Build Your Own Affordable Hydroponic Grow Tower (Under $50) | Aeroponics | Vertical Garden

[@healinghobbies]

This tower is made from six 2-gallon buckets. Each layer has the capacity to accommodate 4-8 plants per bucket with a growing cell size of 2 inches that fits perfectly with a pool noodle. The structure is supported vertically by a 3/4" pex pipe. I made a tiny holes around the pipe to create sprinkler like or pattern on each layer of the bucket using a 1/16 drill bit to ensure an even distribution of water to each growing cell/hole. There are 6 in total vertically, so each bucket has it's own individual sprinkler like pattern or mist. The pump can raise water up to 10 feet in height, and the reservoir is a 5-gallon bucket Nutrient Solution 10g Masterblend Tomato formula (NPK) 10g Calcium Nitrate (CN) 5g Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate) 5 gallons water

[@coryd2993]

Thank you for this! I just built my first one, waiting on the pump. If you like to cut out the bottom of the bucket, use tin snips, it cut like butter! Thank you! ✌❤✌❤

[@healinghobbies]

@@coryd2993 Love to hear it and thank you for sharing your tips! 🌱💜All the best! Happy Gardening!

[@janngilbert6332]

If you start with a full reservoir bucket, how often do you add water/nutrients? Put another way, how long does a 5 gallon bucket of water/nutrients last? Also, are you living in a dry environment, wet or middle type of environment? Thanks! I love this video. Good job!

[@pratiushmishra9057]

Do we need 40w or 20w pump for this?

[@BWStillStanding]

How are the buckets free? They cost 10 bucks each here

[@fairhall001]

Tradie's tip: run the hole saw backwards for the final cut to stop the plastic from getting stuck inside the hole saw.

[@NicholasVerkaik]

Also, why not use a standard drill! Looks so much more difficult to use a hole saw with the one she used.

[@erikmaguina1]

Interesting and ty for sharing I don't have any experience with power tools

[@HighTeaWithTheQueen]

Wow! Thanks for the great tip, I always struggled getting the pieces out of the hole saw

[@Stormsteed]

If you’re finding that the flow at the top is less (the plants were smaller), you can reduce the diameter of the pex pipe halfway up to increase the flow pressure to the top. Well done. Without a doubt, your videos are so informative and I love your creativity as you try new things.

[@MoyToy84]

And how do you do that?

[@rennyrenn]

@@MoyToy84 To reduce the diameter of the PEX pipe halfway up, you can use a reducer fitting. This fitting will connect two sections of PEX pipe with different diameters, effectively narrowing the pipe's diameter and increasing water pressure at the top. You would install the reducer at the midpoint of the vertical PEX pipe, ensuring that the flow to the upper sections of the tower is boosted, helping smaller plants receive adequate water flow. Hope that helps!

[@kaizermengele6669]

@@rennyrenn or you can choose a more powerful pump instead of doing all that rework...

[@Dicky-the-Driver]

Fab video. I live in the Philippines and this space saving tower is just what I am looking for to grow exotic bell peppers for a niche business. Thank you.

[@christophersextonsr8788]

I dig this build. There are some suggestions I have from other builds. When you go to cut the holes in the side of your buckets try cutting a slit about 2"-3" long and at each level stagger where you place the cuts. Then heat the slits using a heat gun and use a 2" pipe with an angle cut at one end to push into the the slits while they're hot, Angle the pipe out at about 45% to the wall of the bucket. Also, burry the reservoir at the bottom. You may want to either paint the buckets or use more of the insulation on each level of the buckets. Add a hole with a cap above the reservoir. Put in a filter at the pump. Here's why I suggest this. 1. Staggering where the holes are placed will naturally redirect the water flow from each slit inside bucket to the next slit down. 2. staggering the slits allow for more light to reach each level of produce, so you can grow leafy greens and have more space you can utilize. 3. cutting a slit and creating an angled hole allows the plants to sprout in a more normal direction and is less stressful for the plants. 4. angled slits are easier to transplant into and you can use less of the funnoodle in making the pods. 5. you'll be able to use the first sprayer method rather than tapping the pressure line in the middle at each level, the water will naturally follow the wall of the bucket instead. and the roots will have more contact. 6. Burying the reservoir at the bottom will cool the water, which in turn keeps the buckets at a cooler temperature so they won't deform, and you get less sapping of the plastic into the water/nutrients 7. Using paint or more of the insulation will cause there to be less light in the buckets, this reduces root rot, fungus, and other diseases. 8. You'll often get debris in the tank, filtering at the pump with a broad filter base will remove the damage debris can cause to your pump. Debris is inevitable, but with a little effort you can maintain the equipment better. 9. The hole with a cap like a 2" pipe at the top or above your reservoir will allow you to easily refill the reservoir and allow less debris, critters and contaminants into the reservoir. This protects the plants and the pump while allowing easy refill access and measuring for your water level. These simple changes will help the build be more efficient, easier to use, help maintain the equipment, and just all around provide a better experience. Either way, I really like your build for the cost effectiveness, better space utilization and as an easy step into getting into hydroponics. I have more suggestions, but I think I've added my 2 cents for now. =)

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you for sharing all these tips and information! I appreciate it! 🌱💜 Suggestions are always welcome. Please feel free to keep it coming this will help others for an easy build. Happy Gardening!🌱🙂

[@jordy46682]

Have you got your own video or maybe a diagram on your setup please? Sounds perfect and well researched! Thanks!

[@christophersextonsr8788]

@@jordy46682 Nope, LOL! I have a face for radio and a voice for print. I don't have a video I can point out or anything.

[@memefactory7275]

@@healinghobbies can you make a nutrient solution of micronutrients

[@debiesubaugher]

@@christophersextonsr8788 😆😆😆👌

[@wei.liang.2023]

Great idea, thanks for sharing. Please reduce the background music volume to 50% or 40%.

[@TrueBliuNineleven]

This is seriously one of the coolest things I have ever seen on the internet! The video itself was great. And the tower is EPIC!! Thank you for the thorough explanation - I seriously CAN NOT WAIT to make this! :)

[@Metqa]

nice solution to the sprinkler head problem and save a few bucks as well from not having to buy it for each set up

[@patiosnewcastle7525]

Your videos have opened my mind to new ideas.

[@samuels6256]

your videos are so much more fun to watch than any of the other hydroponics videos!! thank you !!

[@freepressfortworth]

Should attach misting-spray nozzles in the pex-tube where you drilled small holes.

[@quietspacearts]

love the sprinkler idea

[@atomizer2665]

Nice job. Its better to bury the reservoir when you have that option as it keeps the nutrient temperature more stable. The majority of the heat is picked up by the water as it runs down the tower. Insulating the outside of the reservoir can make things worse in some cases as the insulation also stops heat escaping :) Drilling holes in the pex to act as sprayers works great in a horizontal loop of pipe but its not as easy to get an even flow from all the holes in a vertical pipe.

[@healinghobbies]

I missed to demonstrate on the video that there is a sprayer/sprinkler like or pattern created in the pipe in each layer of the bucket to get an even flow/mist for all the holes. So, there are 6 of them in total vertically 🌱🙂

[@atomizer2665]

@@healinghobbies It was good you went for a pump with a 10ft head (4.4 psi), you must have known you were going to need it :) I have some home made aeroponic towers that run on mist which makes it easy to get even coverage. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp7bi5x3lMqEaJY

[@shillsweb]

@@atomizer2665 what sprinklers do you use to get this mist effect?

[@atomizer2665]

@@shillsweb They are just hollow cone misting nozzles

[@brownsugar1958ful]

You did an excellent job on your bucket system you go girl 😊❤

[@ForsakePariah]

Do your top buckets get algae or are you do you only need to blacken your reservoir? How often do you find yourself disassembling and cleaning?

[@misterkure]

This project looks really interesting and seems very efficient! However, I have a question regarding the materials used for the hydroponic grow tower, particularly the buckets and the plastic. Isn't there a risk that harmful toxins might be released from the plastic when it's exposed to the sun's heat outside, which could then be absorbed by the plants through their roots? As far as I know, some plastics can release carcinogenic substances, especially at high temperatures. How safe is this system in terms of the health of the plants and ultimately the people consuming them?

[@Heroitch52]

I know this is an older video but I would like to know if you could maybe have more plant spots in each bucket, maybe somewhere between 4-8 more spots per bucket to get more plant growth?

[@Sonnyrebel666]

Looking forward to giving this a go

[@H2Dwoat]

Hi, you can pick up demurring tool for a reasonable price this is great for removing the plastic fluff left after using the hole saw.

[@NicholasVerkaik]

Great video, Ty. Enjoyed your thorough it was and I always love a good cheap diy project and up cycling stuff that would end up in the landfill. Bravo

[@nicoleg8618]

Do you have an update on this system? Is it only sturdy enough for leafy greens? Going to replicate this but using a 20 gallon reservoir and 5 gallon upper buckets. Going to anchor to the wall and hoping I can grow larger vegetables like broccoli and squash

[@ernzer-cardeiramartine7229]

You can also use the plastic pipe that workes use to lay water pipes inside before sealing floor/street 😉

[@meas7762]

Great job! Best one by far. I plan to copy this but use a solar pump

[@kapushthethird]

A solar pump? 😮 Please, where can I find something like that? 🙏🙏🙏

[@kapushthethird]

Okay, I found one. Great idea, thanks.

[@meas7762]

@@kapushthethird Please let us know how it turns out

[@Nathalie-n2e]

Hello Maam/Sir, Permission to comment. May I ask how to grow a tomato in the soil? Do you have a recommendation of soil to use? Or do you have a video for it to complete the process in growing a tomato hydrophonically? Thank you so much in advance.

[@KellyEScott]

thank you for sharing , this methodolgy is really great , do you put the pump on a timer ?

[@ahmedalaa6011]

Wonderful 🙏🏼

[@rschaefe1]

Thanks for sharing! Great job at showing the progression of modifications. I would think you could also use a small solar panel and 12 volt pump to avoid plugging into a wall for outside use.

[@healinghobbies]

You're welcome! Happy to share. A solar panel would be a great option too!🌱🙂

[@kiddos6538]

What size solar panel? How many watts?

[@sparkymikey25]

@@kiddos6538 depends on the size of your pump but it should alwsyd be more than you need which allows for extra during times of inefficiency like when it's cloudy or gets old and dusty.

[@peterlever8013]

@@kiddos6538 I’ve gone for a 40w pump and thats ideal, so enough panels to power that. I don’t know the conversion unfortunately

[@Midi-e3c]

Very well done

[@leannekenyoung]

AWESOME!! I love how you show the various considerations during your build and how you were able to adapt it to make it work! I absolutely love this! I just put three buckets together this past weekend and I have 11 sweet pepper plants growing out of it. One question about your build, how do you know when you need to add more water to prevent your pump from going dry? My biggest concern with my current setup is the place where I left holes to add water however with mine it will be easy to tell when the water level has dropped and needs more. Just curious how you are monitoring it on yours? Absolutely LOVE what you’ve done and really enjoyed your video, my only one critique would be to slow the video down a little so we can read all the helpful info that you have embedded. I think it’s an amazing video and I’m going to subscribe and look forward to many more! Congratulations on your success!!🥰❤️🙏🏻🇨🇦

[@healinghobbies]

Thanks again as always I appreciate your feedback!💜🙂 I completely understand the challenge of how to monitor the water level for this set up. Currently, I do the same I use one hole to peek and refill except I use all growing cells and just pull one plant from the bottom each time of refill. I find that as the plant matures with 48 plants in this tower they take up a lot of nutrients plus this set up is growing outdoor. From 1x every two weeks I am now down to refilling once a week. With the summer time approaching the evaporation increased too. Not complaining though, 🙂 this tower is producing a massive amount of different vegetables for our needs. ( Bok Choy, Kale, Tomatoes, Strawberries, Mustard, Lettuce) I love this set up and I plan to make another one but a twin tower with a much larger reservoir. 15-20gallons tote/ container would be a great option to avoid frequent refill. To answer your question, currently just peek and refill but I have an idea in mind to experiment with the new twin tower to make a DIY water level gauge and hopefully it will work. (PVC, Clear tube shot & Straw) I welcome and will appreciate all suggestions/thoughts too. LET'S GROW!🌱🙂

[@leannekenyoung]

@@healinghobbies we thought we could use a piece of pool noodle to float on the water and put a stick out the side hole and put markings on the skewer stick to show when it needs to be refilled the only challenge with this, the roots would get in the way however with your bottom section just being exclusively water it might work for you?

[@healinghobbies]

Pool noodle is a good idea too. Maybe I can integrate with what I have in mind. I will do some experiments and see what works. Thanks a lot Leanne for sharing your ideas. 🌱😊

[@vettedfarms]

@@healinghobbies Mike cuts a single 2" hole in the reservoir buck and plugs with noodle cover right under the lip for viewing water level. Also, he drills vent holes under the lip, as well. Can glue small venting material to small holes to keep pests out.

[@oliverandsweetie5162]

How often do you run the pump to water? Ie 15 minutes every hour?

[@tclodfelter8789]

Nice... How long did you cut the pool noodle inserts? What were the plants you used? Do they have root hormone or just bare root?

[@lexusmichaelfleming1763]

Thank you for sharing great work amazing idea peace and love to you.

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you!🌱💜

[@torrencekrepps757]

Love your video butto help you out have your drill turned in Rev while cutting out your holes

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you for the tip.🌱😊

[@Free5tyl3]

Hello, so the plants already have to be grown somewhat? if so, you take them out and clean all the soil off and then place them in the green pods? Sorry if its a dumb question. :)

[@diego13ev]

How often do you feed them? or also how often do you change the water?

[@SharkRoads]

How much electricity is used by the water pump ? And is there any intervals for watering ?

[@manishchaitanya8348]

thanks for the video, can you please let me know what is the timer settings?

[@huertamipequenoeden9425]

Just got subscribed to your channel cause I think u are great...blessings from Cholula Mexico 🇲🇽

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you!🌱🙂

[@abaskamal8599]

🎉 thank you so much, very inspirational

[@DexallynDiego]

Wow i like it so much your ideas! Thank you for sharing mate❤

[@deannaalt8736]

It’s kinda hard to read your commentary, the color of font on the green background is not easy to read. Very interested in what you’re doing! Looks awesome! Really LOVE the In video material list!!

[@crislouisemarcojos8888]

Amazing

[@vettedfarms]

What about seed propagation? Did you start them in the pool noodle cutouts in a seed starter tray?

[@crustysailor8570]

Do you have time do anything additional to prevent algae growth? I heard about that issue in other people’s experiences

[@thepeopleplaceandnaturepod8344]

Thanks for sharing these tips! Keep up the great work! 💖

[@missingthe80s58]

Do you run the pump continuously or periodically and if so, how often?

[@Charlie-Em]

Brother Hobbies, I like your style.

[@sakkasper8870]

nice diy, love to see more hydroponic type of videos

[@1makeka]

Awesome tutorial girl.!! I always wanted to do this but had no clue. I'll definitely do it now. This tutorial was well explained and easy to follow, Congrats on this amazing job!!

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you! LET’S GROW!🌱💜

[@davidgeyer3988]

How do you keep it from falling over, it looks precarious?

[@mystereit73]

Great job!

[@obduliocerceno4984]

What a nice and super-smart idea. Hat off!!! I will try and let you know it turn out. 🎉🎉🎉🎉❤

[@cruikshank]

Very nice video. I like that you gave reference to Mike Vanduzee. He’s been very helpful to the community. Do you have a way of knowing the nutrient level in the bottom bucket? Must you lift the bottom lid to add nutrients? Thank You 🙏

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you!🌱💜. Yes, Mike is a great guy and has been very helpful to me. No, it would be a bit of a challenge to lift the bottom lid and refill. I use one of the growing cell to add the nutrient solution. A DIY water level gauge would be a good idea to install in this set up. Thank you for support and Happy Gardening!🌱🙂

[@dimamarko3541]

How do you fill the lowest water tank? You need to open the whole thing?

[@PuneethSaiBhaskar]

Can you please let me know how many hours per day should the motor that pumps up water be running ?

[@storyof4twins815]

And how do you combat the leeching from the materials into the water supply?

[@KLFaber]

If you are using a form of plastic, the only thing you can do is use a food safe plastic (no bpe)

[@G79wolverine]

Love your style :) Thanks for posting.

[@rifanhusaen4395]

I want to ask, does the water have to stay on?

[@rj5261]

How often do you run the pump and for how long?

[@beneiseoleinmheart5614]

Looks like a good potential for electrical shock. Nice how you did all the work. Thank you.

[@fernandamora8533]

How did you put the plant into the pool noodles?

[@TheIAmAwakened]

Wow! You’re truly remarkable! Thanks so mucin for sharing this!

[@raymundomartinez23]

Your amazing thank you soooo much

[@danielthompson3205]

Yer bwo, Gg on the tower, I hear u on the price.. When you can knock a bucket, PVC or barrel airoponic tower up for far less .

[@mexarrinha]

Pretty cool!

[@bilaz545]

You did a good job thank you

[@VagishaDas]

what is in the water? is there any fertilizer or salt mixed into it?

[@malakmagdy2011]

How often you water? Or is it continuous?

[@farihakazi]

This is great! Any idea about NPK 19:19:19 ? How to use that ?

[@healinghobbies]

I haven't tried that formula yet but that would be an interesting to try and experiment.🌱🙂

[@bencovington1121]

Can you add Miracle Grow or some similar to fertilize?

[@musicdemonology]

Very beautiful done 👍🏻😊. Only thing i have to ask you is, how often pump should start pumping solution? And for how long when it starts?

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you!💜 I run it 15mins ON and 30-45mins OFF. If you can find a timer that can be set 3-5mins ON and 15mins OFF it'll work best specially growing outdoor in Summer as evaporations go quickly🌱🙂

[@t.williamschmidt721]

@@healinghobbies Try an Intermatic DT620 Digital Timer. It has 28 separate events.

[@adriaanstruwig7921]

Brilliant

[@EdmondDantes-hz9hk]

thank you for this video! can i use the same water pump for multiple towers?

[@healinghobbies]

So far I only tried them with two towers, you may need a stronger one if you are considering more than two towers or it may vary too depending on your set up.🌱🙂

[@logans_league]

Thanks for the video, wich plants are them? Do i need such huge buckets

[@healinghobbies]

These were Bok choy, I've tried multiple plants in this set up too (celery, strawberry, lettuce, kale dwarf tomatoes etc.) The bigger the reservoir/bucket would help to reduce in refilling nutrients.🌱🙂

[@missingpunctuation]

Which ones grew well?

[@Mandy345ful]

Is there a way to do this without the pump?

[@prishusrei]

do you put the water in the tank?

[@densanden]

Do you run the pump continuously?

[@kapushthethird]

That is exactly what I was looking for❣️ the best, affordable, easy to set up project I found! Can you let me know please how often you fill up the lower bucket and how?

[@healinghobbies]

Thank you! Happy to share and I appreciate your feedback!💜. It varies depending on the growth stages of the plants and the weather conditions. In Spring time, refilling typically at least once every two weeks while in Summer months with the high heat and a lot evaporation, it may be necessary to refill at least 1-2x a week. This also applies with the growth stages of the plants. During the initial two weeks they have lower nutrient uptake, but as they grow, their nutrient requirements increases. With regards on how to refill the reservoir, I use one of the lower growing cell to add the nutrient solution. A funnel or a handheld battery siphon pump would be helpful. I hope this helps!🌱🙂

[@NicholasVerkaik]

I'm sure with a little creativity you could figure out an easy way to manage top ups. What comes to mind for me is having another pail with a soft pcv tub at the bottom near by. Either the main res is below ground at least a bit or the pail is raised up a bit. You fill that pail with water, mix your nutes and adjust your Ph and then open the tube to drain into the main res. A EZStor bucket at the bottom, something with a flap you can open and close would be nice too to just pour into. Otherwise using a transfer pump or even just a regular submersible (since they are cheapest) would work too.

[@mati.fernandez]

awesome

[@desikant6231]

Hi can you say what should I do for nutrition or what solution should I need to add in water

[@healinghobbies]

I use masterblend here is how to mix it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHPZeH1nepd9mM0

[@christofferbergqvist8822]

Would it be possible to use some kind of mist spray nozzles found in Amazon?

[@healinghobbies]

Yes absolutely! I was trying to do this project on a budget but mist spray is a great choice too.🌱🙂

[@BullShite-et2hf]

Nice Job!👍

[@BobbyBarrett67]

how often refill reservour

[@cajunvegan7716]

I'm digging the styrofoam net cups. How should we score them without a Soldering iron

[@healinghobbies]

I tried using a cutter but its takes a lot of time. Another option is a tie wire or a metal bbq skewer.🌱🙂

[@Thanatos385]

do you run the pump 24/7 ?

[@raypangramuyen4435]

I'm just wondering about the electricity cost. Kratky method does not use electricity. Same setup but no holes on the bottom of the bucket. Just fill up the bucket with nutrient water and stack up the same way.

[@winstonsmith935]

Big plus, in a power failure Krakty still keeps the plants alive as the roots are continuously in nutrient and don’t rely in a pump. It’s why I like DWC with only an Air pump coming on 15 minutes every hour, power failure o problem, plants still have nutrient in the bucket.

[@NicholasVerkaik]

A 25w pump has 7 feet of lift, so let's say 40w to be safe and enough pressure to account for the holes. Probably need 15m every hour, (smaller intervals best). That's 6 hours a day, 240w. For a month, x30, let's round to 7.5kw. Power ranges from 10c-40c through Canada and the USA, so that means 75 cents to $3.00 a month. Not much. The advantage here over krakty is the vertical space utilized.

[@juliusmurage4143]

@healinghobbies what brand of submersible pump are you using?

[@healinghobbies]

Vivosun, link in the description🌱🙂

[@goldenglowladore3842]

How did you add the 1st bottom lid to not squish the cord for the pump? Good job! Thank you!

[@healinghobbies]

I missed to make a footage on this, I made slit/cut on the rim of the bucket just enough to fit the cord. This makes easier to lock the lid.🌱☺

[@goldenglowladore3842]

​@@healinghobbies Thank you.

[@marisgallegos3917]

Looks great! How do you refill the main reservoir and are you still using the sprinkler cap at the very top or did you close the end off completely?

[@healinghobbies]

I use one of the growing cell of the first bucket and use it to refill. A big funnel or a handheld siphon pump would be handy to use. I did not use the sprinkler anymore. I close the end completely and just drill similar holes to have a sprinkler like mist on each bucket. I hope this helps!🌱🙂

[@Forest_Fellow]

Ty u are awesome

[@Lonelydad2]

What is that sheet called for the lid of the system ?

[@dariuszkozak7294]

Jow mamy times do use Water pump ?

[@RasecDia]

Interesting and impressive

[@pizionachi8036]

Hello, if anyone can answer this.. DOES THE POOL NOODLE SERVE ANY OTHER PURPOSE OTHER THAN HOLDING THE PLANTS?. I'm guessing to help retain moisture

[@sununtaschnittker6469]

The pool noodle material is just blown plastic, can absorb nothing. Rockwool would absorb well but not pool noodle plastic. It is "springy" (which rock wool is not) so can grab and hold and support plants if you cut it properly

[@yakobubaid]

thanks for the tiny hole tips! been hard for me to search for the product for the same features! ~_~

[@blakevanessa8040]

Can this be kept indoors?

[@ProGamer-nm1ey]

i am using the same pumpand holes bvuyt my pump cannot push the water all the wayt up, the pump is on max troo!

[@sciencesaves]

awesome design! I think I will build one at my school

[@fauziariffin2311]

Tqvm for your system knowladge😂😂😂😂

[@shillsweb]

Hi good day, do you have a name or a link for the sprinkler head that you were going to use?

[@healinghobbies]

I got from Lowes - try to look up Orbit master adjustable shrub sprinkler head 360. But I didn’t use it in the end since the tiny holes from the pipe in each bucket works better. 🌱😊