Introduction: Hydroponic Growing in Ikea PS Locker With Automatic Flood and Drain Self-priming Syphon

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Goal

The goal of this project to modify a standard Ikea PS locker into a device to grow leafy green vegetables hydroponically. Hydroponics is a technic to grow plants without soil. Plants grow directly in an inert substrate while nutrients are provided through a circulating water solution. There are multiple approaches to designing a hydroponic system. For this specific project, a flood and drain system has been chosen. In these systems the plants grow in a tray which is flooded and drained with a nutrient solution periodically a few times per day depending on the growing stage. When the tray is flooded, the inert substrate, in this case clay pebbles, absorbs the nutrient solution which is consumed by the plants. 

Download "how it works.pdf" for further explaination.

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Supplies

Download file "supplies.pdf" for entire list of materials.

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Step 1: Drill 44mm Holes

Drill 44mm holes in the center of the growing trays and sensors box. The size of this holes may vary depending on the size of your PP tank feedthrough (item 8 in “supplies.pdf”)

Step 2: Drill 14mm Holes

Drill 14mm holes on one side of the sensors box. One hole at the lowest possible position and the other one at maximum height you want the water to reach. These holes are used to place the water level sensors. 

Step 3: Mark Holes

Place both growing trays, the sensor box and the main nutrients reservoir in the correct position inside the locker. Mark the 3 holes you made in step 1.

Step 4: Drill 60mm Holes

Drill 60mm holes at the bottom of the locker according to the marks made in step 3.

Step 5: Sensors Box

Tighten the PP tank feedthrough (item 8) with the PVC adapter 50mm x 1” (item 7) in the sensors box. Add both water level sensors and place the sensors box in its position.

Step 6: Growing Trays

Tighten the PP tank feedthrough (item 8) with the Elbow 20mm x 1” (item 11) in both growing trays. Place both growing trays in its position.

Step 7: Connect Growing Trays With Sensors Box

Connect the growing trays with the sensors box according to the pictures. Use the magnets to hang the pipes. Materials used in this step:

. Elbow 50mm(item 11 in "supplies.pdf")

. PVC pipe (item 10)

. T connector 50mm (item 12)

. PVC adapter 50mm x 1” (item 7)

. PVC endcap (item 9)

. T 20mm x 1” (item 14)

. PVC transparent hose 20x25mm (item 18)

Step 8: Solenoid Valve

Hang the solenoid valve just on top of the center of the sensors box according to the picture. Materials used in this step:

. Elbow 1/2" to 12mm (item 33)

. 1/2" Solenoid valve (item 20)

. T 1/2" (item 15)

. 2 x PP nipple 1/2" x 1/2" (item 16)

. 2 x PP swivel nut ½” (item 17)

Step 9: Water Pump

Connect the outlet of the water pump with the 12mm PVC transparent hose to the solenoid valve according to the pictures. Place the water pump inside the pipe and connect the end of the hose to the solenoid valve. Close endcap.

Step 10: Nutrients Reservoir

Add the water level hose according to pictures. Place the nutrients reservoir in its position. The PVC hose must be long enough to touch the bottom of the reservoir.

Step 11: LED

Use 2 magnets and a crew to attach the light to the locker. Plug the power supply with a timer to 220V.

Step 12: Fan

Step 13: Electronics

Attach the 12V power supplay with magnets or in any other way. Wire components depending on the arduino ports you are using in your code. Download "Arduino code.pdf"

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