Project Springtime
Project Springtime

Vertical Recirculating Deep Water Culture System

Construction Instructions

Construction

You want to start with building the wooden parts, because it will take some time for the wood stain to dry. While the stain is drying, you can work on other parts.

  1. Construct the Vertical Frame

  2. Construct the Arms that will hold up the growing pipes, then attach them to the Vertical Frame with the 1-5/8" Screws in the locations given in the blueprint. The blueprint shows one post of the Vertical Frame. You need to do it for both posts, taking care that the horizontal position of the arms is close on both posts, otherwise the water in the Growing Pipes will run off in one direction.

  3. Stain the Vertical Frame and Arms assembly according to the instructions of the Wood Stain product you are using. Staining is highly recommended so the wood will not deteriorate in the weather.

  4. Construct the Growing Pipes; also drill the inflow and outflow holes shown in the blueprint above; the Cascading Pipes will use those. Place the Growing Pipes on the Arms. Make sure that as you stand in front of each Growing Pipe, the bottom (outflow) holes are all on the left, and the top (inflow) holes on the right, otherwise you won’t be able to circulate the water.

  5. Construct the Cascading Pipes and place them in the in and outflow holes of the Growing Pipes. Use the Caulking to create a watertight connection.

  6. Construct the Reservoir-Pump-Assembly and place it underneath the Vertical Frame.

  7. Construct the Reservoir Inflow Pipe and attach it to the Vertical Frame using a Conduit Strap as shown in the blueprint, and to the bottom-most Growing Pipe using Caulking to create a watertight connection.

  8. Construct the Rising Pipe Assembly. Screw it into the pump, and attach it to the Vertical Frame using a Conduit Strap as shown in the blueprint. Insert the end of the thin hose into the inflow hole of the top-most Growing Pipe, and attach it with with Cable Clamp.

Before you continue, make sure the Caulking had enough time to harden per instructions on the Caulking tube.