Cultivating Chaos with Madam Calamity & Low Chapter 1

[Budbrother]

Fountain and sump

[Low]

A carbon supplement would also help along side introducing oxygen… acetate, yeast extract, biotin unless it’s populated with fish, than maintenance demands would be even lower.

[Budbrother]

Exactly. Get rid of the muck. Establish plants and fish. Start a natural cycle.

Go Fish

[Low]

Plants are amazing. I’ve never done it on any serious scale, but we had a really nice 75 gallon planted tank at one point… til my kid simulated the apocalypse… dumped everything in at once…

no fish

[Budbrother]

I ran reef tanks and setup an ecosystem, so the tanks ran on only a protein skimmer and wave generator heads. I had dedicated dark water Amazonian tanks that were planted. Same with the Discus tanks.

[Low]

Would love love love a reef tank. Maybe one day when I’m old and kids are out. Discus… that’s the place to be if your a breeder

[Budbrother]

Used to be. I’m a fan of Kili fish.

[Low]

I’m a fan of no fish. However a tiny semi aggressive breed that schools is always mesmerizing. Love to watch in a planted aquarium. It’s like a small scale of the ocean…

[Budbrother]

Bunch of mixed African cichlids schooling and fighting. Reminds me of my Ute before we went and got all PC

[Budbrother]

Cunninlynguists - Old School

[Low]

Cichlids are crazy for sure. Lol, they don’t see limits. Hahahaha

[Bentstick]

My gift to you hehehehehe.
Yes it has fish,and we muck it out every couple of yrs, plants are what grows we almost have the Milfoil gone, it does not flow until I drain upper pond in the spring, I am getting a few grass carp to help clean it up and when they are done out they come, until I need more, it fairy clean but could use help, Grand kids and wife use it everyday for swimming in the summer, and I do have bubblers in it,2 compressors on at each end with 4 bubblers attached to each evenly spaced length of pond.

[Caligurl]

Yeah, we just have a little goldfish pond LOL… First treatment was 10oz but then I’m suspecting maintenance would be 5 oz about once a month for all the ponds once we hook them up because we have 4 ponds but 2 ‘filter’ ponds. We don’t have any actual pond/pump filters… all done through the

I can see where it would be fairly easy to make it on a large scale like the 55 gallons.

[Low]

Evening Cultivators,

Man it has been a long week, and today was intense. Barely can walk… oyy. Season is slowing down, and I feel like I haven’t made a dime all year. Always a good way to enter the winter season.

Hope you all are doing well. @Caligurl you should def share some pics at some point.

I have no idea if the bacteria is working for our reservoir but I hope it is. Mainly got it to aid in cleaning the lines. I manually scrub my res every 3 or 6 days so no idea. Lol

@Audiofreak
Hope you are doing well

[dbrn32]

Not sure what it is about money that makes us look at it this way but you’re not alone.

[Low]

Good Morning Cultivators,

Res has to be done today. Will also be going into check out the flowering ladies. Can’t remember the last time I’ve been in… a month maybe.

@dbrn32
Haha, it would be nice to be able to keep some of it!

@Budbrother

Two physicists, Low and BudBrother, were in their lab, staring at a whiteboard so densely packed with equations it looked like Schrödinger’s cat had gone feral on it.

Low scratched his head. “You sure about this?” he asked, eyeing the latest derivation. “We’ve basically just redefined spacetime… again.”

BudBrother smirked. “Come on, Low. It’s not like we haven’t bent reality before. Remember last month? You almost achieved negative mass in the coffee machine.”

“Hey, that was entropic interference! I didn’t know coffee could gain energy while cooling.”

BudBrother chuckled and wiped a small corner of the board. “Okay, but this time, we’re messing with gravity and quantum states. It’s like trying to explain Planck’s constant to a hydrogen atom. They just… don’t get it.”

Low frowned. “Isn’t this exactly how black holes form? Should we… be worried?”

BudBrother waved a hand dismissively. “Relax. Worst case, we discover a new particle. Best case? We accidentally teleport to a parallel universe where funding isn’t an issue.”

Low sighed and leaned against the counter. “You know, if this works, I’m naming it after myself. Low’s Theorem of Completely Unreasonable Physics.”

BudBrother grinned. “Fine by me. I’ll be the one giving the TED Talk on how we broke general relativity while trying to adjust the air conditioner.”

[kaptain3d]

I want to do Magic Mushrooms with both of you now!

[Low]

Lmfao @kaptain3d that would be a blast!!

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Uptake in different methods of growing

In the context of hydroponics, soil, and soilless media, nutrient uptake in plants becomes even more complex due to the different physical, chemical, and biological interactions that occur in these systems. The fundamental processes of nutrient absorption remain the same (e.g., through root systems and ion channels), but the availability of nutrients and their behavior in the root zone are influenced significantly by the growing medium, pH, and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the system. The interaction between these variables requires precision management, particularly in soilless media and hydroponic systems, where the plant’s dependence on external nutrient delivery is absolute.

1. Nutrient Uptake in Soil

In traditional soil environments, nutrients exist in a heterogeneous matrix where they are bound to soil colloids, organic matter, and clay particles. Soil chemistry and microbiology play pivotal roles in determining nutrient availability, and the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil largely dictates how well soil can retain and supply cations like K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺.

Cation Exchange Capacity: Soil particles, particularly clay and organic matter, possess negatively charged sites that attract and hold positively charged ions (cations). Plants absorb cations from soil by exchanging them for H⁺ ions secreted by root cells, which acidify the rhizosphere. The release of H⁺ from root cells (via H⁺-ATPase proton pumps) facilitates the desorption of cations from soil particles, making them available for uptake through the apoplast and symplast pathways.
Microbial Mediation: In soil, nutrient availability is also mediated by microorganisms, such as bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, which decompose organic matter and enhance nutrient solubilization. For instance, nitrifying bacteria convert ammonium (NH₄⁺) to nitrate (NO₃⁻), which is the preferred nitrogen form for most plants. Similarly, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria enhance the bioavailability of phosphorus (PO₄³⁻), which is otherwise strongly bound to soil minerals.

2. Nutrient Uptake in Soilless Media

In soilless media (e.g., coconut coir, peat, perlite), the lack of traditional soil structure means that the nutrient dynamics are simpler but more sensitive to changes in nutrient solution composition. Soilless substrates typically have low or negligible CEC, meaning they do not retain nutrients as effectively as soil. As a result, plants rely heavily on the nutrient solution provided, making regular monitoring and adjustments critical.
Low Buffering Capacity: The low CEC of substrates like perlite or rockwool means that these media cannot buffer nutrient fluctuations. This makes the plants more vulnerable to nutrient imbalances, leading to nutrient deficiencies or toxicities if the solution is not properly managed. Nutrients remain in the solution phase, directly available for uptake but also prone to leaching.
Water Retention and Aeration: Soilless media are engineered to balance water retention and aeration. Oxygen availability in the root zone is critical for root respiration and ATP production, which powers active nutrient uptake. In poorly aerated media, hypoxic conditions can lead to root stress and impaired nutrient absorption, particularly of oxygen-dependent processes like nitrate assimilation.

3. Nutrient Uptake in Hydroponics

In hydroponics, where plants are grown with their roots directly exposed to a nutrient-rich aqueous solution, nutrient uptake dynamics become much more controlled and reliant on solution chemistry.
Direct Nutrient Availability: In hydroponic systems, nutrients are delivered directly to the root zone in ionic form. The nutrient solution must be carefully formulated to provide all essential macro- and micronutrients in the appropriate concentrations. The roots absorb nutrients passively (through diffusion and osmosis) and actively (through proton pumps and symporters), depending on the ion gradient between the nutrient solution and the root cell cytoplasm.
Aeration and Root Oxygenation: Hydroponic systems often incorporate methods to aerate the solution, such as air pumps or moving water, ensuring roots have access to dissolved oxygen. Without adequate oxygen, root respiration is compromised, reducing the production of ATP necessary for active nutrient transport. Systems like aeroponics and deep water culture (DWC) are particularly dependent on constant aeration to avoid root hypoxia.

4. Importance of pH in Nutrient Uptake

pH is one of the most critical factors in nutrient availability and uptake, as it affects the solubility of nutrients and the charge of root cell membranes. In all growing systems (soil, soilless, hydroponics), pH governs the chemical form of nutrients, determining whether they are in a bioavailable ionic state.
Optimal pH Range: The optimal pH range for most plants is between 5.5 and 6.5. At this pH, most macronutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and micronutrients (e.g., iron, manganese, boron) are available in their soluble forms. Outside of this range, nutrients can precipitate out of solution or become immobilized by forming insoluble compounds.
In acidic conditions (pH < 5.5): Some essential nutrients, particularly phosphorus (as phosphate) and certain micronutrients, may become less available due to precipitation as insoluble salts like iron phosphate. On the other hand, metal ions like aluminum and manganese can become toxic at low pH because they solubilize excessively.
In alkaline conditions (pH > 7): Iron (Fe³⁺), manganese (Mn²⁺), and zinc (Zn²⁺) become less available due to their precipitation as hydroxides or carbonates, leading to deficiencies. Nitrate (NO₃⁻) and potassium (K⁺), on the other hand, remain available at higher pH levels but can lead to imbalances if other nutrients are lacking.
pH Regulation in Hydroponics: In hydroponic systems, maintaining a stable pH is crucial because nutrient availability is directly linked to the pH of the solution. Acidifiers (e.g., phosphoric acid) or bases (e.g., potassium hydroxide) are regularly added to keep the pH within the optimal range. Root exudates (e.g., H⁺ ions) can also affect pH locally in the rhizosphere, necessitating regular monitoring.

5. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Electrical Conductivity (EC)

TDS measures the concentration of dissolved ions (nutrients, salts, and other dissolved substances) in a solution and is often expressed in parts per million (ppm). EC is a related parameter that measures the solution’s ability to conduct electricity, which is directly proportional to the concentration of ions in the solution.

Importance of TDS/EC in Nutrient Management: Both TDS and EC are critical in controlling the ionic strength of the nutrient solution. In hydroponics and soilless systems, the concentration of dissolved nutrients must be within a specific range to prevent either nutrient deficiency (low TDS/EC) or nutrient toxicity (high TDS/EC). If the TDS is too low, plants cannot absorb sufficient nutrients to meet their metabolic needs. If the TDS is too high, osmotic stress occurs, making it difficult for roots to take up water, leading to dehydration even in a nutrient-rich environment.
Balancing Ionic Strength: Maintaining the correct TDS/EC balance is crucial in hydroponics, where the lack of buffering capacity means nutrient concentrations directly affect root uptake. For example, a high EC can lead to salt stress, where the osmotic potential of the nutrient solution becomes too high, and water uptake is impaired. This can induce nutrient imbalances, especially for cations like K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺, which compete for uptake.

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I would also like to do a write up on nutrient uptake in direct correlation to PAR. Maybe even tie in how VPD actually affects uptake, intensity, and tds as well. Ooooooh maybe a deep dive on mulders chart!

[StevOz]

Guess I’m an 12 = 3 + 4 + 5

[Low]

Haha! Pythagorean triple!