vertical octagon diy parts list and how to guide - Vertical / Colosseum Growing - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

11-24-2005, 09:55 AM

For my second hopefully entertaining tech write up, I will share and outline my journey in building a vertical octagon hydro system for the do it yourselfer .

Here is a complete parts list , tools needed and instruction on how El Blastido built a vertical octagon hydroponic system, using simple readily available parts from any lumber or hardware supply.

First let me say that I in no way claim to have dreampt up this idea and there are several other write ups about this system.
Where I hope to help is by refining the design to be as simple as possible, we as humans tend to over complicate and over engineer.

I had been using for a very longtime a horizontal semi aeroponic system that I built nearly 21 years ago. After seeing the coli and the diy octagon I decided I wanted to get the satisfaction of building, re engineering, simplifying, and bullet proofing this practical design..

Why vertical? Efficiency! To provide light deeper into the canopy via side lighting to lower bud sites
To gain yield.
To provide the whole canopy with equal lumens
To cut in half the wattage it would take to grow the same amount of plant sites horizontally
To shrink the floor space needed
There are many reasons and those are just a few.

Now comes the consideration of what type of pipe to build the system from
I chose 3” black abs waste and drain pipe for cost and opacity.
3” pipe offered the best compromise of air space drainage and final layout for size and the availability of 3” net cups.

My choices were
3” white pvc
3” black abs
And 3” light duty styrene

Of the three styrene was the least expensive but was too thin and allowed light through which can cause algae to grow and compete for oxygen , white pvc would have been my first choice until I saw the price per fitting was double that of abs .
My only concern using abs was the fact that black will soak heat from the light source and that could be bad for heating the nute solution .to unacceptable levels .
So I purchased 1 abs black y fitting and placed it the distance it would be in the octagon to measure how much 12 hours of light would increase the temp of the fitting on the surface and the air inside.
After 12 hours under hps light the rise in temp was nothing to worry over, beside within two weeks the canopy should have the black plastic covered.

Tools needed are simple hand tools including a drill with a 13/16” flat spade wood bit
A hacksaw or what I found to work best was a bahco prizecut300 saw made for cutting pvc pipe , it has a wide blade compared to a hacksaw so it is easier to keep the cut going straight.
A deburring tool or some 80 grit sand paper.

This parts list is for a 56 site system but you can start smaller or go bigger that’s up to you.
The total cost was right around $400 without the pump and reservoir .
I found the prices of abs and pvc fittings varied a ton from different suppliers so shop around .

56- 3” abs wyie or Y
8- short 3” abs 45
14- short 3” abs waste T
14- 3” rubber quick cap
13-½” combo T
1- ½” combo elbow
14- ½” threaded coupler
14- Rainbird or equivalent 15 foot radius shrub sprinkler
1- 20’ roll 5/8” vinyl tubing
1- 4” no hub connector
21’ abs pipe cut into 91- 2 ¾” pieces
3- 8 oz can black abs cement
56- 3” net cups
1- tube of food grade grease
1-15-30 gallon reservoir
1- 500 gph pump
2- 3" 90 elbows
Here we go

First you will take the 20 foot piece of pipe and cut it into 91 pieces each measuring 2 ¾”
These will be used for couplings to join all the elbow ,Y and 45 fittings together to form the octagon.

Next you will saw the female collar off the Y . use the line of the collar as a guide to cut straight through
This is where the 3” net cup will be sitting so try to cut it straight
Now that you cant lift your arm from making a couple hundred cuts go smoke a bong rip and pat yourself on the back because the hard part is done .

Next you will lay out the system to get a feel of what goes where before we just start gluing .
I started on the upright columns first
build 14 columns each with 4 Y’s and couplers at both ends , make sure you aim all the Y’s the same direction .
Also when using abs cement make sure to do it outside in a well ventilated area
To assemble the parts using abs cement make sure you put a nice even coat inside the female joint and on the coupler . You don’t need to use a lot just make sure it fully coated so you don’t have leaks .

Now that the columns are built you will lay out and build the base using the short waste T’s and 45 degree elbows in an octagon fashion . The overall dimensions are 58”w X 58” d X 48” h .
So if you were to glue it all together you will not be able to fit it through doorways .
So I built it as 2 halves to facilitate take down and removal without destroying the system
join the two halves using a piece of coupler without glue using the no hub connector to seal the joint .

once the base of the octagon is built it's time to glue the columns into the base . you should now have all the gluing done and time to move onto the water delivery system .
you will start by drilling the 14 rubber quick cap's with the 13/16 flat spade wood bit in the center like the picture shows

i also removed the steel hose clamp that came with the quick cap for easier access to the tops of the columns , also in the above picture shows the 1/2" combo T , 1/2" threaded coupler and shrub sprinkler .
once the caps are drilled assemble the cap , combo T , threaded coupler and shrub sprinkler like such this will go on top of the columns .
this was the absolute simplest water delivery system available . i also tried using the smaller style 360 1/4" drip line type sprayers but felt it was not delivering enough water over the roots . i like to have the roots soaked within 30sec-1 min on time with about a 5 min off time .
put all cap assemblies on top of the columns with T's facing one another and start cutting and fitting the 5/8" vinyl hose all the way around .
i found that these grey 1/2 "combo T's are to big to slip standard 1/2 vinyl tubing onto , so 5/8" turned out to fit perfect . run the hose from your pump to the first T and all the way around to an the combo elbow at the last column .
that's it ! a very reliable and extremly simple nutrient delivery system .

the drain on this system is very simple at the end of each half turn down with a 90 elbow back into the reservoir , this is a fool proof drain that wont clog

here is another shot from the back side . i mounted the room controller on the system as close to the canopy as possible for more acurate control of the canopy enviroment.

this systems maiden voyage will use 2 600 hps , full line up of advance nutes
half purple urckle half ecsd so stay tuned for the break in run ..
btw if your interested in how i set up the air cooled vert tube check it out here
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=17781

hope i made enough sense for this to be of use lol
peace yall
El Blastido

NiteTiger · 11-24-2005, 10:18 AM

Tagged for later reading

Thanks in advance for the write up, since I did ask

11-24-2005, 10:46 AM

Cool stuff! I've seen similar systems, commercial and home-made. I prefer home-made!

11-24-2005, 11:12 AM

bad ass man,,, really bad ass...nice system... really cool

Harry Gypsna · 11-24-2005, 04:52 PM

Fantastic mate, really....im loving all these vert systems now getting more popular and more common to see them......Belive that im traking notes and watching, paying close attention to details so when mine gets setup that i get it right,, or very close to right from the start.... <Methinks ill have to buy a lux meter soon lol.....
Best of luck with this grow mate.....im pulling up a chair and dragging the table with the bong and smokeables behind me, coz im here for the duration.....
Be lucky...

**guineapig** · 11-28-2005, 08:58 AM

rock on el blastido!!! i wanted to see more of your DIY octagon setup so many many thanks from a kindly ol' guineapig......

now if you happen to read this message......could you be so kind as to tell me what that white box that looks like some sort of controller is? i see it in the last picture but cannot seem to find out what it is......hmmmmm.....

-kind regards,
guineapig

11-28-2005, 10:32 AM

thank you GP , the controller pictured is a 12 year old CAP fgc1 that was branded under the diamond lights name . this says how good CAP products are this thing has not missed a beat.
it is a full room controller lights , fans, c02, hydro pump cycling timer .
i mounted it there to try and keep it as close to the canopy as possible and not be in the way .

el blastido

Quote:

Originally Posted by guineapig

rock on el blastido!!! i wanted to see more of your DIY octagon setup so many many thanks from a kindly ol' guineapig......

now if you happen to read this message......could you be so kind as to tell me what that white box that looks like some sort of controller is? i see it in the last picture but cannot seem to find out what it is......hmmmmm.....

-kind regards,
guineapig

Xtrakritical · 11-28-2005, 06:22 PM

Hey El Blastido,
Great DIY!
Easy to follow and great instructions (or is it directions?)
Like Coli's for Dummies...

Curious as to how big a res is needed for this system? how many gallons to get all the plants and still have something in the res so ur pumps dont run dry...

also how much stretch ( or average height) do the plants end up at harvest?

wonerding if I could pull this off in my 4.5'x4.5' x7'h open in the front so I have access to the plants...

Great DIY's Bro! now I wanna go vertical!

00420's coli grows are proof. colis are some something special!

Xtra

SmokeAndBeKind · 11-28-2005, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the tutorial, that is a sweet setup, I just wonder if I can fit one into my 2'x3' closet....

11-28-2005, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xtrakritical

Hey El Blastido,
Great DIY!
Easy to follow and great instructions (or is it directions?)
Like Coli's for Dummies...

Curious as to how big a res is needed for this system? how many gallons to get all the plants and still have something in the res so ur pumps dont run dry...

also how much stretch ( or average height) do the plants end up at harvest?

wonerding if I could pull this off in my 4.5'x4.5' x7'h open in the front so I have access to the plants...

Great DIY's Bro! now I wanna go vertical!

00420's coli grows are proof. colis are some something special!

Xtra

thank you Xtra

i am using a 20 gallon res because i had it laying around but i did a test run for volume with a 5 gallon bucket and found that the system required about3 gallons until it started returning fluid to the res . i think you could get away with a 10 gallon res if you change the nutes once a week and top up between .

your second ? about stretch depends on strain and veg time

the outside dimensions are 58" x 58 " a smidge to big for you

again thank you

el blastido

11-24-2005, 09:55 AM	#1
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	vertical octagon diy parts list and how to guide For my second hopefully entertaining tech write up, I will share and outline my journey in building a vertical octagon hydro system for the do it yourselfer . Here is a complete parts list , tools needed and instruction on how El Blastido built a vertical octagon hydroponic system, using simple readily available parts from any lumber or hardware supply. First let me say that I in no way claim to have dreampt up this idea and there are several other write ups about this system. Where I hope to help is by refining the design to be as simple as possible, we as humans tend to over complicate and over engineer. I had been using for a very longtime a horizontal semi aeroponic system that I built nearly 21 years ago. After seeing the coli and the diy octagon I decided I wanted to get the satisfaction of building, re engineering, simplifying, and bullet proofing this practical design.. Why vertical? Efficiency! To provide light deeper into the canopy via side lighting to lower bud sites To gain yield. To provide the whole canopy with equal lumens To cut in half the wattage it would take to grow the same amount of plant sites horizontally To shrink the floor space needed There are many reasons and those are just a few. Now comes the consideration of what type of pipe to build the system from I chose 3” black abs waste and drain pipe for cost and opacity. 3” pipe offered the best compromise of air space drainage and final layout for size and the availability of 3” net cups. My choices were 3” white pvc 3” black abs And 3” light duty styrene Of the three styrene was the least expensive but was too thin and allowed light through which can cause algae to grow and compete for oxygen , white pvc would have been my first choice until I saw the price per fitting was double that of abs . My only concern using abs was the fact that black will soak heat from the light source and that could be bad for heating the nute solution .to unacceptable levels . So I purchased 1 abs black y fitting and placed it the distance it would be in the octagon to measure how much 12 hours of light would increase the temp of the fitting on the surface and the air inside. After 12 hours under hps light the rise in temp was nothing to worry over, beside within two weeks the canopy should have the black plastic covered. Tools needed are simple hand tools including a drill with a 13/16” flat spade wood bit A hacksaw or what I found to work best was a bahco prizecut300 saw made for cutting pvc pipe , it has a wide blade compared to a hacksaw so it is easier to keep the cut going straight. A deburring tool or some 80 grit sand paper. This parts list is for a 56 site system but you can start smaller or go bigger that’s up to you. The total cost was right around $400 without the pump and reservoir . I found the prices of abs and pvc fittings varied a ton from different suppliers so shop around . 56- 3” abs wyie or Y 8- short 3” abs 45 14- short 3” abs waste T 14- 3” rubber quick cap 13-½” combo T 1- ½” combo elbow 14- ½” threaded coupler 14- Rainbird or equivalent 15 foot radius shrub sprinkler 1- 20’ roll 5/8” vinyl tubing 1- 4” no hub connector 21’ abs pipe cut into 91- 2 ¾” pieces 3- 8 oz can black abs cement 56- 3” net cups 1- tube of food grade grease 1-15-30 gallon reservoir 1- 500 gph pump 2- 3" 90 elbows Here we go First you will take the 20 foot piece of pipe and cut it into 91 pieces each measuring 2 ¾” These will be used for couplings to join all the elbow ,Y and 45 fittings together to form the octagon. Next you will saw the female collar off the Y . use the line of the collar as a guide to cut straight through This is where the 3” net cup will be sitting so try to cut it straight Now that you cant lift your arm from making a couple hundred cuts go smoke a bong rip and pat yourself on the back because the hard part is done . Next you will lay out the system to get a feel of what goes where before we just start gluing . I started on the upright columns first build 14 columns each with 4 Y’s and couplers at both ends , make sure you aim all the Y’s the same direction . Also when using abs cement make sure to do it outside in a well ventilated area To assemble the parts using abs cement make sure you put a nice even coat inside the female joint and on the coupler . You don’t need to use a lot just make sure it fully coated so you don’t have leaks . Now that the columns are built you will lay out and build the base using the short waste T’s and 45 degree elbows in an octagon fashion . The overall dimensions are 58”w X 58” d X 48” h . So if you were to glue it all together you will not be able to fit it through doorways . So I built it as 2 halves to facilitate take down and removal without destroying the system join the two halves using a piece of coupler without glue using the no hub connector to seal the joint . once the base of the octagon is built it's time to glue the columns into the base . you should now have all the gluing done and time to move onto the water delivery system . you will start by drilling the 14 rubber quick cap's with the 13/16 flat spade wood bit in the center like the picture shows i also removed the steel hose clamp that came with the quick cap for easier access to the tops of the columns , also in the above picture shows the 1/2" combo T , 1/2" threaded coupler and shrub sprinkler . once the caps are drilled assemble the cap , combo T , threaded coupler and shrub sprinkler like such this will go on top of the columns . this was the absolute simplest water delivery system available . i also tried using the smaller style 360 1/4" drip line type sprayers but felt it was not delivering enough water over the roots . i like to have the roots soaked within 30sec-1 min on time with about a 5 min off time . put all cap assemblies on top of the columns with T's facing one another and start cutting and fitting the 5/8" vinyl hose all the way around . i found that these grey 1/2 "combo T's are to big to slip standard 1/2 vinyl tubing onto , so 5/8" turned out to fit perfect . run the hose from your pump to the first T and all the way around to an the combo elbow at the last column . that's it ! a very reliable and extremly simple nutrient delivery system . the drain on this system is very simple at the end of each half turn down with a 90 elbow back into the reservoir , this is a fool proof drain that wont clog here is another shot from the back side . i mounted the room controller on the system as close to the canopy as possible for more acurate control of the canopy enviroment. this systems maiden voyage will use 2 600 hps , full line up of advance nutes half purple urckle half ecsd so stay tuned for the break in run .. btw if your interested in how i set up the air cooled vert tube check it out here https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=17781 hope i made enough sense for this to be of use lol peace yall El Blastido Last edited by El Blastido; 11-28-2005 at 10:25 AM..
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

11-24-2005, 10:18 AM	#2
NiteTiger Tiger, Tiger, burning bright... Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,256	Tagged for later reading Thanks in advance for the write up, since I did ask __________________ *Remember - Every 'elite' started off as someone's bagseed* kingjobber - This hash just uncentered my chi Growing cannabis is only as complicated and expensive as you want it to be. Current Grow: Knowledge Guides: Diatomaceous Earth - The Best Pesticide You've Never Heard Of Pontiac's DIY Link-O-Rama Unofficial Glossary for New Growers The Water Cure- How, when, and why How to remove 'HPS Orange' quick and easy!
	Quote

11-24-2005, 04:52 PM	#5
Harry Gypsna Dirty hippy Bastard Join Date: May 2004 Location: Outside BodyShop, with a Tin Whistle and a dog on a piece of string Posts: 8,157	Fantastic mate, really....im loving all these vert systems now getting more popular and more common to see them......Belive that im traking notes and watching, paying close attention to details so when mine gets setup that i get it right,, or very close to right from the start.... <Methinks ill have to buy a lux meter soon lol..... Best of luck with this grow mate.....im pulling up a chair and dragging the table with the bong and smokeables behind me, coz im here for the duration..... Be lucky... __________________ Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, and none of these people are very funny. Last edited by Harry Gypsna; 12-03-2005 at 07:52 AM..
	Quote

11-28-2005, 06:22 PM	#8
Xtrakritical Super Stoner With new and improved early fuckry detection. Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 695	Hey El Blastido, Great DIY! Easy to follow and great instructions (or is it directions?) Like Coli's for Dummies... Curious as to how big a res is needed for this system? how many gallons to get all the plants and still have something in the res so ur pumps dont run dry... also how much stretch ( or average height) do the plants end up at harvest? wonerding if I could pull this off in my 4.5'x4.5' x7'h open in the front so I have access to the plants... Great DIY's Bro! now I wanna go vertical! 00420's coli grows are proof. colis are some something special! Xtra __________________ F.U.C.K.E.M. Quality Control Specialist Here's to good friends... BLAH!
	Quote

11-28-2005, 06:46 PM	#9
SmokeAndBeKind Gotta Love my Nuggets Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: middle of the states Posts: 78	Thanks for the tutorial, that is a sweet setup, I just wonder if I can fit one into my 2'x3' closet.... __________________ Click Here to See my Aero Afghani Grow
	Quote

11-24-2005, 10:46 AM	#3
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Cool stuff! I've seen similar systems, commercial and home-made. I prefer home-made!
	Quote

11-24-2005, 11:12 AM	#4
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	bad ass man,,, really bad ass...nice system... really cool
	Quote

11-28-2005, 08:58 AM	#6
guineapig Moderator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: In spite of my rage I am still just a rodent in a cage Posts: 4,601	rock on el blastido!!! i wanted to see more of your DIY octagon setup so many many thanks from a kindly ol' guineapig...... now if you happen to read this message......could you be so kind as to tell me what that white box that looks like some sort of controller is? i see it in the last picture but cannot seem to find out what it is......hmmmmm..... -kind regards, guineapig
	Quote