10 Answers

Aerated Kratky vs drip-fed Dutch buckets - Tomatoes Growth

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Posted In: Dutch bucket hydroponics Jan 20,2020
10 Answers
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Posted In: Dutch bucket hydroponics Jan 20,2020

Aerated Kratky vs drip-fed Dutch buckets - Tomatoes Growth

Tomatoes in aerated Kratky vs drip-fed Dutch buckets: DIfferences in productivity?

I am growing beef tomatoes this year and deciding whether to go with aerated Kratky or irrigated Dutch buckets. Beyond our personal preferences, does anyone have an informed view about likely differences in productivity for similar pot sizes?

I could grow more plants using aerated Kratky than if I have to invest in a nutrient irrigation drip/re-circulation system for use with Dutch buckets.

What do you reckon? Aerated Kratky or drip-fed Dutch buckets?

tomatoes in aerated Kratky

tomato
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Edgar Ching
Edgar Ching

I use RDWC. Kracky with air is called Deep Water Culture. RDWC is recycled DWC. Plants strive in this condition.

RDWC Kracky

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    • Tim France
      That's an interesting 'hybrid' approach.
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Brian Tetreault
Brian Tetreault

Big 4x8 boxes filled with a foot of water. Best and easiest. No air needed but does help.

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    • Jannine Bloesch

      newbie here , are u saying a 4 foot by 8 foot box?

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Chad Stewart
Chad Stewart

Aerated kratky? I thought the kratky method was all about no aeration

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    • Tim France

      Fair point. Strictly 'aerated Kratky' would be deep water culture, unless you aerate *and* allow the nutrients to evaporate as in 'pure' Kratky. Point well taken though.

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Andrew Holding
Andrew Holding

I would put my money on the irrigated buckets (what I am planning on doing) but you can always try the other method as well! Straight Kratky method will grow a little slower, but your aerated DWC should be close in production.

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Edd Brown
Edd Brown

am following this as not started and may be my entry method

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Mahmoud Abu-Zaid
Mahmoud Abu-Zaid

Still waiting for the productivity comparison

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    • Edgar Ching

      I run RDWC, dutch buckets, areoponics and DWC (kracky with aeration) My best results comes from my RDWC system as plants strive on 2 thing, nutrients and oxygen. 24-7 nutrients circulating through the entire system and 2 airstones in in each container including the reservoir ensures optimum oxygen to all the roots of the plant. I only do complete nutrient change outs 1 time per month and my nutrients are still as clean as the day they are mixed. All in all, they all work well. The tomatoes are all started in a areoponic system indoors before transfering to both dutch buckets and RDWC. The biggest advantage to the RDWC system is if your pumps or electric went out for a few days, it would not affect the plants. Plants in Dutch bucket would be in trouble if you lost power, a pump quit, or your line plugged.

    • Mahmoud Abu-Zaid

      That's the best answer we all need, a detailed explanation bsed on experience. If you jyst could, few pictures of the different systems will be very helpful for everyone to complete your reply. Thanks a million for your reply.

    • Mahmoud Abu-Zaid

      I saw the picture and that's awesome

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Davina Theresa Simpson
Davina Theresa Simpson

I watched a youtube the other (one of many, so no idea which one), but someone who uses kratky also did an experiment with running an air bubbler into some of the 'test subjects'.

The bottom line was that some plants did do a bit better with aeration, for others, it made not much difference. I like experiments

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    • Davina Theresa Simpson

      Indeed, I believe that is the video I watched (among a dozen others, LOL) Good call

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Brian Bullock
Brian Bullock

Recirculating Dutch bucket system

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Heather Cooke
Heather Cooke

the concern with tomatoes in a Kratky system will be the quality of the nutrients after 3+ months, do you plan on changing out the nutrients periodically or just topping up the nutrients when they get low?

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    • Tim France

      I was planning on replacing the nutrients completely every 4 to 6 weeks (or so). But with a lot of foliage, it may need to be more often.

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Jasmin Chandler
Jasmin Chandler

With the recirculating dutch buckets and reservoir, do you add more nutrients every once in a while, orhow or how does it work?

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    • Edgar Ching

      you need to monitor your ppm level in your reservoir and add nutrients to level desired by the plant and its stage. I personally find myself adding nutrients every other day.



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