Aponix Newsletter 2017-09 – Vertical Versatility with New Parts

[Link to the original newsletter]

Summary:

  • If you have been following the progress of aponix and the vertical barrel in the past – now the time has come to really get excited! With the new parts , the real versatility of the vertical barrel starts to unfold the real magic behind the concept. We have created a few bundles for specific applications:
    • Soilless multi barrel setup:
      • If you are professional commercial grower planning to operate a larger facility with multiple soilless barrels and centralized reservoir, you will set up quite a bunch of these. Regardless how high ring segments are stacked, irrigation will always be from the top. You can find integration setups on our website showing how you can arrange your cultivation area.
    • Soilless standalone barrel:
      • Of course there are already other tower solutions. In the end the product should be of the highest possible quality and be maintainable, easy to handle and provide a maximum number of grow spaces. We have dedicated a whole page to usability and quality.
      • Remember: Each 15cm of height can add 12 more grow spaces for seedlings pregrown in 2-inch net pots. In this case you will need an additional submergible pump to push the liquid from the base to the irrigation buffer on the top.
    • Full standing substrate-based barrel 6 ring segments:
      • The most simple and pragmatic way for prosumers (end-consumers) to grow their own food is to use substrate or soil (http://www.aponix.eu/vertical-barrel-soil-based/) . In this case the barrel setup provides a simple raised bed alternative with a minimal footprint. Ring segments are assembled alternating with a closed part (http://www.aponix.eu/shop/closed-part/) and a shelf part (http://www.aponix.eu/shop/shelf-part/) . The base serves as a tank and has an overflow valve to prevent over watering.
  • These new parts make it all possible:
    • The new shelf part provides a large opening that can be worked on with a garden shovel for substrate based setups. It can be arranged with the closed part to configure more vertical space for your plants.
    • A closed part can be used to add horizontal or vertical space for plants for soilless or substrate based applications. It even serves as a base for the next part.
    • Sometimes it can be handy, if you could just reach inside a planted or running soilless barrel to clear out something or reach for your submerged pump. Here is a part with a revision opening.
    • For soilless irrigation so far you needed a strong pump. With this new part you can connect a simple small pump to the black valve. The top irrigation buffer is filled with liquid. An overflow hole prevents over watering.
    • A closed standing base serves a) as reservoir for the standalone soilless setup, b) as tank for the wicking bed in the substrate based setup, and c) as a general base for grey water filtering.Stay tuned for more extensions!Aponix already has some more very useful parts in the pipeline. If you happen to have another idea yourself, be it a specialized growing adapter for a certain crop or a completely new application – please let us know or contact us via Facebook.
  • Testing under professional conditions: Check out how the aponix vertical barrels have done in the nearby research facility here in Heidelberg Germany during late summer:
  • Images show top and bottom plants during different stages in the cycle:
    •  1 2
      3 4
  • Aponix is still looking for resellers and distribution partners!
    • With the new parts ready to ship and the extended versatility we are at the ideal point in our development, where we need outside partners to help us set up global sales. If you like to learn more about that, please click here.
  • Trade shows and events:
    • Weltkongress Gebäudegrün DESIGNING WITH NATURE (WGIC) June 2017, Berlin. We are also currently looking into possibilities to exchange the raw material from plastics to ceramics in order to be able to integrate the vertical barrel directly into buildings and architecture.
    • Upcoming: IPM 2018 Essen
    • Upcoming: GreenTech 2018 Amsterdam
  • Meet us in September 2017 at AgTech Week NYC and at the AVF Summit in Washington.

 

Open the full web version…