Rain tower help

So I wanted to make one of those rain towers but I wanted to use heat forming on a 5x5 pvc fence post. I've tied everything I can think of and now I'm asking for help.
As of right now I have wasted 3 posts cut in half. The problem I'm having is that the water is leaking around the pot holes. I've tried to angle it, but it doesn't mold that far without ripping. I've tried cutting slits which rip too often. I've tried drilling holes which seem better. I've used a stake the size of a 2" net pot to form the holes. I've driving the stake from outside in and inside out. I'm looking for something I'm missing.
I hope you can see which ones which. I also am doing it this way as apposed to the adding 45° cut pvc for aethstetics and simplicity if I can't have those if rather it function without leaking.
Thanks for your input.

What about using a 45 elbow at each hole and drill it then glue a short nipple and 45? Just a thought .

How about laying them horizontal with a little bit of pitch rather than trying to have it stand vertical? I see why and think it's a sweat setup but look up some nft setups that use the same fence posts but lay them flat... aside from that have you tried bigger foam collars? Or drilling a smaller hole so the foam collar has to be forced in and seals better? Or am I missing something?

If u can't do them horizontal or just wanna do it that way, take the above advice... drill a hole big enough for a 2" pvc 45 and seal them with a grow safe plastic epoxy (pressure type fittings will work better than dwv/drainage type...) and sit the 45 in the hole down to where the bend is (maybe cut the 45's so just enough sticks into the post and the other uncut side of the 45 sticks out on the proper angle pointing up)... this way you could drill holes straight in and use the 45 for your angle. I wish I had something on hand to try n show u the idea but aside from the 45's you'll be better off dumping the diy and buying the made product or just laying them horizontal with a little pitch so the water drains I'm thinking... pvc is brittle...especially when cold and cracks very easy...

Edit:... those brown ones are fiberglass right? If so that's why they used it... you will have a hard time making it work with pvc or else the makers of the brown ones would have used pvc... how about taking a piece of 4" pvc pipe and using 4x2 wyes or 4x2 double wyes' to have 2 opposite each other and build it up...actually it may get pricey using 4"... a 3" main going up with 3x2 double wyes would be cheaper... again just spit balling here man....

I gotta go to lowes a little later, I'll see if I can remember to snap some pics n show u what I'm talking about...

whitey78 said:

How about laying them horizontal with a little bit of pitch rather than trying to have it stand vertical? I see why and think it's a sweat setup but look up some nft setups that use the same fence posts but lay them flat... aside from that have you tried bigger foam collars? Or drilling a smaller hole so the foam collar has to be forced in and seals better? Or am I missing something?

If u can't do them horizontal or just wanna do it that way, take the above advice... drill a hole big enough for a 2" pvc 45 and seal them with a grow safe plastic epoxy (pressure type fittings will work better than dwv/drainage type...) and sit the 45 in the hole down to where the bend is (maybe cut the 45's so just enough sticks into the post and the other uncut side of the 45 sticks out on the proper angle pointing up)... this way you could drill holes straight in and use the 45 for your angle. I wish I had something on hand to try n show u the idea but aside from the 45's you'll be better off dumping the diy and buying the made product or just laying them horizontal with a little pitch so the water drains I'm thinking... pvc is brittle...especially when cold and cracks very easy...

Edit:... those brown ones are fiberglass right? If so that's why they used it... you will have a hard time making it work with pvc or else the makers of the brown ones would have used pvc... how about taking a piece of 4" pvc pipe and using 4x2 wyes or 4x2 double wyes' to have 2 opposite each other and build it up...actually it may get pricey using 4"... a 3" main going up with 3x2 double wyes would be cheaper... again just spit balling here man....

I gotta go to lowes a little later, I'll see if I can remember to snap some pics n show u what I'm talking about...

Click to expand...

The whole ideal is to do a vertical garden I think lol. I've got 4-4'x4" I'll give ya, already got the holes in em, didn't really like em much, to many root issues.

Nah I get it man but i was digging deep for suggestions for u cuz I see you obviously put a lot of work into it n wasn't sure if you were already into growing or just getting in and trying to make something work... but honestly if you really wanna build a vert setup I'd look into using plumbing wyes/double wyes as I mentioned.... it won't be cheap but with a miter saw to cut pipe with u can space the fittings as close or as far as u like... definitely won't be as nice as that brown unit you got but as long as u don't glue it you'd be able to pull it apart and clean it.... it would obviously be round and not square but I'm a plumber bro so instantly I think pipe/fittings when I see something like that...

Stack as many of these as u wanna go high and stick a tiny nub of 2" pvc pipe in each branch so you have a perfect 2" hole to put your 2" puck in (plumbing pipe is stated by inner diameter, 2" pipe is actually like 2-3/8 +/- outside diameter but the inside is exactly 2") ...

I know u already got fence posting and an idea set in your mind but if your determined to do a diy vertical grow.... I'd say it's a viable option... however granted you could probably buy the real deal for the price of fittings and pipe... the only thing I could see about it being better with pipe/fittings is u can tie as many towers together as u want and use glue caps (not glued) on the top.... u can pull it apart for cleaning as you definitely don't have to glue it to be water tight... as long as the pipes pressed in all the way and cut straight (miter saw) it should be water tight without a doubt... again man just trying to help out... if u wanna do something like this lmk how u wanna do it and I'll be able to tell u what to get easily.... again, I know it isn't what u want but it'll work for a vert garden that's for sure.... I'm even thinking of doing some kind of grow setup using pipe now that u got me thinking about it....

But here's one of the double wyes I keep talking about.. now imagine 2 stacked on top of each other but turned 90 degrees opposite of each other... I wish they may a wye with 4 outlets but to my knowledge they don't...