Hydroponic plant growth systems with activated carbon and/or carbonized fiber substrates
A method and apparatus for growing plants (P) hydroponically includes a plant substrate material ( 52, 54, 56 ) comprising activated carbon and/or carbonized fibers with or without additional, non-carbonated, non-activated cellulosic fibers. The activated carbon and/or carbonized fibers with or without the additional, non-carbonated, non-activated cellulosic fibers are usable in bulk or manufactured into slabs ( 56 ) or other configurations by any of a variety of non-woven, woven, molding, or other techniques. The activated carbon and/or carbonized fibers are made from cellulosic or synthetic carbon fibers, for example, bamboo fibers.
1. A method of growing plants hydroponically including:
providing a plant support substrate comprising carbonized fibers;
planting seeds or the plants on or in the substrate; and
supplying a mineral nutrient solution to the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant support substrate includes activated carbon fibers.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant support substrate also includes non-carbonized cellulosic or synthetic carbon fiber material blended with the carbonized fibers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonized fibers are made from bamboo fibers.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the non-carbonized cellulosic fiber material includes bamboo fibers.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the activated carbon fibers have micro-, meso-, and macro-pores.
7. A method of growing a plant, comprising:
contacting the plant with a substrate comprising carbonized fibers; and
wetting the carbonized fibers in the substrate with a mineral nutrient solution.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the substrate comprises activated carbon fibers produced by carbonizing and then activating cellulosic or synthetic carbon fibers.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the carbon fibers include bamboo fibers.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the substrate includes non-carbonated, non-activated, carbon fibers.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the non-carbonated, non-activated, cellulosic fibers include bamboo cellulosic fibers.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the carbonized fiber content of the substrate is at least twenty percent of the substrate by weight.
13. Hydroponic plant growing apparatus, comprising:
substrate material comprising carbonized fiber; and
mineral nutrient solution delivery means for wetting the substrate material with mineral nutrient solution.
14. The hydroponic plant growing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the carbonized fiber content of the substrate material is at least twenty percent by weight.
15. The hydroponic plant growing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the substrate material includes activated carbon fibers.
16. The hydroponic plant growing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the substrate includes non-carbonized, non-activated, cellulosic fibers.
17. The hydroponic plant growing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the ratio of carbonized fiber content to non-carbonized, non-activated, cellulosic fiber content is in a range of 1:4 to 1:1.
18. The hydroponic plant growing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the activated carbon fiber includes activated carbon fiber made from bamboo cellulosic fiber.
19. The hydroponic plant growing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the non-carbonized, non-activated, cellulosic fibers includes bamboo cellulosic fibers.
20. A hydroponic plant growing substrate comprising:
carbonized fibers and non-carbonized, non-activated, cellulosic or synthetic carbon fibers, wherein the carbonized fiber content is at least twenty percent by weight of the substrate.
21. The hydroponic plant growing substrate of claim 20 , wherein the ratio of carbonized fiber content to non-carbonized, non-activated, cellulosic fiber content is in a range of 1:4 to 1:1.
22. The hydroponic plant growing substrate of claim 20 , wherein the carbonized fibers include activated carbon fibers.
23. The hydroponic plant growing substrate of claim 20 , wherein the carbonized fibers comprise carbonated fibers made from bamboo cellulosic fibers.
24. The hydroponic plant growing substrate of claim 20 , wherein the non-carbonized, non-activated, cellulosic fibers include bamboo cellulosic fibers.