Thanks for the great drawings! (what program did you use?)
This confirms my mental image of the system you described. I think it can be developed cost effective. Yeah I can imagine it needs some trial and error testing to see what will be the best water level to contain (based on the type of plant and weather conditions). That is why I intend to keep a logbook so I can always review things at a later time.
For the drip line: I have to see if I can find drip emmiters in here. Another option would be to use T connectors at the main line so each pot can have a punctured piece of tube that drips the water in it.
How about the
pump? It seems I first have to design my system; then work out what ammount of water will be in it; and based on that (+ the distance to the pump) how much PSI it need.
I did follow this link:
How to select a hydroponic pump
Can the strength be adjusted on the pump or do I need to make a valve between my dripline and the pump to control it that way? Not sure if that could have a bad effect on the pump.