DIY Hydroponics Garden Tower Build | Less than $150

Working and spending more time at home has recently gotten me more interested in gardening and growing my own vegetables. It has also been a pretty expensive past-time given the amount of materials, soil, and water needed to upkeep and grow a garden.
I looked into cheaper alternatives and started learning more about hydroponics, however, that in itself is also pretty expensive to start. I figured I could build my own hydroponics system on my own for much cheaper.
This is part one of a short series where I start my very first attempt at a hydroponics garden build.
PVC Cutting Template is now available on my website clohofficial.com/ in the downloads sections.
List of materials (not including tools):
Charlotte Pipe PVC Pipe 4-in 10-ft - $18.45
Charlotte Pipe 1/2-in x 10-ft - $2.96
5-Gallon Plastic General Bucket - $3.75
4.25-in Drain Cover - $16.68
4 In. PVC Drain Cap - $2.48
4-in x 4-in Dia Schedule 40 Coupling - $2.91
1/2-in x 1/2-in dia Adapter Adapter PVC Fitting $0.55
4-in x 4-in Dia Schedule 40 Adapter - $8.48
4-in x 4-in Dia Schedule 40 Adapter - $6.48
Yokgrass 800GPH Submersible Pump(3000L/H) - $21.99
Garden 50 Pack Lightweight Economy Net Pot Cups - $8.95
Pure Coconut Coir Netted Pellets 42mm (100 pack) - $23.99
Links to parts and templates can be found at clohofficial.com
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hydroponics | gardening | vegetables | garden | fruit | seeds | grow | DIY | tools | hydro | soil | plants | sun | pvc | vertical | tower | construction | build | Unboxing | unbox | grow

[@jabocjacob7064]

I’m a hydroponics grower and one thing I’ll recommend is adding some sort of beneficial bacteria like hydroguard. Running the pumps all the time keeps your level of dissolved o2 high, but it also generates a lot of heat. Things can get pretty funky when your water goes above 24° (75°). Also, black buckets keep light out, which keeps algae out. Great build 👍

[@weemanclan9877]

Do you think growing cannabis hydroponics will give more flower ? And grow faster ?

[@jabocjacob7064]

@@weemanclan9877 it absolutely will, but only in a well dialed system with excellent lighting.

[@Silence-of-touch]

Jacob, do you have tips on hydroponic growing in hot climates (southern Spain) out doors as heat is gonna be a big factor. Thanks

[@jabocjacob7064]

@@Silence-of-touch if you dig a hole, and bury a plastic trash can up to the lid it will help a lot with high temps while outside. You’re essentially using a geothermal effect to keep the temps down. Adding some sort of reflective material like aluminum foil or white paint to the lid will help as well. (Just make sure it’s as light proof as possible)

[@mawi1172]

Good reminder of black. ❤️❤️❤️

[@Arterexius]

A bit late here, but please use a mask when heating up PVC and _always_ do it outside. PVC will release Chlorine gas when heated up, which, if inhaled, will liquify your lungs, making you drown in the residue from what used to be your lungs. PVC stands for Poly Vinyl Chloride. Always use a mask and be outside, when heating plastics. Always. It's the same reason why Laser cutters _must_ have ventilation that leads through an air filter, before being vented outside and away from the building. Other than that, good video and lots of great tips :)

[@Treebard]

Thanks for the safety tip! Safety first, my dad always said! 🙂

[@Arterexius]

@@Treebard No problem :) Remember a respirator with gas filters attached :)

[@busynessy798]

Would you still need a mask if you heat up PVC outside ? What kind of mask would I need ?

[@Arterexius]

@@busynessy798 It may not be strictly necessary outside, but I'd still wear one. Better be safe than sorry. As for the type of mask, I'd say you should get a respirator mask with changeable filters and the filters need to be gas filtration filters. They're usually marked with both a brown and yellow color band. The yellow band protects against hydrogen chloride, which would most likely also be expelled from heating/melting PVC, as most plastics are made of long chains of hydrocarbons with other chemicals attached. Hydrocarbons are essentially long chains of carbon, with hydrogen attached at the ends. Add Chloride to it and we get PVC, but we also get an increased chance of releasing hydrogen chloride when heated up, as heat breaks the chemical bonds between the molecules that make up the material. Here's a guide on how to choose the best suited gas mask filters, with a color code walkthrough: www.bugoutbagbuilder.com/blog/best-gas-mask-filters-2019

[@busynessy798]

@@Arterexius thank a lot :)

[@robertmiller8210]

Outstanding! As a retired automotive mechanical designer I have to say you did very well. Your design meets all criteria for a great design! It's inexpensive, light weight and easy to assemble. And for the bonus round, it's attractive in design. Nice work, my hats off to you!

[@w4shep]

Don't forget the tower will become significantly heavier as the plants grow. So an oversized, heavy reservoir/base is crucial. You could also use a float valve to maintain water levels - like a toilet tank. And a liquid solenoid to control nutrient inputs (with a bit of a jump in complexity).

[@lupetofaceit2257]

pvc IS DANGER . SEE ABOVE. ANY OTHER MATERIAL?

[@HeadHoncho727]

Put it in a hole in the ground or in a heavy ceramic planter pot

[@silitekmodder5681]

@@lupetofaceit2257 Most modern PVC isn't

[@universityinstructorj.p.sm5360]

My 7 year old was fascinated while I was watching this. Spectacular.

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks!

[@m.j.carlson8246]

Great build. Two things, though; you might want to paint the PVC because sunlight deteriorates PVC, and perhaps put the pump on a timer so it runs for 3-5 minutes out of every 15. That increases the O2 to the roots and keeps the water cooler. Otherwise, great idea using a heat gun to soften the PVC. Thanks, Chris

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks. Was not aware of the reason for timing the water pump. Great advice and thanks for the heads up!

[@PilotGoku]

Any concern with the paint contaminating water or plants? I know it's on the outside, just a thought...

[@cringesh1t427]

@@PilotGoku there are non toxic paints that are perfectly fine around plants. The most common one being acrylic paint, there are other alternatives though it’s best to look into it.

[@seanm3375]

What color is best for painting? Saw other comments about black to keep light out of bucket

[@akeenan3291]

Sun will never do enough damage to the pvc for you to notice in your lifetime. I’m a roofer for 25 years, I’ve seen countless pvc stink pipes and never once seen one melted or deteriorated in any way. No place sunnier than a roof!

[@bmcgc1960]

Good job. A few suggestions. Cut your 1/2" near the top and use a coupler to reattach the 1/2" and use that lip to hold your diffuser in place, eliminating the need for the extra 4" pieces. There are several pumps that will fit inside the 4" allowing you to drop the pipe all the way to the bottom of the bucket. That will put the weight of the garden on the ground vs the lid. Drill holes in the bottom of the 4" to allow water flow.

[@TheSingingCelebrant]

DUDE this was amazing and what I love is how down to earth you are no BS just what's needed. Very very well done indeed and even more so that you are trying to reach out and help people who are struggling with enormous food price hikes recently (2022).So, from me all the way over the other side of the pond Thank You sincerely Chris P.S. you could save a small fortune by growing Stinging nettles and or similar and make your own fertiliser at near Zero Cost

[@ChrisLoh]

Yes. Home grown food and Hydroponics is definitely a good solution for the current economic challenges we are facing. I had never heard of Stinging Nettles, but just looked it up as I was curious what that plant was. First time hearing about them and not even sure if the seeds are available to grow, but interested in trying. Thanks Aindre!

[@donk.5730]

@@ChrisLoh Hi Chris, great video. Yes, Stinging nettles is also an excellent healing herb. You will find a lot of info. on it , doing a search on it. Thank you for sharing. No hype, all facts and down-to -earth. Cheers, dk/

[@billyandrew]

Nettle tea stinks to high heaven! 😂 You're better fermenting it...less smell, more compact for storing and keeps for at least a year, maybe longer, I've never tried, just making enough to get me through Spring, when I ferment a fresh batch.

[@tosundance]

I totally agree. No stupid banter. Well done.

[@SparklyPixieDust1]

Agree. 1st video on this subject that I can follow & understand!

[@joegargery3265]

Chis, To minimize or eliminate rips at the ends of each cut in the pipe stop drill holes at each end before cutting the slit and do not cut beyond the hole (this would create a stress point increasing the likelihood of a rip). Make the holes equal to or slightly greater than the kerf width of your saw cut. Otherwise a very nice job.

[@bmcgc1960]

Also place the pipe in the sun and let it heat up some before you hit it with the heat gun.

[@Arimaditch]

bong rips?

[@thomasshrum4006]

​@Arimaditch you're gonna need a lot of herb & a lot of people with lighters, but I'm sure you could make this into a bong if you tried hard enough... Otherwise just enjoy your bongs rips while you watch the video & sober up before you go using high power electrical saws. All it takes is a half second of improper thinking to lose a finger, or a limb or worse, your life because you bled out before help could arrive. Be safe.

[@silvioschroeter_tesla]

Hello from Germany . You can use propylalcohol or isopropanol to clean the pipes from the lettermarkings. Normaly the markings are printed so you dont have to clean it by sanding. I think i will do something like this hydroponic in a smaler scale. Nice work.

[@gentlemanx7987]

"Lately, I was crazy obsessed with growing my own vegetables for consumption". I can relate. Haha. And now: Let's get into the video. I am so, so curious. Thank you very much. [EDIT:] Amazing video. Really, really good. Thank you so much.

[@MegaMemimo]

Chris, thanks for a super "how to" video. Your hydroponic design system works brilliantly. I now grow a variety of "food plants" with great success and also added orchid plants. I have marvellous results thanks to this video you made. 10/10

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks. Wow. You grew orchids in your system? Those are incredibly difficult plants to grow. I just started growing Orchids in the ground and didnt think they could be grown using a hydroponic system. I may try it out in a horizontal design, but may need some advice

[@scottrowe533]

Hi, Chris - This is the first of your videos I've watched, and wanted to let you know how impressed I am with your design/construction abilities, as well as your informative (but not boring or dumb) narration skills. This is a really superior DIY tutorial for constructing a hydroponic grow tower and you should be proud of the final product. I hope you will do a follow-up video, once your first vegetables and herbs have been harvested, with more refinements and suggestions for others interested in building the same sort of setup. Thank you again, and I'll be watching. Take care. 👏💯👍

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks Scott. Appreciate the feedback and support. I have posted 2 more videos, but need to post some follow-ups on actual growth results.

[@flowzerr4550]

Barely In to the video you said the "diameter of the 4" pipe is xxx", but pretty sure you meant circumference by the motion of your finger, & the fact that the diameter of a 4" pipe should be 4". Hope the rest of the video is more accurate or things could get pretty wild!

[@flowzerr4550]

Oops! You did it again! Diameter means the measurement across the circle at the widest point. Circumference is the measurement around the circle.

[@alisterrebelo9013]

@@flowzerr4550 you need to chill. The people watching this are not babies and we can understand what he means.

[@amberhaynes8933]

I'm going through the same thing! I've babied my plants for over a month and got nowhere then yesterday I started watching about these towers! I can't wait to make mine,so far this one seems the best, thanks!

[@PhoeNix-gr2vz]

Watching other hydroponic tubing tower building., a gentlemen used a 2-inch ABS or PVC pipe with one end cut on 45 degree. Pushing this 2" tube into the heated slot to create the grove he pushed the tube until the 45 degrees touched the other side of the pipe. It formed an equal hold angle every time since the 2' pipe could not go further the other side. Good luck to everyone.

[@bocfat]

was smiling throughout the video at your clever, humble and detailed ingenuity, and then you took the time to share it. Thank You KB, Clev, OH

[@rhondariola6835]

Best explanation I’ve ever heard and I completely understand every word. I’m just newly learning about gardening and hydroponics and this was so informative ! Thank you

[@cindygordon7745]

Wow, this is SUCH a great video! You give just the right amount of detail but don't make it boring - thank you!!!

[@ChrisLoh]

Wow, thank you!

[@debragwynn4340]

Thank you Chris! You are a natural in front of a camera. It is refreshing and we really enjoyed this. Can't wait for the next video!

[@jeffw8057]

Thanks so much for demonstrating how to make the 2" pot openings on the 4" PVC pipe. I've seen the end result many times...just never actually saw how they were formed. Nice job!

[@gballmaier]

Love it when people like you do all the work to bring the cost of something I consider essential down to where we can afford it. Great job!

[@pkwithmeplease]

Hes increasing it

[@pkwithmeplease]

The pipe itself is double the cost already

[@gballmaier]

@@pkwithmeplease is been an hour since your post, is probably gone up another 3rd😆 . Doesn't matter much. Here in shithole California we're running out of water, power and soon gas for my generator won't be allowed for my back up power. Fucking crooks.

[@NorKavon]

I have some commercial grow towers. They are all minimum 20 gallons for the reservoir. This is very important for stability from heavy plants or wind. It's also important to have enough liquid to buffer the nutrient solution temperature changes. Your success will depend on controlling the nutrient solution temp. I user an aquarium heater in the winter and cooling in the summer. Lastly, plants near maturity will use much more water and nutrients than you think. Currently my towers with 20 broccoli and cauliflower plants use 5 gallons per week. Nice job on the build and good luck.

[@ChrisLoh]

Good point. the water heater is a good suggestion. right now I just move it into the garage. I plan on building a temperature controlled green house soon as another alternative for storing the towers. The nutrient to water ratio is definitely a key factor to ensure you have healthy growth.

[@atomizer2665]

In my experience, the nutrient temperature is less important than the root temperature inside the tower. If you check the temperature inside the tower it wont match the nutrient temperature in the reservoir.

[@ChrisLoh]

@@atomizer2665 I assume it will differ because it's constantly flowing.

[@atomizer2665]

@@ChrisLoh It picks up heat from the air in the tower which is why its important to check the temperature inside the tower :)

[@kaitymcclary8839]

I love that you shared this; THANK YOU for sharing it. I want to start my own veggie garden, and this is a really great sustainable option. Thank you so much for sharing. It seems super sustainable, and a really great way for us. People in a small space to be able to grow things for ourselves. I know you don’t have 1 million likes, but you should. This video is amazing. Thank you.

[@billyandrew]

Only criticism would be poor camera coverage of the assembly of the upper part of the tower, understandable, considering you were constricted by height, however, laying it prone on the workbench with the camera covering it from above, as you put it together, prior to hoisting it in the bucket reservoir, would have worked out fine. Algae is a problem with white buckets, incidently, as the pump and the requisite allowance of sunshine generate heat, so appropriate treatment or more frequent recycling of the water might likely be required . Overall, you done a great job and thanks for uploading!

[@1948tc]

You have taught me so very much ! And yes those other towers are very expensive ! And the way you built it is fantastic ! I am a disabled vietnam veteran but I love to build new things ! Thank you so very. Much !

[@kaitymcclary8839]

I would love to see how this turned out, or any updated changes you may have made if necessary. This looks amazing, so much more sustainable than using soil as far as water consumption goes; thank you for sharing!

[@itenee]

Thank you so much for this! My husband and I were able to create our first tower based on your help. I paid a tad bit more cause I bought the pump from the hardware store as I was too impatient to wait. But it works beautifully! Can’t wait for my first harvest! Definitely will be making a couple more before the summer ends.

[@clinton8432]

What a great video. I was picking up materials to build a system with my little girl and you have provided a great guide. Thanks a bunch.

[@rafaelmolina123]

You're a modern day hero buddy. Great job. Thank you so much. It looks so pretty, innovative, space saving, cost efficient and not too complicated to build. True job well done 👍

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks. The 2nd build was better and Im hoping the 3rd build will be even better this coming season

[@DC-8-8-8-]

@@ChrisLoh awesome job. You helped me tremendously with this video. 🤗

[@russeleo3723]

Thank you so much. Where cam I find the template? Ls let me know. Thx

[@hoythompson8399]

I wondered how you were going to make the individual pod "pockets"! Amazing! I built a solar powered hydroponics lettuce garden on my balcony using buckets, aquarium pumps and pvc rain gutters - I just sat my pods right in the gutters. Now that I've seen how you made your verticle grow tunes, I'll try it. Thank you.

[@jahstreet1224]

SUBLIME DIY..production. The sound is perfect. Background music well selected. Great Job. Thank you for taking the time to share this.

[@Provid]

This is the coolest hydroponic garden idea I've seen. So cool!

[@Winky4u]

Thanks for uploading this video. Your simple way of explaining has made me excited to make one myself. I'm not done yet, but the project is coming along nicely. I use a small 13 gallon mortar tub as a water reservoir and I made the lid for this myself from plywood. I make the tower itself from a PVC tube of 31.5 cm (12.4 inch) in diameter.

[@becca22891]

You are amazing! This is such a fantastic build and instruction. I'm getting to the same point in my gardening journey - with a 120 day grow season I want to start growing indoors without the bugs too. This is such an inspiration!

[@ChrisLoh]

Glad it was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions and/or how yours turns out.

[@1StudMuff1n]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for actually showing the process of a home build instead of flaunting your already home made set up. I subscribed. If people want other people to use better and less harmful methods to the environment they should share the information like you did and not push product and charge people to buy into an expensive new lifestyle

[@simppinto6841]

The design came out perfectly beautiful

[@sjponce8507]

This is amazing! I almost bought me a Gardyn... but you've inspired me to make my own build and save $$. Thanks for sharing and look forward to your follow up!

[@ChrisLoh]

Yea. I found those to be expensive as well. Lettuce did great in this DIY build. The follow up video will be up soon. Just finishing some edits

[@jimlambrick4642]

I started my first efforts with hydroponics over 40 years ago. The only information came out of books from the library and even that was scarce hard to find info never mind sorting/finding out the nutrients and lights. So great to have this kind of stuff on utube and internet which makes it much easier to understand. My first system was a flood tank and drain system which actually is still a good way to do larger plants like tomatoes. I can see the tower working really well for strawberry and smaller plants. One bit of advice... keep track of the PH of the nutrient solution. A slight acid level is best, not too much though. I change the nutrient/water solution about every 2 or 3 weeks.

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks. Yep. At first I didnt pay attention to PH level at all, which is critical for some plants. Some like lettuce grew fine without managing PH and/or without adding any nutrients. Fruiting vegetables though, like you mentioned, need a lot of close maintenance for both nutrients and PH.

[@debbieinitaly]

I for one LOVE that you are gifted and heeding the call to help others! Bless you sir! I AM going to grow food and I’m older than the dirt I’ll use to container grow. Lol 😂

[@SKRIBBLESHEET]

I can't tell you how refreshing it is to watch a video where the host can actually speak without a million cuts. Great info. Thanks.

[@ChrisLoh]

Continuously working on the quality. Thanks!

[@robertjbasile9458]

Chris Your ingenuity and presentation was very informative; it’s clear that you put a great deal of time and thought into the project. After seeing your Part II session and reading some of the comments that a reservoir may be needed, I’m planning to put a strong storage tote that the pump cab be housed in. The water return will empty into the reservoir and increase the stability of the 4 upright towers. Also, I would appreciate the template measurements for the cuts on the towers as well as your comments. Thanks Bob

[@KainFeathermore]

This is very informative and the steps are easy to understand. Thank you for taking the time to share this with us :)

[@mejimix]

Looks absolutely great! Very organic shape

[@GutterFunk420]

Amazing work mate! The most comprehensive Hydroponic system tutorial.

[@JFH52]

I really like the idea of a shower drain cover to disperse the water!

[@captaindred342]

It's pretty pricey compared to cheap 3/8" hose and sprinkler fittings from a hydroponic store. 18 bucks for that shower drain? This is already pricey with an oversized pump and the 1/2" pvc to just spray water like a garden hose with no attachment on the end. I think if you do it this way the shower drain would really be necessary though. You don't need one if you run a normal 3/8" hydroponics hose with a T-connector, a cross piece and two sprinkler fittings.

[@xx3astmanxx928]

@@captaindred342 lmao yeah if you're buying Oatey I suppose. Plenty of off brand shit around here for like $3-4 for a drain baffle

[@captaindred342]

@@xx3astmanxx928 that's still way pricier for a less elegant solution. the parts I mentioned cost pennies a piece at any decent gardening store lol 😆

[@tcalzuolo]

hi i Would love the template. Amazing work, and thank you for simplifying this process.

[@bigpuncho9808]

Great job, I have above grown planters made out of wood that take up a lot of space. This summer I am going to build one of these garden tower. Thanks for all the information on how to build.

[@NandiniGupta1]

This is very impressive and so easy thank you for sharing!!! With the food shortages and housing crisis this is actually a fantastic idea more ppl should experiment with

[@hartfordboothe7466]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to make and post this video. Lowe's is gonna send you Christmas cards after all you bought new for this project. :) The video is well-presented and edited well. The music is a nice touch and works well with the video without being intrusive. This is a well-thought-out project. Very nicely done. FWIW, for the hole in the lid, that carbide-tipped, large-diameter hole saw was an expensive solution. Not to bust on you, just trying to help lower the cost for all: you could mark the necessary circle and carefully cut the plastic with your box knife (or a Dremel rotary tool if you already had one). The hole doesn't need to be flawless as the adapters you placed in the hole will tolerate an imperfect hole. Anyway, not that I'm anybody to care about but...I'm most impressed with the video and the careful thought and implementation of this project. I almost forgot: that miter saw may have a depth-of-cut stop on it which would make cutting those slits less time consuming. I very much hope you have part 2, and maybe subsequent improvements/tweaks videos by now (about to look for such). Thanks again.

[@opheliafloresca6509]

Very interesting to watch you with your step by step video of constructing your hydroponics garden. Thank you very much for the very detailed DIY steps you have shown. I am very new on this project so I might watch you on your next video and eventually subscribe. 😊

[@dbogy8737]

Great video! Thanks for posting how to build an aeroponic system from locally sourced materials.

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks!

[@KVAR42]

Thanks Chris! Just getting into this myself. Looking forward to seeing how this works out!! All the best!

[@sewo87]

Damn dude starting my day thinking of designs for hydroponics home system prototype and I like the simple design of yours. Bottle forming saves me tons of money and looks cool. Much appreciated. Thanks

[@russellroedema4637]

Have you considered putting the bucket of the completed unit into a ceramic container? The ceramic is sturdy and heavy so the unit will not topple over as the plants grow. Plus, they can be very attractive.

[@bmit4u]

Great build. I would use a food-grade pipe. The one you use is designed for sewer (check the red writing on your pipes). Not all PVC pipes are food grade, and many come with a coating that is not safe. Also, heating PVC results in degraded molecular structure, causing it to leach and be absorbed by the roots of whatever you are growing.

[@chrisretired5379]

Thank You, Bart ! I wondered just that, which plastic pipes could be dangerous to grow food 👍👍

[@Drat_67]

ONLY in California!

[@jamesolelo4406]

Put a plastic layer where theyvhave melted so it is not in contact with water. What is considered food grade pipe? I already had a hard time finding a food grade bucket

[@croatiandirter]

How to recognize food grade pipes? What should we look for.

[@akeenan3291]

It’s only a sewer pipe if you run sewage thru it 🙄

[@julieoliver8170]

This was very well done and very very very well edited. You get to all the points and didn't waist time on needless chatter like most. You should have a great career on editing people's content.

[@Arashido76]

You're an amazing person for sharing this. Great job!

[@savindratiwari1636]

Hello Bro, As i can see in ur youtube channel, This video has the maximum leads and many viewers also want to see these type of videos from you. So focus on this niche and help people from your talent to install this kind of cool farming alternatives as this method can save a lot of money. Eagerly waiting for Part 2 of this video.

[@CyberSERT]

Very cool. How about an update? Show us your grow-op!

[@ChrisLoh]

coming soon. Will be posted after the holidays

[@Gobrian44]

Can’t wait!

[@ChrisLoh]

@@Gobrian44 update should be up next week

[@drerodz]

Absolutely mind blowing idea! Excited for the update

[@ChrisLoh]

@@drerodz Thanks. Update has been posted!

[@ktrump5882]

Awesome video dude.!!! You're very clear in your explanation. Great tone. A really enjoyable video. We're going to try this. Blessings

[@abelnegasi1828]

Great job, and it's so interesting. I'm thinking of building my own hydroponics tower, and your DIY advice and cost-effective technique are truly helpful. Thank you so much.

[@TroyWatsonYEG]

Great job on the build! You're definitely going to want a MUCH larger water res. Small water res's will have a much harder time maintaining PH and you also want some weight down below. The pods are called "Netpots". Keep up the great work.

[@ChrisLoh]

Yep. Great advice! Learned that the hard way!

[@spiritualcoachastrologer-cyndi]

What do you mean water res? Do you mean the bucket or the hose?

[@joshjamanji3543]

@@spiritualcoachastrologer-cyndi reservoir, it’s the water that you pump into the grow like if you have a tote and one of his towers the tote stores the water and gets pumped into the tower. Making the tote the resevioir

@@spiritualcoachastrologer-cyndi The bucket serves as water reservoir.

[@atomizer2665]

If you deliver just enough water to supply the needs of the plants you can run the system drain to waste and not worry about the PH or EC. The fluctuations in PH and EC are caused by the change in elemental makeup of the nutrient due to uptake by the plants. For example, uptake of nitrate will cause an increase in PH, uptake of potassium will cause a drop in PH. Its better to use a nitric acid based PH down in the veg stage vs phosphoric acid based PH down. If you use tap water with a high calcium carbonate content, nitric would also be the better choice as nitric + calcium carbonate = calcium nitrate, useful to plants and very soluble in water. Phosphoric acid + calcium carbonate = calcium phosphate, not very soluble in water and subject to drop out of solution as a solid rendering it unavailable for uptake.

[@danielarnephie3852]

This is so awesome! I'm going to try this can you upload the template for cutting please? Thanks and I hope you keep doing more videos

[@jonathanmartin998]

Excellent job. I am astounded at your work ethic and ingenuity. Truly inspiring.

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks Jonathan!

[@Awetopsy1703]

nice job on the build and great job explaining everything so anyone can follow along !!

[@SuperMacDaddy66]

Very good video, especially for a first time project. A few suggestions; The temperature needs to be at least 60 F for germination. Consider using a timer on your pump. The plants need some "dry" time to avoid overwatering issues. Try running the pump for 3 minutes then a 5 minute break. I think your 1st time design was well thought out and your presentation was thorough.

[@jeffw8057]

This is an NFT hydroponic method...and should be running continuously be design. DO NOT turn the water flow off. Root rot is not an issue with this design...excess water will drain away due to gravity. If the pump is turned off...the root tips will dry very quickly and die. Additionally, this dead material will flush over the rest of your crop causing weak growth throughout.

[@natehanson9566]

Would love to see a part 2 and how the plants did! Great build!

[@jamess1787]

Ditto

[@ChrisLoh]

Video is being edited now. I hope to post it along with a 4-tower build after the holidays

[@mathewrtaylor]

@@ChrisLoh Came here to say the same thing!

[@ChrisLoh]

@@mathewrtaylor Thanks. Follow up video should be up by next week

[@anoniem012]

@@ChrisLoh Link please.

[@callam8170]

I've been looking for a video like this for some time. Thanks and hats off to you for the build quality 👌

[@ChrisLoh]

Thank You!

[@johnpc2023]

Brilliant, thanks Chris for such a thorough video.

[@justjayjustjay5054]

A better/ less expensive way of doing the top part with the water pipe: Just put a sprinkler head on the end of the inner pvc pipe. Instead of all the spacers adapters & drain grate just put a cap over the top a couple inches away from the sprinkler head. The water will spray & hit the inside of cap & drip all over the roots.

[@GD-xj3jd]

Very ingenious! I love how you molded the pvc to hold the cups. For me just having the plants grow to cover the pvc would be enough but you could spray paint the setup as well or hand paint... Keep it up!

[@ChrisLoh]

I was thinking of that as well - adding a waterproof coat of non-toxic paint

[@nicholasstrunk2633]

@@ChrisLoh will there be a part 2? Looking to see what kind of success you had with this setup.

[@ChrisLoh]

@@nicholasstrunk2633 Yes. Video is still going through final edit :)

[@nicholasstrunk2633]

@@ChrisLoh great! Did you have any issues with algae in the bucket?

[@ChrisLoh]

@@nicholasstrunk2633 No issues at all. The constantly recycling water probably helped and I assume refilling it monthly with fresh water once the water ran out helped

[@ex_yz]

super sick, love how the bottle worked, so simple and easy. I plan on making one of these but i think i will do it in 2ft ft sections which all have something like your metal drain to spread the water evenly all the way down instead of just at the top. great build, well done!

[@MarkAJones426]

Good, simple directions for a newbie like me. Thank You!

[@hydrogreen1111]

Great insights. I started up two towers here in Japan I bought from a small outfit in Ohio that 3D prints their towers. Bit pricey but wanted a nice aesthetic design for inside the house. I am using a solution developed in Japan that increases plant growth upwards of 20-30 percent in addition to whatever plant nutrient is used. The next towers I will try to source the material and build myself.

[@ChrisLoh]

do you have a link? Maybe I'll check out and see what can be done without needing to 3D print.

[@JaredLaswell]

Is it worth it to buy a 3D printer? What about a rental? Not sure what size you'd need but you could rent one for a bit and pump out a bunch of parts.

[@hydrogreen1111]

@@JaredLaswell I was thinking of various options. I found the guy who has provided all of his plans and different types of 3D printers that are available. It's an intriguing idea to start 3D printing towers but the drawback is time. For one tower with one 3D printer could take a week or more to print out.

[@ChrisLoh]

@@JaredLaswell Im not sure. Maybe? It would definitely allow you to create more custom and better designed Tower and fixtures though.

[@auntbealovesyou]

The point of the exercise is to rationalize buying more tools...said the woman who has 3D printer on her shopping list.

[@farmkidstuckinthecity14]

Very cool! I started messing around with hydroponics a couple of years ago. Mainly to grow certain vegetables in doors year round. Very cool build. One recommendation I would make is to add some kind of servicing port to the reservoir to check the solution and add water and nutrients

[@rattanack1413]

Growing greens and purpple flowers 👍

[@wonderwomanenlightenment641]

I am so glad that you made this. I was looking for one that was cheaper. I am so, so interested in purchasing one of them

[@lokeleewong713]

Like the way you have made those holes for the tiny pots. Very creative. Good job.

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks. It got easier to make the holes in my second build - kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5rQdp-hdsqjj7s

[@peterlohnes1]

You can solve your wobbly tube by doing christmas tree style: if you have another support about 4 inches down from the top of the bucket, the 2 in combo should provide stability. The more the two are spaced out, the more stability. And the water in the bucket should be enough to keep it anchored,

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks for the tip! I solved the stability issue by incorporating the base from my 4-tower build, but definitely another great solution to consider!

[@xskycamefalling6455]

@@ChrisLoh seems like you could pass the 4" pipe through the lid drill holes in the sides of pvc that are going to be covered in bucket then use an adheasive to attach a coupler to the bottom of the res

[@user-is9hq1qq7i]

but the grinch may take it instead of the tree and change chistmas forever...?

[@melraab6857]

I would like to obtain a copy of your template. After watching part 2, it is obvious your attention to detail is noteworthy. Will gladly pay for the template.

[@ChrisLoh]

The updated template will be available in the next couple of weeks. I can't imagine charging for it though. I'll mention the link in my next video as well as update this video description when its ready and available for download.

[@sunnysam9378]

EXCELLENT video, well explained and impressive DIY skills. great job man.

[@morscerta18]

Wow this is fantastic. I'll have to save up for the tools but I'm hoping to have a few of these. Great work! Very informative and practical

[@EFLO3D]

I started making something just like this and realized how much easier (and cheaper) it would've been to make the molded PCV pipe for the netpots out of a schedule 10 pipe instead of schedule 40. It takes quite a bit of heating even with a good heatgun to get the pipe to a moldable state. Also if you cut a piece of pipe that matched the OD of the at a steep angle it makes a great bending tool. Then cut 1" pieces of the smaller OD pipe to insert into the holes when they're done being formed. It helps prevent leaks from the water dripping down. Also a toilet flange upside down on a gamma seal lid would probably make for a much sturdier mount.

[@MrZeissOne]

Edit for clarity?

[@quandamanthony2623]

I'm very impressed. Just trying to imagine yours. I Would love to see THAT. I'm in the market of making my owns because Im growing a lot of things and these would be great for indoors.and decorated

[@DJSAYBR]

@Sloop Sr. Yea imagine the saving!!! A 1 year payback period is extremely short!

[@LivingsimplywithSofia]

@@MrZeissOne schedule 10 vs schedule 40 is referring to pipe thickness. He was making reference that the thickness of the pipe used makes even heating hard. That a thinner pvc pipe would more easily even heated and mounded.

[@richardcherry664]

I built one with solar panel and I used miracle grow and Epson salt...grows great...made it three years ago.

[@ChrisLoh]

Would love to see a video if you have one!

[@smile4menow222]

Would love more details!!!

[@atomizer2665]

Miracle grow contains no calcium or nitrate because its formulated for soil.

[@TheJdecker11]

Thanks for sharing this. I live in a townhouse and built one this weekend for a grow tent I keep in my home office. The cool factor is eleven! I think the controlled environment wil help yield.

[@augustadanner3937]

I do love the way you designed the pod holders. tks for your help.

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks!

[@jackofalltrades12]

I would love to get a copy of the template you made.

[@FullMe7alJacke7]

Well designed. Have you considered using 6" PVC? I'm looking to make one of these but I feel like the cups would need to be farther apart for some bigger bushy type plants.

[@charlesbartlett2569]

Yes, I used 6”. 3 plants per level.

[@jamesmonarch3044]

Beats $500 for a kit.

[@Justcye357]

Thanks for sharing this educational video you have simplified the process.

[@scotheman]

Awesome build! Thank you for making this video!

[@azpaulers]

Any luck with the template? This is very informative but a lot of people are going to screw it up with out the right spacing. This is an amazing video and I appreciate you taking the time to be so detailed.

[@ChrisLoh]

I'll upload a template this spring with the 3rd build. I figured I'd reduce the number of pod holes to increase the spacing giving the pods and roots more room

[@SnifterRoux]

Does the heating process release anything that make the pvc less food safe?

[@captaindred342]

No it doesn't. We use that type of 4" PVC for delivering water in buildings, and we cut, heat and glue the joints with the right type of pvc glue. It's one of the main ways our drinking water is delivered in big buildings. Sched 80 pipe is the same as sched 40, only it has a higher temp rating, say for hot water coming from a boiler.

[@dianesutherland6610]

I would like to begin by saying great video; I have learned alot from it since I'm a new comer in the hydroponic growing. You spoke slowly & clearly with lots of details as you went along. You also made it so people can save tons of money. Lord knows we need to stretch that buck further & further now a days. Thank you for taking the time with us. K🙂ODOS!!!

[@ChrisLoh]

Awesome, thank you! I will admit though, PVC prices have gone up as well, so I am exploring additional more affordable solutions. I will share updates soon

[@tommyipsen3026]

Any considerations regarding chemistry in the components used for growing food? Is the PVC food safe? (free of phtalates etc.) Don't know much about it but think the components should be food safe? Any thoughts?

[@liza3337]

Good point. PVC is known to be toxic. I'm guessing that's why it's only used to take away waste water and not bring in fresh water.

[@ChrisLoh]

I'd say it's "relatively" safe depending on the type of PVC you use. CPVC is supposed to be safer, but heating PVC, in general, may release toxins. based on my research, PVC used for hydroponics/aeroponics is safe since the water is recycled and therefore filtered some as it passes through the various compounds. I may consider adding a layer of filtration (graphite, rocks, etc) after the water is pumped up in the next build to play it safe

[@smile4menow222]

Pvc is used for plumbing etc. for drinking water but do research what type of pvc you get.

[@allenchase3987]

Chris this is now 2 years old. I just found your KZbin site. Great work I will continue watching.

[@mathematic_ism]

Thank you so much. The explanation is really obvious. Can't wait to build my own aerophonic tower🙌

[@MoonlightLobster]

This is a great tutorial. Probably the best one ive seen

[@kasunamarasinghe2993]

Dude. This is simply amazing. And thank you all for the tips to find tune this project. Cheers

[@blippityblahblah]

Can I just say how amazing that would be as a decorative post full of annuals 🌸💐🌹🌺🌷🌷❤

[@natashariley8095]

fantastic! thanks so much, really informative, easy for newbies like me and a good looking system.

[@dusshan1]

Excellent explanation! you are great teacher, not many are, my friend no matter how skilled they are believe me! Thanks a ton!

[@ChrisLoh]

Thanks for the feedback and support!

[@W00t57]

Thanks so much for sharing! I'm working on a similar design, combining a few concepts for an indoor modern look.