1 minute read
Hydroponics
APONIX UPGRADES 3D-NFT VERTICAL BARRELS COMPONENTS INTO ‘VERSION 3’ MAKING IT COMMERCIAL READY
The aponix vertical barrel is a vertical NFT solution from Germany that can be used as alternative to rack systems in order to use vertical space more efficiently in hydroponic setups and use natural sunlight. The system maximizes the number of possible grow spaces per level arranged in a given 3D room by increasing the diameter from a ‘Tower’ to a ‘Barrel’.
Advertisement
The whole system is based on lego-like pieces that provide inserts for standard 2-inch netpots. Assembling these ring segment pieces results in stackable ring segments or barrel levels with the total height and thus number of grow spaces being variable.
By the end of 2020 aponix will have developed the new ‘Version 3’ that will incorporate all collected improvements from the existing global user base from the last 3 years and adding a few more features and changes: • Liquid will be guided more precisely inside. It will also have a new more robust and tight connection mechanism and air traps to keep liquid inside also on high flow rates. • There will be a reusable grow plug insert, that is supposed to replace 2-inch one-time use plastic netpots in any such system. It also has an optional plant trellis insert to grow larger flowers and fruiting dwarf varieties. • There will be a new lidbase that speeds up setup of lines of vertical barrels or make them rotate.
• There will also be a dedicated sprinkler dome lid and also the own existing pressure-less irrigation option using the waterbuffer being backwards compatible. • Vertical barrels will be more stable and can be built higher. • There will only be a single ring segment piece in ‘Version 3’ with 2 grow pod inserts that only allow 2 stacking positions instead of 4. If spaces are unused they can be capped with a green rubber plug.
As of 2020 aponix already changed their global market strategy from looking for distributors to starting to work with product partners who create more complete solutions from the components adding other external pieces and services and market them independently under their own brand or product name.