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bsfman
01-05-2012, 07:44 PM
A couple of weeks ago, I built several 34 inch long strawberry towers out of a 10 foot length of 4" PVC drain pipe. The fittings for capping the bottom ends cost me more than twice as much as I paid for the pipe! I think I paid like 8 bucks a piece for the end caps, then had to use zip ties thru drilled holes to hold them in place since the end fittings are made for the thick walled PVC - not the thinner outside diameter of the drain pipe.

Several days later, I had an epiphany while shopping at the local Publix grocery store. Eyeballing the 2 liter soda bottles, I splurged 89 cents on some Publix brand cola, then cut the empty plastic jug's bottom off. Though difficult to get it to slip over the pipe end, once you do, it fits nice and snug. 89 cents versus eight bucks! It's a no brainer! A little spray paint will render the clear soda bottle plastic opaque too, and the soda bottles have a built in nozzle to fit into holes cut in a return drain pipe! :) This afternoon, I added a couple more strawberry towers to one of my systems using this technique.

Hint: briefly soak the cut end of the soda bottle in an inch or two of hot water and it will soften the plastic enough to make it easier to slip onto the pipe!

alex281
01-05-2012, 09:23 PM
I'd love to see pics :D But seriously the fittings at home depot for anything in the 4" range for abs(all they have) are like 9-16 dollars depending on the fitting :( just yesterday i paid 11$ for 2' of 4" abs...

Basil1
01-06-2012, 05:55 AM
Would also like to see pics. Do they stay on with just pressure or are they attached in some way?

bsfman
01-06-2012, 06:34 AM
Would also like to see pics. Do they stay on with just pressure or are they attached in some way?

They stay on with pressure, but they are also resting against the return drain which helps hold them in place. Just finished the two with soda bottle bottoms last evening. The three that are overhanging the wading pool are hydroton filled and planted as of yesterday, but I haven't painted the clear plastic nor loaded the two new ones with hydroton yet. You can see the new ones situated over the 2" return drain. Let's see if I can post some pics...

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk306/tarvus33991/aquaponics/P1070060.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk306/tarvus33991/aquaponics/P1070064.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk306/tarvus33991/aquaponics/P1070061.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk306/tarvus33991/aquaponics/P1070063.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk306/tarvus33991/aquaponics/P1070062.jpg

JCO
01-06-2012, 09:08 AM
Keep the ideas and photos coming....you are the original innovator :mrgreen:

keith_r
01-06-2012, 09:44 AM
you can get "test" caps for 4" under a buck..

davidstcldfl
01-06-2012, 04:00 PM
you can get "test" caps for 4" under a buck..
Keith, I was thinking the same thing. I have seen the test caps in Home Depot...but not all HD's.
Keith, BFSman said the regular 4" fittings/caps won't fit ( too lose) on the thin wall drain pipe...."?"
I think they should...'?'....the OD of the pipe should be 4", regardless of the ID...right ?

bsfman
01-06-2012, 04:12 PM
....the OD of the pipe should be 4", regardless of the ID...right ?
Actually, no. PVC pipe sizes are inside diameter based. The abs pipe has very thick walls as compared to the drain pipe and the fittings are sized accordingly.

I'm not sure what a test cap is or looks like, so not sure if local HD or Lowes has them. I'll scope them out on Google images. and hunt for them next trip shopping hardware.

davidstcldfl
01-06-2012, 05:35 PM
Actually, no. PVC pipe sizes are inside diameter based. The abs pipe has very thick walls as compared to the drain pipe and the fittings are sized accordingly.


....the OD of the pipe should be 4", regardless of the ID...right

Yep, messed that up.... :? What I wrote and what I meant are 2 differant things... :lol:
Should of said.... I would think the OD of the thin wall pipe should fit in a regular 4 " cap, regardless of the ID.
But it doesn't matter, because the caps cost too much....and you came up with a great idea to get around the cost problem.

keith_r
01-08-2012, 10:40 AM
i saw a pic of a 4" pvc pipe that had a hd paint bucket (thin plastic pail) held on with a dryer duct clamp.. whatever gets the job done!

lsoverstreet
01-31-2012, 12:52 PM
What is the watering method used on these strawberry towers? Do you water them by hand? Or are you pumping water into the top (as it appears)? Do you have to water at each level? If you only water from the top it would appear that all the lower levels would only have water running down the back of the pipe which may not saturate all the growing media throughout each level.
The towers look good.

commander
01-31-2012, 12:59 PM
I love the look of these. I can just imagine them filled with plants, in bloom and bearing. Another thing I have added to my "tuit" list. You know, one of those things to do when I get round 'tuit'.

keith_r
01-31-2012, 01:08 PM
towers are watered from the top..the water will make it to the bottom evenly and to drain back to tanks
i like the "zip grow system" stuff

bsfman
01-31-2012, 10:12 PM
What is the watering method used on these strawberry towers? Do you water them by hand? Or are you pumping water into the top (as it appears)? Do you have to water at each level? If you only water from the top it would appear that all the lower levels would only have water running down the back of the pipe which may not saturate all the growing media throughout each level.
The towers look good.

I bought a cheapo timer for 17 bucks at the local hyrdo store. I have it set to run a pump 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off. A single pump feeds fish tank water into the top of each tower. The pockets are hydroton filled and the trickle down seems to be keeping the media in each pocket adequately moistened. The strawberries love it! I'm amazed at their rate of growth. Will have to post more pics soon.