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Multi-bucket top feed idea?


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  #1  
Old 10-23-2018, 09:53 AM
Vertigo Vertigo is offline
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Default Multi-bucket top feed idea?

So the last time (my first time) I did a hydroponic system build, I did dutch buckets, and had a lot of extra parts left over - I bought a lot of things I didn't need, but now I'm trying to throw together something with what I have on hand for a friend to grow a tomato plant in her basement, and I wanted to run the idea by some experienced growers to see if my idea holds water (stop me if you've heard that one.)

So I have a couple 5 gallon buckets and lids, a spare pond pump, a whole lot of tubing, and a 6" net pot bucket lid for a 5 gallon bucket. My first thought was just a standard DWC bucket, but I want to make it easier to get at the solution for keeping an eye on PH or draining it, whatever. So I'd like to add a second bucket, but then I just don't feel like having to keep two buckets that full all the time - the water source is really bad well water and the RO system is super slow so it can take ages just to fill my 5 gallon jug.

So I was thinking of connecting the two buckets at the base with 1/2" tubing and keeping the buckets about half full each (5 gallons total nutrient solution) and using the pump to run 1/4" irrigation tubing up to the top of the net pot for top feeding. I may even put an air stone in the bucket with the plant, because I found an old aquarium pump in one of my boxes. I don't know if the air is really necessary if the solution isn't reaching all the way up to the base of the plant, but why not. I figure at some point the roots are going to get long enough to submerge in the solution like a normal DWC.

Any critiques on this idea? With a net pot, can I run the pump at a trickle 24/7 or should I have it on a timer? Should I just fill the plant's whole bucket with perlite or hydroton like a giant dutch bucket? It'll try to float, but with the net pot lid it won't be going anywhere.


Last edited by Vertigo; 10-23-2018 at 09:59 AM.
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Old 10-26-2018, 09:14 AM
Stan Stan is offline
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Whatever way you decide to build it the bucket with the tomato plant should sit at least 6 inches off the ground in order to drain any excess nutrient solution back into reservoir.

If you use 6 inch net pot lid then I would suggest using a low pressure aeroponic system with just 1 360 degree sprayer to spray the nutrients onto the roots of the plant for 5 - 10 seconds every 30 - 60 minutes 24 hours a day.

If you use perlite run 1/4 pvc pipe to the top of the bucket. You will drill a hole into the 1/4 pvc that fits a long stem grommet that fits right into the pvc. The grommet should have an opening that can fit a black 1/8 inch feeding tube that will reach from the grommet all the way to 2 inches deep into the perlite below the stem of the tomato plant. The timer settings should be similar as I posted above but can be adjusted as you see fit on how the plant looks.


Both these systems the nutrient water should drain back into the reservoir. If you use low pressure aeroponic system you must cut a piece of screen just like 1 you you have on windows of a house and place it in the drain going back to the reservoir. Aeroponic roots are tremendously long compared to those growing in perlite.

The reservoir should have an air stone that runs for at least 1 hour per day. Oxygenated nutrient water is a 1000 times better than non oxygenated. The ph should be checked on a daily basis until you know it stays at same level Tehran it can be checked at least every 3rd day.

If you need a picture of the grommet and how the tubing looks I will post 1 for you.
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Old 10-26-2018, 09:54 AM
Vertigo Vertigo is offline
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Will using the feeding tube from above only work with perlite? I was planning on filling with hydroton. I thought a constant nutrient drip from above would work on that. I wasn't planning on letting the nutrient solution go back to the reservoir. I was aiming for more of a recirculating top-feed deep water culture but with a second bucket, and not filling completely to the bottom of the net pot.

Last edited by Vertigo; 10-26-2018 at 09:56 AM.
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Old 10-26-2018, 04:50 PM
Stan Stan is offline
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When you say filling with hydroton do you mean filling the 5 gallon bucket or just the 6 inch net pot lid?
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Old 10-27-2018, 12:14 AM
Vertigo Vertigo is offline
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I was going to fill just the net pot lid. I've seen some builds around online that used a dripper ring on top of a net pot full of hydroton that drained back into a reservoir. In my case, that reservoir is just the bottom of the bucket. In my case, the second bucket just gives me more reservoir volume without raising the water level, and easier access to pump it out.



What I'm suggesting would be a sort of Frankenstein of this with a regular DWC bucket underneath, which I would imagine could allow me to run the DWC level a little lower without worrying about the roots drying out.

Last edited by Vertigo; 10-27-2018 at 12:25 AM.
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Old 10-27-2018, 10:49 AM
Stan Stan is offline
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I have tried drip method with tomatoes and wasn’t happy with it. The nutrient water will sit on the bottom for much to long as it will lose all its nutrients and become stagnant.I have found low pressure aeroponic to be s 1000 times better as the root system will be much larger and healthier. If you don’t want to do aeroponic then you can still put the hydroton in the net put but you will be better off filling the bucket with perlite so the roots grow into it. Don’t use drip method just let the 1/8 inch feeding tube run 5-10seconds every 30-60 minutes so the water at the bottom of the bucket doesn’t become stagnant as new nutrient water takes its place keeping the tomato plant healthy.
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Old 10-27-2018, 12:51 PM
Vertigo Vertigo is offline
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Hey, thanks. That was definitely one of the thoughts that I was kicking around. I have a pretty massive "bale" of perlite so filling the bucket with that won't be a problem.

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