How to build Ebb n Gro Tutorial DIY

We will need 2 relays for this project. These are very important and can be found online or locally at radio shack. I went a step further as I say I like free better and found some online from amanufacture who makes them and did some emailings to see what I could get them for direct. Come to find out they dont sell to the public but if you tell them your building a demo project for future development and will need a parts supplier after securing finacial backing they will send them to you free of charge lol so I got 4 of these for free but wqe just need 2 of these here the model and a link to them at radio shack get 2 of these...Model 125VAC/10A DPDT Plug-In Relay thye can be larger Amps if you have to mine I got free are 12 amp versions but the same otherwise..Link to radio shack is here..

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049721&cp=

Regular Cost= 2 x $8.99= $17.99
My Cost= $.0.00

What we need next are called Float valves or float sensors or liquid level sensors. These basically are the switches that tell the pumps to turn on or off. There are many out there and I will show you 2 options. I used a cheaper options called right angle float switches but I will reccomend the other ones as they are bit easier to use and can be set lower in the control unit. I used the others as I found them first and they were on sale. You will need 4 and I got my 4 shipped for $12.00 even via ebay. Get 4 of these the black are better then the yellow and I will put 3 links showing where to get them....

The first 2 links are the better ones and the last link is a cheaper differnt kind both work but if you have few extra bucks get the black ones...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Horizontal-Float-Switch-for-Aquarium-Auto-Top-Off_W0QQitemZ180414331233QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_2?hash=item2a01883961&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

or
http://www.chicagosensor.com/Miniature_Horizontal_Mount_Float_Switches.html

or this kind

http://cgi.ebay.com/Liquid-Water-Level-Sensor-Right-Angle-Float-Switch_W0QQitemZ230384951223QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a4035fb7&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Retail cost= 4x $4.59= $18.36 or 4 x $9.00= $36
My cost on sale = 4 x $3.00= $12.00

We will also need to get some wire. It can be anywhere from like 16 gauge lamp wire or I got 10 gauge multistrand wire from home depot. I advise getting 3 feet or this wire each in white, black, and green. The 3 colors makes keeping the hot negative and grounds seperate later when wiring this up...Here is a picture showing why the colors help. This is showing how we will use all 3 colors later in wiring the outlets..

Now an item that is optional is a rubber grommet for your power cord. You will be drilling a hole big enough for your cord to enter the project box so if you want a rubber grommet helps stop any wear on the cord jacket. You dont have to use it but its a good add on for about $.60 just get a grommet from any hardware store that fits tight over the power cord you select and wou will drill the correct size hole for that grommet. The package will say what size hole to dril for it and it will just slip in around the hole.. Optional......Ok this is a good place to take a break for now as we have a good little list of stuff to get gathered. post related questions if you have them and lets keep the thread related til the end then random comments or topics. Heres basically what you should have compiled...

thanks so much im setting up an ebb an gro and was just wondering how i could maintain flood leels im going with a 4 site for now i appreciate the details on the controller bucket cuz most sites wanna keep their internals proprietary i dunno im interested thus far though

Depending if you use all 5 gallon or 3 and 5 gallon buckets a good rule to use is about 3 gallon per bucket site so a 6 site Id go with like a 20 gallon res this gives you a few extra gallons for absorbtion so you dont have to top off each day....I dont mind showing what i figured out. I will end up offering these eventually as pre built for those who want one for less but don't wanna build it or not comfortable building it also.But I first like to offer the details to my fellow growers out there. I have seen a few write up on building these on other sites but figured Id do one myself and post it on our site for us RIUers

just keep in mind when selecting a rez that when the plants mature they will drink atleast 1/2 gallon per day per plant, these systems enable the plant to grow a tremendous root system, larger rez the better since by the time you are up and running you can add pots on easily

yup and on my setup i added a second top of res with a regular manual float valve so if my main res drops to set point the float opens the valve and water fills that res til topped of with ph 5 water

" You will need 4 and I got my 4 shipped for $12.00 even via ebay. Get 4 of these the black are better then the yellow and I will put 3 links showing where to get them....

The first 2 links are the better ones and the last link is a cheaper differnt kind both work but if you have few extra bucks get the black ones...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Horizontal-Float-Switch-for-Aquarium-Auto-Top-Off_W0QQitemZ180414331233QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_2?hash=item2a01883961&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

or
http://www.chicagosensor.com/Miniature_Horizontal_Mount_Float_Switches.html

or this kind

http://cgi.ebay.com/Liquid-Water-Level-Sensor-Right-Angle-Float-Switch_W0QQitemZ230384951223QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a4035fb7&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Retail cost= 4x $4.59= $18.36 or 4 x $9.00= $36
My cost on sale = 4 x $3.00= $12.00[/QUOTE]

Ebay novice here! How did you order 4? There is no "qty" box to add 4, so do you just put the total cost ($11.96) in the "place bid" box?
Thanks!!!

I bought the yellow ones when he had an auction listed for 4 on sale and used ebates for a 2% cash back. There are some black ones on ebay with make a best offer you can do that also or message the guy and see if you can make a deal to buy for for a discounted price direct sometimes they will do that if they can sell via ebay or credit card direct and not have to pay ebay fees. Shhot him a mail saying your looking for 4 of them and wanted to know if he could do a better price for a direct buy of 4 combined shipped. Might work or keep and eye on ebay search float switch dialy and look for deals and steals..Good luck

Awesome Thread Fletch!!!! I have always wanted to know how the control unit was made, scribed and +rep

blueybong said:

I'll be using 5 gallon outside with a 3.5 inside. Thanks for the info!!

I'm off to Lowes to buy some materials.

Click to expand...

consider this, i believ CAP utilized 2 gallon potts instead of 5's is the amount of media needed, i can fill 6 x 2gal pots with one 50L bag of pellets, as opposed to 2 1/2 pots with 5 gallon buckets, also the differenct in sizing like that i do not believe is good for this application, many people in DWC would use smaller pot in larger since they want the roots floating around freely submerged in water all day, on the ebb and grow only roots come out of the bottom and they get a small very small rez to drink from, dependant more on the moisture held by the clay pellets,they need this since floods are hours inbetween. anyhows you would want more root mass withing the clay pellets than outside, with your arrangedment your gonna have too much root outside and the plant will be thirsty, 2gallon are good you can blow out 6foot monsters in them, you dont have to worry about being root bound in hydro systems

I'm interested in building this system. have 10-15 buckets already with 10 or so 6" net pot lids.... wondering if these are going to work?

morrisgreenberg's post makes me think they would work, but i would just need to flood more often?

I have a question. I have done a few hydro grows and know that the rooting system gets pretty massive, what do you do to keep the root system from growing through the fill and drain lines for each bucket? I can see that about two months into the grow the lines will get clogged with roots growing in them.

Morris every ebb and gro I have seen use a 5 gallon main bucket with a 2.5 gallon insert. the 3 gallon buckets I use are free and you dont have to fill it to the rim. i leave about a 4 inch empty space so Im filling about a 2.5 gallon bucket worth. The smaller bucket hangs about 8 inches from the bottom of the 5 gallon buckets just as the CAP does so the roots will hang in a dark moist place and have plenty of air and moisture while the main root mass is in the hydroton. You are quit wrong about hydro not getting root bound too. this can happen quiet easily just as in soil. This setup you can grow some very large plants in Id try to finish at 4-5 feet if you have the room.more posting soon

so it just pumps water from the res when the float switches on, but how do you know where to put the float