Introduction to Hydroponics Drip System

At the beginning of the summer semester, we were assigned a project to create a hydroponics gardening system following a list of guidelines.  We first read them over and researched more about hydroponics and the different systems.  After researching the different systems and plants, we determined we would create a drip system and grow mesclun (a type of lettuce).  The drip system is a system used to continuously water the plant with the use of a reservoir, water pump, and timer. Once the research was completed, we developed different designs for our system and using PVC tubing, screws, mesh fence, a fish tank, a water pump, and a timer, we created our hydroponics drip system.  The water is pumped up the PVC tubing and passes out over the plants with holes drilled evenly across the tubing.  The left over nutrients are directed back into the fish tank (reservoir).  The screws were inserted in the holes across the tubing to create the dripping water.  We then chose to plant our mesclun in Rockwool to help with the growth, and the dripping system keeps the Rockwool and plants watered.  Finally, to keep light out of the nutrient solution, we wrapped our fish tank with wood grain shelf lining.  Our project was successfully completed on Thursday, May 19, 2011, and observations have been started. The starting pH was about 6.5, where it should be to grow mesclun, and the nutrients that we used was Hydro-Gro nutrient solution.

3 thoughts on “Introduction to Hydroponics Drip System”

  1. Your system is very unique, and has a great ascetic value to it. I can tell there was a good amount of thought that went into this system. You have covered all the main concerns from what I read in preventing algae, and from what I saw in class it seems to run pretty well. I would think the only difficult process with dealing with your system is adjusting the screws so that you get the perfect drip, but it seems you have found that. The system looks great and keep up the good work!

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