Setting up a drip table

Shroominnm

Well-Known Member
I have been combing through the forum checking out all different types of grows to figure out exactly how I want to redo my room.
Right now I am using totes and they work great but resevoir changes are a pain as well as adding water and I want to do something more efficient and user friendly.

My shed is 8x12. With a wall dividing the front of the shed from the grow room.
My grow room is 8x8 and is divided in half, so each side is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long.

So we're working with two 4x8 rooms.
I'm going to do the same type of setup on each side.
I have been interested in flood and drain tables, but I am worried that having water on the table exposed to the light above will lead to algea and other problems, even if it is just leftover after flooding..so I kept thinking..
I saw Tiger's scrog grow and it got me thinking about building my own tables, but I still don't want to do flood and drain really.

What I came up with:

I want to build an L shaped table, about 3 feet off the ground, 2 feet wide (from the wall) and have holes cut out evenly to recess 5 gallon buckets through.
I plan on drip feeding from the top.

At the bottom of the buckets I will add a main pvc drain that connects all the buckets and Lets them drain (gravity) back to the resevoir underneath.
Instead of growing in these buckets directly, I thought it would be good to place a 5 gallon bucket inside each bucket.

This top 5 gallon would hold the plant in the medium, and drain through to the bottom bucket, back to the resevoir.
With it this way, no water would be exposed to any light.
Also, plants would be very easy to move to flower room one at a time to maintain a perpetual cycle.

At the end of the table on the short side of the L shape, I would have a small Rubbermaid or something of the sort recessed into the table for starting clones or what have you.
This would also have a drain that tied in going back to the resevoir.
I haven't quite figured this part out completely, but it will be something of the sort.

With that said, is there anything I am overlooking?

My sketch is very basic, but I think it gets the point across.

If anyone has any input or ideas that may help me in building this it would be greatly appreciated!

stay smokin'
 

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Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
I have been combing through the forum checking out all different types of grows to figure out exactly how I want to redo my room.
Right now I am using totes and they work great but resevoir changes are a pain as well as adding water and I want to do something more efficient and user friendly.

My shed is 8x12. With a wall dividing the front of the shed from the grow room.
My grow room is 8x8 and is divided in half, so each side is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long.

So we're working with two 4x8 rooms.
I'm going to do the same type of setup on each side.
I have been interested in flood and drain tables, but I am worried that having water on the table exposed to the light above will lead to algea and other problems, even if it is just leftover after flooding..so I kept thinking..
I saw Tiger's scrog grow and it got me thinking about building my own tables, but I still don't want to do flood and drain really.

What I came up with:

I want to build an L shaped table, about 3 feet off the ground, 2 feet wide (from the wall) and have holes cut out evenly to recess 5 gallon buckets through.
I plan on drip feeding from the top.

At the bottom of the buckets I will add a main pvc drain that connects all the buckets and Lets them drain (gravity) back to the resevoir underneath.
Instead of growing in these buckets directly, I thought it would be good to place a 5 gallon bucket inside each bucket.

This top 5 gallon would hold the plant in the medium, and drain through to the bottom bucket, back to the resevoir.
With it this way, no water would be exposed to any light.
Also, plants would be very easy to move to flower room one at a time to maintain a perpetual cycle.

At the end of the table on the short side of the L shape, I would have a small Rubbermaid or something of the sort recessed into the table for starting clones or what have you.
This would also have a drain that tied in going back to the resevoir.
I haven't quite figured this part out completely, but it will be something of the sort.

With that said, is there anything I am overlooking?

My sketch is very basic, but I think it gets the point across.

If anyone has any input or ideas that may help me in building this it would be greatly appreciated!

stay smokin'
2' deep? What kind of lighting are you planning on using? T5's?

Flood trays work great for drain to waste also. Setup the trays with a slight slope to the drain you install into them ;-)
 

Shroominnm

Well-Known Member
2' deep? What kind of lighting are you planning on using? T5's?

Flood trays work great for drain to waste also. Setup the trays with a slight slope to the drain you install into them ;-)

Yes, I was thinking I'd make the table about 2 feet wide.. that would give me about 1 foot from the center of the bucket to the wall .
I will be using t5s and leds.. for now.
Ive got a bunch of both lol

I had not yet thought about drain to waste.. is there an advantage to doing it this way compared to a recirculating type system?

As I am thinking right now, no water will every touch the table, it is there merely to hold the buckets. All water will spray through the top of the bucket and drain through the bottom, back to resevoir

stay smokin'
 

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
I had not yet thought about drain to waste.. is there an advantage to doing it this way compared to a recirculating type system?
I do both, but I guess i didnt read your original post good enough, looks like you're recirculating, my bad.
If you're wanting to top feed/drip, and recirculate, don't be afraid of flood trays. You're concerns with them just aren't a problem when using them. If set up with some slope there's no standing water, algae, etc.
Much easier to setup than builing what you're talking about IMO, and i'm a carpenter! Lol.
 

Shroominnm

Well-Known Member
I do both, but I guess i didnt read your original post good enough, looks like you're recirculating, my bad.
If you're wanting to top feed/drip, and recirculate, don't be afraid of flood trays. You're concerns with them just aren't a problem when using them. If set up with some slope there's no standing water, algae, etc.
Much easier to setup than builing what you're talking about IMO, and i'm a carpenter! Lol.
Sweet!
It will definately be easier not worrying about all the extra work, I was just worrying about light getting to the water.
I tend to Overthink things.

I'm still going to make the tables myself so that I can utilize my space exactly as I want.
Any suggestions on what type of plastic to put over the wood to hold the water in?
Thank you!

stay smokin'
 
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Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
Sweet!
It will definately be easier not worrying about all the extra work, I was just worrying about light getting to the water.
I tend to Overthink things.

I'm still going to make the tables myself so that I can utilize my space exactly as I want.
Any suggestions on what type of plastic to put over the wood to hold the water in?
Thank you!

stay smokin'
I've always bought trays, but i fully understand the need to build custom sizes ;-)
Pond liner would be the safest bet i would imagine. I've always wondered about putting a coating of flex seal, or something similar. Would be clean, but just not sure how well it would stay bonded to a tray made out of wood, because wood expands and contracts big time. If you know how to fiberglass, that is also an option.
 

Shroominnm

Well-Known Member
Drew up a little better draft.. it helps me visualize :)
This is my flower room, veg will be the exact same .
If anyone sees any flaws in this design, please let me know!

I'll be buying material this week soon as the flower room is cleared out!

Second picture is looking through door into the room as it is now

stay smokin'
 

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