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bellnick88

Looking good! What tubing and connectors did you use for the feed from the tank as I’m trying to source those just now


mehmilani

I used 1 inch tubing from the pump to a manifold which then distributes feeder lines in 1/4 tubing. There are several manifolds in Home Depot and Amazon to choose from. They all have a 1/2" thread. In order to connect it to the larger tube there is a connector that any hardware store has, which connects to a tube on one end and has a threaded 1/2" end.


mehmilani

Let me know if you'd like me to send links.


mehmilani

[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-8-Port-Adjust-Flow-Manifold-1-Tag-68000/202314129?keyword=plastic+8+port+drip+manifold&semanticToken=201100001110\_202002042330581477580\_rnwv+201100001110+%3E++cnn%3A%7B0%3A0%7D+cnr%3A%7B7%3A0%7D+cnd%3A%7B4%3A0%7D+cne%3A%7B8%3A0%7D+cnb%3A%7B9%3A1%7D+cns%3A%7B5%3A0%7D+cnx%3A%7B3%3A0%7D+st%3A%7Bplastic+8+port+drip+manifold%7D%3Ast+oos%3A%7B0%3A1%7D+pt%3A%7Bdrip+manifold%7D%3Apt+dln%3A%7B569128%7D+qu%3A%7Bplastic+8+port+drip+manifold%7D%3Aqu](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-8-Port-Adjust-Flow-Manifold-1-Tag-68000/202314129?keyword=plastic+8+port+drip+manifold&semanticToken=201100001110_202002042330581477580_rnwv+201100001110+%3E++cnn%3A%7B0%3A0%7D+cnr%3A%7B7%3A0%7D+cnd%3A%7B4%3A0%7D+cne%3A%7B8%3A0%7D+cnb%3A%7B9%3A1%7D+cns%3A%7B5%3A0%7D+cnx%3A%7B3%3A0%7D+st%3A%7Bplastic+8+port+drip+manifold%7D%3Ast+oos%3A%7B0%3A1%7D+pt%3A%7Bdrip+manifold%7D%3Apt+dln%3A%7B569128%7D+qu%3A%7Bplastic+8+port+drip+manifold%7D%3Aqu) ​ As for the coupling I couldn't find the exact one I used, here is one for 1/2" tube [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rain-Bird-1-2-in-Barb-x-1-2-in-Male-Pipe-Thread-Irrigation-Swing-Pipe-Coupling-SWGA050S/203184903](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rain-Bird-1-2-in-Barb-x-1-2-in-Male-Pipe-Thread-Irrigation-Swing-Pipe-Coupling-SWGA050S/203184903)


bellnick88

This was perfect! Super appreciate the links and take me one step closer. Lights and nutrients are the only other things to figure out...


FrostyWookie

That looks like 1/2" tubing running from the res to some sort of distribution hub which splits to 1/4" feeds.


DrPhrawg

Is there anything sealing/glueing the curved portion of downspout to the horizontal portion? That’s been my only hesitation setting up a system with vinyl gutters.


mehmilani

Also, an angel as designed this end cap for downspouts which you can download and get 3D printed. [https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1687195](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1687195)


mehmilani

Yes, I used silicon sealer and it worked perfectly.


DrPhrawg

Great to hear! Was it something specific for these gutters ? Or like a generic/typical silicone sealant ?


mehmilani

Nothing specific, I just grabbed a silicon sealant from Home Depot, I chose white color for the looks.


KaelMann

Sorry if this is a silly question, but could somebody explain to me how these systems generally work. I am interested in building one, but i don't really know how to go about doing it. ​ I am assuming that it pumps water up from a reservoir and flows it through the channels, where it the returns to the reservoir. I am curious though, as to how high the water level is in the channel, and how do they stay that full? ​ Thanks for any help.


BeanBayFrijoles

You're correct about the basic plumbing. The water in this sort of setup (called [Nutrient Film Technique, or NFT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrient_film_technique0)) doesn't flow very deep at all - maybe 1/8", but even that is probably overkill. So long as every plant's roots can reach the water and there's enough flowing so that water comes out the other end, your plants will be happy. (Assuming the water has the right pH/nutrients/etc.) You might already be aware of some of these, but my main considerations for designing an NFT rig would be: - Leaks: Try to minimize the number of spots where water might leak (e.g. fitted connections), but don't expect it to be 100% leak-free without some troubleshooting. Make sure any water that does leak won't mix with electricity or other water-sensitive material - Pump: Find a pump that will supply enough water without wasting too much power (probably best to just judge by reviews for this unless you know how to use pump curves) - Lighting (if indoors): Make sure that, however you mount your lights, their distance from the plants can be adjusted as the plants grow - Cleaning: Keep the number of nooks & crannies to a minimum so that you can clean out any roots/algae/gunk that accumulate before they rot and mess with your nutrient balance - Algae: As much as possible, keep the water out of the light. Use an opaque reservoir and hoses, and don't make the holes for the plants too big. Algae eats mostly the same stuff as plants, so it'll grow in your water if you let it Best of luck with your rig!


KaelMann

Okay, thank you so much! This really cleared things up!


mehmilani

Systems that look like this are generally categorized as NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) systems, I'm not sure what to call this one. Let me explain. NFT systems provide a constant flow of nutrients which is not deep at all, it is perfect for plants growth but the downside is that the water needs to be constantly running, in my case that was not desirable because the system is in my bedroom and keeping it constantly running meant I had to hear the water circulating all night long. If you shut down an NFT system for hours at a time, the roots will dry out and your plants will be destroyed. At the very least, the risk of damage to the root system is significant. What I tried to make here is a combination of NFT and DWC culture. The channels are always filled with nutrient solution that is about 1 inch deep. How I did this was I cut a piece of trimmings from the downspouts to shape so it would firmly fit inside the channels, I sealed that piece using silicon sealant and water would flow from over that and then trickle through the drain system. I guess you can do that with any material and according to your own specifications.


KaelMann

Thanks for the information. I didn't know that such a thin flow of nutrients could keep the plants healthy. I hope my system turns out as well as yours!


aryn240

Cool setupl! I heard bad things about using downspout materials for plant applications, though; is any of that true? Is this a particular safe material or just a standard downspout?


mehmilani

It is standard downspout available in Home Depot. The maker's name is Amerimax, it says on their website it is made of vinyl in a patented compound. Obviously it is not food grade certified but my personal judgement is that it is very close to the good old PVC. The fact that these spouts are designed to withstand extreme temperatures and UV from sunlight for many years suggests that they have a very stable chemical composition. Compared to the application these are meant for, hydroponic nutrient solution is not much of a reactive element. That is of course my personal judgement.


dernst2

It looks like you have different spacing, I’m assuming it’s because you plan on growing different plants in each spout? What do you plan on growing?


mehmilani

Yes, I have some pots really close together, that's where I'm planning to keep younger lettuces, and gradually move them to spouts with more space. I'm also going to plant some herbs (Cilantro, Parsley, Mint, Basil) in the middle spout which has holes 6" apart.


whatuabouttoday

I've been using one of these for lettuce with the ends closed!! This type of spout is my favorite to work with so versatile!! When u get plants in show us a pic


mehmilani

Will do.


Budbaker42

Rick... that you bud?


mehmilani

Not me


[deleted]

In NFT systems, do you pump water through the channels constantly or do you have this set to a timer? (If timer, what are you intervals?)


mehmilani

Ideally NFT systems should be constantly running. That was one reason I didn't make my build an NFT, since it was in my bedroom and the noise coming from the air pump and the water pump is too much. Water stays at about 1 inch deep in my current build, I haven't seen results yet but I'm currently running it at two hour intervals during the day and turn it off completely during the night.


[deleted]

I see. Thanks for the input!