Drip Feed System.

This feed system has a dripper for each plant. Dripping the hydro juice
directly on the top of the root mass should stop the plant from sending out
long roots in search of food. Resulting in more growth on top or so the
theory goes. The drip system uses a drip feed tank about one meter above
the drippers and reticulation system.

Reticulation is via 13mm. poly tube to just above the root chamber. A hole
is punched in the 13mm. tube. A 4mm. adapter is screwed into the hole.
Then 4mm. poly tube is attached to the 4mm. adapter. A dripper is
attached to the other end of the 4mm. tube. The 4mm poly tube should be
kept as short as possible so there is enough pressure to start the drippers.
Barbed right angles and tee's are used to route the 13mm. poly tube close
to each plant. The top of the 13 mm. poly tube is about 50mm. below the
bottom of the drip feed tank. A 13mm. to snap-on adapter is fitted to the top
of the 13mm. poly tube. If the 13 mm. poly tube is positioned at right angles
to the slot and the 4mm. adapter, 4 mm. poly tube and the dripper
positioned over the slot. Any leakage at the joins in the poly tube will drip
into the slot preventing loss of hydro juice.
A 42 liter plastic garbage bin and lid is used for the drip feed tank. Snap-on
fittings and 13mm. garden hose connect the bottom of the drip feed tank to
the to 13mm. poly tube. They also connect the pump outlet hose to the top
of the drip feed tank. A Stop Snap-on is used where the garden hose
connects to the Snap-on adapter on the 13mm. poly tube. This prevents
the hydro juice flowing from when the Snap-on is removed from the 13mm.
poly tube.
To convert from flood and drain to drip feed. Move the pump outlet hose
from the flood inlet on top of the root chamber, to the top of the drip feed
tank.

Snap-on universal sprinkler adapter are used to connect hoses to the side
of the drip feed tank . These are a Snap-on to 13mm. thread adapter.
There is also a 20mm. thread that screws onto a 13mm. thread. A hole no
larger than the 13mm. thread is drilled in the side of the tank. The 13mm.
thread is pushed through the hole from the outside of the tank. Now the
20mm. thread is screwed on to the 13mm. thread inside the tank creating a
water tight seal. Make sure the hole is away from obstructions inside the
tank that would prevent the 20mm. thread from attaching to the 13mm.
thread. This method is used for all tanks and also for the pump outlet hose
connection to the top of the flood end of the root chamber.
The Easiest and Cheapest Systems below.
 DRIP
SYSTEMS

RECOVERY / NON-
RECOVERY

Drip systems are probably the most widely used type of hydroponic system in the world.
Operation is simple, a timer controls a submersed pump. The timer turns the pump on and
nutrient solution is dripped onto the base of each plant by a small drip line. In a Recovery
Drip System the excess nutrient solution that runs off is collected back in the reservoir for re-
use. The Non-Recovery System does not collect the run off.
A recovery system uses nutrient solution a bit more efficiently, as excess solution is reused,
this also allows for the use of a more inexpensive timer because a recovery system doesn't
require precise control of the watering cycles. The non-recovery system needs to have a more
precise timer so that watering cycles can be adjusted to insure that the plants get enough
nutrient solution and the runoff is kept to a minimum.
The non-recovery system requires less maintenance due to the fact that the excess nutrient
solution isn't recycled back into the reservoir, so the nutrient strength and pH of the reservoir
will not vary. This means that you can fill the reservoir with pH adjusted nutrient solution
and then forget it until you need to mix more. A recovery system can have large shifts in the
pH and nutrient strength levels that require periodic checking and adjusting.