How To Set Up:

1. Insert elbow connectors (O) into the top and bottom holes on the water reservoir (D).

 2. Insert screw nuts (N) into the top and bottom elbow connectors from inside the water reservoir. 

3. Use the included wrench to tighten the screw nuts (N) to elbow connectors (O).

 4. Insert water level tube (P) into the top and bottom elbow connectors.
NOTE: Be sure to push the tube all the way into the elbow connector for a secure fit.

5. On each reservoir, insert the seal ring (M) into the small hole in the side of the planter, near the bottom, then insert the on/off valve (L). You’ll need to push very firmly to ensure proper insertion and sealing.

6. Cut Measure how far apart you want each planter to be, and cut a piece of the hose (Q) to fit that length. Push one end of the hose over the barbed end of the on-off valve. Tip: First heat the end of the hose piece by dipping it into hot water, or use a hair dryer or heat gun. Repeat until all 3 water reservoirs are connected together.

NOTE: You can also use each bucket separately if you are growing different types in each bucket like herbs and fruits. In that case, you just insert the valves and close it and don’t need to connect the valves to each other.

7. Cut the remaining tubing into 6 pieces to fit your setup of where you are placing the air pump. Insert one end of each piece into each air stone (I), for a total of 6 airstone/tube assemblies.

 

8. Insert the airstones, with the tube pointing up, into the small holes on the top of the water reservoir lid (A), as shown. Repeat for the other two buckets. 

9. Slip the free ends of the tubes leading from the airstones over the free end of the 6 outputs.

10. Insert a net cup (E, F or G) into one of the empty holes in the reservoir lid, and fill the reservoir up to the bottom of the cup. You can check the water level by looking at the water level tube (P).

11. Place your baby plant into the net cup and fill it up with the ceramsites (R) to keep it firmly in place. Place the cup into a hole on the lid.

12. Add a hydroponic fertilizer, either a powder-base such as General Hydroponics MaxiGrow (https://goo.gl/EcigD5) or a pre-mixed, water-based such as General Hydroponics FloraGrow Fertilizer (https://goo.gl/ZYvYwZ).

13. Check to make sure everything is tightly connected and there are no leaks, and turn on power to the pump.

TIPS, TRICKS, AND HACKS

• The pH level of the water in the reservoir is important to keep plants thriving!
• The water can become too acidic or too alkaline as it’s used or evaporates. To avoid that, you should keep the water level at around 2 inches (50mm) below the bottom of your net pots. Keeping the reservoir topped off stabilizes pH levels to help your plants to thrive.
• For flowers: Another easy tip for maintaining ideal water conditions is to change the water every couple of weeks while the plants aren’t budding or blooming, and once per week while flowering.
• If you would like your air pump to be quieter, place it on a solid, thick surface and not directly on the floor; this will reduce vibration and quieten things down quite a bit.
• If you use a grow tent and an exhaust fan and your exhaust fan is too loud you can try hanging it from inside the tent rather than setting it on top, this will significantly reduce noise levels.
• If you want to prevent root rot due to the presence of fungus-like organisms such as Pythium, you can load the reservoir with a beneficial bacteria such as the root supplement Botanicare Hydroguard which is super-effective at preventing root rot.

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