Easy Hydroponics
Learn to make your own homemade hydroponics system to grow virtually any plant, vegetable and fruit without soil.
General Hydroponics:
Hydroponic Systems:
Hydroponics Growing:
Homemade Hydroponics:
Hydroponic Lights:
PVC Hydroponics:
How to Build PVC Pipe Hydroponics
PVC pipe hydroponics are becoming a trend nowadays, but for good reason because they're very cheap, flexible and durable. Find out how to build one in this article.
One of the beautiful facts regarding PVC pipe hydroponics is that you can be very creative about them and you can set them up, bend them and arrange them almost anyway you like. This is extremely helpful when you're planning on growing your plants in small spaces, where having a huge system would not be very practical. If you haven't decided on a PVC hydroponics system so far, I would recommend you try out a multi-tier one, because they're the most practical yet (although not as easy to build as other systems, but if you follow the directions closely, it shouldn't be a problem). Let's start by listing the components you'll need in the creation of this multi-tier PVC system.
PVC Hydroponics - Components
You can purchase some of the components from your local store (Home Depot, Walmart, etc) or order them online from a recommended hydroponics store.
You will require various sizes of PVC pipes. If you can't get them from a store, you can try making them yourself if you're good with that kind of stuff. Regardless of how you get them, here's what you'll need:
- A large container, preferably around 30 gallons
- A submersible under water pump that can get around 150 gallons of water going per hour
- Water hoses
- A ¾ x 10" PVC thin wall pipe
- A ¾ x 3 ½ PVC thin wall pipe
- 4′ x 4″ thin-wall PVC pipes
- 4″ PVC end caps
- PVC elbow with outside threads on one end
- ¾” PVC elbows
- Several Styrofoam cups
- Growth Media
PVC Hydroponics - Let the Building Begin
If you find the process of building your own system too difficult, consider buying one of our recommended hydroponic systems.
The first thing we need to do is build the frame of the system, which will be made out of 4" diameter half circles. Both support boards should have a single half circle that's cut at the same interval, otherwise the system will lose balance.
Next up, use a drill to get several holes down through the 4' x 4" PVC pipes. They should look like flutes at the end, with the holes symmetrically drilled along their length. You will have to be careful with the drill as to not hurt the entire piping.
If you're using 3 pipes, have a hole drilled in the side of each one, because you'll need to connect them through these holes. Each two pipes should be connected at a different end, so if you're using 3 pipes, pipe number 1 and 2 should be connected at the left end, then pipe 2 and 3 at the right end. Similarly, if you're using 5 pipes, you should connect 1 and 2 left, 2 and 3 right, 3 and 4 left and 4 and 5 right. This creates a longer flow in the system and allows for better management overall. One last thing you need to handle with the pipes is gluing end caps at each of their sides.
The mainframe of your PVC pipe hydroponics system is almost built, now all you need is to connect the piping to the container. Connect the hose to the pump inside the container and fill it up with nutrient solution and water. Now, take each Styrofoam cup and drill a hole at their bottom, then fill them up with growth media and plant the seeds.
Your multi-tier PVC pipe hydroponics system is done!