About

This hydroponics project was inspired by a display by Bruce Gee at the May 2016 Maker Faire in San Mateo, CA. 

 

 

 

Status

6/24/2016: Two sets of two cascading rows are in place. Plants in place with peat plugs. Two 5 gallon water supply buckets are beneath, along with pump and aerator. For hydrology, nutrient water is continually circulating at about 2 inch depth.

Planned improvements

• Convert to “ebb and drain” design, where the pump is turned on intermittently, filling soaking plant roots in approx 2.5″ water, then drains. Cycle is repleted after several hours. Benefits are less pump wear, more oxygen to roots, cooler roots. This system requires the addition of a draining system for which 5/8″ polypropylene balls for check valves are on order. 
• Various planting basket design experiments.

As-Built CAD drawing in progress