Ok! So I started with 4x “really useful boxes” 35l boxes with standard lids in a DWC setup, I hated it. Simply hated it.
So I bought another random plastic box that was a very similar in height in my original boxes. I also bought
6x 25mm tank bulkheads
5x 13mm tank bulk heads (with connectors at each end)
4x 13mm in-line valve
4x 25mm equal tee connector
5x 13mm equal tee connector
3m 25mm iceline pipe
3m 13mm iceline pipe
7m air hose
(Pipe length to suit your upset)
1x four outlet air pump
1x Maxijet MJ500 waterpump
4x 6” air stones
Seems like quite the list when I write it all out.
That looks better.
But basically the water pump, pumps water out of the control bucket (clear lid, no plant in it.) and in to the manifold, so basically a 13mm equal tee with one side going to the next bucket and the tee splits to a valve then a bulkhead on a plant pot.
This way each plant pot has individual control of water flow in to it, this is super important, other wise you’ll get uneven water flow across all buckets, you kinda have to balance the whole thing.
Much easier than it sounds.
You can see the control valve to the bucket here.
Then each plant pot has one return 25mm at the bottom and the control pot has 2x 25mm bulkheads for the return flow.
Similar lay out to the smaller pipe work using equal tee connectors.
Hope that makes a bit of sense
That’s the water feed coming out of the top, then the returns coming out of the bottom. The whole thing is such low current I’m not so worried about roots in pipe work, but it does takes a while to circulate the system when mixing nutes and taking ph and EC readings.
Then drill holes at the top of each flower pot, run your airline attach your stones and pump and your off!
The nicest part of designing my own is that I use the same net pots, so once they are ready for the flower room I can just lift the pots, roots and all and drop them in there final home easily!
Also best bit of designing your own is playing with it, want bigger pipes, sprays bars and the works, you can!
Bookmarks