3D Printed Hydroponic Garden: One Month Update
3D Printed Hydroponic Garden: One Month Update
It has been almost a month since I setup my 3d printed hydroponic tower. In that time I have printed a second tower, and learned a ton of lessons along the way. In this video I cover water PH, how to add new plants to the system, signs to watch for as far as plant health, and other tips to ensure you have a successful journey.
General Hydroponics Maxigro and Maxibloom Fertilizer: https://geni.us/BI1hrD
VIVOSUN pH and TDS Meter Combo: https://geni.us/ZB8V
General Hydroponics pH Control Kit: https://geni.us/0N8XhRP
Rockwool Grow Cubes: https://geni.us/bKYaVm
3000 Pre-Fed Live Ladybugs: https://geni.us/8u8z
Infinite repeat cycle timer plug: https://geni.us/oAtH
VIVOSUN 800GPH Submersible Pump: https://geni.us/y8krA
3/8″ ID 1/2″ OD Clear Vinyl Tubing-25 Ft: https://geni.us/VgmElP
5 gallon bucket: https://geni.us/UIAAhJl
OVERTURE PETG Filament: https://geni.us/g1sC
Hydroponics tower 3d printer files: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3405964
5 Gallon bucket adapter files: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4580194
The lid uses 18 M3x6 bolts and nuts to fasten everything together.
You embarrassed those plants by showing everyone their roots publicly on social media!!! 🤯🤯🤯
love your work, also great idea using a pot
Did you use the standard brass nozzle or did you update to a stainless steel nozzle. I’ve read concerns about the brass nozzle wearing down and not being “food safe”. Seems to me it would be so minor it wouldn’t be a concern?
I live in Denver too and just built this system! Great video, thanks!
Nice you have a Reef tank too? Do you put the full RODI water or the waste water from the RODI system?
Great video follow up! Thanks
I have heard white may let light through allowing algae to grow. It may be better to print black then paint white.
Why not double the height of the towers?
Update to this video?
I wanted to try print this one but, seeing 1 modules will took 21 hrs to print hold me up for now until I get a 0.8mm nozzles, but cool stuff
quick tip … dont plant tomatoes nor cucumbers in these : their root system will fill the bucket. cucumbers and tomatoes need about 5-10 gal of water to go trough their seasonal cycle. about the same for cucumbers. the problem you get is these towers are too small for their root system. if you want to grow tomatoes they grow well in their own 5gal bucket with the kratky method… you will just need to progressively refill when you get about half way. (in the fruiting period it will start to drain pretty quick. ) these are great for various lettuce and small plants however.
Nice work clean setup better looking than most hydroponic setup the wife must be happy
seems to be working pretty well.
Super dope, great update garden looks great
Where did you get those white planters? Is your 5 gallon bucket just sitting inside of it?
Been running tower gardens for a few years now. 15 min on and 30 off works indoors under lights but 15 on and 15 off is the best outdoors. Many plants will extend roots into the bucket but you don’t want the roots to excessively dry. Also keep an eye on the nutrient solution temperature. It can get too hot or cold because the bucket size is small.
What are you using for your 3D printer?
When the tomatoes set fruit the branches wont be able to support the weight.
I bought an Ender 5Pro in order to develop a prototype for an invention, and then was bitten hard by the 3d printer adventure! I started printing that inferior sytems from Thingiverse before spotting this one. I’ve already printed half of it in white, but may keep it indoors, so I might not have a green problem. When I look across the internet generally at hydroponic towers built by the 3D folks, I always see everyone mixing up their types of plants! I would think that you’d be much better off growing one type of plant in the entire tower. I’m going to try all romaine lettuce in my first tower, and then try all strawberries in my 2nd. I know that strawberries won’t mind the angled opening and will dangle down. Not certain what romaine will do. I went to Ace Hardware and picked up a 5 gallon White Bucket, and will be going to harbor freight to pick up one of their small framed roller stands, so I can turn the tower and move it, if so desired. I bought the harbor frieght 260 g/p/h pond pump for this project. I am going to search for an inexpensive timer as well. I took the part that fits under the lid down to Ace, to get 7 feet of plastic Vinyl tubing, and the nozzle on the 3d printed part broke off! LOL! I’m going to drill out the hole in the center and utilize a threaded tube and keep it in place with a thing nut on both sides. It was a learning curve, moving from PLA to PETG and I’ve become much better with nozzle and bed temp than I was when I printed some of the early stuff! Yes, I’m using PETG for the tower parts! By the way, before I forget, I really like you video! You should be able to spray over your neighbor’s roof with that 800 GPH pump! Matbe you should drain his pool while he’s at church? LOL!
I have been doing DIY hydroponics for a few years and have learned a lot. You explain a lot of this very clearly and anyone that watches this will save a lot of time and headache listening to these basic steps. Congrats!
Hoping for an update on your systems
thinking of doing this myself
I see oter people have mentioned 2 hours off is probably too much for indoors in the AC. Id do 15min on, 30min off.
I can attest that White Vinegar, nor Baking Soda, is a good idea as it has absolutely no buffers to them so you bring down, or up, the pH to 5.8 to wake up in the morning to 7.5. As soon as you use the pH up, or down, it stays around 5.8. I was so hoping that baking soda, and/or white vinegar would work.
Would you be interested in providing a new update to this? How were the veggies once you got some from it? Etc.?
Really cool system. Do you still use the 5 gallon bucket? What is the white planter that you are using as the base?
Brian: "Be wary of using something like black cuz of heat issues"
Also Brian: Continues to use black net cups
How many gallons per hour does the pump need to be
Where did you get those giant pots that the whole system is sitting in? I want some just like it for the one I printed.
I would avoid those fully printed locking netcups, root mass will shatter/delaminate them easily and they are just not cost effective. There are a few remixed adapters designed to use normal netcup all over the place. Outside of that, go with black filament for the towers and paint them with white to keep temps down. Light creeping in will cause algae issues after awhile.
The big white pot that holds the bucket did you 3D print it or buy it… if so what’s the brand of it
I really love your channel! Please give me the name of the printer filament that you used? Hope it is save for food, thank you for all your advice. Watching from South Africa
Nice Hydroponic Setup! Continuing to follow your Channel.👩🏾🌾👨🏾🌾🏡🌱🌱🍆🍆
One piece of advice for preventing sunburn and heat stress on your plants you moved from inside, to outside. Seedlings need to be conditioned and this is usually done in a greenhouse for about two weeks in a commercial nursery. In your case though, All you need to do is have "starter towers" and "finisher towers". The starter towers should have 30% shadecloth draped over them for about a week or two. This allows those plants to acclimate to the sunlight and not get burned. Now move the pots to the "finisher tower" for growth and fruiting. This frees up your starter tower, with shadecloth over it to move your next set of seedlings into for acclimation.
I will be new to 3D printing, mechanically and electronically savvy, what printer would you suggest? I’m thinking about creating your hydroponic system and wish to have a printer that will last for some time.
I wish the holes for the net cups were smaller so I can utilize my aerogarden to start my seeds.