The Model Hydroponic Vegetable garden has been established at the Sandra Ricketts Public School Bangalore. The Garden has been donated to the Orphanage consisting of 25 children who will eat great food every day without pesticides of any chemical kind by ISH Bangalore and is happy to have set up a working display system for all Indians to emulate.

CV Prakash
Chief Visionary
Institute of Simplified Hydroponics
Bangalore

Let me tell you that it made my day! This is a perfect example of what hydroponics can do!

See the 2 albums of CV Prakash below.

Roger Pilon, Editor

Growstones - They look likes little sponges!

As the Editor of this blog I always love when I “stumble” on a new hydroponics product. Yesterday, as I was hunting the Net for sites to add to the Hydroponics World Wide Directory, I found this company that is making a substrate out of a recycled material. I could not believe it!

Here is what the company says about Growstones:

Growstones are an effective growing media for vegetables, fruit, and flowering plants including tomatoes, orchids, strawberries and gerbera daisies. They can be used in hydroponic grow systems as simple as manually irrigated containers, or as advanced as automatically drip irrigated containers, Ebb-Flow systems, and NFT tables. Manufactured from recycled (take the quiz), Growstones are engineered to give you balanced air and moisture, resulting in consistent superior results.

Take The Quiz And Guest What  The GrowStones Are Made Of  (take a while to display)!

Roger Pilon, Editor

Growstones Web Site Company

]]> http://news.ponics.org/554/hydroponics-substrate-made-of-recycled-material/feed/ 0 http://news.ponics.org/534/hydroponics-without-electricity/ http://news.ponics.org/534/hydroponics-without-electricity/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:55:58 +0000 Editor http://news.ponics.org/?p=534

Can control the flow of drops

In the world of hydroponics, there were only the AutoPot system that do not use electricity, i.e. no pumps at all. This new French invention from Iriso could maybe change things in the future!  This new drip system is for water but I am sure it can be adapted to hydroponics. What is unique is that you can control the rate of the drops.

The video is in French but it is self explanatory.

Roger Pilon Editor

This site goal is to list the addresses of backyards aquaponics system around the world. If you have an aquaponics systems, you can list it there.

Good enough to be listed in the Hydroponics  Aquaponics Monster Directory.

Roger Pilon, Editor

Do You Own Or Manage An Hydroponics Or Aquaponics Business?

If the answer is yes, than I have an offer that will probably interest you!

Who I Am

My name is Roger Pilon. I am French Canadian and have been living in Costa Rica for nearly 20 years now. I am also the editor of the Hydroponics Aquaponics Monster Directory.  One of my goal in  2010 is simple: no more commuting. I want to work from home!

How Can I Make Your Life Easier

As a manager or owner:

1. did you ever thought offering chat services on your web site but had a second thought because of your budget?
2. dreamed to have somebody answering your phone, better with an 800 numbers?

I can help you fill your needs in 2010 at a price that will surprise you!

Here are the details!

Emails

Too many emails not enough time! And as always, the 80 /20 rules applies: 20 % of your emails received are important and need your attention, 80% can be “nearly” discarded.

What could I do to release the pain to be bombarded by emails? Filtering!

How could it be done safely for you?

• you create a new email address
• all emails you received are forwarded to this new email filtered in 3 categories: red – yellow – green
• you reply as per priorities

This is just a way to structure this email service. There is a toll free number at the end of this article where you can reach me. I would love to share with you a few ideas of mine on that matter.

Online Support

Offering chatting on your site will increase the ” perceived value “. It is also an outstanding tool to build

relationships with customers and eventually (ultimate goal) make additional sales that otherwise would have been lost forever.

Installing a chat script is not complicated. Many are available for free.

Why Not A Toll Free Number In 2010?

I am not in the 800 numbers business but nevertheless here is what I can do for you:

1. set up an 800 number (yours to keep – some cost involved)
2. gives customer support
3. make sales from that 800 number
4. costs only a few cents per minute
5. the phone will ring here in Costa Rica
6. tracking of all inbound and outbound calls your own account
7. complete separate accounting

On Duty When You Are Not!

Do you know that I could help you to add an additional local phone numbers within your area code ( USA or Canada) and this for peanuts per month? And what could you do with that additional local phone number? Forward your calls to me!

Example: you have an hydroponics store and you close at 5 PM. You forward all the calls to your virtual phone number in Costa Rica …let’s say from 5 PM to 9 PM. What happens next? A real person will not only answer the phone but will also provides these services:

Again, I am not here to promote any VOIP business. The goal is just to show you that adding VOIP with a virtual assistant could greatly improve your hydroponics or aquaponics business in 2010.

How Much To Hire You?

I did not set any specific amount. I prefer to leave the doors open to discussion!

What Time Is It In Costa Rica?

In order to help you finding the best time frame for you enterprise, here are the time zones equivalent for Costa Rica:

Be Straight In Your Hiring

On one hand I know that nothing is forever, on the other hand I would really like to avoid a situation like this one: ” Let’s try the concept for a couple of months! If it not useful as expected, than we can just dump it later on! ”

Emails, chatting or VOIP numbers should be part of a rational decision to improve your business. In others words any of these services should be budgeted as your new marketing strategies in 2010.

Interview Me!

I set up an 800 number exclusively for interviews! Don’t be shy and do not hesitate to call me! It will be my pleasure to answer any questions you have in mind. Here is your toll free number for Canada and the USA:

1-877-462-3175

The best time to “catch” me is from Monday to Friday after 5 PM. On week-ends, the odds are much higher!

• you will be invited to leave a message after the fifth rings
• you can leave me your:
  • home phone number
  • work phone number
  • mobile phone number
  • all of them
• the best time frame to call you back
• your time zone
• all messages are forwarded instantly to my email account as a voval message

You can also email me at visa.mundo (at) gmail.com

Hope to hear from you soon!

Roger Pilon, Editor

Note: did I mention that I speak fluently 3 languages? Which languages? If you read this entire post, you should know by now which ones!

Nothing easier! Just consult the BrightFarms Systems! They will assist you in designing a hydroponics systems that will fit …your building’s top or even your home roof top.

I knew roof gardening, now we have rooftop gardening! Whatever you prefer, anything that helps to grow food in towns to reduce our carbon foot print is welcome.

Original article : Up on the roof with BrightFarm Systems from the Digital Journal

Roger Pilon, Editor

Paignton Zoo – ENGLAND

This is the first high intensity vertical hydroponic system of its kind installed in a zoo anywhere in the world.

Here are some hard facts about this specific vertical hydroponics system installed in the Paignton zoo:

• The Verticrop system comprises 10 feet tall, multi-level growing trays, which are suspended from an overhead track.
• Each ‘rig’ consists of eight levels of growing channels or ‘trays’ of which there are two different sizes to accommodate various crops.
• Each growing tray, which has been purpose built for the Verticrop system, has a nutrient delivery funnel through which nutrients are dosed at the feeding station. The unique thing about this vertical system is that the rigs are suspended on a closed loop conveyor and in motion around the greenhouse track.
• Each circuit takes approximately 40 minutes with groups of rigs stopping at the dosing station on each round where nutrient solution is delivered via nozzles to the growing trays.
• The 395 square foot greenhouse has the capacity to grow 11,200 lettuce heads using the Verticrop system, compared to 4,332 in conventional systems.

With an annual bill for animal feed currently in excess of $300,000 a year, it is the hope of  management the high intensity Verticrop system will not only produce ultra fresh food on-site, but also reduce both food miles and food costs for the zoo.

Read the full article at Maximum Yield Magazine

Roger Pilon, Hydroponics Aquaponics News Digest Editor

]]> http://news.ponics.org/482/hydroponics-feeding-zoo-animals/feed/ 0 http://news.ponics.org/477/medical-cannabis-finally-out-of-the-closet/ http://news.ponics.org/477/medical-cannabis-finally-out-of-the-closet/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:51:46 +0000 Editor http://news.ponics.org/?p=477 OAKLAND – United States

Good! Finally a 15,000-square-foot superstore  just opened in Oakland, store dedicated to growing medical marijuana.

Whatever you are in favor or not to let people growing medical marijuana, a fact stands: it has been done before, it is done now and it will be done in the future.

Nobody will change that! Better to do that in full light than underground!

Full article at the Oakland Tribune

Roger Pilon, Editor

If you have any positions to offer in the field of hydroponics, aquaponics or even aquaculture, please feel free to contact me. I will post them here for free!

On the contrary, if you are searching positions, same thing! Just contact me using the ” Contact Form” on the top of the site. Also no charges!

Roger Pilon, Editor

It seems that the urban farming concept is less and less a concept and more and more a reality.

In Milwaukee they retrofit an old building to aquaponics. Now we are talking! It is just one step in the right direction but it is a perfect example of what we could do to feed more people with less impact …on everything.

Local urban agriculture, specifically aquaponics, reduces the use of fossil fuels for food production and transport; provides jobs for a ready workforce; produces fresh foods for under served populations; and finds new uses for old buildings

Original article from the Express Milwaukee

Roger Pilon, Editor