Update
Well... I have been working on the DIY Drip System for the top area of the grow unit...I have a bunch of pics and even a video of the first test run of the water pump all hooked up and running
To be honest, heres the problem with DIY, yes it "CAN" be cheap, but if you dont have ANY pieces to the puzzle at all, it starts to add up quickly! You may find that a tubing you need 4 feet of only comes in 50feet or more packages, not sold by the foot! And even a tubing you need 40 feet of is ONLY sold by the foot and its crazy expensive by the foot...It just depends on what u may have already lying around, some may have to start with nothing and spend a little more $$ or some may have spare tubing and pieces from an old Aquarium they had a few years back or something... Just really depends on what u have to work with
Ok....with that being said, I had nothing to start with! LOL, so this was not the cheapest build ever but it was not crazy expensive..ended up with a TON of spare tubing (hence the needing 4 feet thing, LOL) and spare pvc and spare end tube holders and spare bits n pieces, so in the end it wasnt that bad considering i have all kinds of stuff to make repairs and such, or expand later at a minimal cost out of pocket then. Total spent so far on just the DIY hydro setup is a little over $130... trays, pump, pvc, tubing, connectors,net pots,and all the "stuff" to build it...well worth the savings by DIY
Anyway, I am going to attempt to show u some of the steps i took putting it together but i kinda got caught up in the build and taking pictures kinda came and went out of my mind periodically... So i will just post some pics and you guys can figure it out im guessing, its not done by any means, i just wanted to update a little...
This is it all put together, but not laying flat on the top of the container lids...the tubing come rolled up and i still have to work out the bend in it so it will lay flat on the top
Heres a picture of the pump hooked up and pumping water just like it would when placed on top pf the lids with the net pots installed and plants in them
Close up! Thats 1/2" PVC pipe going into 1/2" PVC t connector, then up and out with 1/2" black plastic tubing then to 1/4" tubing via 1/4" hose connectors and a hole punch
This is a picture of the "end cap" so to speak...its called a "figure 8" end crimp or something...basicly it allows you to just undo and extend if you like or keep it sealed off...
Heres how it should flow into the center of the net pots sunk into the surface of the container lids...you will see once im done if u cant picture it now
Grow medium and the 6" net pots...Hydroton is the medium...
And heres what we use to clean the Hydroton and the containers and all that stuff before we use any of it growing plants
Clean is BETTER, remember that!
To Be Continued....
