Before deciding your homemade drip system is non-functional, check your work. Did you plan the needed gallons per hour your pump would need to push water through the whole system? Water pumps are rated by GPH(Gallons per Hour). You will need to know the minimum GPH your drip system needs to pressurize the water and make it through your drip emitters.
New growers seem to back away from home made drip systems because they are unsure of the necessary parts. Drip irrigation kits are usually over priced and come with some pretty barebones parts. The kits may also come with a small reservoir, that you are required to use because the pump is attached to it. Avoid the woes of drip system kits by making your own irrigation system at home.
Outdoor Drip System with a strong water pump at the heart of the reservoir.
Hydroponic shops carry all the parts you need to set up a custom drip system. Start with a plan. If you have not built your grow room yet, you will need to know the number of plants you plan on having and at least the distance the drip line will travel. It is important to know the distance of the drip line to calculate the power you need for your water pump.
To find out the needed GPH rating start with the length of tubing you are going to use. For every foot of tubing you use, regardless of size, subtract 1-2 GPH from the water pump’s rating. Check the packaging for the drip emitters you would like to use. The packaging should tell you the PSI rating. Take the PSI and multiply times the number of drippers. Subtract that number from the remaining GPH of the pump in question. If the number of GPH remaining is very low or negative, you need a stronger pump.
Calculating GPH for a Drip System: (2 GPH x 1 ft of tube) + (PSI rating of Drip Emitter x Number of Drip Emitters) = rough estimate of the necessary GPH. There are outside factors not mentioned in this equation. The number of connections the water has to travel through will affect the needed GPH. Bridged drip line connectors like tees and elbows can slow down your water. Be sure to wash your pump’s pre filter out during reservoir changes to ensure there is no blockage cutting down your GPH. Follow these simple guidelines to ensure you don’t buy an expensive water pump you don’t need or wind up with a less than functional drip system.
Strong water pumps can forcefully pump water out of open drip lines to feed even the most demanding plants.
Open ended 1/4 tubing provides the fastest rate of watering.
Automated gardens are the most efficient way to grow fruit and vegetables. An outdoor garden can still be automated because the sun is the light and you have no control over that. Watering and feeding can also be automated to ensure your plants are getting everything they need. Self-watering containers may be the only way to keep plants from drying up in the middle of a hot summer day. If temperatures are getting above 85F your plants are probably thirsty! It is too big of a hassle to hand water your plants all day to ensure they get what they need. You may not be there when they need the water and your plants should not rule your life. You may be making a homemade irrigation system to water your plants while you are on vacation, but when you return you will ask yourself, “Why don’t I always use an automated system?”
If you are new to drip systems you will want to read the Introduction to Drip Systems to get acquainted with the parts I’ll be discussing. For this project you’ll need:
As always, your first step is to plan out your container garden. Find the arrangement you want to use to maximize sunlight. Keep in mind that your tubing will have to reach from your reservoir to your container garden. The size of your water pump will
Look at the arrows - The half inch tube is spraying with plenty of force through two holes.
determine how much reach you have to play with. Don’t forget your water pump also has to power through your connections and drip emitters. Water pumps are one of the most expensive parts of the home made drip system, but they usually come with at least a one year warranty. Once you realize the productivity ratio of self-watering containers you will not want to go back to daily hand watering.
End clamps are an easy way to ensure your half inch tube is closedKink the tube at the end.
Put the end of the half inch tubing through one end of an end clamp and create a kink. Wrap the tube around the kink 2-3 times and thread the end through the other side of the end clamp. The result should be a closed off water proof end to create pressure throughout the drip system tubing.
half inch black vinyl tubing clamped at the end.
Put the other end of the 1/2 inch tubing on the end of the water pump.
Make sure the half inch tubing is on tight to prevent leaking and loss of pump power.
Once your pump is assembled you are ready to make your drip lines. Punch holes in the half inch tubing where you want your 1/4 inch drip lines to start. Don’t push through the vinyl or whatever material tubing you are using too hard or you will go through both ends and create a leak.
1/4 inch Drip Lines
There is a wide array of drip emitters you can choose from at your hydroponics shop. You can get inline or compensating drippers which are explained in more detail in the Introduction to Drip Systems guide I mentioned earlier. You can also get mini sprinklers and other types of emitters for different purposes. This system is built with compensating drip emitters because the half inch tube sits on the ground and the 1/4 inch tubes climb the length of the container.
T Connection bridging the main drip line to 2 drip emitters.Straight Connectors are used to connect the 1/4 inch tube to 1/2 inch tubeConnect your 1/4 inch drip lines to your 1/2 inch main line.
Put 1/4 inch straight connections on the end of the drip line with no drip emitter. The straight connector goes into the hole you made earlier in the half inch tubing. The connection is how water gets from your 1/2 inch main tube to your individual drip lines. Fewer connection bridges and fewer drip emitters means more power and further reach.
These drip lines are ready to be staked into their containers.
This is a lengthy guide for a homemade drip system, but bare with me and you’ll be on your way to irrigation freedom! Next step is to prepare your water reservoir. You’ll want to drill or burn a hole through the side of your reservoir to put the half inch tube through. If you just want your lid to sit on top of your reservoir that is fine, you can tape it down. Expect greater evaporation rates and contamination if you don’t use a sealed lid. Keep in mind a cleaner grow space is better grow space.
You will have to put the end of the half inch tube that is connected to your water pump through the hole before connecting the pump. The water pump will not fit through your 1/2 inch hole! This step is really easy using a drill with a 1/2 inch circle drill bit. If you are using plastic make sure you don’t crack the side of the reservoir. If it does crack easily you are probably using a material that is too weak to hold water for long periods of time.
I used a hose to fill the 14 gallons of this reservoir.
For this outdoor reservoir I bought a container that already had holes in the handle. Since it could rain in the area where the reservoir is it could fill with rain water and knock the lid off the top. You can drill your own drain holes with a simple drill bit if you are planning to use a container without them.
Once your water pump is in place and suctioned down to the bottom of your reservoir you are ready to add the aeration device. The air pump will oxygenate the reservoir and ensure the water keeps moving. Stagnant water can get pretty nasty and your plants love oxygen in the root zone. If you are unsure on how to set up an air pump check out my guide on installing air pumps in hydroponic systems.
I like to make sure my reservoirs have over flow holes so they cannot flood.
One thing you will probably not find at your local hydroponics shop is a cheap water proofed air pump. The lack of water proof air pumps seem to
A standard aquarium air pump will work fine. Different air stones will create different aeration patterns. Test different air stones to see what creates the best results.
discourage most hydroponics gardeners from using the natural sun. A smart do it yourself gardener can find a solution. You will need to get a plastic container of some sort that comes with a lid that seals tight. Poke a hole in that container near the top. Make sure the hole is just big enough for your electric plug and air tube to come through. I used a screwdriver to create a small crack for both things to go through.
A small crack in a food storage container.
Put the air tubing through the hole before you connect it to the air pump. You do not want the hole to be bigger than it has to be. A large container is safer because the hole can be higher off the ground and away from potential flooding. Do not put the hole through the lid of the container because rain will get into your electronics!
The electronic air pump is sealed in the container the cord and air stone are on the outside.
I placed the reservoir and water proofed air pump in a covered area with electrical outlets. I had to use extension cords to get the air pump to reach the outlet. I also needed a 3-prong extension cord for the water pump. The digital timer you use to automatically turn your water pump on and off also needs to be in a covered area where rain can’t get into the parts.
Novice gardeners – don’t get the idea air pumps are too complex or unnecessary for you. That’s your first mistake as a novice gardener! Automate your irrigation and add oxygen and whatever else the plants need. Reaching for 100% is how you get perfect plants! Click on the picture below to see what an air pump does.
Left: Before air pump || Right: After air pump is turned on
Your friends will be jealous when they see how “high tech” your garden is! Now that your reservoir is up and running you are ready to finish your automated drip system.
Position your containers so that all your drip lines reach your desired target.
Position your containers around the drip line so all the lines can reach their desired area. I use two drip emitters on most of these containers because they are three gallons and up. On 1 -2 gallon containers one drip emitter may cover the whole medium over a drip period of a few minutes. At the very least it will keep your plants alive while you are on vacation. Having a small drip cycle with outdoor plants will adjust for rain. Say you are gone for a week and it rains for three of those days. Those three days it was unnecessary for your drip system to run! It may have had a detrimental factor because of excessive watering. Make sure your containers have good drainage and choose your medium carefully. Well mixed growing mediums are key to ensuring your plan’ts success. Different plants benefit from different growing environments and growing mediums.
TIP: People who have been paying attention can skip this tip because they already realized from the article I suggested on Digital Timers, there is a way to automate their watering schedule. Some digital timers come with a day setting. The day setting will allow you to run your drip system every other day or in different intervals. You may want your drip system to run 3 times a day alternating with 1 time a day. If this tip is confusing you, come back to it later when you have worked with timer settings for your drip system.
1/4 inch hose split into two drip emitters for two container plants.
Compensating drip emitter in outdoor drip system for container gardens.Two drip emitters in a homemade container garden irrigation system.Different styles of drip systems and drip emitters can be used to find new ways to efficiently water and feed your container garden.Inline drip emitters can run through 1/4 inch tubing without ending the drip line. They also come in varying drip speeds.
Drip systems are economical and save time. They ensure plants are fed daily with the correct amount of water and nutrients as specified by the gardener. A digital timer is a useful tool for any drip system. The timer will turn your water pump on daily at a specified time so you don’t have to be there to manually turn it on. If you are trying to plan for a new garden, sketch out your ideas before you go to the store. You may be overwhelmed by all your options. If you have a rough idea when you get to the hydroponics shop, you can show someone working there. They will help you choose the tools you need. Setting up your first drip system or building your own hydroponics set up may seem hard, but it is actually simple. Gardeners can choose to build a really simple drip system or a very elaborate system with self regulating levels of nutrients. Start with what you understand so you can experiment with more options as you learn. I suggest reading the Introduction to Drip Systems if you are new to drip hydroponics and do not understand all the parts required.
The two types of water tubes used in this system are 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch Connect clear air tubing to an air stone to add oxygen to your nutrient reservoir. The size of air pump you need depends on how many gallons you plan to aerate. The box will usually tell you the size range the pump is meant for. A little extra aeration doesn't hurt!!!This is one configuation of drippers you can use depending on your needs.
Before you buy anything do some research. Find out what parts you need for your drip system. Be creative! Since you are not buying an out of the box drip system you get to choose what parts to use. I recommend a filter for your half inch tubing. The filter will catch nutrient pieces and other contaminants that could potentially clog your drippers. Also grab on/off valves for your 1/2 inch tubes and your 1/4 inch tubes. The on/off switch will allow you to use the same tubes every time without having to cut the ones you are not using. Don’t forget to turn the switches back on when you go to use the system!
TIP: Always test your drip systems! A clogged dripper or a mistake in a drip line could leave you with wilted plants. MAKE SURE TO WATER PROOF YOUR GROW SPACE! If you are growing plants inside make sure the space is water proofed and all electrical pieces are off the ground and away from water spray range. Spills happen in ways you wouldn’t think of and can cause major problems including mold or an electrical fire. Keep towels around the grow space in case a spill does happen you will be prepared. Having a “it won’t happen to me” attitude will not save your precious plants or floors.
The pictures are pretty easy to follow, but I’ll add instructions to go along with the pictures. The system that the pictures model is an open recirculating system. An open recirculating drip system is used as a nutrient reservoir and waste run off all in one. The plants are fed and the run off runs back into the reservoir which is not air tight. If you don’t have a PH or ppm meter I suggest using run to waste methods until you are comfortable with reservoir changes. The run to waste method does blow through nutrients, but it ensures a good crop and a relatively steady PH. Use the guide on Building a Simple Drain Table to use the run to waste method. The exact same system explained in the drain table guide can be used for a recirculating system. You just add the components I am about to discuss in the bottom reservoir and fill it with your nutrient solution.
Be careful not to punch the hole all the way through the other side.This is a hole put in the 1/2 inch tube by the tool in the picture. You use a connector to connect the hole to a 1/4 inch drip line.
Once you have your home made drip system planned out you are ready to get into the action. Punch holes into your half inch tubing where you want 1/4 inch tubes to come out. If you mess up there should be plugs with the hole punch you bought. You can get extra plugs at the hydroponics shop. Try not to mess up because the plugs are some what of a duct tape fix and they may leak if the hole is too big.
Having a picture to look at will give you an idea of what you want to do. This picture has 2 types of feeding delivery systems. There are rings of drip emitters and open ended 1/4 inch tubing.The connector at the end can go to another 1/4 inch line or be place in the holes created by the hole punch to bridge 1/4 inch tubes to 1/2 inch tubes.
I use the straight connectors to go into the 1/2 inch tubing instead of T connectors. Every time I have tried to use a T connector directly from 1/2 inch tubing, it leaks. Other indoor gardeners sometimes have better luck, but I don’t like to take chances. Be sure to push the tubing as close to that inner circle as you can to avoid leaking. I cut my tubing straight at the ends so there is no open space for leaks at the connections. Home made drip systems require basically the same work as an out of box drip system. Systems don’t usually come pre-cut because you don’t know what lengths you want or the amount of drippers per plant. Drip kits usually just come with the parts you need to build a starter drip system.
Put the connector in snug so it doesn't leak.This is what the bridge looks like sitting in the 1/2 inch tubing before the 1/4 inch tubing is connected to it.The T connector can turn one 1/4 inch tube into 2 drip lines or be used to complete a circle drip delivery system so the whole root zone is watered
Connect 1/4 tubing to your bridge and run it the length you need plus some extra. I used a T connector to start the circle for the drip system. This type of system will ensure the whole root zone gets water/nutrients. It is hard to remove once the plants get big but they should need a transplant by the time they reach that size. Be careful on the type of drip emitters you choose. There are many to choose from. The main difference you need to know about is the difference between inline and compensating drip emitters. Inline drip emitters are meant to be in a straight line on a flat surface. I used inline drippers for this system. If you are watering different types of plants in different types of containers you may need compensating drippers. Compensating drip emitters can go up hills and drip at the correct rate. Inline drip emitters may not work properly on a hill. Compensating drip emitters also go at the end of the 1/4 inch tube and are usually not run in a series.
This T connector connects the 1/4 inch tubing coming from the 1/2 inch tube to the 1/4 inch tubes that are connected to the circle of drip emitters. Connect your Inline drippers to form a circle or straight lines depending on your garden.Connect as many drip emitters in a series as you need but make sure your pump is strong enough to handle the load.Circle of Inline Drip Emitters to be placed in a container with the plant in the middle.
Repeat the process as many times as you need for the amount of containers you want to water or feed. They don't have to be the same size!
Bend the 1/2 inch tubing so there is a good kink. Wrap it a few times so it is triple kinked.After a triple kink the 1/2 inch tube should be closed off so it wont leak. The clamp will pressurize the tubing so the whole system is filled with water.
Put the other end of the 1/2 inch tubing snugly onto the 1/2 inch connector.
The water pump is submerged in the nutrient solution which is aerated by your air stones connected to your air pump. For this open system I use a grate that was once a shelf to hold the containers for the plants. The containers in this system only have holes on the bottom. The nutrient solution rinses through the growing medium then back into the reservoir.
This picture shows the end of the 1/4 inch tube that is cut off and pumps out your nutrient solution at the fastest rate.
These are some shots of what your system may look like. This guide is to serve as a sketch for you. It should spark ideas on exactly what you want to do with your system. Experiment with different things to find what works best for you and ultimately your plants. You will have to play with your timer settings to find the right amount of time for the drip emitters to run to obtain maximum absorption. If anything is unclear please mention it in the comments and I’ll clear it up for you! Hydroponic Economics is here to help you set up the most efficient hydroponics garden possible! Good luck Green Thumbs!
Longer Answer: When you are trying to decide when to change your nutrient reservoir in your hydroponic recirculation system, there are a few things to consider. The size of your reservoir, the amount of nutrients remaining in the solution, ph, and how clean the water is. If your water looks gross, it probably is gross. Gross water = Gross plants. Gross deserves a capital G for that equation.
The bigger your reservoir the further you can go between res changes(Res change is short for water/nutrient reservoir change ). Big reservoirs may be more forgiving then a small reservoir. Small reservoirs may change by hundreds of ppm in a single day. Hydroponic systems require close monitoring of nutrient levels to avoid burning plants. If your reservoir loses water to evaporation make sure to top it off with plain water or a very low ppm solution. Res changes mostly apply to recirculating systems. Non-recirculating or “run to waste” hydroponic systems only require you to change the solution every two weeks. The nutrient solution stays clean and the PH is maintained in a non-recirculating system. The most important part of a good hydroponic system is a clean nutrient reservoir.
A clean nutrient reservoir loaded with Earth Juice Bloom and Azamax
This guide is as detailed as possible so that people that are just starting with hydroponics can understand it. There are ALOT of pictures – You were warned.
Left side – Soil container strawberries Right side – Rockwool cubes waiting for fresh clones
It is very easy to go to a hydroponics shop and just pick up a drain table and an assembly for it to sit on. This may also include a $100 reservoir to go with the system. Hydroponic parts add up fast and thats where Do it yourselfers try to save. By building your own simple drain table you may be able to save money on your hydroponic setup. The saved money can be used to get bigger containers and more medium for your roots. The type of table I am going to show you how to build allows you to freely move your plants around in their containers. This table is useful for soil and hydroponics alike because it allows the excess water and nutrient run off from watering/feeding to drain into a run off container that can hold many gallons so it rarely has to be changed. It can greatly reduce the amount of maintenance needed daily in between harvests.
Blue tub is for the water to drain into after it goes through the plant.
The clear tray is like a table for your plants. The lid of the container is what the tray sits on, on top of the blue tub from the previous picture.
The blue tub from the first picture can fit two of the clear trays which have about 6-8 inch tall walls.Another view of previous image.
This is a variation of the table I am making for people with less space. For this version the lid of the blue container would be latched on and the clear tray would sit on top with a drain going to the blue tub.
A common confusion can arise about the difference between a nursery and hydroponics shop. A nursery will sell things geared mostly towards outdoor gardening and flowers or trees and shrubs. These shops usually will carry things like simple trays, drip pans, some pest control, moisture meters, shovels and gardening tools. Nurseries will also have things like trellis, trimmers, stakes, gloves, soil, and usually low quality fertilizers. Although some nurseries carry very high quality nutrients for outdoor gardening.
A hydroponic shop carries the most advanced gardening tools available. A hobby indoor gardener would get most of their supplies at a hydro store. Hydroponic stores carry the best tools for indoor gardening and hydroponic setups. Hydroponic stores will have high quality hydroponic nutrients, water pumps, air pumps, carbon filters, inline fans, circulation fans, cloning supplies, Co2 enrichment supplies, grow lights, timers, and full hydroponic systems. A lot of this stuff is usually on display so you can see how it works before you buy. Never be shy to ask questions. The clerks at the shop should be happy to explain the products to you to make sure you get the most efficiency out of your indoor garden.
The possibilities at hydro shops are endless. If you have no intentions of setting up a hydroponic garden there are still things at the shop you may find interest in that you could not get a nursery. For instance if you know you are going on vacation for a week or more but don’t want to lose your beautiful hard work to a drought – your solution may be a hydroponic based solution. At the store you may want to buy a water pump and tubing to set up a hydroponic drip system for your outdoor garden, indoor garden or even your window garden! The folks at the hydro shop should be able to point you to what you need to set up an automated watering system. An automated watering system means less time needed by you for the care of your plants. That allows you to free up time for more plants or less time per day in the garden. I’ll be posting some articles about hydroponic drip systems in the future.
Before deciding your homemade drip system is non-functional, check your work. Did you plan the needed gallons per hour your pump would need to push water through the whole system? Water pumps are rated by GPH(Gallons per Hour). You will need to know the minimum GPH your drip system needs to pressurize the water and make it through your drip emitters.
