{"id":27797,"key":"Food_Commons_Rain_Water_Hydroponics","title":"Food Commons Rain Water Hydroponics","latest":{"id":1208819,"timestamp":"2025-11-28T00:55:49Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"[[File:Foodcommons.png|thumb]]\n\n{{Project data\n| authors = User:Sam Rose\n}}\n\n{{Device data}}\n\nThis is a two tank, gravity-fed rain water irrigation system, using [[Arduino]] as controller/timer. The system can be used for indoor or outdoor production. Bottom tank is \"collection tank\", top tank is \"water tower\". Water level sensors exist in both tanks, when collection tank has water, and water tower needs water, water will be pumped up to water tower until it is full.\n\nPlantings are sectioned off into \"zones\". Solenoids control flow of water to zone (one solenoid per zone). Water is time released according to species in each zone. An option is to place a flow meter in output hose from water tower and release water based on gallons or liters per second/minute, per zone.\n\nThe zones are controlled through a web-based software interface (can run online or on local computer) which is connected to the [[Arduino]] controller.\n\nPlants in zones at development site are planted outdoors in typical soil (this is not a fully hydroponic system. It is using rainwater as irrigation).\n\nThis same system can be used for rainwater-fed full hydroponic system.\n\n(This was originally a collaboration a collaboration between Russell Bauer http://rabwork.com and Sam Rose. Now work carried forward by Sam Rose )\n\n== Bill of Materials ==\n\nPartial Bill of Materials\n\n1x 1\" x 100' CPL Potable Water 100 PSI HDPE SIDR15 ASTM D2239 PE3408 C5\nNSF-pw\n\n1x 3/4\" x 100' CPL Potable Water 100 PSI HDPE SIDR15 ASTM D2239 PE3408\nC5 NSF-pw\n\n50' 1/2\" Rainbird flexible tubing.\n\n50x Brass Grommets for drip irrigation tubing\n\n4x Orbit Solenoid 3/4\"\n\n1x Pacific Hydrostar Dirty Water Submersible Pump with Float item # 94651\n\n2x Pacific Hydrostar Dirty Water Submersible Pump with Float item # 93819\n\n4x Schutz IBC Tanks item# CCSZ275MTRFUN\n\n== Diagram ==\n\n[[File:Foodcommons.png|center|thumb]]\n\n== Recommendation for controlling solenoids with arduino ==\n\n[[File:Foodcommonsirrigation.png|center|thumb]]\n\n== Goals ==\n\n== Best plant species ==\n\nGenerally, \"staples\" plant species are not appropriate for small space urban site conditions (grains, corn, high yield beans, etc). It is assumed that for nutritional gain vs. volume of production, that produce (vegetables and fruit) are best for smaller urban and suburban sites\n\n=== To do ===\n\n(research the yield from different plants).\n\n== General and future development discussion ==\n\nTotal Dissolve solids meter looks for electroconductivity based on how much solution powder is dissolved into system (how much dissolved solids are in solutions). This can be useful for fully hydroponic systems.\n\nThere are two approaches possible in fully hydroponic system :\n\n# A chemical control approach\n# A biological approach\n\nMost important to control:\n\n# Timed delivery of water\n# Temperature controlled delivery of water\n# Fullness of resovior (how full resovior is?) maintaining a full tower.\n\nWhat do we need to sense for this?\n\nThe simplest control is time and zone based.\n\n== Related sites to which this likely will be copied ==\n\n[https://web.archive.org/web/20180625084616/http://www.refarmthecity.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page http://web.archive.org/web/20180625084616/http://www.refarmthecity.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page]\n\n== New bill of materials (in progress) ==\n\n* Component name: low pressure water solenoid valve\n* Component identifier: 3/4\" Nylon Solenoid Valve NPSM Thread Control Water 12\n* Component source URI: [https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120537308871&rvr_id=127817808543&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=L*S%3F&GUID=35fe89f11280a03664700660ffa561ef&itemid=120537308871&ff4=263602_263622#ht_571wt_1139 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120537308871&rvr_id=127817808543&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=L*S%3F&GUID=35fe89f11280a03664700660ffa561ef&itemid=120537308871&ff4=263602_263622#ht_571wt_1139]\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| keywords = rianwater catchment, rainwater irrigation, arduino, cpl, Brass Grommets, Orbit Solenoid, Dirty Water Submersible Pump with Float, IBC Tanks, Rainbird flexible tubing\n| sdg = SDG06 Clean water and sanitation\n| authors = User:Sam Rose\n| published = 2010\n}}\n\n[[Category:Agriculture]]\n[[Category:How tos]]"}