Introduction: Home Built Hydroponics Growing System

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Hydroponics is an agriculture technology, growing food/flower without soil. Many different kinds of hydroponics method are available. It is beyond the scope of this instructable to comprehensively evaluate the pros & cons. In this instructable, I am going to focus on my current choice after evaluating them over the past many years.

Every approach has its pros & cons. My optimization is to minimize the labor effort to build the system by hand, and small size in terms of a backyard gardener.

This video taken on May 14th gives a system overview of my complete setup and its working principles. https://youtu.be/2OulpEGWKOE

This instructable can only provide a briefing on the hydroponic setup tested over years of operation. Hopefully it at least helps the reader a little bit when deciding whether to explore this way of agriculture or not.

Supplies

Supplies for the mechanical structure

  • 2-in x 3-in x 96-in Whitewood S4See Kiln-dried Stud https://www.lowes.com/pd/2-in-x-3-in-x-8-ft-Whitewood-Stud-Common-1-5-in-x-2-5-in-x-96-in-Actual/1000507375
  • Wood Screws

Supplies for water system

  • Charlotte Pipe PVC Sewer Main 4 in. D X 10 ft. L Bell 0 psi https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/pipe/corrugated-and-drain-pipe/43299
  • 2-in Bi-Metal Arbored Hole Saw https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-2-in-Bi-Metal-Arbored-Hole-Saw/1000593877
  • 27-Gallon (108-Quart) container https://www.lowes.com/pd/COMMANDER-27-Gallon-108-Quart-Black-Yellow-Tote-with-Standard-Snap-Lid/3551290

Supplies for electrical system

  • Pump and timer

Step 1: Build the Mechanical Structure

Depending on the size of your garden, personal preference, you may choose to build an "A" shaped structure, or a square shaped structure. The function of the structure is to:

  1. make sure the gravity brings the nutrient water from inlet to outlet and returns to the reservoir eventually
  2. provide support for the vein to climb upward, such as the ropes dropping from the overhead beams
  3. strong enough since the mature plants can be quite heavy. I tend to add 45 deg supporting structure

Step 2: Water Flow Pipes

  1. Use a Hole Saw to cut 2" hole in the PVC pipe.
  2. each PVC pipe is 10 feet in length, you may connect multiple ones to fit your garden size, or your support structure frame size built in step 1.
  3. If you have "n" parallel 4" pipes, you need to 3D print "n+1" pieces of the STL file pvcPipeCap_v4small.STL. It directs the water to the perpendicular water collection pipe, then direct the water to the washing machine sewage pipe.
  4. A storage container as nutrient water reservoir.

Attachments

Step 3: Electrical System

The key of the electrical system, which drives the nutrient water circulation, is not how expensive the pump or timer controller is, but the non-stop working.

I tried 30 sec watering every 10 minutes interval, vs. 3 mins every 10 mins, and they produce no observable difference in the sample size of 50-60 plants, for tomato and pepper.

We don't want the pump to run continuously because:

  1. all electrical device has a life expectation
  2. the root needs time to breath the air

I use solar panel to power my system, but that is an optional choice.

Step 4: Nutrient Water

The easiest way is to buy some liquid or powder concentrates. Follow the instruction manual and dilute it with the right amount of water. For example, I use some powder concentrates, the mixing ratio is 6 grams/gallon water. To fill my 27 gallon tank, it takes 162 gram of solid form nutrient.

Step 5: Choice Between Seeds & Seedlings

Starting from seeds is more difficult than starting from a seedling, since the seed starting is almost a completely independent topic to study.

Step 6: Observe and Study

After all, it is journey of discovering new knowledge.