Quote:
Originally Posted by omerizm
This is an interesting idea GpsFrointier. But do you really need the gullies to be rectangular? Why don't you use 4 or 6 inch circular pipes?
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Not rectangular, Square. Square is equal on all sides, rectangular isn't. Well the reason is the placement of the holes. I plan to grow strawberry's in this system, so I need 9-10 inches between plants (holes). If you look closely at the holes in the tube, there are two rows of holes in each tube. They are offset, and facing opposite directions. That allows me to have the same 9-10 inch spacing, but also have two rows of plants in one tube when it's turned on its edge like in the pictures. Instead of one row of plants straight up in round tubing.
I can use round tubing, I have before on another system, but then I would need 40 tubes instead of 20 for the same amount of plants. That would also take up twice as much space in the back yard. Also the system is planed as a flood and drain system, so 40 tubes would take twice as much
nutrient solution to fill for the same amount of plants. I am already looking at about a 200 gallon reservoir. In round tubing the offset holes would be two low to flood the tube sufficiently without leaking out the holes.
The round tubing would be OK if I ran it as a NFT system, but I have never really been a fan of the NFT system. I believe I can better control the moisture to the plants entire root systems running it as a flood and drain system. Although, I do have it designed so the water level inside the tubes is completely adjustable, that will also allow me to run it as a NFT if I wanted to.
Thanks Anianna,
I may look into using the pillar tubes, although I cant say I can ever remember seeing square ones before. Also with all the extra fabrication I'm not sure it would be cost effective. My plan right now is to contact (e-mail) as many rain gutter manufacturers as I can, asking if they make plastic 4 inch square downspout tubs. After that, I'm not really sure where to go next (and still be reasonably priced).