How can I build a 4'x4' ebb and flow??

Hey could somebody point me in the direction to some blue prints and/or video of how to build a 4x4 (or 2x4) ebb and flow system that will be using the SOG method? I've looked everywhere and have only found 1 method but it was a super low quality build. I can't even find anybody who sells a 4x4 system. So if you don't know how to build a 2x4 or 4x4 ebb and flow system, the next best thing is where to buy one.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I'm moving this to a better place for you - and removing it from the Do It Yourself forum, since it's not a DIY.

I just use plywood and boards drill and glue and fasten with screws. 4' x 4' x 7" with simple 1" x 3" boards for legs. I by a drain for a small sink and I do a build up under the plywood to get it thick enough to install the drain. the drain corner should be no lower than 1" than the apposing corner, less if possible. After I have it up and ready to install the drain I apply a thin coat of black roofing cement inside the table. Put the thick plasic liner in and be sure it is well adhered to the cement and no air bubbles. Cut the hole through the plastic and install the drain using the roofing cement to ensure a seal. For a drain screen I take the dog food can and punch the sides full of holes with a knife. use common sense and make the hole accordingly. Open both sides of the can, feed the dog, then secure it over the drain hole with one screw through the upper part. Be sure the can is about one eight of an inch off the plastic liner. Now before you attach to the drain shove a piece of stainless steel scrubber up the drain pipe then install the adapter. This will stop small pieces of rock from getting into your pump and jammimg it up or breaking the impeller pin. Now you can fill up your table with rock and install your waterpump, timers, light, air pump etc. Be sure your air stone is about 2-4" above the bottom of your res.

Thanks man for your reply I really appreciate it. Since I posted this thread I found a killer deal on Craigslist with everything I need to run (2) fully functioning 4'x4' setups (including fans, ph meter, ducts, 2 tents, (2) 50 gallon reservoirs, EZ cloner, a 1x4 t8 AND a 4 bulb t8, nutes, carbon filter, digital timers, electrical chords, drying net, ratchet chords to hang the lights...everything) well... Except for the 1000w hps... But I'll get that somewhere else no worries. He's askin 1200 for it all plus he's gonna help me set it up and walk me through the whole process my first time. That's a good deal right? I thought it was!

ummmm, I don't mean to disappoint anyone, but having someone from Craigslist come to my house to set up a hydroponic grow room seems to me to be asking for trouble...

-spek

Seems a bit of risk! To many things to go South. I think if i was u i would call back and tell them u have changed your mind. FYI I built a ebb and flow for $120 pump included but not quite 4x4.

Ya I misspoke in my post, sorry. He's not literally coming to my house to help me set it up... I meant he's going to show me as in walk me through the process when we meet up and show me how the parts all go together. Ya there's no way either of us are seeing each others places... Good lookin out tho.

That aside, isn't 1200 a good deal for all that? This is going to sound... Bad... But I feel like the effort it would take me to pick all the stuff out on my own and find good deals on everything is worth it just to buy the whole package at once at a ridiculously low price concidering everything I'm getting. But if I'm wrong please correct me.

i pay the same price at my local hydro store. 4'x4' flood table are sold 80$... pump 30$....

I'll have to check out my local hydro store when I wanna upgrade to a 4x8 table. I found a complete setup online for $1,044. It's the cheapest I've seen. Seems over priced

I was able to find 130L heavy duty black totes with strong flat lids $25.00, 38 x 34 shallow totes with hiinged lids for $30.00 (Had to paint outside black), pump was $35 for eco365. All fittings and tube was $25.

you dont wanna buy such large setups online. shipping 4x4 flood trays and 50 gallon rez's is expensive! talk to your local hydro shop and maybe you can talk them down on the prices. they usually have alot of wiggle room between what they paid and what the price tag reads. i got my 4x4s for 100 each and 75 gal rez for 140.

Go to lowes or Hd and get the large mortar mix trays. They're 2 1/2 x 4 and 8 inches deep. Then get your fittings from hydro shop. The trays are 11 bucks each and work great. Been usi.g them for c pl yrs.
I also just use a large cooler for res, worked wonders for keepi.g res temps in check.

Is that for SOG?

waterdawg said:

I was able to find 130L heavy duty black totes with strong flat lids $25.00, 38 x 34 shallow totes with hiinged lids for $30.00 (Had to paint outside black), pump was $35 for eco365. All fittings and tube was $25. View attachment 2879451

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Was that for SOG?

hydrogreen65 said:

Go to lowes or Hd and get the large mortar mix trays. They're 2 1/2 x 4 and 8 inches deep. Then get your fittings from hydro shop. The trays are 11 bucks each and work great. Been usi.g them for c pl yrs.
I also just use a large cooler for res, worked wonders for keepi.g res temps in check.

Click to expand...

What do you use as a table for those trays? And are the fittings at the hydro shop everything I need to get? What kind of pump and how much does it cost? I want to have two 4x4 tables so one will be for flowering and the other will be for my clones. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do for the mothers yet... I want to cut 20 clones every 2 weeks.. So I could probably put the moms on the same 4x4 table. I want 4 or 5 moms that way I can many options for the best 20 cutting every two weeks.

the mortor trays from HD are cheap. But the sides slope alot at the front and back so you actually waste a lot of space.
Ive decided that while there is an extreme markup for grow supplies, and that grinds my gears, in the long run its worth it to have the right stuff. DIY is neat for a couple personal plants but past that it costs more in lost productivity.

I only use 2x4 trays. Ever try to move a grow op? Tried getting a 4x4 full of plants through a doorway? no thanks. they suck to clean, move and deal with in general. and the 4x8s fugedaboudit. i cant fit one in the bed of my pickup truck. its like a bigass sign going down the road saying follow me to my next growop.

I use 8ft folding tables from wally world. I cut the legs shorter since im in a tent and a put an extra support in the center so it doesnt sag. they are cheap and lightwieght and i dont like wood in my rooms. You can get all the fittings at any grow store to make your own tables. they come in 1/2.3/4 and 1 inch size. I use 1/2 for fill and drain and 1" for overflow.

ilikecheetoes said:

the mortor trays from HD are cheap. But the sides slope alot at the front and back so you actually waste a lot of space.
Ive decided that while there is an extreme markup for grow supplies, and that grinds my gears, in the long run its worth it to have the right stuff. DIY is neat for a couple personal plants but past that it costs more in lost productivity.

I only use 2x4 trays. Ever try to move a grow op? Tried getting a 4x4 full of plants through a doorway? no thanks. they suck to clean, move and deal with in general. and the 4x8s fugedaboudit. i cant fit one in the bed of my pickup truck. its like a bigass sign going down the road saying follow me to my next growop.

I use 8ft folding tables from wally world. I cut the legs shorter since im in a tent and a put an extra support in the center so it doesnt sag. they are cheap and lightwieght and i dont like wood in my rooms. You can get all the fittings at any grow store to make your own tables. they come in 1/2.3/4 and 1 inch size. I use 1/2 for fill and drain and 1" for overflow.

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Actually that's what I'll be doing. I'll be using (2) 2x4 trays to make my flowering 4x4 and then 2 more to make my 4x4 mothers/clone table. I plan on having one res for each 4x4. Once I have a couple harvests I'm going to invest in a commercial 4x8 table ready to run from an online store and shipped to a buddy's house who will not be affiliated with the grow whatsoever. Then I'll put that in one of my 4x8 tents and then move all (4) 2x4 trays into they're own separate 4x8 tent that I'll already have on hand when I make my initial purchase from the guy on Craigslist I mentioned earlier. I'll either make that a straight mother/clone tent, or I'll make it into another sea of green tent with a different strain. I'm not sure yet, that's a ways off. I'm just focused on a single 4x8 tent divided in half with my dual 4x4's. let me know your thoughts on this plan. Oh and I'll be running a 1000w solis tek digital hps per 4x4 flowering area. So starting out ill just have 1. I think that should be sufficient

You're right a about the trays from hd being cheap. My bad I forgot about that. The 1s from lowes are a lot better.
Sorry op.

hydrogreen65 said:

You're right a about the trays from hd being cheap. My bad I forgot about that. The 1s from lowes are a lot better.
Sorry op.

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Haha ur good man no worries. If I decide to build my own ill get the mixers from lowes

you can read my brief tutorial of how I build my trays https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/399376-diy-switchable-grow-tray-flood.html.

i have built many such trays, i currently am running a crazy greenhouse operation, using pond liner and thick CARTON! yes just carton sheets standing on cement bricks and a rail of galvanized metal for the bottom floor to sit on and lined them with pond liner inside. i am however growing some tomatoes in them, and they are huge the system is great. btw i shaped the carton sheet like a canal 8"x8" wxh, each row is 8 ft long. and i used duct tape to hold the upper sides of the canal. i don't suggest that you build such a carton system for your MJ hydro but to give you an idea of how cheap it can get and still give the same or better results. about the use of dog food can for netting debris from res, first question that pops in my mind is if that tin can would disintegrate from ferts and acids and how good their chemicals would be. I would never use mortar trays or whatever except if I actually determine what they are made from exactly and if that is certified for use with agricultural chemicals. on a commercial scale, it will raise these questions from food controllers, but on a personal scale, it raises these questions for my personal well being. I actually went to a PVC pipes factory once and found out that his and many other PVC pipes have lead (Pb) in them, because they are intended for drains, and not for planting or anything edible. it's usually the right way which ends up cheaper

Here is a good video.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eOQOm5k_dE