Flood & drain hydroponics system.
Cheap and easy to make. Guaranteed fast yield. Virtually zero energy to run.
Just add water and plant-food for superb plants and high yields.
Here is our all-new hydroponic herb garden for you to replicate.
This hydroponic herb garden was made from a combination of storage containers and a large sandwich box. It is powered by a submersible pond pump to automatically water the plants.
We guarantee that this hydroponic equipment and the growing medium pure coco-coir delivers the fastest and most powerful plants in a much shorter time than soil based grows.
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Our all-new hydro system is cheap and easy to make, reliable to run.
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Plants are automatically watered via a submersible pond pump. Once a day for 1 minute. Twice a day if needed.
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Uses virtually zero energy.
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Uses pure coco-coir as the optimal growing medium for hydroponic plants, which is enhanced by a virtually symbiotic relationship.
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​Sprouting seeds can be planted directly into the moist coco coir, ideally with a 2cm+ root, but any size root can be planted from 1mm.
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A large central drainage hole 30mm x 30mm ensures good drainage.
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Plants grow on without repotting until harvest, even in the smallest pot of coco-coir.
Germinate seeds reliably and cleanly using coffee filters.
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Soak seeds in water for 48 hours.
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Place the soaked seeds between wet coffee filters.
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Cover to keep moist.
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Plant out into coco-coir when the root emerges.
COIR
COCO
This hydroponic flood and drain system is sufficient for growing 2+ plants. If you plan to add more than 2 plants, please remember the plants get very large and need space. The growing medium is pure coco-coir. Coco-coir facilitates a virtually symbiotic relationship with hydroponically grown plants.
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Use a good hydroponic fertilizer that comes in two parts, often called A + B. Don't worry about the run out date of the water mixed fertilizer. It doesn't go bad quickly. Continue to use it until the end of the harvest. Stick to the same mix. Don't change the water from Grow to Bloom. Use one or the other. Changed water recipes just result in damaged plants.
The growing medium should be pure coco coir. Don't add anything else to the coco-coir. The growing rate in coco-coir is fantastic. Get ready for high yields and strong herbs. This system will put you on the map with little effort. All watering is automatic. No need for daily visits.
This system can use 1 to 2 litres of water a week when the plants are in full swing. Just make sure enough water is in the tank for daily watering.
IMO, the optimal growing medium for plants is pure coco coir.
Coco-coir does not inherently form a symbiotic relationship, but it can facilitate one by providing an ideal substrate for beneficial microbes like
mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria to thrive in.
This combination helps plants absorb more nutrients, improves root development, and increases overall plant health, demonstrating how the coir medium supports a beneficial symbiosis between the plant and its associated microbes.
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Coir potting mix (or coco coir) is the best material to enhance the porosity of potting mixture. This means it lets the roots breathe, which is one of the most important factors in any growing medium used to grow cannabis.
It is an excellent rooting medium for all types of plants. It’s like giving your plants the perfect balance of hydration and breathing room.
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Stable pH Level: No more worrying about pH imbalances throwing off your plants’ groove. Coir Vital Grow maintains a stable pH level, providing a consistent environment for your plants to thrive.
Fill the containers with moist coco coir. The pots don't have to be very large, they just need to fit the hydroponic system so that daily watering sustains the plants. Roots will protrude beneath the pots. This is perfectly normal. Automatic watering from the hydro system will allow roots to develop within the pots and keep protruding roots moist too. A reciprocal relationship develops between the coco-coir and plant, enhancing growth.
Hozelock submersible pumps have an excellent electric safety record, which IMO outweighs the cost benefits of cheaper pumps. Remember electricity and water don't mix.
Amazon customers report issues with the 'outer plastics'. But IMO, the overall sturdyness and safety is of foremost importance.
A large water return hole is important to prevent blockages. I reccomend at least 30mm x 30mm. A piece of neoprene lines the gap between the tank and the tray. Silicone-gel can do the job. Bolts secure the rig.
This is the flooding container. When the container is full, the outer container prevents any leakage. This simple mechanism allows flood and drain without the need for precise levelling of the water, which is often difficult to manage.
2 to 4 holes are sufficient to provide a reliable flood and drain effect.
You don't want the water to escape more quickly than your submersible pump can fill the container. Less is more. Start with 2 holes. Add more holes later if required.
Drained water falls directly into a funnel to reduce water noise and dripping. This keeps watering nice and quiet. The funnel is attached below the main drain hole. This only needs attaching with wire or cable ties.
Add good quality Hydro A&B plant food. This is a highly concentrated mineral plant food. Hydro A is rich in calcium which helps the plant against heat stress. Hydro B contains magnesium which enhances the production of chlorophyll building materials enabling the plant to grow. Hydro A&B complement each other resulting in complete nutrients.
A timer is essential for the operation of the hydroponic system. The timer allows the container to fill, then drain when it switches off. This usually takes under 1 minute. Therefore, you should run your submersible pump for 1 minute, once or twice a day. This is sufficient to rehydrate the coco-coir filled pots shown above.
Here is a short clip to illustrate our hydroponic watering system using a submersible water pump. The hydroponic system needs to be kept well topped up to ensure watering is always maintained.
For more great ideas, go to our page on CFL/LED lamp holders. See how easy it is to position lighting. Also see CFL/LED hangers can safely take virtually any weight. https://bramscreeg062.wixsite.com/easy-cfl-growing/home