this ai bubble is going to burst any minute now, and we all know what that means: cheap data centre rack space in huge quantities.

[Gast]

this ai bubble is going to burst any minute now, and we all know what that means: cheap data centre rack space in huge quantities.

can we use server racks to grow salad instead of swindle? i set out to find out: https://sa.lj.am/rack-mount-hydroponics/

[Gast]

this ai bubble is going to burst any minute now, and we all know what that means: cheap data centre rack space in huge quantities.

can we use server racks to grow salad instead of swindle? i set out to find out: https://sa.lj.am/rack-mount-hydroponics/

[Gast]

(the answer is obviously no it's a stupid idea but i had fun)

[Gast]

@sa This is *delightful* - thank you for sharing!

[Gast]

@sa You might like https://futurerack.info/main.php

[Gast]

@sa Wait racks are being sold for cheap?? Oh it’s bad bad

[Gast]

@sa it looks like a success, what didn't work well?

[Gast]

@piggo @sa In the right environment it's definitely not a stupid idea. It won't necessarily compete with regular farms, but where you can reduce transport it can definitely work: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/04/underground-vegetable-garden-sustainable-farming/

Aquaponics would be fun too (basically turn your bottom sump into a fish tank, fish waste takes the place of fertiliser)

[Gast]

@sa @andrew This is pretty neat and I appreciated the Fifth Element joke in the cron job.

[Gast]

@sa Oh, when I saw the salad photos and read the beginning of toot I thought this was a Liz Truss "Will the bubble last longer than this salad?" thing.

[Gast]

@sa Do you know Jeb and the Kratky method ?
https://youtu.be/5z0NaYpVHMs

[Gast]

@sa aziz LIGHT!

[em@lsbt.me]

@sa *has no money to even buy reduced RAM*

[Gast]

@sa I....Want.This.

[Gast]

@piggo it's a terrible use of resources and space. a much cheaper rack can give you more space to grow stuff. purpose-built hydroponics trays have much better drainage, which means fewer puddles and less algae.

also, you really don't want excessive humidity in a server room. you don't want any leaks there either.

[Gast]

@hank @sa I got 3 high IBM racks with glass doors etc. Main issue: They are designed for airflow, so all stuff inside collects a lot of dust if used in a "normal" room.

I moved them to our vaulted cellar as storage space. It just fits along the highest part. Down there, the airflow is actually good so there are no issues with dampness/mold.

[Gast]

@piggo @sa The yield is fairly small for the total space used.

[Gast]

@sa

I kinda want to put one of these pictures on linkedin and /cc AWS and ask which of their services I've to book for this

[Gast]

@sa the 19inch racks are also nice for lfp battery storage, maybe there is an opportunity for further experiments?

[Gast]

@sa Mmm, microplastics in my lettuce.