Going Hydro With A Phototron by pH

Buy a plastic rubbermaid bucket. 9 or 11 quart size. Make SURE the bucket is at least 2 inches taller than the tron base is deep. In other words the bucket should stick 2 inches above the base when it is in the base. You'll have to squeeze the bucket to get it between the light tubes when you put it in the unit.

At the top of the bucket, just below the lip, drill a hole and find a way to attach a fitting that either a 1/2" or 5/8" garden hose will fit on to. The hole **MUST** be above the phototron base. This is your overflow outlet, the other end of the garden hose goes into your reservoir. The bucket will fill with solution to this point, the overflow then runs back to the reservoir. Finding the right fitting was the most difficult part of the project for me. I had to use a brass fitting (would prefer plastic) threaded on one side, then found a nut to fit. Put a rubber washer on each side before tightening the nut.

Use an appropriate submersible pump that is impeller driven. Most Little Giant submersible pumps are this type. The important point here is that when the pump shuts off the solution MUST be able to siphon back through the pump. Hook up a length of 1/4" black poly tubing to the pump, you'll have to find an adapter or make a manifold for this. At the end of the tubing going to the bucket attach a small plastic tee. Plactic tees can be found at any aquarium store (or auto supply store under vacuum fittings), and black 1/4" poly tubing at garden centers are know as low volume watering accessories (it must be black).

Place the plastic tee at the lowest point in the bucket (for complete drainage) and fasten it to the side or lip of the bucket so it wont move from the surge of water when the pump turns on. Run it into the bucket at the same place the overflow is located. When solution squirts from the tee it should squirt to the left and right, not up or down. These buckets usually have a slight depression running around the outer wall of the bottom, this depression is ideal for the tee and will act as a sump.

Next you will need something to prevent the medium from resting against the tubing and overflow outlet. Any plastic cylindrical object sliced down the middle, then placed against the inside wall of the bucket will do (even a secion of vinyl raingutter cut in half will do). This allows you to remove the tube and tee if needed, and prevents the medium from covering the orifaces. Since the solution flows in and out, the tee is naturally self cleaning. After a few crops you will want to replace the tube.

I have used both pea gravel and Geolite with this setup and both work fine. I advise using Geolite because it is lighter and provides for more oxygen to the root zone. Fill the bucket with some medium and you're ready to rock n roll.

That's how to turn your phototron into a subirrigation ebb/flow hydro unit. With this setup no solution ever touches the phototron base, and the original integrity of the base is maintained for safety.

more about this system in Multishelf Garden Setup...