Drip Systems: 5 Problems You Can Avoid

Drip system maintenance is key to running an efficient hydroponic drip system.  Below are 5 problems to watch for in your drip system.  Avoid these problems and you’ll be keeping your plants from automation gone wrong!

Hydroponic Water Pump Pre Filter
The foam filter inside of this water pump catches small particles before they have a chance to interrupt your drip system.

1.Drip Emitters – Clogged drip emitters are most likely the number one problem in drip systems.  The best way to fix them is cut them off and try a fresh one.

2.Timer On/Off Switch – Have you ever turned the switch on your timer off so your drip system wouldn’t run during a reservoir change?  Always double check to make sure that switch is back to ON when you are done.
3. Timer Malfunction – Timers can shut off for various reasons: water damage, battery or power failure, clock malfunction.
4. Reservoir Levels – Reservoir changes are necessary for productive hydroponic gardens.  Evaporation and usage will drain your reservoir.  When reservoir water evaporates, the nutrients and salts remain in the water.  The extra salts create a higher ppm nutrient solution.  Add plain or low ppm nutrient solution to get the levels back to where you want them.
5. Avoid Over Watering – Don’t run your drip system intervals for too long.  Start with small intervals and increase or decrease frequency depending on your plant’s performance.  It may take them a few days to react to changes so be patient.

Functioning Home Made Drip System
Both drippers are problem free!

Did you know you can buy and read customer reviews for Drip Emitters on Amazon? Check it out here.

GUIDE: Installing an Air Pump in a Hydroponic System

Notice all the bubbles being created, it is hard to see, but there are actually multiple air stones in the reservoir. These plants are thriving in this system.

Virtually all hydroponic and aquaponic systems will require an air pump of some type.  The nutrient reservoir must be oxygenated to maintain maximum efficiency.  If you do not want perfect plants what are you doing here?

Setting up an air pump in your nutrient reservoir is really simple.  I’ll outline the steps below.

1. Figure out the length of air tubing you need for the air stones to sit in the reservoir where you want them.  Leave a little extra tubing- you don’t want too much because air loses power over distance.

2. Put a hole through the side of your reservoir if you want your lid to seal.  Put the hole close to the top where water won’t spill out.  The hole is where the air tubing goes through.

3.  Put your air tubing through the hole you made before connecting the air pump or air stone.

4. Connect any T connectors you plan on using.  T connectors connect two air lines together to aerate two separate stones.  One large air pump can aerate many air stones in one reservoir or provide all the oxygen to many reservoirs.  I use small air pumps for each reservoir so all my eggs aren’t in one basket.  If one air pump aerates all the reservoirs and it malfunctions, all your reservoirs are donezo!

T connectors are used to bridge multiple air lines to the main air line.

5. Cut your air line before it meets each air stone to put in check valves.  Check valves ensure you air pump does not siphon water in the event of power loss.  Siphoned water into your air pump means a broken air pump.

Check Valves
Check Valves prevent water from being siphoned to your air pump.

6. Connect your air lines to your air stones and place them where you want them.  I like heavier air stones that stay in place at the bottom of the reservoir.  If you have multiple air stones, spread them out so your entire reservoir is oxygenated.

7.. Now is good time to hang your air pump if you plan to do so.  Air pumps can be noisy and sometimes give off a loud vibration that gets really annoying.  A hanging air pump should be a quiet air pump.

8. Connect the other end of your air tubing to the little connector coming out of the air pump. (shown below)

9.  Plug in you air pump and oxygenate that reservoir!.

Hanging Air Pump
Hanging air pumps reduce noise by eliminating loud vibrations.
Sunleaves Durapump Air
Air pump connected to 1/4inch air tubing oxygenating a large nutrient reservoir.