Hydoponic garden - Gravity feed

Step 5 Plant Trays

Plant Tray tubes

I use rectangular section hydroponic tube (100 x 75 ) but before this I used standard plastic house hold guttering / spouting.

Step a)
First cut your tube to size to fit your space / number of plants -( the most I have grown with one valve has been 1.5m /10 plants) this is best done with a table saw or band saw for a nice straight cut, other wise use a hack saw.

Step b)
File the cut edge nice and tidy, apply the appropriate glue and press the end caps on and leave to dry.(fig.09)

Step c)
Take your smart valve complete with cover and mark out its size + small allowance so that it will fit with ease in to the tube and sit on the base. Using a jig saw or hand saw, now cut the marked flap out beginning careful not to cut closer than 5mm to the sides or end flap - file the cute edges and try valve and cover for fit.(fig.10)

Step d)
Turn the tray tube over and at the opposite end to the valve location, mark a centre for a drain hole - to match the grommets for the diameter of drain tube you are going to use ( i have used garden irrigation pipe at both 13mm or 4mm.

There are two ways to control the flow of water from a drain tube - the best being to place a tap it, in this illustration i have placed the tap first then connected the tube but in hindsight it would be easier to insert the drain tube in to the grommet and then place the tap some where else in the drain tube.

if you are using flexiable drain tube like the 4mm type, then instead of a tap you can just loop it around above the tray tube height, bend the end back on its self and tie it closed like that.

Step e)
Secure the tray tube in a vice, and hold your choice of pots up against the end cap to calculate which measurement of the cup is level with the top of the Tray tube. (mine are tapered)
Mark out the diameters on the top surface of the tube with a centre mark.
( I found it was best to alternate left and right - see fig.12)

Step f)
Set up your hole saw to cut out the plastic circles

>> critical comment - through a combination of errors here ( the drill on my hole saw was bent, I didnt drill pilot holes, and my hands were in the wrong place I managed to interrupt my drilling to visit the doctors ( fig. 13) I was lucky !<<<<)

Also be sure that the standard pilot drill bit on the hole saw doesnt reach the bottom of the tube - you dont need a hole below!

My recommendation is you use the hole saw attached to a drill press with your fingers well away, if you dont have a drill press, then first drill a pilot hole in each centre,
when it comes to cutting the circles out of the tube.

Step g)
File the cute edges.

Step h)
Measure down the centre of the tube top approx. 100 - 150mm and mark a centre, - drill one 4mm hole in the top of the tube. This is for the nutrient tube to enter and pass back to the valve.(fig.23)

step i)
place the smart valve in place, feed the inlet tube through this hole and then back inside along the base of the tube tray to the valve and connect.