Forum home› Tools and techniques
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

hydro help

manaquinmanaquin Posts: 28
in Tools and techniques

Hi all! 

I need some advice on this self watering system;

 

http://www.verticalveg.org.uk/how-to-make-a-genuinely-self-watering-growing-system/

I understand how to build, my query is I am building a stepped planter box system. How can I get the water from my water butt to the first tier at the top to cascade down?

Here is a sketch of what I mean:

 

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y386/paul_cunningham2/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2014-02-09-18-48-48_zps327cb692.png

Any advice welcome!

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,109

    I think the idea is that gravity feeds  the water into the bottom of the containers and is taken up by the soil - not the other way round - ie  water going in the top and dripping/flowing down. I think you'd either need a pump to get the water into the top of your box system and feeding down through the others tiers, or else the water butt would have to be higher than the top tier.

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • manaquinmanaquin Posts: 28
    Yes that's exactly my point. I realise water can only go up through a pipe naturally as high as the water level in the water butt.

    I need to know if anyone has a idea of using the water I have in the water butt, to get it into the top tier.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,123

    I'm wondering whether, rather than use a water butt, you couldn't utilise one of these systems to send water to several of your box systems

     http://www.rainwaterhub.co.uk/


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • manaquinmanaquin Posts: 28
    Yes I think you have cracked it! Thanks image
Sign In or Register to comment.