Difference between revisions of "Aeroponics"
(Don't have to worry about the soil health if you are not using soil.) |
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| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
*[[Disease]] Control | *[[Disease]] Control | ||
*Increased Crop Yield | *Increased Crop Yield | ||
| + | *Very simple 'ecology' (i.e. you don't have to worry about the health of the soil.) | ||
===Disadvantages=== | ===Disadvantages=== | ||
| Line 12: | Line 13: | ||
*Aeroponics plants do not have a buffer of soil to temper changes or any type of technical problem. So they need constant monitoring and are somewhat less stable than soil grown cultures. | *Aeroponics plants do not have a buffer of soil to temper changes or any type of technical problem. So they need constant monitoring and are somewhat less stable than soil grown cultures. | ||
*Monocultures are susceptible to disease. | *Monocultures are susceptible to disease. | ||
| − | *Salt buildup, and basically any contaminant buildup in the water, needs to be controlled. | + | *Salt buildup, and basically any contaminant buildup in the water, needs to be controlled. |
The long term need for aeroponics in a martian settlement is debatable. Plants will produce excess biomass, and all living beings will produce waste, that can be incorporated into soil. So the amount of soil available to a settlement naturally grows with time. As the biomass of the settlement grows, the entire habitat ecosystem becomes more stable. An ecosystem based on aeroponics might be susceptible to catastrophe because it has very little buffer. | The long term need for aeroponics in a martian settlement is debatable. Plants will produce excess biomass, and all living beings will produce waste, that can be incorporated into soil. So the amount of soil available to a settlement naturally grows with time. As the biomass of the settlement grows, the entire habitat ecosystem becomes more stable. An ecosystem based on aeroponics might be susceptible to catastrophe because it has very little buffer. | ||
[[Category:Growing Methods]] | [[Category:Growing Methods]] | ||
Revision as of 00:48, 20 April 2021
Aeroponics is the growing of plants with the roots exposed to the air. Water and nutrients are misted or sprayed on the roots.
Advantages
This method provides several advantages to a colony on Mars:
- Water Conservation
- Disease Control
- Increased Crop Yield
- Very simple 'ecology' (i.e. you don't have to worry about the health of the soil.)
Disadvantages
- Aeroponics plants do not have a buffer of soil to temper changes or any type of technical problem. So they need constant monitoring and are somewhat less stable than soil grown cultures.
- Monocultures are susceptible to disease.
- Salt buildup, and basically any contaminant buildup in the water, needs to be controlled.
The long term need for aeroponics in a martian settlement is debatable. Plants will produce excess biomass, and all living beings will produce waste, that can be incorporated into soil. So the amount of soil available to a settlement naturally grows with time. As the biomass of the settlement grows, the entire habitat ecosystem becomes more stable. An ecosystem based on aeroponics might be susceptible to catastrophe because it has very little buffer.
