FITTING, IRRIGATION & TUBING

Drip systems are the most widely used hydroponic systems in the world. They are commonly used in commercial facilities for growing long term crops like tomatoes and peppers. Drip systems provide plenty of aeration (more than ebb and flow) because plant roots are never totally submerged, but are never allowed to dry out. There is also the additional aeration that occurs from water falling back into the reservoir.

Drip systems operate very simply. A pump has tubing connected to it which then branches off to smaller tubes feeding many plants. It works just like a drip irrigation system in your yard. Nutrient solution is dripped onto the base of each plant where it then trickles down through the grow media and into the roots and finally drains into the reservoir where it is reused.

A Drip System may be left to run continuously or it may be turned on and off with a timer. A good standard to go by is on for an hour and off for an hour, however we suggest experimenting to see what works best for you and your plants.

The great thing about drip systems is that they are very inexpensive, easy to build and totally modifiable. At GreenCoast, we find the following design works very well.

The system is based on the following: plants are in buckets filled with grow medium. The buckets sit in a tray which drains into a reservoir underneath. Inside the reservoir is a pump.

Connect 1/2" tubing to the pump, and use that as your main water line. You may run several 1/2" branches off this line. Use the 1/2" tees/elbows/connectors as appropriate to make your lines as smooth as possible. You don't want any kinks in the hose. Run the lines along the top edge of the buckets and end each line with a 1/2" compression end cap.

Connect drippers or drip rings to the 1/2" tubing by punching holes where you want the drip rings connected. Be sure that all the drip rings are facing down.Plug in the pump -- watch for any water which is landing where it should not. Adjust as necessary.
To learn more and to see examples and diagrams go to our Drip System Information

Often these types of systems are called flood and drain.. The plants are usually grown in pots with their roots supported by a medium of perlite, Rockwool or expanded clay pebbles (Hydroton.) The pots sit in a plastic tray which in turn sits above a reservoir filled with nutrient solution. The growing tray must be higher than the reservoir because the system relies on gravity to do the work.

A pump in the reservoir is connected to the bottom of the tray. When the pump turns on, the tray fills with water. When the water level reaches a pre-determined height, through the use of the overflow fitting, the water falls back into the reservoir. When the pump turns off, the water runs back down through the pump into the reservoir. Poetry...

Most growers choose to control irrigation with a timer. A typical schedule would involve several short one-hour water cycles per day, but the duration and frequencies of watering cycles varies from one system to another and is dependent on the crop, the plant size and environmental conditions.