Easy DIY hydroponics kit

thingiverse

This individual has devised a DIY hydroponic system inspired by machines from zengrow.com. Although the concept works well for certain plants, like those purchased in small plastic pots, it may not be suitable for all edible varieties. The creator is not affiliated with zengrow.com but appreciates their products. Another useful resource is http://gb.eurohydro.com/waterfarm.html and its distributors. The inventor has successfully printed the tube connector, although there may be some leakage. Noise reduction is another concern as a previous makeshift system was quite noisy. Printing of the plant holder is underway, and it works effectively for larger non-round containers. The hydroponic system is now operational, with plants showing positive growth. All OpenSCAD code can be found at https://github.com/elmom/scad, using the MCAD library. Photos and an instructional 3D model are available on Google Picasa. The plant holder design originates from zengrow.com systems and is designed to hold plants in holes created in the lid of a water container. A pump circulates water through tubing, which then returns to the container after passing the plant's roots. The creator recommends using large food containers, an aquarium pump, 10mm ID tubing, and a printable tube connector. Grow media like that from zengrow.com is preferred over dirt, with additional lighting required for year-round growth.