Aeroponics is a technique where plants of all stages are suspended in the air and grown using nutrient-infused air or mist gently sprayed on the plants’ roots. Unlike hydroponics, the plants don’t require any growing mediums such as soil, coco coir, Rockwool, etc.
The term aeroponics was first coined in 1957 by a Dutch biologist who went by Frits Warmolt. He grew coffee plants and tomatoes using this technique.
Fast forward to today, and the popularity is growing largely among keen garden enthusiasts. Fogponics, on the other hand, is a sub technique which takes aeroponics that extra step further. The plant suspension setup is similar, but another element is known as ‘foggers’ are added to increase productivity.
But, what is a fogger in aeroponics? Do you know that?
Well, this added electrical device vibrates the moisture which has been siphoned from the original body of water and creates a haze.
The haze has similar characteristics to humid rainforest and assists by providing optimal growing conditions.
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What is Fogponics? and How Does it Work?
Fogponics is a fast-growing trend in the world of self-sustainability. It hasn’t gained mainstream traction just yet, and this is due to its technology not reaching the point of economic viability.
The commercial and consumer levels are working tirelessly to co-produce the equipment in a much more budget-conscious manner.
With aeroponics already having strong support, fogponics shouldn’t be too far behind. Aeroponics and fogponics are quite similar in their basic functionality compared to hydroponics.
They give plants all of the important elements required to grow and thrive in a highly controlled environment. These elements include moisture, nutrients and oxygen.
Another similarity is that neither of them requires the plant to grow a strong root system to search for these elements themselves, like when grown in a soil-based system. Therefore, the plants can utilize all of their energy by performing more productive tasks such as sprouting, flowering, fruiting, and growing.
Aeroponics and fogponics remove the need for any growing medium compared to hydroponics, and they focus the nutrient directly at the roots for an amplified effect.
The main idea behind fogponics was to introduce a device to an already productive aeroponics system. One which could hopefully enhance the nutrient-infused mist and/or air that was already delivered to the plants’ root.
Fogponics is quite similar to aeroponics. Instead of just using sprayers or misters directed at the roots; those devices are replaced by foggers. These foggers can atomize much smaller droplets than those that aeroponics produces, and they are a mere 10 microns or less in size.
As a result, the droplets can find their way into every little area possible to deliver the nutrients. Sprayers or misters just can’t provide small enough droplets in the required density to allow them to become effective.
What is a Fogger in Aeroponics?
The creation of the ‘fogger’ has seen extremely promising results to date. Foggers are generally set up with a timer, so the feeding schedule runs on a strict routine that can be automated. The actual fogger device floats on the body of water underneath the plant’s roots.
It draws water into the device and pumps it out again whilst at the same time vibrating. This produces a dense haze that is sprayed upwards and simulates the conditions of a tropical rainforest. The fog or haze works so that it covers the entire root system with the nutrient solution at all times.
It allows even the tiniest of humid droplets into the most densely packed areas of the root system. It gets into all the little nooks and crannies that most other methods struggle to reach.
At the same time, a fan can also be set up at the same height as the plant roots, facing downwards. This fan gently circulates the fog to assist in continuing the process. The fan is optional but has been known to strengthen the fog capabilities. With all of the components combined, the system can achieve great results.
It is said that the smaller sized particles result in a faster absorption rate into the root of the plants. As a result, faster plant growth can be achieved via this delivery method.
Benefits & Drawbacks of Fogger is Aeroponics?
There is a range of ways a fogger can benefit from an already productive aeroponics setup. On the contrary, a few minor drawbacks could be improved to deem foggers a foolproof technology. Let’s have a look at them in a little more detail.
Benefits
- Help increase exposure to atmospheric gasses such as oxygen (air) to the roots of plants. As a result, this boosts the overall health of the plant.
- Reduce the amount of water and nutrients that are required.
- Remove the need for any form of growing medium.
- Help increase the overall root surface area by producing a greater amount of small root hairs.
- Supplies nutrient solution to every nook and cranny of the plant’s roots. Due to the accuracy of this method, it minimizes any risk of harming the plants with an overload of nutrients.
- Allows the root of the plants’ full access to the air’s carbon dioxide supply. This process encourages photosynthesis to occur.
- Easy maintenance. The fogger unit only has one head to clean instead of those in the aeroponics system.
Drawbacks
- As mentioned above, fogger technology has not been able to reach the point of economic viability yet. Therefore, it may not be worth the hassle for some, and the parts might be more difficult to obtain. The cost to set up the foggers initially is quite high. The unit itself and long term electrical expenses can make the whole system not worth it. We believe that as the trend continues to grow, the viability will balance out in favor of the grower.
- Fogger’s block can become an issue. The unit can fill up with salt and require a good clean out with a vinegar solution and brush. Apart from that, the maintenance is quite minuscule.
- Power outages can be costly. Foggers run on electricity, and if something happens to their power supply, the plants won’t receive the elements they require to keep them alive. As a result, they can dry out and die.
- Excessive use can cause the atomizer to heat up. Under those circumstances, the water in the reservoir can also raise in temperature. This can dry the fogs out and reduce their impact as they melt. Countermeasures such as water chillers and/or ice can be put in place to help.
Some Tips to Maintain a Fogponics System Effectively
There are a few things that you can do to keep your fogger in top condition. These include:
- Cleaning out the fogger disks (in the head) using a brush and white vinegar solution. Submerge the Fogger in a container of white vinegar and run the device for a few minutes so that the mineral deposits from the nutrients disperse.
- Aim to replace the Teflon disks every 6 or so months. They tend to wear down, which decreases their output efficiency.
- Keep an eye on the water levels in your reservoir(s). If they drop too low, it can cause irreparable damage to the nebulizers on hydroponic foggers.
Conclusion:
Foggers are a great technology to add to an already impressive aeroponics system setup. This product would almost reign supreme amongst all growing techniques if it wasn’t for the running and start-up costs.
The fact that they can emulate the growing conditions of a rainforest makes them well worth their price, though.
There’s a reason why anything grown in an environment like a rainforest is almost perfect in every single way. In this case, running foggers in your system is like having your little rainforest at home.
We hope that we have been able to answer some questions that you may have been unsure about surrounding this handy new technology. Thanks for reading.
