SNAP Hydroponics Documentation

To ensure the highest germination rates, follow these selection and storage guidelines:

• Selection: Choose seed packets with a recent batch date or a 'sow-by-date' that is several months in the future.
• Storage: Keep open seed packets in their original foil packaging with the open end folded shut. Store them inside a sealed container and keep them refrigerated.

To maintain plant health, regularly check the working solution level and ensure it never dries up. When replenishing, add liquid until the level is just below the bottoms of the seedling plugs.

Critical Warning: Do not return the solution to its initial setup level (where plugs are immersed by 1–2cm). Submerging the aerial roots will likely cause the plants to wilt, stunt their growth, or die.

The grow box is constructed from an expanded polystyrene (EPS) styrobox, ideally sized 20"×16"×6", which can hold 10-12 liters of nutrient solution. Because styroboxes have ventilation holes, the bottom half must be waterproofed with a lining material (e.g., a 20"×30" polyethylene plastic bag) and secured with packaging tape.

Procedure for the upper half:

1. Place the upper half of the box upside down on a flat surface (use plywood or cardboard to protect the surface).
2. Draw guidelines connecting ventilation holes from opposite sides; mark the center where lines intersect.
3. Use a styrofoam puncher to create holes at these intersections for the seedling plugs.
4. Use packaging tape to cover the remaining ventilation holes to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the nutrient solution.

Follow these maintenance practices to ensure plant health:

• Pest Control: Inspect the setup early every morning to identify and remove insect larvae, which are most visible then.
• Growth Expectations: Expect slow growth for the first two weeks as plants adjust to water-logged conditions, followed by vigorous growth from the third week onward.
• Solution Replenishment:
  • Replenish the solution as the level drops; never let it dry up completely.
  • Critical: When replenishing, do not submerge the entire root system. The upper half of the roots must remain exposed to air.
  • Replenishment Type: Use plain water for crops close to harvest. Use fresh working solution for crops that will grow for over a month.

A successful SNAP Hydroponics setup requires a location that meets two primary criteria: sufficient lighting and protection from rain. Direct early morning sunlight until noon is ideal. Rain protection is critical because rainwater can dilute or replace the nutrient solution, destabilizing the grow environment.

Recommended locations include:

• Fully enclosed greenhouses in sunny locations (Most Ideal)
• Areas covered by a transparent roof in sunny locations (Ideal)
• East-facing areas with early morning sunlight and awning coverage (Acceptable)

The following tools are necessary to assemble the DIY styrofoam puncher:

• Tin Snips: Used to cut away the lip of the tin can to create a sharp cutting edge.
• Pointed Bamboo Stick: A 3–5 inch long stick with a pointed end (matching the cross-section of the handles) used to enlarge holes in the sides of the can.
• Can Opener: To completely remove one end of the tin can.
• Knife or Bolo: For shaping the bamboo and making initial cuts in the tin can.

Unprocessed cocopeat may contain sap and pathogens that stunt root development or introduce harmful bacteria and fungi. To make unprocessed cocopeat safe for plants:

1. Remove sap: Leave the cocopeat in an open pile exposed to rain and sunshine to allow the sap (which contains growth-stunting hormones) to degrade.
2. Sterilize: Boil the cocopeat for at least 30 minutes to eliminate harmful bacteria and fungi.