That was a great analysis. I am currently building an advanced in-home system to automate all aspects of the growth process. It's a prototype, but maybe I will be able to figure out how to earn a living off of it. Anyways, I said all that to say thanks, because your channel has been a big help along the way.
Dear friend! Thank you for the in-depth analysis. It's a good video and has foundational information for calculating costs and motivating people with the results shown at the end by comparing the store lettuce vs the hydroponic lettuce! Great job! Cheers! I'll start in January, 2022. Been prepping a lot for it. ✌🏼
Just the video I was looking for over the past week. Thank you for posting your costs it was very helpful. Hopefully I'll be growing hydroponic lettuce soon.
Love your channel and how clear the information is. Please do another for strawberries! I’m very close to buying your course for aquaponics for the purpose of strawberries!!
Very nice breakdown. I garden in the summer and die of boredom with winters in WI. It’s so nice to have a “salad bar” to garden in the dead of winter isn’t it. Keep up the awesome vids.
Convenience is also a huge factor. Even if growing at home costs more, I'd still do it anyways because it's so much more convenient than spending the time to drive and pick up at grocery stores.
Growing salad indoors means you have salad in 5 minutes flat, harvesting it right there. Eating healthy greens is the key for health and I intend to do that. I have IBS and gastrointestinal problems. I can eat but not digest heavy foods very well. When I eat healthy greens I am fine and I enjoy eating greens. Pesticide use has always been a worry. I harvest my indoor salad without washing it, no bugs, no pesticides, it is heavenly. For my health I will do anything. Instead of buying a 200 dollar purse or shoes I would rather buy a great healthy hydroponic growing system. The joy I get from harvesting fresh produce at home is really neat. As an apartment dweller this is my way back to pesticide free healthy produce.
I want to thank you , your videos are very informative and I have decided to go hydroponic … I am also going to get your course and follow your instructions…
Great video, love the pragmatic unbiased perspective. In Germany this is probably barely worth it, since electricity is twice to three times as much. But if you want the freshest greens and have the time, I'd say it is a great way. I'm currently playing with the idea of setting up a hydroponic system for microgreens to get my vitamins as greens are sadly becoming more and more a luxury good..
You could look at doing a kratky system, no pumps or fans needed just light. I've grown salad greens and herbs in my English window this summer but I'll need a light soon. I'm also on a smaller scale than this video! Microgreens are super easy, you don't need anything but seeds, something like kitchen roll that can wick water, and light for the last few days.
@Katy Weaver Will have to look into it, again. Heard of it before at some point, but decided to go for hydroponic because of the productivity and ease of use. (Gardening with Brent had a system I decided to go for) The fan and bubbler is likely the least expensive part overall. But thanks for the reminder.
I like what you did here. The only thing I can think of this is adding a station where you get seeds back. So new set of lights and some time to let it bolt on a section then gather the seeds. That way you save that .30 cents. Having this station will give you a 30% return according to you while only doing it to a few of the good plants. Might be something to try out so you can cycle and reuse over and over.
Hello, it is very interesting to have realized the total cost. It is true to say that the cost of running the LEDs is the most important. The ideal would be to use the NFT system in a greenhouse. In the USA it's still interesting, because the price of a salad is 2.48$, but in other countries (like mine), the same salad is sold in supermarkets for less than 1$. Your videos are always very interesting, you should do them more often. Do you have a new course (UDEMY) in preparation?
In the UK energy bills are double and lettuce I half the price stated in this video. It looks like hydroponics is much more viable in some countries compared to others. With that said using natural light and reusable plugs could save a lot of money and the lettuce is probably more healthy to eat.
I love the breakdown. I am currently using the kratky method, so there no electricity for me, and I use pool noodles. Using your numbers, it cuts the cost down to about 25 cents per head of lettuce.
I think you have a very nice channel. Thanks for all the tips. I would question your electricity costs. Where I live, the kilowatt cost is only have the expense of getting electricity. The way I would determine my cost for electricity would be to take my entire gross bill and divide it by the number of kwh I used in the period. For me that cost is now $0.275 per kwh.
Only thing is you still have to . divide the 1.00 x 40 days by 42 plants so under a buck.your killing it bro good job . I am going to build a tower next week for my green house .
Excellent video! Thank you for the thorough analysis. I wish my electricity was only $0.12/kWh, mine is double at about $0.25/kWh and probably going to go up soon. I think it'll still save money over store bough lettuce but I'm going to have to try and cut down on the electricity usage.
I think the lighting and fan could be places where you could really cut down on electricity use. For the fan, if you get usb powered ones that use 5 volts and 1-2 amps each, it would be 5-10 watts each, probably at the cost of being a bit less powerful maybe, and you could really save on electricity by 1 using leds and 2 using red and blue leds instead of white because (you'll have to look up the exact wavelengths yourself cause i don't remember but) those are the colors plants absorb best. And of course if you get a lot of natural sunlight anywhere, using that would reduce your need for artificial lighting a bit depending on details.
Great video, have seen several of your videos and all are very informative. Going to try some hydroponic farming in the house as a hobby and will definitely incorporate your ideas. One question, have you considered, given your setup, that you might be able to reduce the amount of time the water pump is running? Would be interesting to see how running the pump, say, 1 out of every X number of hours, impacts plant growth. Thanks for the videos! ...and also, what is your favorite lettuce variety?
Good idea, I've done pump intervals in the past, I've just found continuous to be simplest. A test would be cool though! Our favorite lettuce variety is Muir.
I’ve been wondering about this as well. I’m using kratky and tempted to try DWC, but the cost is what bugs me. Am I correct to say that, any hydroponic systems that uses electricity are only cost efficient when done in mid to high volume? I run a really small kratky system on my balcony, guess it’s not going to be cost effective
Yes, in general, growing a higher volume of plants uses light more efficiently. That is one of the main reasons I don't use Kratky, though it can be a great option if you have a lot of free sunlight to utilize.
if u only grew one head of lettuce it would cost 28$ cause all those cost are per day except for the plant takes like 40 days to grow need to grow at least 15 in the area for it to be cost effective
Here's my difficulty: I've never seen a hydroponic system that wasn't basically 100% PVC plastic. Plastic leaches carcinogens. All plastic does. I've never heard of any plastic that DOESN'T leach estrogenic compounds. Moreover, it's an environmental pollutant that takes centuries to break down and poisons marine and terrestrial life in the meantime. Is there a way to do plastic-free hydroponics?
I'd say there are ways, but I wouldn't even want to imagine the price of a glass/titanium setup.. and the time to maintain it. Unless you live in a pollutant-free bubble just go for "food grade save" BPA free plastic. I have no doubt anymore humanity will destroy themselves in approximately 100-200 years anyways. Cheers
No offense, but your automobile off gasses more carcinogens (especially on hot sunny days) into its interior cabin than PVC leaches into water during a 45 day grow cycle.
You can do it in glass jars, kratky style, it'll take longer than an aerated pumped system but it's a lot cheaper if you reuse consumer glass. It's hard to get around plastic for the part that holds the plant, however, as you want an inert nonreactive material. I'll point out though that when you see the plastic PVC hydroponics systems those are the same pipes that are delivering water to your house or through your house. Nothing is a perfect solution in our world, there are tradeoffs. Hydroponics lets you grow year-round inside no matter what your local climate and pest conditions are, which means it's very accessible fresh produce. Veg starts losing nutrients the moment it's harvested... So you pick your battles and what tradeoffs work for you.
Isn't your math a bit wonky. You totaled everything to "per day" level... So it would be $1 PER DAY and 42 days would mean the cost is $42 per lettuce... But it is actually $42 (your total cost to run this system for 1 rotation) / total yield? How many plants you have? Can I count 60+.... 80+?? So it would be $0.5 per head of lettuce...
That was a great analysis. I am currently building an advanced in-home system to automate all aspects of the growth process. It's a prototype, but maybe I will be able to figure out how to earn a living off of it. Anyways, I said all that to say thanks, because your channel has been a big help along the way.
Great Video... This is what most other TH-cam channels don't do. Cost is everything! Keep up the good work. I just subscribed.
Dear friend! Thank you for the in-depth analysis. It's a good video and has foundational information for calculating costs and motivating people with the results shown at the end by comparing the store lettuce vs the hydroponic lettuce! Great job! Cheers!
I'll start in January, 2022. Been prepping a lot for it. ✌🏼
Just the video I was looking for over the past week. Thank you for posting your costs it was very helpful. Hopefully I'll be growing hydroponic lettuce soon.
Love your channel and how clear the information is. Please do another for strawberries! I’m very close to buying your course for aquaponics for the purpose of strawberries!!
Very nice breakdown. I garden in the summer and die of boredom with winters in WI. It’s so nice to have a “salad bar” to garden in the dead of winter isn’t it. Keep up the awesome vids.
Very in depth. Thank you for sharing! I love hydroponic home grown stuff way better than store bought.
Just the piece of mind of knowing what goes into your food is priceless 👌.
Convenience is also a huge factor. Even if growing at home costs more, I'd still do it anyways because it's so much more convenient than spending the time to drive and pick up at grocery stores.
Growing salad indoors means you have salad in 5 minutes flat, harvesting it right there. Eating healthy greens is the key for health and I intend to do that. I have IBS and gastrointestinal problems. I can eat but not digest heavy foods very well. When I eat healthy greens I am fine and I enjoy eating greens. Pesticide use has always been a worry. I harvest my indoor salad without washing it, no bugs, no pesticides, it is heavenly.
For my health I will do anything. Instead of buying a 200 dollar purse or shoes I would rather buy a great healthy hydroponic growing system. The joy I get from harvesting fresh produce at home is really neat. As an apartment dweller this is my way back to pesticide free healthy produce.
Gas is expensive
If you think growing food is "convenient' you obviously never grew a got dam thing before lol
amazing cost analysis. well done!
I want to thank you , your videos are very informative and I have decided to go hydroponic … I am also going to get your course and follow your instructions…
Great video, love the pragmatic unbiased perspective. In Germany this is probably barely worth it, since electricity is twice to three times as much. But if you want the freshest greens and have the time, I'd say it is a great way.
I'm currently playing with the idea of setting up a hydroponic system for microgreens to get my vitamins as greens are sadly becoming more and more a luxury good..
You could look at doing a kratky system, no pumps or fans needed just light. I've grown salad greens and herbs in my English window this summer but I'll need a light soon. I'm also on a smaller scale than this video! Microgreens are super easy, you don't need anything but seeds, something like kitchen roll that can wick water, and light for the last few days.
@Katy Weaver
Will have to look into it, again. Heard of it before at some point, but decided to go for hydroponic because of the productivity and ease of use. (Gardening with Brent had a system I decided to go for) The fan and bubbler is likely the least expensive part overall.
But thanks for the reminder.
Thanks for the vid. It's also peace of mind to know there isn't anything like pesticides or manure based bacteria to worry about for example.
Great breakdown on costs! Thanks and subscribed!
I like what you did here. The only thing I can think of this is adding a station where you get seeds back. So new set of lights and some time to let it bolt on a section then gather the seeds. That way you save that .30 cents. Having this station will give you a 30% return according to you while only doing it to a few of the good plants. Might be something to try out so you can cycle and reuse over and over.
Hello,
it is very interesting to have realized the total cost. It is true to say that the cost of running the LEDs is the most important. The ideal would be to use the NFT system in a greenhouse. In the USA it's still interesting, because the price of a salad is 2.48$, but in other countries (like mine), the same salad is sold in supermarkets for less than 1$.
Your videos are always very interesting, you should do them more often. Do you have a new course (UDEMY) in preparation?
Yes we have a new course on how to grow lettuce, check the video description for a link to it.
In the UK energy bills are double and lettuce I half the price stated in this video. It looks like hydroponics is much more viable in some countries compared to others. With that said using natural light and reusable plugs could save a lot of money and the lettuce is probably more healthy to eat.
@@jasonbaxter3658 Right now the price of electricity in Norway is 8 times that of his estimate... Keep in mind it fluctuates a lot.
Thank you for your time you spent on this video, it's really informative and helpful for beginners.
I love the breakdown. I am currently using the kratky method, so there no electricity for me, and I use pool noodles. Using your numbers, it cuts the cost down to about 25 cents per head of lettuce.
Is the kracky working well for you? I tried once and super bitter I might try a different type.
I think you have a very nice channel. Thanks for all the tips. I would question your electricity costs. Where I live, the kilowatt cost is only have the expense of getting electricity. The way I would determine my cost for electricity would be to take my entire gross bill and divide it by the number of kwh I used in the period. For me that cost is now $0.275 per kwh.
Thanks for the informative video
Have you grown out a head of lettuce to bolt and collected seeds? It's something I'm planning to do once I get started growing my own food.
Only thing is you still have to . divide the 1.00 x 40 days by 42 plants so under a buck.your killing it bro good job . I am going to build a tower next week for my green house .
Excellent video! Thank you for the thorough analysis. I wish my electricity was only $0.12/kWh, mine is double at about $0.25/kWh and probably going to go up soon. I think it'll still save money over store bough lettuce but I'm going to have to try and cut down on the electricity usage.
I think the lighting and fan could be places where you could really cut down on electricity use. For the fan, if you get usb powered ones that use 5 volts and 1-2 amps each, it would be 5-10 watts each, probably at the cost of being a bit less powerful maybe, and you could really save on electricity by 1 using leds and 2 using red and blue leds instead of white because (you'll have to look up the exact wavelengths yourself cause i don't remember but) those are the colors plants absorb best. And of course if you get a lot of natural sunlight anywhere, using that would reduce your need for artificial lighting a bit depending on details.
great information thank you
Excelent analysis. Thanks
Hydroponics for life!
Great video, have seen several of your videos and all are very informative. Going to try some hydroponic farming in the house as a hobby and will definitely incorporate your ideas. One question, have you considered, given your setup, that you might be able to reduce the amount of time the water pump is running? Would be interesting to see how running the pump, say, 1 out of every X number of hours, impacts plant growth. Thanks for the videos! ...and also, what is your favorite lettuce variety?
Good idea, I've done pump intervals in the past, I've just found continuous to be simplest. A test would be cool though! Our favorite lettuce variety is Muir.
what sort of black plastic hose are you using at the .27 mark. it looks like the sort used in the aeroflo that G.H. used for their manifolds. thanks
What do you use as root medium? Are they washable and reuseable or is it the biodegradable stuff?
Great video thank you
Rainbow Foods in San Francisco is charging $6 a head for lettuce.
Very informative
I’ve been wondering about this as well. I’m using kratky and tempted to try DWC, but the cost is what bugs me.
Am I correct to say that, any hydroponic systems that uses electricity are only cost efficient when done in mid to high volume?
I run a really small kratky system on my balcony, guess it’s not going to be cost effective
Yes, in general, growing a higher volume of plants uses light more efficiently. That is one of the main reasons I don't use Kratky, though it can be a great option if you have a lot of free sunlight to utilize.
I have to put 2 gallons of water solution a day ???😢😢😢
Any LED light of 4,000,5000, or 6500K will work. No need to buy expensive "grow" lights. I run pumps and lights 12 hours.
if u only grew one head of lettuce it would cost 28$ cause all those cost are per day except for the plant takes like 40 days to grow need to grow at least 15 in the area for it to be cost effective
Pool noodle? Shout out to Mike VanDuzee
cries in UK electricity cost at 60 cents/kwh and a 60 cents/day mandatory additional charge.
Been wondering whether uv lights are strong enough to run a solar pond pump to circulate the water.
Super calculation video
magnificent
Here's my difficulty: I've never seen a hydroponic system that wasn't basically 100% PVC plastic. Plastic leaches carcinogens. All plastic does. I've never heard of any plastic that DOESN'T leach estrogenic compounds. Moreover, it's an environmental pollutant that takes centuries to break down and poisons marine and terrestrial life in the meantime. Is there a way to do plastic-free hydroponics?
I'd say there are ways, but I wouldn't even want to imagine the price of a glass/titanium setup.. and the time to maintain it.
Unless you live in a pollutant-free bubble just go for "food grade save" BPA free plastic.
I have no doubt anymore humanity will destroy themselves in approximately 100-200 years anyways.
Cheers
No offense, but your automobile off gasses more carcinogens (especially on hot sunny days) into its interior cabin than PVC leaches into water during a 45 day grow cycle.
You can do it in glass jars, kratky style, it'll take longer than an aerated pumped system but it's a lot cheaper if you reuse consumer glass. It's hard to get around plastic for the part that holds the plant, however, as you want an inert nonreactive material.
I'll point out though that when you see the plastic PVC hydroponics systems those are the same pipes that are delivering water to your house or through your house.
Nothing is a perfect solution in our world, there are tradeoffs. Hydroponics lets you grow year-round inside no matter what your local climate and pest conditions are, which means it's very accessible fresh produce. Veg starts losing nutrients the moment it's harvested... So you pick your battles and what tradeoffs work for you.
I believe he did a video with testing his water through a lab to see what toxins were in it. You may wanna have a look.
@@kelliwiemers6445 Here it is for anyone wondering. th-cam.com/video/np6yiwee4ws/w-d-xo.html
Isn't your math a bit wonky. You totaled everything to "per day" level... So it would be $1 PER DAY and 42 days would mean the cost is $42 per lettuce... But it is actually $42 (your total cost to run this system for 1 rotation) / total yield? How many plants you have? Can I count 60+.... 80+?? So it would be $0.5 per head of lettuce...
42 heads of lettuce every 42 days dude, not one head of lettuce every 42 days and no lettuce every other day
You could buy a lifetime supply of lettuce for the cost of your LED lights and hydroponic setup.