Home Made Ebb and Flow or Flood and Drain system. DIY Hydroponics

[vacazack]

I'm going on vacation tomorrow how do I build one please get back I'm all about DIY

[bulletproof2353]

i was thinking of the emergency blanket thing too, much cheaper than the sun @fendergibsonwashburn leaves mylar i bought, but wont it have creaces in it? i heard that was bad as it can focus light at one area of a plant and cause burning, alot of advice i have heard says just to paint walls white,and that is just as good, also what does the petcock do in ebb and flow systems? is it just an overflow tube? or is there anymore complex valve or plumbing to it?

[HomebrewCigarSmoker1]

I use bus tubs for both. medium and reservoir.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@HomebrewCigarSmoker1 You are in good company. A You Tube friend of mine rwkleinman is a fan of using bus tubs also. He was building hydroponic systems back when you and I were still in elementary school. :)

[HT0WNTX713]

I'm motivated, i didn't realize it was that easy. i know it takes a few times to get it right but something from nothing is always something great to me !!

[coal4life]

Been thinking bout getting a cement mixing tray from Home Depot and ordering a fill and drain fitting kit from pchydrodotcom along with a submersible pump and a timer. Low buck and easy to build. Some emergency blankets on the walls and getting over the large coin for a good light, a poor man can get his meds for the matrix reality that's puttin' the hurt on all of us. 9/11 was an inside job.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@coal4life Sounds like an excellent plan to me. I know the exact tub you are talking about because I was looking it over too. Those emergency blankets are just thinner, I don't see why they wouldn't work the same. Remember to use plastic tape, not duct tape unless it's the aluminum stuff. Check your local Craig's list for used industrial Metal Halide lights. I've seen them as cheep as $20 for 400 watts. For that price you could afford a HPS converter bulb also. Have fun! :)

[signalfire6]

@FenderGibsonWashburn Silver emergency blankets for a dollar at the Dollar Store :)

[terrellemail]

@coal4life Big ups to the guerilla ganja man, growing your own meds is the way to go. And no doubt it was a zionist hatched inside job. Best wishes. Smokin good....

[gorskibot]

Is it possible to simply have the tube that lets the water in be right at the bottom of the upper container, so as to avoid having to drill more holes, etc? Thanks!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@gorskibot Good observation. This is the first system I ever built so I was still learning. Matter of fact I'm still learning now. lol Yes that would be the way to do it properly. It's much easier with heavier plastic and proper connectors but this is for someone who may not have the money or the ability to make such a connection. If you design a better way that uses common available parts I would love to hear about it. Thanks for the question. :)

[gorskibot]

@FenderGibsonWashburn Thanks. Yeah im a beginner too, just doing some research before i get started with the system. What kind of heavier plastic would you recommend? Something at a gardening store or home depot maybe...but your video was quite informative, i was planning on using the same type of container but i never thought about the issue of it swelling. I think ill start out with a little system using one of those 5 gallon paint buckets for the resevoir. A large paint container would work.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@gorskibot You are on the right track. 5 gallon buckets work great for hydroponics, as reservoirs and as containers for the plants. The heavy duty Rubber maid totes work well too. The problem they have is the large ones tend to warp from the weight of the water. Another great container is old plastic coolers. Some times you can find them at garage sales pretty cheap. Also you can build containers out of wood and line them with a layer or two of heavy duty plastic.

[gorskibot]

@FenderGibsonWashburn good ideas! Never thought of the plastic cooler....might end up using that :) thanks for your quick correspondence and I hope your hydroponic system is working out for you.

[LookieLoudLou]

thanks

[fearloathing420]

how long should the water sit around the roots of the plant?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@fearloathing420 About 5 minutes is usually plenty of time but the best you can hope for with inexpensive timers is 15 minutes. The grow media, humidity, temperature, and the plant itself determines the frequency.

[morningmayan]

I think the music is amazing thanks for adding it:))) Very talented!!!

[zcarporn]

whats the specs on the pump? (gpm or lpm)

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@zcarporn This was just a tiny pump from a table top fountain. I think around 80 GPH. It works out to be 1.33 gpm.

[zcarporn]

@FenderGibsonWashburn - Cool thanx... For something that small i didnt want to over do it power/flow wise.

Cheers

[jcgtv2]

What is with the redneck music in all the ebb and flow videos?!  All the talking and no information!!!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@jcgtv2 I have another video that explains what is going on here watch?v=tAzxwpgnVhc and not so much redneck music.

[MrSamNC]

Great way to recycle products! My only concern is with using net pots on an ebb and flow. The roots will tend to dry out in between ebb cycles. Other than that, great!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@MrSamNC Thanks, I like to reuse items in my systems whenever I can. As long as the plants don't wilt between cycles all is good. I guess it's something about the cycles that promote the plant to grow. It makes the roots seek out water and therefore grow longer. That's my understanding anyway.

[andrewbobbin]

@FenderGibsonWashburn the idea of this system is to miminise root growth so the rotts dont search for water as the pellests in the nets hold water.. and for roots drying out! have no holes in the bottom drilled and lower the inlet so about and inch of water sits in the bottom of your system all the time.. but make sure air gets to the roots too

[bluecar5556]

@MrSamNC If the roots never have a chance to dry out, they will root rot and stun or kill the plant!

[lastpatriot4America]

right on cool and easy

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@lastpatriot4America Thank you! Although it's piratically a toy it taught me a lot about hydroponic systems.

[airborne373]

Great song.

[coveredinblood1111]

It looks like a General Hydroponics Waterfarm sort of. Not sure how this contraption would work for growing in a real world environment but time and again I see videos posted on how to build a "simple" hydroponics setup. To me the only simple system is a wick system because it has no moving parts. That is simplicity. The truth of the matter hydroponics is not simple. You need a PH meter, nutrients, PH up solution, PH down. You need to change the reservoir water once a week and the list goes on

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@coveredinblood1111 This system is as real world as an Easy Bake Oven. It's a toy to learn about hydroponics. Maybe it's just my generation, it used to be hydroponics only existed in university labs. The fact that it can be done at home with so few supplies is amazing. Two years later I do not own a PH meter. Litmus paper works and I have never used anything more exotic than lemon juice to lower PH. Once a week is simple compared to the daily watering, weeding, and care needed for a garden.

[paddock01]

@coveredinblood1111 yeah dont be weak

[thegame52291]

what happens if you dont pull the plug?..overflow?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@thegame52291 No, it will only go as high as the overflow tube. Not only does the overflow tub prevent an overflow, it sets the fill level of the flood table. The pump could run for several minutes and never cause an overflow which is nice because then you don't have to buy an expensive timer. Check out my video "Build your own Ebb and Flow / Flood and Drain Hydroponics System DIY Animated Version" for a better explanation of the overflow tube. Thanks for the question :)

[infoims]

WONDREFUL!!!!!

[WolfSpiritWalk]

I saw your video on hydro-gardening. You seem to care about helping the environment and not just out there trying to sell a hydro system, I thought you might be willing to answer a few of my questions. 1. I have a worm farm/compost bin. Can I use "worm tea" to fertilize? I do not like chemical fertilizers. 2. What types of growing media have you used, wool, rocks, perlite, STG, etc. which do you prefer? 3. Do you prefer E&F, floating table, drip method, etc.? Thanks for helping a "newbie".

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@WolfSpiritWalk 1. I don't know for sure because I never tried it as a fertilizer but it's my understanding it's used as a soil amendment or foliar spray. There is organic fertilizer available for hydroponic systems. 2. Personally I've used Hydroton, Pea Gravel, Volcanic Rock and STG. I prefer Hydroton. 3. I've built systems using E&F, Top Drip, Sub-Aeration (Bubbleponic), The cool thing is they all work really well. No need to limit yourself to one type of system. Hope this helped.

[maslabud]

make sure you change the top container to a coloerd conatianer, you dont want light inside shining on your roots also it/ w8ll prevent algae

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@maslabud You are absolutely correct. This is a toy system if you will. I have learned so much from building and using this.

[christianz2010]

how often do you turn it on?how many times a day or every7 what number of minutes?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@christianz2010 There is no one easy answer. I use a cheap timer on this one. It turns on for half an hour every four hours. Many people will say an half hour is too long but it worked for me. If used in a hotter environment maybe every three hours. Rule of thumb: If the plants wilt before the on cycle you need to make it more often. If they wilt after the on cycle the cycle is too long. Ebb and Flow is a pretty forgiving system. I hope this helps.

[MrFennmeista]

Nice video.. great music too... Makes me wanna open a cold 1 and spark a rocheroo..

[taufactor]

That's a cool DIY system! All the water, nutrients, and oxygen a plant could need, and easily automated. No drowning, no feast or famine, and easy to fine-tune to suit the plant's needs.

Really dug the music too. Certainly suits my mood right now : )

[ThanksgivingWalk]

Video well done. Great job on the captions.

Really enjoyed the music; probably watch again to listen to the music.

Thanks for sharing.

[trucklover9]

you should put a couple of feeder goldfish in the system. make sure you dont have any chemicals in the system or plant growth liquid. it would make a cool little aquaponics system.

[onxiaftw]

Whats this the fu@#ing WILD WEST?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@onxiaftw no

[ColdLightProductions]

@onxiaftw

lmao

[growwwww]

your fill line is to tall or should have holes all over the fill line to allow excess water to drain through the fill line

[ctcgabriel]

nice but the name of song and singer pls

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@ctcgabriel I put it in the video at 0:30. Because I've answered it in the comments a couple times.

[dje0624]

always enjoy your videos, you mention that its good for starting systems, but what about a small herb garden and instead of netpots you could fill the bottom with say hydroton or something. Im considering trying it, I love how small and simple it is. Thanks again for the post!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@dje0624 Yes I think it would work for a small herb garden. Make sure to paint or cover the flood table in some way as others have pointed out. Please keep me posted on how it works out for you.

[lonestarracheal]

amazing! i love seeing homemade systems, get anything you cannot make at lonestarhydroponics/com

[deathwish666777]

awsome! perfect size i was looking for.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@deathwish666777 Cool. You will want to do something to the flood table like paint it black or cover it in foil to keep the light out.

[citystarsskatemt]

hey so i don't understand the overflow tube is it just at tube attached to a certain level of the tray that drains any excess water back to the reservoir? good vid man diggin it

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@citystarsskatemt Actually you do understand it, that's exactly what it does. It allows you set the solution level to fill to any height you want. I'm happy you enjoyed the video.

[sensi42069]

nice work, very good for first time. What water pump are you using, in other words, how many GPH (gallons per/hr.)?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

This system uses a tiny 30gph pump I had for a table top fountain. It only needed to lift the solution a few inches and only has to fill this small container. This was built from things I had around the house. I only had to buy a foot of plastic hose and the net pots. I've since started using used yogurt cups since they are same size as 3" net pots. Thanks for the kind comment.

[zackz33333]

Man..!! I DIG THAT MUSIC....

[hackertc]

Hey, why you don't make a hole in the lowest point of the tray and pump the water from there and when it reaches highest point just stop the pump and the water will return from back to the tank

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@hackertc There are many ways to do this. This is simply the way I chose to do it. If you build one as you described I would love to see a video about it. Creativity is a wonderful thing and a lot of fun too. Thanks for the comment.

[tight4soundz]

So how many times a day are you suppose to flood and drain the system?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@ tight4soundz I had the pump turn on every 4 hours while the lights were on for this system. Depending on the type of media and things like humidity and temperature that can vary.

[finegoldtube]

Great style and innovation!This is the first hydroponic vid I've seen that actually shows the flood part of the system.

Music selection was great as well.

[TooChill]

Great vid. Great tune in the background, who is it?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

It's Wes Houle. The song is "Blue Mountain Sky" from his album "A Time Of Legends". I found it when I did the audio swap.

[DiabolicTut0r]

nice video man..thanks

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

thank you dude..your welcome

Thanks for the comment :)

[oneluvpitbull]

I can't tell which part of the video I liked more...

The system was pretty interesting but that Guitar kept me watching the whole video.

Touché sir!

[RickMarr4124]

That's real, what's this guitar slide solo song called???

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I have had several people ask about the music. I'll add it to the video.

[camelkk]

would this system be good for tomatoes? and how about flowers like daisies and marigolds? thanks for posting this video

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

This would only be good for starting plants. It's way to small to grow plants to full size.

[weldonbuster]

Nice. I think an improvement would be to install an overfill drain; a tube higher than the fill. I would also utilize a timer for the irrigation cycle thus eliminating "pulling the cord". Please note that after the pump turns off, the fluid will drain back into the bucket through the fill; thus eliminating the need to drill drain holes. A low level of nutrient solution in the bottom of the tray is nessesary for roots.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@weldonbuster That's the cool part about building your own system. You can take something like I have here and improve on it. It really is a lot of fun.

[adimeshort]

great sounding amp and guitar! who is it?

[Armornone]

Where are the freaking plants?

[dddproject]

do the plants grow? soap is toxic.

[tatirokos]

Wow, That's neat. you could add a float switch to turn it off and a lowpressure switch to turn it back on. Good job!

[lg160475]

lol ,

[420apbt4life]

damn good vid i want one lol

[gus361]

if i choose to throw gold fish into the bottom half, would that take care of the nutrients?does cannabis like that kind of nutes?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

The short answer is no. What you are refering to is Aquaponics. Unfortunately aquaponics is more complicated than that. I would recomend doing a search for "Aquaponics". There are many good videos here on You Tube and lots of free information on the internet. Otherwise you could try it and see what happens. It would make an intresting experiment. Ask for FEEDER fish when you buy goldfish. Usually it's the same fish at a much cheaper price. Have fun!

[krs51505150]

never use a bucket that has had soap or any other chemicals in it to grow plants in or even water them.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Never? Does that rule only apply to buckets? I have another system I made where I used a plastic coffee can. I'm pretty sure that container used to contain the chemical compound trimethylxanthine. LOL lighten up.

[bk0mel]

hahaha

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@bk0mel LOL?

[bk0mel]

Yea haha! I made a more intriquite version of this,I never knew it could be that easy

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I figure whatever works. I've seen a flood and drain system that is so simple it doesn't even use a water pump and another system that use 2 water pumps a dedicated timer a 3 float switches. The cool part is that they all work.

[BlackHack911]

so is the water circulation a big deal if you were to switch the water everyday without the pump?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

You can build a system without circulating the water but then it wouldn't be an Ebb and Flow.

You can just have hydroponic solution in a tub and blow air into it with an aquarium pump and it will grow plants. Do a search for Bubbleponics to see an example.

Keep in mind, you need to use hydroponic solution, just plain water won't work for very long.

[jjrants]

haha!! That's great! I just got my setup going. (same thing... built it myself). I have one drip, and one ebb & flow. The part that sucks is that the funnest part is building the thing! Staring at the plants grow is boring! Kudos! great setup!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I agree! I really like putting stuff together to make it work. Once the plants start growing it's just maintaining the system. The only advice I can give you is to build bigger more complicated systems. I learn something new and find better ways with each system I build.

[Th3End34]

i always assumed you left the solution there for the medium to soak up.but thanks for showing a system in action which a lot of other videos don't do.much more helpful. how often during a one day period do you feed , ?if possible maybe actual time.?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Here's how I ran this one. Different people will have different advice but this is what worked for me. Lights come on at 7am shuts off at 11pm.. Pump also turns on at 7am then again at 11am, 3pm, 7pm, 11pm, ever 4 hours while the lights are on. The pump runs for half an hour each time. 15 minutes would be ok but I have a couple cheap timers for this system that only do half hour settings. Hope this helps. Have Fun!

[leonardjr88]

NICE gives me alot of ideas now

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

That's great. That's exactly what I want to do is give people ideas. This is just one system built with easily obtainable parts. I want people to see you don't need to spend a ton of money. All you really need is a little knowledge and imagination. Have fun!

[Gr33nRoCKs]

Genius =)

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Thank you.

[1hunterdale]

i seen one persons ebb and flow system he used a 4/8 foot tray and he had 180 plants in it wow after that i stad away from his house shit

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I don't have room for anything that big. LOL

[1hunterdale]

well spend the money and get a 400 walt light over them their get big fast

[yogicacher]

pumera  porqueria he visto cosas mejores

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Soy tan feliz para usted. Gracias por el comentario.

[FoSbaKiaS]

am encouraged now bro!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Cool, Hydroponics is a great way to grow just about anything.

[Devianttactics]

nice lil homeade system you have going there... i am about to make my first one soon. I am gonna be doing mine on a bit larger scale... hope all your plants turn out wel!!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Thanks for the kind comment. This is a small system. I built it mostly to learn about Hydroponics and is a good foundation for future projects. If you want to do any serious growing you will need something larger. Good luck with your system and have fun!

[keepitacrime]

awsome im trying to learn how to make my own hydroponic but as a musician i was far more interested in the audio track with this video, its awsome who is it? its very swamp bluesy

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

It's Wes Houle. The song is Blue Mountain Sky from his album A Time Of Legends.

[onlygusgus]

hello i was wondring about a system im about to use, or if its going to work good. i have almost the same set up, but what i want to do is just leav the pots in the water about in inch, and let the roots just hang in the water the whole time thru, of course changing the water ever 2 weeks. but with an air pump in the water so the roots get oyxegen, so im wondering if this will work? or will this kill the plants with to much water or oxygen? please help me with my question thanks again.

[onlygusgus]

hey i wanted to ask a question also, what if you have the same kinda of system you have, but with the pots in the water just an inch, but the water never drains you just leave it in there with the roots just hanging int he water the whole time. of course changing the water ever 2 weeks. but with an air pump in the water so it gives the roots oxygen the whole time. will it kill the plants? kill them with to much water? or will it work good? please help me with this question

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

This is an Ebb and Flow type system. What you are describing is what a lot of people call Bubbleponics or the more scientific term is Sub-Aeration. The good news is yes it should work. Be sure to add the proper nutrient solution to the water and plenty of air. I think you will be amazed how well it works. Do a search on the web and here on You Tube for "Bubbleponics". Good luck with your project and have fun!

[162930224]

Hi! I am working on building my own hydroponics system and there are a few questions that I wanted to ask you. What kind of nutrients did you utilize to grow your herbs? Does your net pots have holes? And lastly lol, how many floods a day do you perform? THANKS!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I'm happy to answer your questions. #1. I used General Hydroponics 3 part Flora series. (you only need a few teaspoons per gallon of water. instructions are on each bottle) #2. Yes, thats why their called NET pots. #3. 4 times a day for half an hour. 15 minutes is probably long enough but my timer only did half hour settings. Don't be afraid to experiment. Have Fun!

[162930224]

Thank you, and I will def have fun!

[reckdrummer]

good video real informative for beginners! dont forget to mention or remember for yourself, that your entire system should be entirely dark. one it is bad for the roots to see light, and two the light hitting the water can cause algae growth and rob your real plants of nutrients

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

The points you make are true. To be fair, this is pretty much a working toy version of a hydroponics system. It was an inexpensive introduction to hydroponics and it taught me a lot. I would still recommend building this to anyone who enjoys learning by doing the way I do. Thank you for your comment and your advice is always welcome.

[reckdrummer]

def a good starter video. i would suggest as well starting small until you are confident and before committing to buying expensive parts to grow! and money isnt everything a little creativity and you can be growing with the pros for nickels on the dollar if you dont mind a little fabrication...

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I couldn't agree with you more reckdrummer. I'm still building my own systems because it's so much fun. I think the fabrication is the best part. Once the plants are growing, all there really is to do is maintain the system.

[JohnnyBoyTO928]

This is really cool actually... What type of medium so you use? Rockwool? I saw your bigger system since I have bigger plants I only need a aquarium pump and airstones :) oh plus a medium for the net pots... I can make my own net pots though right?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Take a look at my other videos and you will see I use Hydroton and Sure To Grow cubes. You could also use Perlite or even small pebbles but you would have to cycle the system more often. Rockwool will work too. Yes you can make your own net pots. I like to use yogurt cups and I have seen Solo brand plastic cups used also. Get a small cup and drill a bunch of holes in it. Use what ever is available to you. Get creative and have fun.

[JohnnyBoyTO928]

TY for the reply! When you do the tubes then which video shows an example of the tubes you lay around?

[dmacosta1]

nice

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Thanks

[danb9290]

first attemt? dude you are a stud!! that is the best one I have seen and Im on my way to the pet store for a pump, keep up the good work...

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Thanks for the comment. I still use this system to start plants. The only modification I would recommend is to put a cover over it to keep light out to help prevent algae growth. I use a $1 reusable shopping bag with a hole cut slightly smaller than the Ziploc container lid. You could do the same thing with a cardboard box.

[MikefromMadrid]

Now thats improv!

I was tempted to buy a flood and drain system byt after seeing this I think I will just build it

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Look at my video "Build your own Ebb and Flow / Flood and Drain System". It shows how to build a larger system but it operates exactly the same as this one. It may help you not just build but design your own custom made system. This is a good way to learn about Hydroponics without spending a lot of cash upfront.

[skiwopU]

i'm new to hydroponics and am interested in building a similar system to get started. the air pump simply oxygenates the water, right? are there any tubes required or does the air pump just pump the oxygen directly into the water? i've heard of other systems using air rocks? thanks

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

The airpump is just like for an aquarium: air lines and air stones. Watch my video about Build your own Ebb and Flow for a better explaination of what the pump does and better assembly instructions. Some people have said you don't need an air pump at all for an E&F system. I personally feel the more air in the solution the better. Good luck and have fun learning. :-)

[skiwopU]

thanks a lot

[dlfcity4]

very interesting and most easy to understand out of the so many available on you tube. My only question is - How does the water drain out of the same pipe that fills the reservoir.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Once the pump stops running it's just gravity that allows the water to drain backward through the pump. The fill pipe on this one is too high for it to completely drain the flood table . That's why I drilled the small drain holes. That made it so I didn't have to buy the special fittings most E&F systems have.

[dlfcity4]

Ok got it. Thanks.

[oarngesownall]

this system will grow weed right?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I grew basil, oregano, cilantro, and parsley in this one. I imagine it could grow just about any herb. This system is not light proof at all. It had many algae growth problems. This was ONLY a test system to learn about Hydroponics.

[SolidSnake9000]

ok the only info i need is how loud the water pump is when its on cause i cant have a lot of noise if you could post a video just like this one with no music just to let me hear how loud it is i would appreciate it

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I will upload a new video soon of a larger but very similar system. I will be sure to have the system run without any music playing. I can tell you that this particular water pump is nearly silent. Its a very small 30 G.P.H. model used in tabletop fountains. The solution flowing back into the reservoir is louder than this pump.

[SolidSnake9000]

ok thankz man where did you get your pump from do you no if a fish tank water pump will work and if its quiet enough?? i need a cheap small and quiet pump n i cant buy online any tips thnkz

[SolidSnake9000]

also im wondering if i submerge the tubing in the water if the drainage would be less noisy thnkz

[drboose]

5 stars for responding to every comment! cheers!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I don't get many comments so it's been easy. I appreciate the fact somone would take the time and so far everyone has been nice. Thanks for the rating.

[fattienugz420]

what about the roots? where will they go and also you should make a guide

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

The roots stay in the clear top container. I have found this allows algae to grow on the damp roots. It caused some problems but didn't kill the plants. I am working on a couple videos explaining how an Ebb and Flow system works and how to build your own. There are actually many guides on the way. Keep checking back or better yet, Subscribe.

[elmofugindany]

nice man! can you show me how to build it?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I sure can. I'm working on a new system. I will show the basic components and how it's put together so just about anyone can assemble their own system with what ever they have available. I've learned a lot with this setup and have had fun doing it. I highly recommend building your own to anyone.

[smileRgit]

HEY...I give you a 5 star rating.(now you have ten)........I like it even though I use aquaponics

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

Thanks for the rating! If you post any videos on aquaponics, I would be happy to view them.

[anttbayy]

Yep thats how its supposed 2 do it.But next time go bigger!!!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

This experiment went so well I already have plans in the works to go bigger. Thanks for the encouragement.

[nectarineblue]

oh one more than is the clear plastic safe from algae build up.. I've read that the light can cause problems.. and what size, brand of pump are you using.. I think Im going to go ahead and do this..

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

No, the clear plastic isn't algae proof but it hasn't been an issue so far. No more light problems than any open top tray would have. I have some algae in the reservoir since it's white and doesnt keep out the light. That could easily be remedied in a number of ways. I clean everything and change the solution every week. Maybe not such an easy task on a larger system but it only takes a few minutes with this one. The pump is a Sunterra 30 GPH. Its only good for a system this small.

[nectarineblue]

Sweet. I have about 10 of those sun buckets in a pile in the garage, and I was looking at them the other day thinking just about the same thing as you have set up here. It sure is a means of cutting down costs.. hope you cleaned the bucket out really good first.. hehe.. no soapy salad. Really enjoyed the music too... I have to give ya 5 stars for creativity...

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I definitely wanted to use as many items I already had lying around. That was part of the fun with this project. Plus, I saved at least $10 using containers that are intended to be thrown away. Thanks for Rating and the Comments. 176 views so far and you are the only one who has taken the time.