vertical ebb and flow - help

[gregor_mendel]

I am currently running a vertical garden ala Greenlights.

It is a 5.5'x5.5' room with 10"x3"x42" trays around the edges, 3 levels high.

I am hand watering coco in pots. Originally, I had planned to build a drip system, but would rather do ebb and flow.

I need trays that are 8"-10" tall, 10"-12" wide, and 3'-4' long.

As far as I can tell, no one makes anything like this. I could build them, I know, but think that a long skinny plastic bin of some kind would work. It would also be cheaper than building them with wood or fiberglass, and a lot less work.

Medical, agricultural, building supply - any kind of tray that meets the dimensions and holds water. Even if it is not a good material, such as metal, it could be painted with a food grade epoxy inside.

Please share your ideas.

 

[anonymiss12345]

I've looked a bit into exactly what you're talkin' about.
Pre-made...I couldn't find what you're askin' for.
At the end of the day...I'd have to go with buckets on shelves. A simple Multi-Flow bucket type ebb/flow setup. Each shelf has it's own 'control'...which can just be one of the actual buckets. Have a big overflow drain in one of the buckets per level and viola!...multi level Ebb & Flow

 

[gregor_mendel]

High anonymous

High anonymous

I first thought of this, but was scared away for expense (even DIY can run pretty high on a multi-flow) and the fact that changing plant numbers means changing bucket numbers and re-plumbing everything.

I'm not completely against multiflow, but I will look for some window boxes that fit the bill first. They are available in custom sizes, but at $7.50 US per linear foot. Hopefully I can find a cheap one.

If not, then either buckets ($600-$900 for 3 controllers) or homemade long tall and skinny trays.

Unfortunately, I think the usual pond liner method of DIY tables would not work well in 10" wide table, as the overlap from the corners would over lap and be quite a mess.

I will do a cost analysis first, but if I can't find something plastic, I am more likely to build my trays of wood, and paint inside (maybe outside too) with epoxy.

I may also try fiberglass, but the food grade fiberglass resin is spendy.

 

[gregor_mendel]

bumpetty

 

[PurplePotion]

Could be done easily with plywood and pondliner.. You can make that stuff strech pretty tight against the surfaces of the table.

 

[anonymiss12345]

Yes, multiple buckets and fittings can add up...but the automated controller buckets are 100% unnecessary. A pump and a $40 digital timer will do just fine.
-One pump in one big rez which will pump to all 3 levels.
-On each level, connect all the buckets together at the bottom, just like the Multi-flow system.
-At each level, have one empty bucket somewhere.(it just has to be at the same level...not actually taking up grow zone space)
-Connect the empty bucket to one of the grow buckets on that level...connect the pump to the bottom of the empty bucket.
-Put a large drain in the empty bucket at the desired flood depth. The drain goes back to the rez.

When you turn the pump on...it will flow into the empty 'control' bucket and start to fill the grow buckets via the tube connecting all in that level. If the pump flows faster than the buckets can fill...the excess goes into the drain tube until all the buckets are at the same depth...at which point, it doesn't matter if the pump keeps going as it will just overflow down the drain until the pump is shut off...at which time the whole level will drain down back thru the pump hose.

Just set the digital timer to run for a few minutes longer than it takes the buckets to fill.