An ebb and flow system consists of two stages: first, the container is flooded so that nutrients and water are fed to the plants. And in the second stage, the reservoir is drained. There are several ways to design an ebb and flow system.
The ebb and flow hydroponic system takes a medium amount of skill to create, but once it is running it is fairly easy to use. As long as you remember that water always flows to level itself, you should be able to use the tubing to level the containers.
Ebb and Flow System: Flooding Tray Design
Overview
This is a relatively simple undertaking. Connect the reservoir to the flooding tray in 2 places with plastic tubing. One is for the nutrients to flow into the flooding tray, and the other is for the water to flow back into the nutrient reservoir.
Budget
$100
Build time
1-2 days
System size
4-6 plants, depending on the size of your flooding tray
Area
8 x 10 feet
Pros
This is an easy alternative to one pot at a time, allowing you to flood several plants at once. This system is great if the plants need a lot of work or need to be moved, or if you are getting them ready to transfer to another location.
Cons
The flooding tray needs to be cleaned more often than other systems, as it tends to grow algae.
Ebb & Flow Designs
Ebb and Flow System: Surge Tank
Overview
This system uses two pumps, one to push water from the surge tank back to the nutrient reservoir, and the other to push the water and nutrients from the nutrient reservoir to the other containers and surge tank. (The surge tank is the bigger tank that allows the water to be distributed evenly throughout the system.
Budget
$150
Build time
1-2 days
System size
4-6 plants, one per bucket
Area
8 x 10 feet
Pros
This is an inexpensive system and is easy enough for beginners to use. This allows you to keep the plants separated but water them at the same time.
Cons
The pH levels can become unbalanced and sometimes the water floods and does not drain because the pump breaks down. This could ruin your crop.
Ebb & Flow Designs
Pot System: Containers in a Series
Overview
This is a great system when you are growing different plants and want to grow them all together. Each of the containers is connected together with simple tubing. The containers all have to be higher than the water reservoir in order for the ebb
Budget
$50
Build time
1 day
System size
4-6 plants
Area
4 x 6 feet
Pros
This is an easy system to create and use and it is good when you have a variety of individual plants that you want to water at the same time. It is easy to adjust the
Cons
All the containers are regulated to the same height so you need to make sure that works for all the plants.
Ebb & Flow Designs
