Week 1 (Part 2): This. this is Hydroponics

As I said in my last post, I am spending the second half of my first week actually designing the system that I will be building and figuring out what materials and tools I will need to put it together the right way. I will be building an Ebb and Flow system, where the system automatically floods with water about 2-3 times a day. With this system, a small water pump is submerged in a basin and pumps water into a flood/grow table (where the plants actually are), and then allows the water to slowly drain out, leaving the roots moistened by not constantly submerged (which helps protect against root rot).
For the design that I plan on building, I will need:

• 2 plastic tubs (opaque)
• If these are not opaque, get plastic or spray paint to cover them with
• Clay grow media 
• Small submersible water pump
• 1/2" water hose 
• 1/2" PVC pipe
• Outlet timer 
• 2 x 4 planks
• UV grow light 
• Nails 

Tools: 

• Drill

Digital Design Model

The two plastic tubs will be positioned on top of each other, one acting as the water basin and the other the grow table (where the plants go). The top tub will have three holes drilled in the bottom, and the other one will have them drilled in the top. Through one of these holes the water pump will be able to pump water into the grow table while the others allow the table to drain. Around the outside of the tubs I will be building a wooden frame to serve two purposes: Stabilize the tubs, and hold UV lights (This system will be inside and might not always get another natural sunlight). The outside frame isn't integral to the design, but will still be helpful for the aforementioned reasons.

I have ordered the supplies that I need, and now all I need to do before I start building is carve out some time and get the rest of the supplies. To show how I build it and to further explain the design and how a Ebb and Flow hydroponic system work, I'll post a video blog of the construction along with an explanation on how everything works. Wish me luck!