The correct inexpensive method is pyraponics. This scientist has developed a methodology for growing fruits, veggies' flowers and herbs and the most amazing part is: Your crops are ready for harvest every six weeks. Nine times each year; year in and year out.
The cost of electricity even in high areas of the arctic is minimal by using 30 watt flourescent lamps.
I agree, I have tried Hydroponics here in Anchorage and our electric bill skyrocketed and we only did it to get starters going for the summer!! I could not imagine paying for a years worth of lights and fans and heat just to grow veggies. And I was not paying north slope energy prices either!
Quote:
Originally Posted by SityData
Well now that all the experts have given their opinons.
I will speak from first hand knowledge and exprience.
Hydroponics is NOT the way to grow (anything) on the North Slope.
Once you fire up those lights; immediately a red flag goes up and the electric company can easily spot it. Once you enter the 12 on 12 off cycle. It is so obvious what is going on; with consumption of Kw hours. Homes are built to certain standards and load factors are properly applied to each home. There is no reason; for that type of consumption of electricity in the average home.
How do you think some of these people get caught?; it is very easy to spot when the figures are tallied each month for each homes consumption. If your home is out of the range of normal usage; it is very easily spotted. Especially when it changes suddenly, (new installation) and then begins the 12 / 12 cycle. They may not grab you right away; but they know all about it well in advance.
One high pressure sodium lamp would propably cost well over $600 or more a month in Kotzebue and the smaller villages. NO one could ever afford to keep one of those type lamps lit for very long.
All of the villages use these in street lighting; but it is at a much higher voltage; thus the load & consumption is minimal.
Well now that all the experts have given their opinions.
Ah yes the self acknowledged expert who knows all there is to know has now enlightened us beyond all reasonable doubt, Several years ago I made several posts in this thread and today was surprised that it had been resurrected.
Quote:
I will speak from first hand knowledge and experience.
Hydroponics is NOT the way to grow (anything) on the North Slope.
I should like to know where you tried these small very expensive units that allows you to "speak from first hand knowledge and experience." The cost listed in the link you provided leads to a number of variations which are priced from $399.95 to $1595.95 which is anything but cheap.
Quote:
The correct inexpensive method is pyraponics. This scientist has developed a methodology for growing fruits, veggies' flowers and herbs and the most amazing part is: Your crops are ready for harvest every six weeks. Nine times each year; year in and year out.
I point out above that these units are expensive and you state here that they are part of an inexpensive method for growing fruits, veggies, flowers, and herbs. These units have measurements provided and they are capable of holding very small containers. Read the dimensions and it plainly says 21 inches in diameter. So you consider a growing area of less than 400 square inches at a cost of $400.00 for the smallest unit and $1600.00 for the same size in the largest size unit as being inexpensive to start with? Then the cost of accessories or necessities used to grow plants in your inexpensive garden could approach the original cost of the inexpensive units. Then I ask where he came up with the idea of 8 crops per year in these inexpensive units?
Quote:
The cost of electricity even in high areas of the arctic is minimal by using 30 watt fluorescent lamps.
There is nothing on the market that can out produce one of these units
I'm wondering where you come up with 30 watt fluorescent lights being I did read about LED lights which are rather expensive being used in at least some of the units and there is one place where it says 6 55 watt biax bulbs which are small fluorescent bulbs with screw bases that take the place of conventional incandescent bulbs. And then you make a statement that there is nothing else that can outproduce one of these units.
I looked up the stock symbol PHOT and found there is indeed a company selling these units. The stock sells at 14 cents a share and today it lost 17% of its value. In the past few quarters it doesn't seem as if they have lost less than a few million dollars so who is buying this fabulous technology? There doesn't seem to be any one interested in the stock of this company. I'm wondering why you even brought up this ancient thread being the product doesn't have any of the capabilities you bring up to us.
Last edited by richelles; 12-01-2011 at 08:13 PM..
Well for one; I haven't used one of these units in many years now.
They have made many changes.
The MAIN REASON their stock has dropped so much ?
Simple; go to any forum where they speak about phototrons. All you will find is thread after thread of people making the claim - this is a rip off.
These units do not work. Thousands of people that can't follow directions make these absurd claims.
I've seen it time and time again - people order them; and throw the directions out the window and try to incorporate some other method to grow and they won't work UNLESS you follow the directions to the T
Years ago my units had 30 watt flourescent lamps or tubes. The U shaped ones.
Total cost of the unit was under 500 bucks.
Yes these units have become bigger and more expensive over the years.
But they will not work unless the instructions are followed perfectly with no deviation. I've owned 7 of them at various times since 82. When I move I give them away.
Last edited by Rance; 12-02-2011 at 08:04 AM..
Reason: This being a family oriented forum, we can do without the info on marijuana stats
I like the aerogarden. Grows veggies in water that is recirculated so it doesn't need you to add water constantly and comes with the "food" designed for whatever you are growing. Lights included, I could look, but don't see how it could take an exorbitant amount of power on its own. Up in the cold arctic you might need to keep your house a little warmer then you normally do. (Although, I don't know what a "normal" house temp is on the north slope) One unit allows you to harvest enough to supplement other foods, but wouldn't be enough even for one person to survive on.
Even these units are not "cheap" and your choice of vegetables limited. My Dad had one in Michigan... So I know they do work in "colder" climates.
Again, with unlimited funding you can grow anything anywhere.
I don't have any experience with the Phototron.
Living in an area with a lot of "grow" houses, the bad guys are a tad smarter now, they steal a portion of the power so that the electric bill is "normal" looking and no 12/12 cycles. Used to steal it from FPL, now they steal it from their neighbors, since FPL measures power usage of the neighborhood vs. billed power usage. The funny part is that they never minded paying the higher power bill, but back in the dark ages of grow houses it is what got them caught so they had to change methods. There are still tell-tale signs and I don't disagree that in a small village everyone would "instantly" know.
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