Knowledgebase
Welcome to the BTL Knowledgebase. Ever since we started lining ponds, creating covers, and helping people with their projects, we've gotten asked a lot of questions. Many of these questions are repeatedly asked, so we put together the BTL knowledgebase to help answer any questions you had about a particular subject. We are adding new questions every month, so continue to check back often!
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What minerals can be condensed from brine?
Salt isn’t the only mineral that can be condensed from brine.
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How are brine ponds used in the fracking industry?
In the oil and gas industry, brine ponds are used to contain flowback water from fracking.
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How are brine ponds used to harvest salt from seawater?
Salt is an important natural resource, used both as a good product and for a variety of industrial purposes—and brine ponds are a key way to produce it.
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How are brine ponds used in the natural gas industry?
The natural gas mining process is a complex one that requires brine ponds.
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What is a brine pond?
Brine ponds are a specialized type of pond that feature a variety of different uses.
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What is the history of greenhouses?
Although humans have been experimenting with growing plants out of season since ancient times, the forerunner of the modern greenhouse can actually be attributed to a need to grow medicinal plants.
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Are there educational specialties in greenhouse design and construction, controlled environment agriculture, modified environment agricultural and alternative growing methods?
Yes, the fields of urban and alternative agriculture and applied technology are becoming mainstream.
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Should a greenhouse have a solid floor?
Large-scale commercial greenhouses, particularly those that employ alternative agricultural methods, or that grow container crops, sometimes have concrete floors with integral drain systems to facilitate plant irrigation, mechanical harvesting and cleanup of the area.
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What are the relative advantages of border planting, pots or bags for greenhouse growing?
Greenhouse gardening can be accomplished in much the same way as field planting. It's just that planting and growing occurs in a confined space, and there are some specific considerations that must be addressed.
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How does a hobby greenhouse differ from a commercial greenhouse?
It is obviously a matter of scale; a backyard or hobby greenhouse is intended to grow food and flowers for a single household or for sharing with a small group of friends and family, while commercial production is designed for profit.
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Is soil-free gardening -- like Hydroponics and Aquaponics -- suitable for a greenhouse?
Successful large-scale Hydroponic and Aquaponic companies have employed greenhouses in numerous locations throughout the United States, and in nations with diverse climates and soil conditions, including Bermuda, Israel, Spain, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
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What is the average cost of a greenhouse?
There is no easy formula for calculating the cost of a greenhouse.
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Are greenhouses just for urban growing?
No, greenhouses are adaptable to many conditions, especially when combined with new technology that facilitates cultivation of non-native plants in unique ecosystems.
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Does a greenhouse need supplementary light?
Depending on the geographic location and the plants you choose to grow, it is possible that your greenhouse will require, during at least part of the year, a supplementary source of light, both for plant growth and for general operation.
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What are the main advantages of greenhouse growing?
Since greenhouses were first introduced, the goal has been to provide a more stable environment for growing plants, including both flowers and vegetables, whether for individual use or for commercial purposes.
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What types of growing media are recommended for greenhouses?
Premixed media is common for greenhouse growers, designed to achieve recommended porosity and water retention.
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What can be grown in a greenhouse?
With few exceptions, any plants that can be grown in soil will grow in a properly designed greenhouse, while exotic flowers, fruits, vegetables and other crops that are sensitive to temperature, light and weather conditions should thrive under controlled greenhouse conditions.
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Are greenhouse plants susceptible to pest infestations, and is it possible to control pests naturally (organically) in a greenhouse?
Some common agricultural pests can be problematic in a greenhouse, and may be particularly troublesome because use of pesticides and insecticides in a covered, controlled environment is discouraged for both health and safety reasons.
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What is a High Tunnel Greenhouse?
High Tunnel is simply another term for an economical, semi-permanent, portable type of hoop house used primarily by farmers who grow crops directly in soil.
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What is a Hoop House?
Hoop houses, also known as Low or High Tunnels, are a modified form of greenhouse. They are designed to offer cover to crops planted directly in soil.
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What is the best way to control heat buildup in a greenhouse?
Basic requirements for greenhouse growing are light, moisture and the proper temperature for the crops being cultivated.
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Are greenhouses energy-efficient?
Proper siting and knowledge of greenhouse design principles, including selection of appropriate materials, are the major factors in the efficiency of modern greenhouses.
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Can greenhouses be insulated and/or temperature controlled?
The simple answer is yes, and some form of temperature modulation is always required for greenhouses. Temperature control not only compensates for seasonal variations, but also ensures that plants will tolerate the heat from afternoon sun in the summer, and will not be growth-stunted by cold air during the winter.
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