Homemade Hydroponics Buckets
Hydroponics is a way to grow plants without soil. Instead of soil, nutrient rich water bathes the root system of plants. The system works on the principle of the "ebb and flow," also referred to as the "flood and drain" system.
A homemade hydroponic system can be made with a few simple steps. Five gallon or smaller plastic buckets can be used along with approximately 5 feet of plastic tubing. One bucket is used to hold the nutrients while the second one is considered the "grow bucket" for the plants and planting medium. Tomatoes, leafy vegetables and herbs are good fits for hydroponics.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 dark-colored buckets
- Drill
- ½ inch drill bit
- ½ inch wide black tubing, 5 feet long
- Aquarium silicone sealant
- Gravel
- Fine plastic mesh screen
- Scissors
- Planting medium, non-soil
- Nutrient solution
- Water
- Plants
Instructions
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1
Clean two buckets. Drill a hole on each side of both buckets with a 1/2 inch drill bit. The holes need to be a 1/2 inch from the bottom of the buckets. Select dark-colored buckets if possible. This helps reduce algae growth. The buckets can be painted black if needed.
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2
Insert dark plastic tubing approximately 1 inch into one bucket through the first hole. Glue the tubing with silicone sealant. Aquarium sealant works well to prevent leaking. Insert the other end of the tube into the second bucket's hole and seal it. Repeat this for the second holes on each buckets. After the silicone is dry, check the seals for leaks by adding water and add sealant as necessary.
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3
Fill one bucket with approximately 3 inches of gravel. Cut the fine mesh with scissors. It must lay snuggly over the gravel. This will keep the plant medium from clogging the tubing. Add planting medium to fill the bucket. Leave approximately 3 inches at the top for plants. The planting medium can be perlite, coconut fiber, vermiculite, Rockwool, Hydroton or expanded shale. The growing medium supports and aerates the roots of the plants. Check with local garden centers for other options.
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4
Fill the second bucket with the nutrient solution. The solution has the typical nutrients that the plants would obtain from the soil. The solution can be purchased as a liquid or a powder from most gardening stores--request hydroponic nutrients. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for mixing the solution. The level of solution in a five gallon bucket should 16 liters. Once added, draw a line on the bucket to show where the nutrient level should be.
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5
Place the buckets on a table. The planting medium should become soaked with the nutrient solution. If the medium is not thoroughly soaked, lift the nutrient bucket onto a platform such as bricks or wood so that it is a few inches higher than the growing bucket.
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6
Drain the grow bucket back into the nutrient bucket. Simply switch places on the platform and allow the nutrient solution to drain back. The goal is to allow the planting medium to be moist but not continually soggy. Switch bucket positions several times a day to keep the medium from being overly wet and to provide natural aeration.
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7
Plant your chosen vegetable or herbs in the medium.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure the tubing is long enough to allow one bucket to sit higher than the other.
Cover the nutrient bucket to keep the solution clean.
You can add an air stone with an aquarium pump to continually aerate the nutrient solution.
References
- Photo Credit three fresh hydroponics tomatos image by Flashon Studio from Fotolia.com
