DIY NFT System

I didn't get any replies as to how to get my post from yesterday in the running for the new contest so I'm just redoing it as this thread with the poll option added. If you like it give it a vote; if you really like it, give me a rep. BTW, I did add the name of the manifold I used if you don't have one.

I spent today building my NTF system. I had already gotten the idea, designed it, bought the stuff I needed before I saw that they actually sell ones almost exactly like this. Nonetheless, I made mine today. The only thing I am lacking is germinated seeds but I have seeds and more on the way. For those of you that are familiar with NTF (Nutrient Film Technique), you know the benefits of the system without the drawbacks of a regular hydro setup. I'm using 1/2 gal drippers, two on each net pot. The air pump is driving two 6" bubble stones and the water pump is rated at 396 GPH. I'll try and 'splain the pix as I go thru.

Buy a section of 5.5" PVC fence post at HD, 6 end caps, some vinyl glue and a section of 2.5" square PVC post. I bought a 3.25" hole saw because I would be doing 12 holes (for this one) and I wanted them nice and clean with no light leakage. Cut the fence post into 3 pieces; if they are 96", that will yield 32" pieces. Debur the cuts. I did a hole very near the end of each of the three "containers" as I'll call them. I spaced out the other 2 holes equally, a calculator and a tape measure comes in handy on this job. I put a cap on one end of each one.


I wasn't sure how I was going to get the water to run down and back into the res tank but after some thought, here is what I came up with. I cut a slot into the bottom of one end (allowing for the end cap).

You have to file and deburr every cut you make on the PVC; you don't want the crap plugging up your water pump.


I added a little Liquid Nails construction adhesive to make sure the water goes right into the return slot.


Using the little 2.5" post, I drilled holes to allow me to cut a matching slot (doesn't have to be perfect) in the bottom return tube.


Use the vinyl glue and glue the rest of the caps on then glue the containers to the return tube and a matching strut on the other end. The strut is the same but has no slots.


I drilled a couple of holes in the bottom of my return tube and cut a line between them. I then used a heat gun to soften the PVC and bend it so that it made flanges for the water to run down.


Get your res tank ready, the standard one everyone uses. I used black vinyl tubing and connectors, all found at HD in the plumbing section. I got my bubble stones hooked up and in place with the hose running out to the pump.


I had plenty of 2.5" post left so I used it to make two legs. You want the water to drain down by gravity so remember not to make it level. Clamps are handy for this but the vinyl glue sets pretty quickly if you don't use too much.


I made mine about half a bubble off from level; that should be plenty.


Rigging the hoses and drippers take the most time but it's just like putting a Lego set together. I ran out of hose clamp-downs (I will add them later) so I used some I-Screws that I had; they will work just as good. At this point you're pretty much done. The manifold is a real find at HD; it's a Rain Bird Drip Irrigation Retrofit Kit.


You'll notice that there is a little bit more space between two of the containers than between the other two; that's so I could mount my air pump and manifold between them as shown. Handy but out of the way.


Notice the end caps to the return tube? You don't want light getting to your water. I also scribed a piece of plastic to make a cover to make sure no light gets into the res tank. I'll add some black electrical tape just to make doubly sure.


The manifold is mounted in high tech fashion - with a small bungee.




Top View:


So there you have it boys and girls and if you have half as much fun building yours as I had building mine... that means that I had twice as much fun as you.

Peas and Love

Hey Potpimp!
Lookin' very stylish! Just three thoughts:

1. Four independant legs would allow "easy access" to the reservoir.

2. "Spreader Mat" would help even the flow in the "container" troughs.

3. Have you considered root mass build-up? I think you may well have a blockage problem in those narrow slots between the container troughs and the return tubes. As the root sytems develope, they tend to want to hang down into the reservoir - potentially causing a blockage.

I plan on building a DIY-NFT System (some day - LOL!) and I think your's is da bomb! Let us know how it works out. And remember "You got's to keep your Pimphand strong!

this has got to be the best system DIY I've seen in a long time!

just wanted to know what type of watering schedules you use with this setup?

Hey T.H., thanks for the kind words. I started to put a couple of "swing-down" legs on it but decided against doing it for now just because it was late in the day. I think I'd use some aluminum angle or thin square tubing for that. The spreader mat is a great idea and would certainly enhance the system (Thank you!). I'll just have to wait and see about the root mass buildup; there *should* be plenty of room for water to flow thru; I can't see it totally blocking the flow but I'll certainly keep my eyes on it.

Another idea I had last night was, since I'm using a 396 GPH pump (I do have another one that's half that capacity) and the 24 drippers only drip 12 GPH, I'm thinking that there might be a lot of stress put on the pump due to the back pressure. I'm thinking about drilling a hole in the end of each container and tucking the tubing in it, allowing the rest of the water to flow down (True NFT), not just relying on the drippers. I've always said that good design is an evolutionary process. Thanks for the props!

free bump
also, I think that your next growFAQ should be how to use this system, start to finish.

that would be a great addition to the faq, because I don't think there is anything like it in there, and a dummies 123 setup and grow tutorial would be great for newbies with an average budget. (although I could be wrong)

I've been expecting some Maui Waui seeds and some Vintage seeds (Accupulco Gold, Panama Red, Columbian Gold X White Widow) to grow in this system but they haven't come in yet. I got about 100 seeds (maybe 80 viable) out of the last bag I bought recently, probably Mexican but some good stuff, and I have more blueberry. I may just go ahead and germ more of the Blueberry today and plant them on Sunday. My grow closet is packed to the walls and I'm using 65w CFL's for the babies but they should be ready for the HID in a week or so. I need to figure out where I can keep another grow box if I do that.

Help me out here, submit a material list and cost it out?? VV

My cost on everything was $170 including tax.

Why such a large pump? Do you really need 396 gph?

SmokerE said:

Why such a large pump? Do you really need 396 gph?

Click to expand...

I think you need to build up a good head of pressure to accuate the drippers that Potpimp is using - not sure just how much it takes, but something like normal water supply pressure. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!

I think the thing that really caught my eye was Potpimp's use of net pots instead of the usual Rockwool cubes. It's not that they don't work well, but the Rockwool cubes just don't "look right", if you know what I mean. I think the net pots give an overall cleaner look to the whole system.

Can't wait to hear how this baby woks out!

$170 including pump,and dripper tubes?

I think you will find that pump is not over sized. VV

$170 little much for that smaller unit.I basically build my 32 site setups for around $150 with 28 mister heads but mine is aero/NFT and I use 800 gph pumps with mine. I find much smaller and the misters can get a buildup in them.In mine I find that the roots will fill a good portion of the tubes anywhere from 5-10 feet each and I use actual hydro sealed drains on each post with 1/2 tubing bringing the water back to the res.I find a 55 gallon res about the smallest to use with about 40 gallons of water nute mix as the tubes will hold a good 5-10 gallon of water during use as it rivers back out the setups.I build and use pvc 2 inch pipes for stands.Make 1 side about 2 inches lower then the other and it can be slid to modify flow speed back to res by lowering it by pushing it back or forward.

Reaper, yes that was including everything - pump, air pump, res tank, PVC post, end caps, vinyl glue, tubing, parts, connectors, net pots, pretty much everything that I needed with the exception of the small PVC post; I already had that. I also didn't count the hydroton. I found something exciting that I want to share with you guys. At the hydro store I bought a bunch of "Organo Starter Plugs" (Hydro Wholesale offers Wholesale Hydroponics, HPS and MH Grow Lights, HydroWholesale hydroponic Supp: 50 Organo Plugs, bagged) I wasn't relishing the though of putting RW in my NTF system; that didn't work too well in the hydroponics system I used. I'm hoping these things will be just the ticket. They don't break down; you don't ever take them out; you leave them stuck in the hydroton and algae doesn't grow on them. They are pre-pH'ed and ready to go.

You had a rockwool issue in a hydro system? Thats real weird since they are the best thing to use.Oragnic plugs or rapid rooters dont do well in long term hydro grows neither does coco cubes

$170 is piss take

any1 got plans for a small system for jus like 2 plants?

Fletch, the problem I was having was algae. I should have covered the net pots but I didn't know any better at the time. The RW sort of disintegrated into a green slime. I was using GH anti-algae stuff at the time too. The guy at the hydro store told me they grow a ton of stuff in the Organo plugs; I guess I'll give them a shot and see how it goes. It'll all be in the grow journal; I have 20 blueberry seeds in them right now germing. Hopefully I'll get 12 good, hardy, viable sprouts from these and any excess can go into RW or soil.

KOOL! Im gonna do that shit but i only want to do a six slot system so my 400 will be enough with my t5's to give them proper light! oh and where did you get the dripper tubes HD?

Yep, HD has a lot of shit we can use.