We are using FreeBSD in a Hydroponic Nutrient Control System. (pics)

[Phishfry]

do they flush that water, or filter that out,

The system as show uses rockwool. They usually use a system called 'Drain To Waste'. Not a recirculating system.
In a recirculating system such as ebb and flow tables you do need to do water changes.

https://www.hydrofarm.com/rockwool-as-a-substrate-for-hydroponic-growing-systems

 

[Phishfry]

I really feel like alot of Modern Grow Operations are bubblegum bullcrap.

#1) HID ARC lighting is far superior to LED. If you are going to burn watts do it right.
#2) Rockwool is disposable trash. Expanded clay pellets are recyclable. Just takes alot more work compared to disposable media.

The only good thing about LED is it brought the price of boutique bulbs down.

 

[zester]

HID lights are better, but now you have to deal with the insane amount of heat you're generating. This place straight-up feels like a hot, swampy jungle. They have a crap ton of heat pumps.

They started with soil, moved to expanded pellets, and finally settled on rockwool. My understanding is that soil is messy, requires a lot of work, and is slow, but you benefit from beneficial organisms. With pellets, they have to be sterilized because they get moldy. Rockwool solves the mold problem, but leaves you without those beneficial organisms, so now you have to use organic pesticides which, at an industrial scale, aren't necessarily much better than the non-organic variety. For these people its just comes down to whats the least amount of work.

If by bubblegum bullcrap you mean they are hanging on by a wish and a prayer then yahh I agree lol.

 

[sidetone]

The system as show uses rockwool.

Rockwood holds on to water too long. Rockwood is a material that must be in a closed system, with infrequent watering for this reason. For instance, not out in the rain, bc rain is unpredictable, and there must be dedicated time for Rockwood to dry enough.

Expanded clay pellets

What I like about clay pellets is, water always drains from them. You can use a sprinkler on it all day long, or let it be rained on any time, and it drains. Same with sand, pebbles or grow stones.

So if a growth medium which retains water gets over frequent watering by accident, by nature or by lack of timing, it molds readily. As long as clay pellets, sand, pebbles or grow stones aren't under water, they have more natural aeration. Water drips from these.

In the case that Rockwood doesn't mold, it must be because of the infrequent watering, where, it starts to dry, before it gets watered. There's less space for root aeration in Rockwood than other mediums.

 

[Phishfry]

If by bubblegum bullcrap you mean they are hanging on by a wish and a prayer then yahh I agree lol.

No people think they can re-invent the wheel. They come up with substitutes that are not as good as their successors.
Everybody just nods and says that is cool.
Digital Ballasts are the greatest evolution in lighting in my opinion.

 

[sidetone]

Letting in natural lighting plus, whatever lights is best.

No people think they can re-invent the wheel. They come up with substitutes that are not as good as their successors.

When I see that, it seems that when something is broken or not described the way it is said how it's supposed to work, so parts of it have to be fixed. For instance, GPL, needs to be improved to have a clause that it doesn't force the absorption of dependencies it uses which are dynamically linked. That's a flaw, and a potential fix. It makes that software more compatible with other software, by also setting a clear boundary, which doesn't have to be explained by excuses.

Back to the hydroponics, it seems wasteful to use water once, then flush it. However, I realize that it may be more efficient than traditional farming. If this is the case, hardly anyone has the ability to do it correctly. They could cycle it a few times at least, before the salt build ups get toxic. The used water could be used for something else, but the property adjacent may not be available to use that water for another purpose.

But this has no longer anything to do with BSD. GPIO pins for measuring aren't discussed. Open Source software which could be used on FreeBSD for it isn't discussed. Anything else related to how FreeBSD could be used isn't discussed. It was lightly mentioned at the beginning.

 

[zester]

But this has no longer anything to do with BSD. GPIO pins for measuring aren't discussed. Open Source software which could be used on FreeBSD for it isn't discussed. Anything else related to how FreeBSD could be used isn't discussed. It was lightly mentioned at the beginning.

There isn't anything else to share right now. Clients like this are the type who have a large amount of expendable capital. They'll contemplate the most impressive idea they can come up with and then likely hand it off to us and say, "Make this work. This is how much we want to spend, and if you come in under budget, just make it more badass!"

Someone will be like "What does more badass even mean!!!" And I will be like haven't you ever seen a hightimes magazine? And they will be like no!!! And I will be like order some black lights and fluorescent markers!!!

I'm not even joking. That's literally how this is going to play out.

 

[scottro]

I read that as "fluorescent mackeral," which conjured up an interesting image. (Not even a senior moment, just bad eyesight combined with a new, higher resolution monitor).

 

[Phishfry]

I had started on a FreeBSD GPIO Digital Timer for high amp 120VAC applications.
Eight sockets with relays and power monitoring for each outlet.
The plastic carcass is still in my locker at work. Commercial Version works fine.

I bought a bunch of DLI Timers and they work great. No sense changing anything.
The relays work well with the timers. V6 and below uses a custom BASIC while v7 uses Lua. Wifi undesirable to me.

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I really need no monitoring. GH FloraMicro Buffering is excellent. Steady PH.
When I am growing the plants suck down the nutes before I have to worry about water change.
I don't like topping-off so usually I do cleaning every feeding. Only small amount pump cannot get at bottom. Pump deadheading hard.

 

[Phishfry]

Part of the reason my GPIO Power Switch is sitting in my locker is software.

Where are the Digital Timer Applications? I could not find anything suitable.
So a good amount of programming is involved in replacement of a $100 commercial power switch.

What about digital greenhouse applications? With some of the SmartHome applications you could probably put something together.

 

[sidetone]

For controllers and GPIO, maybe Rust based operating systems of Ariel OS and Tock OS would be good.

For viewing stats, FreeBSD would be fine.