Hydroponic substrate has a finite lifetime
To process regolith into actual soil we will need to transfer entire soil communities from earth. We are moving bacterial communities anyway from earth, mostly in our digestive tracts, so it will happen, though it will be a very awesome experiment to see what species colonize what. Hydroponic substrate has a finite lifetime, not to mention that the regolith will not become good substrate without some processing, at least a wash to reduce the perchlorates. I see old substrate forming the start of quasi natural soil. It is cheaper to use nitrogen fixing bacteria than to produce all the nitrogen we need chemically
Yeah, I think hydroponics is the way to go for a while. Eventually we'll make soil by composting stuff, but it'll take a while, and hydroponics has a lot going for it.I still think 90% of our calories will be grown in a vat (or grown in a vat before being fed to animals like fish or something), not in a field (hydroponic or otherwise). This will be true for a very long time, probably indefinitely. It's just ultimately a more efficient use of resources. And contrary to what Aegean claims, on Mars nitrogen fixation will be more efficient if done chemically, and this will probably be true until we terraform the place.Washed Mars rocks can serve as hydroponic media. When it gets clogged with roots and stuff, we can crush it and mix with compost to make true soil.
on Mars nitrogen fixation will be more efficient if done chemically, and this will probably be true until we terraform the place.
Per definition, the start of Martian agriculture will be hydroponics,
Quote from: AegeanBlue on 09/26/2017 06:53 pmPer definition, the start of Martian agriculture will be hydroponics,Just to be clear, are you using "hydroponics" as a catch-all to refer to all forms of soil-less plant cultivation, or do you mean that you don't think similar-but-different systems like aeroponics will work for a Mars colony?
Earthworms grown on Mars soil simulant:https://www.space.com/38960-worms-born-martian-soil-experiment.html
Quote from: AegeanBlue on 12/04/2017 11:30 pmEarthworms grown on Mars soil simulant:https://www.space.com/38960-worms-born-martian-soil-experiment.htmlWith perchlorates?