DIY Hydro Flood/Drain / Ebb/Flow Unit ~

[tumbleweed 1,840]

Time to make 5-10 minuted.

 

Tools needed drill and drill bit, or other way of cutting the 2 holes needed in the top container, one is for pumping in from the bottom and the other is for draining back to the bottom.

 

Equipment used (for 1):

 

2 - Restaurant style bus tubs, heavy duty, food safe ($9.95 each)

1 - Water pump (I used 160GPH, $10.45)

1 - drain fitting ($1.50)

1 - fill fitting ($1.50)

1 - 3" long or so 1/2" flexible tubing ($0, had some extra on hand)

2 - scrap pieces of heavy duty Panda (black/white) plastic to cover the openings on the bottom tub to prevent light from hitting the bottom res openings not already covered by the tub on the top, these will be attached to the bottom tub with blue painters tape.

 

First turn one of the tubs upside down and make the 2 holes needed.  Then attach the fill and drain fittings.  Then connect the pump to the fill connector with the 1/2" diameter flexible hose.

 

I will be using Hydrotron expanded baked clay pellets for my grow medium.  NOTE: It should be well rinsed before using to remove the dust they ship with, this will make your pump last longer.

 

I also connect the plug of the pump to a timer and set for 15-30 min a few times a day, adjust as needed for environment.

 

The first time filling, fill from the top to just below the top of the top bucket to be sure it can't spill, the clay pellets will float as filling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[IammuA 194]

Looking good, TW... How ya gonna secure the tubs?....just let em sit one on the other?

 

muA

[GrowGeek 721]

Lookin' good TW!  I was just looking at small flood table ideas on google, and then you post this!  Yeah buddy!

 

Is the weight of the top tub going to bulge out  the sides of the res tub?  How thick is the material the tubs are made of?

[EDDIEKIRK 11,852]

What a terrific DIY! Thanks for sharing this with our members and followers.

[tumbleweed 1,840]

Not planning on securing the tubs, weight alone will do that, but could use double sided tape if worried.

 

Tubs are strong enough I could stand on them upsidedown, not worried about holding the weight, but if was, could always run a piece of wire or heavy duty fishing line and just have a clip on each side (center of the bottom one), or just below the rim put in 2 eyehooks, with small piece of wood on the outside and line to secure, won't move at all.

[GrowGeek 721]

Just picked up a couple tubs from the orange box.  Going to put this project on the list. 

[tumbleweed 1,840]

So far it appears the plants are liking the tubs, the largest plant is 7" tall and 14" wide (un-topped)

 

 

 

 

[tumbleweed 1,840]

So, a week later, and notice the last pic, is what I think a proper flood of the medium should look like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

peace,

tw

[tumbleweed 1,840]

 

[itsonlyaplant 399]

Nice

[bigpapa 626]

TW, could you PM me a specific parts list, i truly would appreciate it... @tumbleweed

[tumbleweed 1,840]

16 hours ago, bigpapa said:

TW, could you PM me a specific parts list, i truly would appreciate it... @tumbleweed

 

bigpapa, other than what I listed, I really don't have one, will  see if I can lookup the tubs, but the drain/fill fittings I just bought from the tubs they have at my local grow shop...

 

I also connect the plug of the pump to a timer and set for 15-30 min a few times a day, adjust as needed for environment.

 

The first time filling, fill from the top to just below the top of the top bucket to be sure it can't spill, the clay pellets will float as filling.

 

peace and be well