Food Commons Rain Water Hydroponics
This 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.
Plantings 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.
The zones are controlled through a web-based software interface (can run online or on local computer) which is connected to the Arduino controller.
Plants in zones at development site are planted outdoors in typical soil (this is not a fully hydroponic system. It is using rainwater as irrigation).
This same system can be used for rainwater-fed full hydroponic system.
(This was originally a collaboration a collaboration between Russell Bauer http://rabwork.com and Sam Rose. Now work carried forward by Sam Rose )
Bill of Materials
Partial Bill of Materials
1x 1" x 100' CPL Potable Water 100 PSI HDPE SIDR15 ASTM D2239 PE3408 C5 NSF-pw
1x 3/4" x 100' CPL Potable Water 100 PSI HDPE SIDR15 ASTM D2239 PE3408 C5 NSF-pw
50' 1/2" Rainbird flexible tubing.
50x Brass Grommets for drip irrigation tubing
4x Orbit Solenoid 3/4"
1x Pacific Hydrostar Dirty Water Submersible Pump with Float item # 94651
2x Pacific Hydrostar Dirty Water Submersible Pump with Float item # 93819
4x Schutz IBC Tanks item# CCSZ275MTRFUN
Diagram
Recommendation for controlling solenoids with arduino
Goals
Best plant species
Generally, "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
To do
(research the yield from different plants).
General and future development discussion
Total 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.
There are two approaches possible in fully hydroponic system :
1. A chemical control approach
2. A biological approach
Most important to control:
1. Timed delivery of water
2. Temperature controlled delivery of water
3. Fullness of resovior (how full resovior is?) maintaining a full tower.
What do we need to sense for this?
The simplest control is time and zone based.
Related sites to which this likely will be copied
New bill of materials (in progress)
component name: low pressure water solenoid valve component identifier: 3/4" Nylon Solenoid Valve NPSM Thread Control Water 12 component source uri: 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