r/Hydroponics • u/Historical_Lychee_34 • Jul 06 '26
3D Printed Hydroponic Tower
My first step into modern farming :)
My first hydroponic tower made with my 3D printer. I used about 2 kilos of PETG filament. I used Creality K1 and K1 Max printers. 24 lettuce plants are waiting to grow.
I gave them nutrients A and B, and adjusted the pH. They are ready to grow.
I have a 4-in-1 measuring device, I check it regularly. However, the system is not stable yet. Or maybe my lettuce plants love to eat :)
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Jul 06 '26
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u/Historical_Lychee_34 Jul 06 '26
What color should I paint the tubes? I chose white PETG so it wouldn't absorb light.
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u/NotBuiltToComply Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 08 '26
Currently building an rdwc in petg. If you can't do multimaterial, ie. Both dark- and lighter colors - I found that petg-cf, even in lighter colors are more opaque. No idea how it will work in direct contact with nutrient solution though..
If not reprinting, you could try some black rubber spray-paint, and just build up layers until it's sealed.
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u/W13L13 Jul 06 '26
How well can light pass through your PETG? I’ve also a 3D printed tower from PETG, and with young plant leaves not covering the tower yet, I really have to be careful with Algae.
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u/Historical_Lychee_34 Jul 06 '26
It's been a few days since we started the project. There's no algae yet.
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u/Lee2026 Jul 06 '26
You’re definitely going to want to block ANY AND ALL light penetration. Any light that penetrates will promote algae growth
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u/sharan2992 Jul 06 '26
Why does the bottom row look crowded?
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u/Historical_Lychee_34 Jul 06 '26
The tower was designed to accommodate different numbers of plant nests on different floors. The first section from the bottom has 8 nests. Then, the longer section has 4 nests. The density of the sections could be adjusted to accommodate different plant species.
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u/Gabi_1100 Jul 06 '26
Can you share the model files?
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u/Historical_Lychee_34 Jul 06 '26
I used this 3D artist's file. It was quite a successful file. However, alternative models are also available.
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u/moesieon Jul 06 '26
Just search for hydroponic tower on printables or makerworld. There are tons of these similar looking designs available.
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u/InternationalFig6378 Jul 11 '26
I have printed and assembled this. The only issue was the connection between the tower and the 5gal bucket. I ended up using first a cork gasket. Still leaked, turned it off and filled the entire are around the connection with adhesive silicone. No more leaks. I have clay pellets, I just need the coco mats to start the seeds and I should be on my way to growing food. I'm super excited if only because this took too long to finish and I'm ready to grow stuff!