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Jun 19, 2023

MyFarm - Indoor claybed hydroponic farm

Updated: Sep 30, 2023

MyFarm - Indoor claybed hydroponic farm:

Get the MyFarm - Indoor claybed hydroponic farm (DELIVERY EXTRA) for Rs.1,50,000/-

The Need:

As we progress into the future the need for hydroponics is also growing tremendously. We know that hydroponics is the only true alternative to conventional Agriculture. It is the most efficient way to offset carbon emissions and conserve resources.

Commonly used NFT hydroponic systems are made of PVC and even though certified for carrying Potable water, PVC is chemically not a very stable compound. To give it it's long life for plumbing connections PVC is stabilized with Lead. We have been setting up hydroponic farms for the past 7 years and PVC has been a very integral part of our business.

We have scoured high and wide for finding high quality PVC pipes with no lead content and what we have realized is that until we produce the plastic by ourselves directly from the Petroleum there is no way to ensure the lead content. TURNKEY FARM IN MUMBAI

Even after all that the high mineral content in the fertigation water the acidic levels degrade the plastic making it leech into the water. Plus the constant removal of the pipes for cleaning and disinfection after every harvest makes PVC pipes a questionable choice.

CLIENT FARM IN PUNJAB

Additionally, so much plastic use that does not even last a decade is highly counter-productive for an environment saving technology.

OUR OLD R&D FARM

The Invention:

Having used more than 350kms of PVC based NFT Channels it got too heavy on our conscience and a better alternative had to be found. Though use of plastic still seemed inevitable with the lack of options.

We experimented with powder coated galvanized steel tubs for Float and Raft, Ebb and Flow but the weight was too heavy to go vertical. We thought of terracotta pipes but longevity became an issue, materials like PE coated bamboo boards, plant fiber with recycled Poly Propylene and more than enough research to get you bored.

This new technique not only reduces plastic usage but increases efficiency, is financially affordable, increases productivity and reduces operational cost.

Key Highlights of MyFarm:

Clay Ball bed for reduced weight
Highly increased oxygenation of the root zone
Long life of Clay Balls
Low cost of Clay balls
Tool Free Height Adjustable 8 to 14 inches
Accommodates up to 9 layers
Multiple sizes of Clay balls for easy transplantation and to stop light leakage and algal growth
Easy Sterilization and Cleaning is possible on the layer itself without removing anything
Plants can be directly planted into the bed so consumables like netpots are not required
Harvesting is easier as plants only need to be pulled out from the grow bed and no netpots are broken in the process

Highlights Continued:

Plants can be transported with root zone attached which keeps the plant alive and freshness intact until consumption
The system has our proprietary no contact UV-C Disinfection setup which mitigates bacterial and fungal growth. It requires practically no maintenance.
All the Growing layers are fertigated via gravity fed drip system this ensures 24x7 fertigation where the water pump is on for only 4-6 hours a day this increases life of the pump and reduced electricity consumption
Even distribution of Nutrient concentration to each and every plant
A conventional 5x10 leafy green setup uses 375-420 watts of lighting per layer
Our high efficiency lighting scheme even though comparatively costlier consumes only 300-340 watts per layer. (A 30-50 watt saving might not seem much but in a 5 layer setup you save 12000 rupees a year per setup! Our moderately costlier lights even out within 10 months of usage and they are the only growlights in the world to come with a 2.5 year warranty)
The rack is made from galvanized powder coated steel and is designed to be easily assembled without any technical intervention
The liner is made from 5 layer High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE), which is a proven material in the food and agriculture industry. A lot of food packaging, rugged waterproof tarpaulin, bulk sacks of rice wheat and other staple foods are also made of HDPE because of it's good chemical stability, strength and UV resistance.
The drip irrigation pipes are made out of LDPE (Low Density Poly Ethylene), and have proven themselves in the field (literally) for over 50 years now.
Drip emitters and fittings are made out of the most popular food grade plastic known as poly-propylene all these plastics are also used in labs to handle corrosive substances and will last an exponentially long time.

Planting Grid:

GRID 1

5 x 5 with 1400+ plants

120CM x 60CM

Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Bok Choi, Rocket, Kale

GRID 2

4.5 x 4.5 with 1700+ plants

120CM x 60CM

Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, Basil, Arugula

GRID 3

4 x 4 with 2200+ plants

120CM x 60CM

Lettuce, Lollo Rosso, Baby Spinach

Comparison:

MyFarm

with 1 continuous

5x10 feet bed

NFT setup

with PVC pipes at equidistant

permanent

holes.

7 pipes 10 foot long can

be stacked parallel in a

5x10 feet setup

Dutch Bucket

with 40 pieces of 1foot

Diameter buckets and

water tank in 5x10 feet

Features	MyFarm	NFT	Dutch Bucket
Plants per 50 Sq.ft. 5 layers	1500	850	40 (Too heavy for vertical layering)
Can easily change planting density	Yes each plant is in a zone which is individually fertigated by drip based fertigation, a tighter zone works for all small to big plants.	Cannot increase density as flow of water will be disrupted. by the root zone of the plants. Also holes are permanently drilled so new pipes will have to be bought	1 dutch bucket can Accommodate no more than 3 plants
Fertigation distribution	All plants receive same TDS value	Plants at the inlet will receive higher TDS than plants at outlet	Drip emitter for every Bucket
Fertigation Continuity and pump usage	24hrs Pump on for 6hrs	Recommended 24hrs Pump is Compulsory for Fertigation	Done in Intervals of 1-3 hours Pump on 3 hours
Maximum plant size	Can accommodate 2 small trees Example- Lemon, Almond, Juniper	Cherry tomatoes vines	1 Full size tomato plant per bucket
Disinfection and Cleaning	Hydrogen Peroxide can be poured with Warm Water into the layer and you are done. For Deep Cleaning clayballs can be removed with a bucket and washed and drained.	Pipes need to be removed from the system, residual water in the pipes needs to be emptied If openable then lid needs to be removed. Endcaps might need to be Re-Glued	Remove clayballs and residual water disinfect with antiseptic solution.

Project Economics:

Variables	MyFarm	NFT
Cost per plant	@1500 plants 135rs per plant	@850 plants 235rs per plant
Total Plants in 400Sq.ft	4500	3500
Electricity consumption(p.m.) 400sq.ft. farm	Lights @1920 units Water Pump @65 units AC 2 1.5 ton @300 units	Lights @1920 units Water Pump @150 units AC 2 1.5 ton @300 units
Operational Expenditure per plant in 400sqft farm @8rs a unit of electricity	4 rs a plant	5.4 rs a plant
Operational Expenditure	Farmhand @10,000 Consumables @3000	Farmhand @10,000 Consumables @3000
Total OpEX	41,000rs	41,000rs
Capital Expenditure 400sq.ft. farm	System cost @6,15,000 AC 2x1.5 ton @90,000 Germination Chamber @30,000	System cost @8,20,000 AC 2x1.5 ton @90,000 Germination Chamber @30,000

Variables	MyFarm	NFT
Total CapEx	7,35,000rs	9,40,000rs
Total Yield of 400sq.ft. setup @100gms a plant	450kg	350kg
Monthly Revenue Average b2b cost per kg of plant @200rs	90,000rs	70,000rs
Monthly Income With 20% Wastage	39,000rs	23,000rs
ROI with 6 months of Trial period i.e. sample distribution, market analysis	19 months + 6 months	41 months + 6 months