Build your own Ebb and Flow / Flood and Drain Hydroponics System DIY Animated Version

http://HydroponicsFriend.com

I hope this video will show how and encourage people to build their own Ebb and Flow Hydroponics System. This is a fun hobby for me and I believe other people would enjoy it too if they knew how easy and relatively inexpensive it can be.

Why an Animated Version? It allows me to show the inner workings of how this Ebb and Flow system works. I suspect this is something a person who has never seen one in action would want to see. It will also take some of the mystery out of it. This shows how simple a Hydroponics system can be. It also allows me to show variations without having to build several systems. And finally, I wanted to do an animated video and try out the Narration feature of Windows Movie Maker. LOL

Special Thanks to my You Tube friends (Kev & Rick) The Honest Guys. They seem to have such a good time making videos, it encourages me to keep trying. Check out their channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheHonestGuys Clean fun, good friends, and great advice. Definitely worth subscribing to.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• DIY
• Home Built
• Build your own
• How To
• Ebb and Flow
• Flood and Drain
• NFT
• Deep Water Culture
• THG

[theciskokidd]

Would the drain pipe create enough aeration if its positioned well enough the water level of the reservoir tank? By draining and splashing into the tank it would create aeration would it not?

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@theciskokidd Good question. I put the air pump and stone in to keep plenty of air in the solution and keep the nutrients mixed. It may be totally unnecessary but since it only adds about $10 to the cost, it seemed well worth it to me. This is only how I did mine. My idea for this video is to show how I built my system and to encourage people to design and build their own. You're welcome to build it making any changes you like. You could experiment and answer your own question.

[theciskokidd]

@FenderGibsonWashburn I hear ya. One last quick question. As far as draining is concerned, Ive seen a system that drains back down through the intake hose. Are all pumps designed in such a way to allow the water to fall back down through the pump and into the reservoir? Thanks!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@theciskokidd I can't say I know for all pumps but yes that is typical.

Extra info: Inside the pump is a disk with fins. When it spins it pushes the solution up the tube. Because of this a pump rated at 120gph may only pump 10gph or not at all at say 4' high.

Also concerning air pumps, use a back-flow preventer or keep your air pump above the solution level or the solution could drain through your air hose causing a mess and ruining your pump.

[potlover62]

Nice video and explanation! I used a very similar approach as you described, with one major difference: I placed a bell siphon over the overflow tube so that the system can remain on all the time with no timer and it will fill the table till the bell siphon catches and drains it back down, then the cycle repeats. My system takes one minute and 45 seconds to completely fill and drain one time. The plants are extremely happy and no timer, no air pump, and no air stones needed.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

@potlover62 Very cool, thanks for the idea. :)

[shelladavis]

thank you

[2wheelfamily]

How the fuck did I get here from If I Eat Your Brains-Insane Clown Posse?

[lukepieters]

thank you for the only hydroponic video on youtube that makes sense

[travroy]

This is by far the most helpful Ebb and Flow instructional video on YouTube. Next time, send me the audio and I'll fix that 60 cycle hum. ;) Thanks for uploading!