# DIY Ebb N Flow- Where to install flood drainage??



## 215zealot (Dec 3, 2008)

Hey guys im building an Ebb N Flow with your standard Botanicare 36x36x7 white tray.

I have a few questions about where/how exactly to install my drainage tubing.

I am concerned that if i instal the drainage tube on one side, the other side might pool up.  should i tilt the tray so all the water drips at an angle??


Also, should i fill up the ENTIRE tray with the hydroclay pellets, like i see some of you doing here.  Or should i keep the hydroclay seperate to each plant, in their own 3 gallon container, and just place the containers in the tray.  

Please get back to me this is my first attempt and im still pretty baffled.


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## 215zealot (Dec 3, 2008)

Should i do this??






or this?





ALso, in that diagram, why is the flood drainage so high up??  wouldnt it be at the bottom, below the flood nozzle?  Do i have this backwards??  Is there ALWAYS going to be some leftover solution sitting in the tray?  I was under the impression this has to be drained 100% after flooding.  My tray has many irrigation grooves in it where water/nutes would easily get stuck.  Doesnt this cause potential for slime, mold, etc?


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## 215zealot (Dec 3, 2008)

Another dumb question, How many of yall use airstones or air pumps in your res to create movement and circulate the water??


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## 215zealot (Dec 3, 2008)

Heres a picture to give you guys illustration of what i am thinking about doing.


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## TommyBres (Dec 6, 2008)

This is a great DIY on another forum I visit, should answer all of your questions. Ebb and flow systems don't need air stones to aerate the water because it's flooding and draining so often, not stagnant like a DWC grow.

hxxp://www.thcfarmer.com/forums/f8/diy-econo-ebb-flow-2920/


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## brushybill (Dec 6, 2008)

hey zealot, what you are looking at is a drip system , not a flood and drain.
 with f/d the drain is elevated , so that when the tray floods the water level rises up to one third of the medium hieght. then when the pump shuts off the remaining water drains back through the fill hole, i  have a drip system for veg, which i switch to ebb and flow for flower, all in the same tray
 all i do is remove the riser on my drain tube , so that the water does'nt fill up when i  use the drippers        hope this answers your ?


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## santacruzgardener (Dec 20, 2008)

215zealot said:
			
		

> Should i do this??
> 
> 
> or this?
> ...



This would be my choice personally, however yes it is a little more labor intensive because of the extra cleaning involved those grooves are a magnet for funky ****. Use a Garden Armor liner for your tray and reservoir and it will save you a lot of that headache. You would want your inlet and your drain on the same side that way you can have it at a slight incline and have it drain fully. the drain is higher than the inlet because you want to keep the water at a certain level til the pump turns off, once it turns off the water will then drain down that hose that it was being pumped up. You should not have any left over water in your tray. Also forget the air stones, just use a nice sized pump to circulate the water constantly and you will be fine. JUST KEEP THINGS CLEAN


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## 215zealot (Dec 20, 2008)

I still havent set up the drain system, because it seems kind of overkill for only 9 plants.

MY plants water runoff doesnt seem to want to drain either, it kind of just collects in the grooves, even with the tray tilted.  I have to go through everyday and soak up all the excess run off thats lying around because it makes my humidity too high.


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## smokingjoe (Dec 21, 2008)

215zealot said:
			
		

> Heres a picture to give you guys illustration of what i am thinking about doing.


 
215 the system you describe here provides amazing growth rates and yeilds you wouldn't believe.

Have you ever seen an eggshell bottomed crate? Sometimes called a fish crate also.  They have solid walls but lattice bottomed.

If you sit one inside a 50l crate and install a pump to pump up through the a dripper system you have the best of all worlds.

You have the effects of a flood drain and dwc all in one.  

It's contained and modular and will support two fully flowering plants per unit.  

When the roots make it to the res below you will see explosive growth.

You run the dripper system on a 15m/2hr cycle.

It's wise to install a large weighted air stone in the res but not entirely necessary as the flood drain action prevents the water from stagnating.


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