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by throwup238 786 days ago
I have forty dutch buckets in four zones with cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers hooked up to two thirty gallon reservoirs and four ten gallon drainage tanks via a series of pumps and valves (using ESPhome sprinkler controller module). The first reservoir is pure RO water fed by a valve connected to the tap and the second is connected to a series of peristaltic pumps and sensors. They pump pH up and down as well as nutrients from concentrate into the reservoir and the concentrate bottles sit on DIY magnetic stirrers that run daily to prevent precipitation. Six ESP32s in waterproof Sockitboxes control all of this via a bunch of relays. The pH controller ESP32 gets mqtt messages via Atlas Scientific pH sensor while most of the other pumps are either on a schedule or respond to mqtt messages from Vegetronix water level sensors. I also have several Vegetronix liquid flow sensors that are hooked up to an ESP32 with solar and a battery that acts as a watchdog and alerts me via text message and indoor alarm if water doesnt flow for 12 or more hours.

The outdoor tap is also hooked up via valve to a drip irrigation loop that waters some roses and pots full of herbs, cabbage, etc.

The indoor setup is similar but much smaller with metal halide lamp and LEDs in a grow tent for out of season growing and seedlings. Protip: never put vining plants like cucumbers in a grow tent. Its a huge pain.