S/H Troughs

[taipan]

Hi
I would appreciate some info on designing a trough for S/H. The only plants that will be in there ( for the moment) are the wet loving Phrags eg Ph.hirtzii etc. the pots I have are clear plastic with holes at the bottom & a very thin slit about 2" high from just above the bottom of the pot. I would like to pump water from a reservoir into the trough on a continual basis. The trough is not very big approx 10 ft long & 14 inches wide. The trough will be in a small Glass house with Airconditioning ( set at 25 max) as it is located in Bangkok & the temps range from a bare minimum of 12 to 15 C at night for about 6 to 8 weeks with max temps. ranging from high twenties ( during those 6 to 8 weeks ) and mid 30's to low 40's for the rest of the year

[Ray]

I suggest against doing that for two reasons:

1) Sharing a reservoir of liquid is the ideal way to share plant pathogens.

2) By watering from the bottom, rather than flushing thoroughly by heavy watering from the top of the pot, you will be concentrating the nutrient minerals and plant waste products in the medium as the water evaporates from the top, ultimately poisoning the plants.