need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please

   / need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please #1  

firemanpat2910

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Havana Fla
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as the long title states I need some help figuring out what I want to do. Project :2each 80 foot long 4 ft wide 1 ft deep hydroponic grow beds. I figure it at 320 cft of water, 2,394 gallons of water, which is roughly 20,1064 pounds !!!! I can purchase a very good liner for 200.00 My thoughts were to build sides and let the ground be the bottom. this is being built inside a 100'x20 greenhouse. My thoughts were ground contact will help stabilise water temp. My buddy's son who will do most if not all of the planting and harvesting, wants them raise up to be about 3 ft high to make it easier. so my questions are, is my math close, we would really need to build a stand that holds over 20,000 pounds? would 5' 4x4s buried 2 ' in the gound spaced every 8' with 2x4 framing and plywood decking be enough? or are we talking 2x6 or 2x8 spaced more like 2' apart ? would 1x6s stacked to be 12"
hig be better than plywood? I cant say price is not important, but I sure think we are gonna spend a truck load of money that might be better used elsewhere. with the Green house already built, digging and building will be a REAL pain. If this system works well we are thinking of several more greenhouses just like this I would like some opinions on how to build or even if to build the raised up stands Thanks
 
   / need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please #2  
I'm no engineer but why not use steel frames with wood liners for strength? You could have crossmembers every so often to stop the sides bowing out.
 
   / need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please #3  
no need to build a stand. I'd use the earth as your stand. I'd use crusher run as it locks and packs well- plus it keeps moisture out. If the cursher run needs to protrude above the ground, then a single row or two of landscaping concrete blocks would be ideal to keep things square and neat.
 
   / need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please #4  
   / need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please #5  
My buddy's son who will do most if not all of the planting and harvesting, wants them raise up to be about 3 ft high to make it easier.

They make strains of marijuana that grow 10' high, no need for a table :)
Ignoring the engineering, I would be concerned building something out of wood that's in such a damp environment and likely to get water spilled on it all the time. It might take 6 months, but wood and the connections you make will start to warp and come apart. The only other thing I can think of would be cross stacking railroad ties or 6x6s. If you hunt around you might find old RR ties for free because they're in lousy shape.
 
   / need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please #6  
I think it could be built with common materials. I think breaking it into smaller lengths than 80' would make it much more manageable. Then again I don't know much about hydroponic systems so that may be an issue. Either way if you have a solid base there isn't any reason to set the post in the ground.

MarkV
 
   / need help and ideas on 80'x4' raised grow bed. builders and engineers opinions please
  • Thread Starter
#7  
thanks for the help so far. I am revising plans every time I talk to someone new :) latest idea is to build it with 2x4s and line the inside with plywood anything to keep from digging postholes
 
 
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