| Not every type of hydroponics system lends | | | | one, and the overflow fitting in the other. Finish it |
| itself well to homemade design. For systems that | | | | off by running a short piece of tubing from the |
| use drip or spray heads, you have many costly | | | | water pump to the flood and drain fitting (which is |
| items to purchase before you can produce a | | | | the shorter of the two). |
| properly working system. Usually, you end up | | | | All you have left to do is plug the water pump |
| learning a lot from your first failed attemp if you | | | | into the timer, set your timer for your flood and |
| choose to build your own drip system or | | | | drain cycle, and fill the nutrient reservoir with ten |
| aeroponics system. There is one easy and | | | | gallons of solution. Flood your plant container for a |
| relatively inexpensive homemade hydroponics | | | | 1/2 hour 4 times a day while the lights are on. |
| system I have found. It is the homemade ebb | | | | When the pump kicks on, the top container will fill |
| and flow. | | | | with water (but never higher than the overflow). |
| For a homemade hydroponics ebb and flow | | | | It takes a while for the clay pellets to really |
| system, you will need two cheap plastic storage | | | | absorb the nutrient solution. When the pump kicks |
| totes, an aquarium air pump, an aquarium water | | | | off, the nutrient solution will drain back down the |
| pump, a timer, a set of flood and drain fittings, | | | | shorter fitting, leaving the plant roots and the clay |
| and a short length of plastic tubing. If you are not | | | | pellets wet with nutrient solution. |
| sure what flood and drain fittings are, go to | | | | The flood and drain system is the homemade |
| Google, click on "images", and do a quick search | | | | hydroponics system I use most often. The |
| for "flood and drain fittings". | | | | function of the system is simple. The results are |
| First, one tote will be your nutrient reservoir. Pick | | | | consistently very good. The system is so easy to |
| a dark color tote to keep light out of the nutrient | | | | put together. |
| solution...this will help prevent the growth of algae. | | | | Before you get started...your systme is only one |
| The air pump should go to a couple of air stones, | | | | piece of the indoor gardening puzzle. You must |
| which will be kept bubbling in the nutrient reservoir. | | | | have control over the environment you place |
| The water pump goes here as well. Your water | | | | your garden into, and this environment must be |
| pump should be able to move at least 100 gallons | | | | to the plants liking. In addition, you will have a |
| hour at a height of 3 feet. The pump should cost | | | | much better chance at success once you learn |
| you about 30 dollars. | | | | the exact nutrient requirements (and therefore |
| The other tote will go on top of the nutrient | | | | the exact feeding) of your plants at every stage |
| reservoir and hold the plant containers. Plant | | | | of their development. In order to meet these |
| containers should be filled with expanded clay | | | | feeding requirements, you must learn how to |
| pellets or something equal, like lecca stone or lava | | | | properly maintain nutrient sollution in a reservoir. |
| chips. Somewhere in the bottom of this container | | | | Learn these things and you are sure to have a |
| (out of the way of the plants) you will drill two 3 | | | | hydro-greenthumb. |
| 4 inch holes and install the flood and drain fitting in | | | | |