"Ebb Table" Concept

As I learn more, I've been thinking of creative ways to accomplish established growing techniques. It seems (to me) a lot of the commercial items are more geared twoards all purpose use - and all the great gardens I see justify better, more customized, and cough cough - cheaper hardware.

The idea of this is mixing a flood table setup with the top feed technique that ebb & grow users employ - plus some plumbing. I envision something easy to setup-maintain, has a small foot print, auto feeds multiple times daily, however drys quickly. Basically, the best of both worlds. This is just a base idea and I hope to get feed back from people. Whats neat about this idea, besides the general concept, is I'm sure you could modify it's principal to suit as many sites as you want.

Sorry if there is other, or even better techniques for this. Remember I'm new to hydroponic.

Also, sorry if the diagrams are hard to read. I'm terrible at drawing, and even the basic tools of MS paint is a massacre waiting to happen at my hands. BUT, I thought it was the best way to express what I'm trying to explain. Anyways, lets start with the front profile view.




1. Reservoir
2. Pump.
3. 1" ABS or vinyl/clear tubing.
4. Table
5. "Distributor Bar"
6. Drain
7. Ball Valve

On the front profile everything is fairly self explanatory except for the "bar" and the valve. I will explain it all just for fun.
So. Whenever your timer is set to go off, water/nutes are pumped from the reservoir, through the tubing and through the "distributor bar". (Anyone wanna come up with a better name for it, please do.) The bar feed's each individual plant. The table serves simply as a holder for the plants, and has a bottom drain piped right back to the reservoir to prevent excess water from sitting on the grow medium. The ball valve on the main reservoir is for cleaning/flushing. Rather than moving anything it's easier to have a BV and either collect it into a container or pipe it off somewhere else. Work smarter not harder.

Okay for the top view. Now that I explained the front you likely don't even need this explain. But, I'll finish.

1. "Distributor Bar"
2. Growdan Cubes (with covers) Or netpots... whatever
3. 1/2" Tubing




What's you guys thoughts? I may start the build either way, however I could post a more elaborate parts list if anyone is interested. I left a few things out and obviously thing's don't just hook up as they do in the picture.

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Isn't it just a stupid ebb and flow table? Like, why not make a regular ebb and flow table, and save all the crap?

tibberous said:

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Isn't it just a stupid ebb and flow table? Like, why not make a regular ebb and flow table, and save all the crap?

Click to expand...

Well, no it's not exactly a *flood and drain table* - however yes, it may be stupid and it may be something that people already do. Which is why I am sharing the idea.

But... As opposed to flood and drain, the idea is top feeding - not flooding the entire tub with solution. Therefore you can squeeze in more feedings, of much more oxygenated solution. (Just like a top fed ebb and grow for mature plants.) But, this is a veg table and the tub is just there retaining all the plants and letting all the solution drain back to the source. Call it an ebb and grow on a table.

run 1/2 flex pipe up, bring 1/4 tube out of it to each plant. use a T at the end of each 1/4 tube plant site and create a "ring" with the 1/4 tube around the plant base.

drill 1/16 holes in the "ring", like every quarter inch 2 holes (1 drill through tube)

I just built one. my best tip is don't try to punch holes in the 1/4 tubing, drill holes.


1/2 tubing could probably be the supply line, it carries a LOT of water, especially if you're doing a continuous drip.

What you are doing is just a drip system crammed into a flood table
Nothing too special about that...
If you really want build and tinker and think,then look into a high pressure aeroponic system...
+1 for effort!

and silicone the HELL out of the drain.

my res is beside the tray, and with the pipe bending it creates a gargling noise. Your "right under" res will fix that.

jakesnake said:

and silicone the HELL out of the drain.

my res is beside the tray, and with the pipe bending it creates a gargling noise. Your "right under" res will fix that.

Click to expand...

Thanks for all of the input fellas. I like the ring idea, as I was concerned with one area getting wetter than the other - I just figured I would make adjustments as I went.


Jake - PL Roof Sealent rather than silicone will make your fittings mint and never leak and it doesn't peel or grow algae as bad. Shoot me a picture of your setup. Maybe a small ball valve somewhere and turned gingerly would stop it from sucking air? My drain would have any pressure on it, however there maybe be a splashing noise from the solution falling back into the main reservoir.

Anyone know what it costs to build a typical flood and drain using "normal" parts. I'm trying to think what it would cost comparsion woudl be if I wanted to make a traditional one as well. (But use my parts.)