The Growing Edge - Eze Grow Styrofoam Tank Setup

Eze Gro Styrofoam Tank Setup

Use a large, Styrofoam box with a lid for the nutrient tank. Drill 2.5-inch diameter holes through the lid. These holes will hold the root support cups. Drill six 3/4-inch holes along the side at the top of the box, just under the lid. These holes will provide air ventilation.

Locate several Styrofoam cups. These will be the plant supports. Wash and rinse them thoroughly. In hydroponics, everything needs to be very clean! Cut several slots horizontally across the bottoms of the cups with a hack saw. These slots will allow the plant’s roots access to the nutrient solution. The cups will contain a loose growing medium, such as lava cinders, coarse pumice, or perlite. Situate the system on a table or a stand. This will keep your plants away from some pests. Place the cups into the holes in the tank lid. Each cup will hold one strong plant. Fill the nutrient tank with solution to a few inches below the ventilation holes. It's pretty easy to germinate the seeds right in the plant support cups in some sterile, fine sand. The roots will grow down through the medium into the nutrient solution. Stir the solution twice a day to introduce oxygen to the nutrient. The most commonly grown vegetables in the Eze Gro system are green bunching onions and chives, parsley, spinach, lettuce, basil, mint, and watercress.

Materials

Styrofoam box, Styrofoam cups, Drill, Knife, Hack saw, Plants, Growing medium, Nutrient

The Growing Edge Test Laboratory

See how we modified the Eze-Gro system for our basil operation! Enter the Lab here.