HILLBILLY HYDROPONICS II

This set-up uses an 18 gallon tote and 3 5 gallon buckets with the hydroponic net pots for lids. These are available online in many different sizes. The growing medium is again Hydroton. The water pump is located in the laundry tote. On a timer, mine is 1 minute every hour, the pump kicks on and pumps the water through the 1/2'" polytubing, (this is commonly used for drip-irrigation systems). I had to drill holes in the bottom of every bucket for the excess water to return to the reservoir. I installed rubber grommets in all of the holes I drilled to prevent leaking. I didnt run the tubing all the way through the bucket.......just in about an inch and out connecting the buckets to the reservoir. I will lose some water through evaporation depending on how hot it gets, so i may have to add some here and there. Hope it works for those who want to try it.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Hydroponics
• tier system
• tomatoes
• timer
• gardening
• Hydroton
• simple
• polytubing
• drip
• irrigation
• spring
• fall
• water pump
• reservoir
• net pots
• bucket

[PREPPERSQUIRREL]

Yeah hacker, this is the hydroponic set-up I started out with. I have a more extensive hydroponic system in the house up and going. I use this system to experiment with different nutrients and teas etc., before I implement them into the larger system (not shown). There are no 50 cent tomatoes in the larger system.

[robnbanx]

paint you buckets and res black or u will not get max growth

[chickabuka]

@superbungabunga Hell yeah some bud.....bud

[chickabuka]

@superbungabunga Hell yeah some bud.....bud

[JBarth22]

FYI check the plastic type you use. You do not want chemicals leaching from the plastics. Food grade or better plastics should be used.

[potlover62]

Cool system! My only concern is that the buckets and tote you're using aren't light tight. So, you may have problems with your roots, once they are no longer protected by the hydroton. The green tote is probably ok since algae doesn't use green light and that is the only color of light that would be getting through.

Home Depot sells black duct tape that would be perfect for wrapping around those buckets to solve the problem.

[sallymaggiespotty]

Very ingenious .Once again I say that good old American ingenuity is the BEST in the world! Two thumbs up!

[oldstock1607]

@rsracrs19 about 1/8 wide

[dbrtripp]

Put some goldfish in the water to feed the plants naturally. Then you have Aquaponics.

[superbungabunga]

thats pretty kool but you know what would be kooler? if you had weed growing outa those