DIY Hydroponic system?

[pintail_drake2004]

So glad I finally went ahead and built a greenhouse. The greenhouse has been a huge success for us this year. Does anyone have a DIY Hydroponic system they built, they would be willing to share? I was thinking of some vertical system for growing lettuce/greens, while not taking up room on my benches. Not looking for a large scale system, just something to do lettuce and greens while not taking up precious table space. I was thinking about building some units from PVC or gutter system along the wall by the door. I've not done anything hydroponic, nor have I ever known anyone that has. Just curious if say, four 30" units (IDK what they are called) on either side of the door, with a fertilizer solution would work for growing greens? Should it have water constantly running or is intermittently sufficient? I have some old guttering, down spouts, as well as 3" & 4" PVC pipe, I was thinking of using for making the system.


Cedar frame Greenhouse



1st planting of the year. this is 2/3 of our 1st planting. We are on our 3rd planting now.


My lil sprout with her "trees" before we planted our tomatoes. She is happy to run to the greenhouse every morning and water all the plants.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My neighbor does this. She HATES her PVC system, and won't use it - is just waiting for time to rip it down and start over. Our problem is heat, not cold, so the vertical PVC stakcks don't really assist in that.

What she does do, quite successfully (I haven't the funds right now, or I'd try to duplicate it) is put one of those smallish pre-cast fish pond basins on the ground, where she raises fish. Like $0.99 Walmart "Feeder" fish, because her tilapia all died. She uses a pump to force that water (filtered of course) thru a series of concrete mixing trays (because they are big and cheap) with styrofoam on top with cutouts, where she puts her plant pots. Depending on light needs and plant height, she can do two or three vertical layers of plants. Note: they do make larger trays, but its a reach to access them - so unless you have a row down the middle of your greenhouse you can access from both sides, don't go with the bigger trays!

Her system outperforms my raised beds at least 5:1, and requires less effort by her, though obviously greater start up costs.

 

[BarneyNCyndi]

This is my hydroponic experiment in our little greenhouse. Most of what I have in there I transplanted out of what I had in pots or the ground. But everything seems to be doing well despite getting down to freezing most nights. I have a short cycle timer for the pump running a minute on then 3 minutes off.
Have been using a wide variety of nutrients, everything from miracle grow to a home brew of banana peels, coffee grounds and wood ash.
I am quickly running out of room for more plants, so am looking at adding a taller tower, about five feet high that should almost double the capacity that I have now.