Part 5: How to build extremely simple hydroponics system

[cmybadz400]

Nice vid. What nutrients are you using and where can I pick them up at?

[TheSdveg]

When the timer is on for an hour does it automatically drain when the timer goes off?

Do you have to be physically present to turn the air-line relief valve for it to drain?

Congrats on the great, simple, easy, design.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@TheSdveg Yes, it should automatically drain. No need to be standing there. You should play with the relief valve when setting it up, it should act as a 'leak in the line' so-to-speak: it will let off enough air to allow the pressure to drain when the pump is off, but not too much open, where the system cannot pressurize when the pump is on...its a bit of fine tuning, but not impossible. Because its a small leak, it cant take up to 15 mins to drain, but thats still OK!

[gamz1993]

why cant u leave it flooded? the roots already have oxygen

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@gamz1993 You could, but then it would be a "bubbleponic" system, it has the advantage of being simple and convenient; the ebb and flow has the advantage of mimicking nature better.

[KoN312]

Interesting vid! I´m Also into Diy hydroponic systems testing for some time now. Its somekind kind of flood and drain system i think. it uses the air to also pump the water. Air is always good in the solution, but i dont like the air pump noise. At the moment im into getting air in the water just using the water(room fountain) pumps playing with venturi effect a.s.o.... If u compare both they are much more quiet and u can get nice fine bubbles.

Realy good vid an explanation! Thx for sharing!

[videogangstar]

could you do less water and use bubbleponic system and leave the the pump on with an air stone in the bottom? not fancy timing or overflowing!

[Dooobs]

For people wanting to try this - You might want a timer on the air pump to turn it on and off every hour or so. If its running all the time it will just stay flooded, unless you want to turn it on and off manually, or let it stay flooded and then you have yourself a deep water culture!

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Dooobs LOL! there IS a timer on this system! I believe i mentioned it should only flood about 4 times a day for 15-30 minutes. Later when the plant grows it will need to be flooded up to every 45 mins depending on the plants needs.

[Dooobs]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut

I figured there must be, however you don't mention it =O! You mention that the system needs to flood and drain but not that the pump needs to be on a timer/how long to run it for. Either way its pretty obvious that the pump cant be run always so I doubt anyone would. I'm just being annoying, so ignore me and carry on with your great videos sir.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Dooobs My bad! I did a bunch of videos about this system; im sure i missed other things too!

[MsNarna87]

how do you go about setting this up on like 10 of these?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@MsNarna87 daisy chain YO!

[clickftw]

ssweet this will work well with my fridge conversion grow box an ive already got the components

[HwMan]

how often do you change your water



[zorlac88]

thats sick

[ucreation24]

what type of nutes should be used with hydroponics ?

[NurSpek]

I made a similar system using Gatorade bottles pressurized by the air pump to push a drip system

[falon1000]

What if you put an airstone in this setup would it work better?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@falon1000 It could, however i found it bubbles A-OK without one.

[ebp283]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut How would it work to daisy chain 2 or 3 of these together? My initial thought is cut a second hole in the other side of the kerr jar and feed a second black tube through, but wouldn't this overflow the first jar ?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@ebp283 there indeed would be a big risk of overflow, but if the daisy chain holes are at the bottom of the jars it could be possible! I haven't attempted it, but the bubbling action would only take place in the first jar. However, I don't believe it is very important to directly bubble oxygen against the root system as there is oxygen in the liquid itself!

[RowGrowKnow]

How often do you change the water if at all? Also, is the pump on a timer or you manually turn it on 5 times a day? Thanks.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@RowGrowKnow You will need to change the liquid nutrients per the directions on the hydro fluid you are using. Typically the water needs to be changed every week, but its just a juice bottles worth of fluid so its pretty easy!

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@RowGrowKnow oh yes, the pump is on a timer, you will need to increase frequency as the plant grows, you will know to increase the flood stages when the plant looks wilted.

[ebp283]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut Would an irrigation manifold work..?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@ebp283 This may indeed be better than a daisy chain set up! but again fine tuning is needed to prevent spillage which is a big risk!

[halo3freak112]

what is the eb and flood stage?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@halo3freak112 "ebb" is the drain stage, "flood" is the bubbling stage. Easiest way to think is like low tide and high tide along an ocean shore, except this is with fresh water, with liquid ferts, in a bottle and not on a beach!

:D

[Devorvan]

I don't understand what the purpose of the bottle is for. Why would it need to be drained back?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Devorvan Its just a way to soak the roots of the plant in intervals. It helps the growth process to soak the roots and drain back, similar to a potted plant that gets watered a few times a day, then the water drains off. If the roots soak all day long, it could still work, but is a different type of hydroponics some call "bubbleponics".

I feel ebb and flow is more natural to the plant rather than soaking in water all day, and less prone to problems.

[Devorvan]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut Ah okay, thanks.

[Irishgirl41]

can you use fish tank gravel?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Irishgirl41 absolutely!

[pnkguy4]

hwy surfmonkey do you have a feeding schedule? as in like how many times a day and for how long would i run a 2 gallon?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@pnkguy4 You want to make sure that the roots of the plant is sufficiently moist throughout the day, as a seedling I would say a 20 min soak 5 times in a 24 hour period would be good, as it grows, the plant will require more moisture, you will see the root cup getting dry so you will need to increase the frequency accordingly!

[pnkguy4]

@pnkguy4 I wanted to do the same system with chilli peppers most likely ghost or habanero....any advice on feeding schedule?

[azncrunchyroll]

hey im doing this for a school project and i was wondering how much would a project like this cost?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@azncrunchyroll Hey there, most of these items are free! The only things that may cost you something is the net cup, which you may find at a hydroponics store, bring a jar with you to make sure you get a cup that will fit correctly. you may also need to buy an air pump and timer, but if you are resourceful most homes have a timer plugged into a lamp somewhere, you may be able to borrow this from your parents as well as the air pump. Most people had an aquarium at one time in their lives...

[onefourzerobpm]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut why not just take a plastic cup and make some holes at the bottom? :D

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@onefourzerobpm Sure! Net cups are only about 10-20 cents, but yes if you had a cup with holes in it or even a small flower pot, (perhaps need to drill more holes) you could use that for a 100% free route! You can even use gravel in lieu of the clay balls! I would still recommend using rock wool though.

[onefourzerobpm]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut :D

where do i get all the clay balls and the pump?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@onefourzerobpm They are called "hydroton", you can get them at a local specialty hydroponic store, or online, but you don't specifically need these, they are just inert and there for substrate support. You can use whatever is available like lava rock, crushed pumice, crushed clay pots, light pebbles, aquarium gravel...etc. just so long as it is bigger than the holes on the net cup.

[onefourzerobpm]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut alright, thanks :) one more question, whats the best food for the plants that i put in the water? the only thing they need cant be oxygen, so how many times in a week and how much of (what) do i have to put in?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@onefourzerobpm Oh yeah! Liquid nutrients!!! Thats the one thing you NEED to buy and don't cheap out on it...You can buy any type of hydroponic solution, but I recommend "General Hydroponics", you will have to buy 3 bottles, each fluid are a different color, red, green and purple. But you mix different proportions of liquids and water per each stage of your plant growth: seedling, growth, flowering stage. etc. Its the best system ive found that covers your entire plants life span...you can

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

you cna find this mixture charts on general hydroponic's website.

[onefourzerobpm]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut oh thanks, is that really the only thing i need? its just... so simple xD

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@onefourzerobpm the best things in life...!

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

cont.  you may be able to find a pump somewhere if you ask your parents or relatives?

[OFWGxS1KE1]

good shit man

[Bigevilfishy]

Mind if someone told me what pump hes using? Thanks

[fyremunky]

@Bigevilfishy He's just using an air pump... the VERY same you would use for a fish tank. The only difference between this pump and a regular fish tank pump is that "air relief valve" (the green "T" connector). This allows air flow to go in both directions, instead of just one like you would need for a fish tank. I have bought MANY for $6.

[blukatzen]

We'll see if I can do that. I laughed when JI saw "dude" I am a 53 year old college instructor...of horticulture. lol!

[blukatzen]

Hi SMC! I work in a hydroponics store in Chicagoland, and we just had a 6th grader in w/his mom doing a project, and something like this would have been nice for him to see. If he writes to me, I will definitely link your presentations to him. Thanks for your replies to my reply! ;-)

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@blukatzen Awesome dude! You should run one if these as a display in your store! It will be sure to sell some net cups and nutrients!

[blukatzen]

this is a great little video for kid's science projects, to illustrate to them how to do hydroponics/grow projects! Thanks for posting this.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@blukatzen Yes! This is a really educational project in learning the needs of plants! Hydroponics removes a single ingredient: "soil" and with it a tremendous level of complexity which is otherwise hidden; and reduces plant growing to just the essentials: water, nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, phosphate, oxygen, carbon and trace elements) and a sterile substrate the hold the roots.

You have total control and a clear view of the effects of reducing or increasing a nutrient. Which leads to

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@blukatzen cont.....a full understanding of plants!  After playing with hydroponics, I've found going back to traditional gardening with soil is now simpler than ever! (My former black thumb mostly being attributed to too little waterings!)

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@blukatzen Oh BTW there are much simpler hydroponics systems to build out there like "bubbleponics" but like i've mentioned many times before about this project is that the "ebb and flow" system is this is like a live action science toy! Its exciting and far more fun than watching endless bubbles in a container.

[diaghilev]

i did mine and it works! thanks for the idea...



[thall104]

looks like a good system , video your resolution of organics

[shtzcreek]

yeah that won't tip over.???

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@shtzcreek Nope, can not and will not. :)

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@hotboijd petco in the aquarium air tubing section!

[VA117]

nabb

[Bdiddly1]

i think this video is both informative&interesting.

[bkpickell]

A slight modification that I would recommend; is to drill another hole at the top of the jar just below the net pot. Run a hose from this hole down to your reservoir. This way you can have more water in your reservoir than you have for container capacity. Of course you may need to get a bigger pump, but it should work.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@bkpickell This would be a good overflow mod, (kinda like a feedback loop for the nutrients solution), but the bottom reservoir needs to be pressurized in order to push the nutrient solution up. If there was another hose leading to the top of the jar, it would be in-effect an air hole which would make pressurization of the reservoir impossible.

[bkpickell]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut could be possible with a check valve in the overflow so that pressure can't escape.

[bkpickell]

Respond to this video... haha.. nevermind I'm sleep deprived and just realized the check valve won't work either because the pump is always running. The ball valve can't be closed and still allow the overflow to work.. hmmm

[Retloc]

Hey I'm trying to do something similar to this and I'm having the HARDEST time cutting through my jar I'm using. Did you use a hole-saw for the glass, or more of the "standard' looking glass drill bit? I'm using the latter of the two.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Retloc I used a diamond coated glass drill bit, which looks more like a hollow cylinder. you should be able to find one on ebay. If you get one of these, either drill underwater to control the dust or use a respirator type dust mask. Glass dust, if inhaled, will silently destroy your lungs.

[zarcon42]

tha'ts great DIY.

But wouldn't it be just easier to just go Bubble bucket style? stick an air stone on the pump and put in the jar with the net pot and plug in? All done, no timers or messing with check valves, no extra tubes or holes needed, or an ugly reservoir hanging around, just tape the pump up to back side of the vase to hide, maintain water level 1 inch below net.

Drip is nice but it is old school hydro and to many components and worries.

DWC has been shown to give best yield..

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@zarcon42 Yes, you are referring to a bubbleponic/aquaponic system, its what the aerogarden is based off of. People had many successes with that. The Ebb and flow is a different system that better replicates the nutrient/water conditions as if it were planted in soil. Either way is effective, this is more hands-on but is also supposed to be a little more fun, kind of like having a live science/chemistry experiment in your kitchen!

[gearHEADZ504]

How do i get dis thing to drain

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@gearHEADZ504 it drains using gravity, that's why the reservoir is under the counter. The valve allows the air pressure to bleed which allows the liquid to drain back into the reservoir when the pump is off.

[gearHEADZ504]

How do i get one of those valves

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@gearHEADZ504 petco, its an aquarium air line valve

[harrykid]

what does this do?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@harrykid It brings awesomeness to your daily life! :D

[harrykid]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut sweet I think I`ll build it!!!!!!!!

[jeanlouis7]

bump EXPLIZIT " SEX YOU'

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@jeanlouis7 uhh, wha?

[sesergioh]

man you could do it manually and plug the air pump directly to the pot...

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@sesergioh yeah! thats kind of what the commercial 'Aerogarden' system is, just a bubbleponic tank. This is an Ebb and Flow system, different means for the same result. A little more complex, but in the long run, just a fraction of the energy consumed and I believe a better yield.

[secretconversationz]

How many buckets can be ran with this system?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@secretconversationz Depending on your air pump size, I would say up to about 5. I haven't yet tried running more than just one, although I've heard from people who tried that the air bubbles do not make it to jar #2....a few kinks need to be worked out.

[nephildevil]

that is like the coolest extremely simple hydroponics system i've seen on yt, all u really need is a pump, and u can easily cascade pots, think imma try this one

[marito001]

Is that how the level of water have to be in the net cup??? thank you

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@marito001 yes



[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@imKazik observe your system and time how long it takes for it to fill, then add about 15 minutes, (some systems take a while to fill).  You basically want a good soak on the roots, 15 mintues will do it.

[jtriplett2010]

how often are you supposed to run the pump?



[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@jtriplett2010 approx 4x a day during the light hours when the plant is small. you will need to observe wilting in the plant as it grows. When it is large, it may need to be pumped every 30 mins or so, and the reservoir may need to be refilled up to twice a day.

[198CharlesMartel198]

What are u supposed to grow with this fish?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@198CharlesMartel198 It would be more of a fish death trap rather than nursery.

[garrydjan]

Уебан!

[kansa1melb]

wudnt u just unscrew the cap on the bottle to drain the jar?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@kansa1melb Yes, you could drain it that way, but it would require you to unscrew the cap every time you want to drain the system. This was built to be a hands-off system that would go on and off while you were busy at work or perhaps out of the house doing something less-productive! :D

[AletheAWSOME]

Awesome Idea me and my buddy are building your system for our project in science

[puchpower93]

THIS IS A GREAT SYSTEM :D if you find a fixing 4 the air escaping problem let me know.. really wonder :)

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@puchpower93 YES! use an adjustable air line bleeder for aquarium air pumps, typically comes in a pack with other air line accessories at petco. You will have to adjust the knob to allow air to flow out of the line, but not so much that air cannot fill the reservoir when the pump is on!

[puchpower93]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut is that the piece that you have on it already?

peace

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@puchpower93 yes the green plastic valve! Its basically acts like a "leak in the line"

[puchpower93]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut ok thanx alot dude :)

peace

[Saac06]

@SurfMonkeyCoconut Does the tube coming out of the reservoir need to be thicker than the one that is pumping air into it?

[Mr420ways]

with the air pump that goes in to the rez why not let the air input, bubble the solution and oxygenate the solution..

[TROCITY125]

were can i buy a grament/tht rubber fitting for the tube going in the glass

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@TROCITY125 I got the rubber grommets from cableorganizer com, they have a huge selection of sizes choose on appropriate for your hose and hole.

[Deanthebassplayer1]

hey, so how exactly would you set a timer to flood the jar 4 times a day for 15 minutes. Ive only known timer to do 2 sessions.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Deanthebassplayer1 im planning to make a quick video on this, but haven't been able to get to it just yet! They sell timers these days without those removable prongs, rather they have tabs that either pop in or out at 15 minute intervals, and even better they only cost about $5 at walmart. Much more useful than the old standard.

[Deanthebassplayer1]

Shouldnt the clear ocean spray bottle and the clear air tubing be covered so that no light gets in to make algae?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Deanthebassplayer1 it can stay clear as long as it is out of direct sunlight, in y case it is under the counter so it is only exposed to indoor daylight, and the solution is changed every week. The jar needs to be blacked out mostly so that the roots are shaded.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Musicandsports12 yep! You got it! In the seedling stage the plant doesn't consume much liquid, you just need to keep the rock wool moist. When the plant gets bigger, you will need to increase the frequency of flooding, at nearly full sized, the pump should go on about every hour or so for 15 mins. you will know when to increase when the plant begins to look wilted. You will also need to add water to the jar about 3 times a day.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@Musicandsports12 its a 10 gallon Tetra Whisper aquarium pump. About $10 from petsmart or walmart

[jabonosa1]

Gracias. Muy bueno el video. Muy didáctico. :)

[shawn6289]

Ok cool everything is working, thanks for your help. How long do you have it oxygenating the water after it is full. I got mine set for 30min is that too long/short or perfect?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@shawn6289 30 mins is perfect! The flooding is also giving the roots enough time to hydrate! There is lots of oxygen available when the roots are in the drain stage!

[shawn6289]

Hey, I had success with everything except draining it; other than me releiving the pressure manually. What is the connector who have attached? Also what do you have your timer set to for this to go off, and what kind of timer is it?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@shawn6289 use one of those cheap plastic air hose valves, the adjustable knob allows you to fine tune the air relief. You can find these in the aquarium section of your local pet store or petsmart etc.  The timer is just a $10 'security timer' found at home depot that turns on lamps and such while you are away. It just turns on and cuts power to the pump automatically. You will want to flood 4 times/day while its a seedling, and increase this occurrence as plant grows larger!

[a10fjet]

And it doesn't leak?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@a10fjet not a drip unless it overflows caused by overfilling the reservoir! We will do another series on this soon! For winter indoor growing!

[chiledilly]

Drilling through glass! ...thats funny.... ever hear of this stuff called plastic?

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@chiledilly LOL! Check out "part 1" the system was all plastic parts, we changed to a glass jar because it has more weight and doesn't tip over as easily. I guess a really thick acrylic container will do too, but glass jars are a dime a dozen, more durable and can be completely sterilized between growing sessions.

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@502redneck approx 4x a day during the light hours when the plant is small. you will need to observe wilting in the plant as it grows. When it is large, it may need to be pumped every 30 mins or so, and the reservoir may need to be refilled up to twice a day.

[ChicenFriedPork]

very cool i would like to build this myself but where did you buy the air pump

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@ChicenFriedPork its an aquarium pump, so any pet store that sells fish!

[TDTF007]

Many thanks SMC !!

Gonna build one of these when the ordered bits arrive :)

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@TDTF007 awesome! Yes I failed to mention all the bits cost money too...so here we go: air pump, liquid nutrients, hoses, connectors (if needed), air line, air line valves, spray paint, net cup, hydro pellets, rock wool, seeds, jar, glass drill bit, drill, juice container...whew that is a lot. I actually had all this on hand, but if starting with absolutely nothing, this could cost some money.

[cfishfly]

i made sum thing like this but, instead of a valve piece i found out if u make a very small hole at the to of your resevour, (like the size of a safety pin) it works pritty well with any pump u find.

[Dosco1981]

@cfishfly thanks for advise works perfect

[7073436118]

thanx for posting the video! its all about the air pressure for the water to go up to the plant! the botle where the nutrients go needs to be air tight or else it wont work right?!

[branfrog]

@7073436118 That's correct! The nutrient container needs to be air tight so the air pump can build up pressure to push the liquid down into the feed tube.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Great system! Sorry I was not able to come up with a reliable DIY air bleeder valve. I thought I was getting close but I just couldn't make one sensitive enough. It looks as though you have the solution handled just fine. :)

[SurfMonkeyCoconut]

@FenderGibsonWashburn Hey thanks anyway, it was a cool theoretical project! Its great that you were thinking about it so extensively! I had planned to see what you were up to by reproducing your BB/ball point pen check valve, but never got around to it.

The cheap plastic aquarium relief valve is really sufficient, available at any fish store, and pretty much works as a 'leak in the air line'.