This effort was brought about by a desire to grow strawberries using a hydroponic recycle system.  It should be noted that this entails mixing water and electricity (do be careful) to drive a fountain pump capable of at least a 7 foot lift – the distance from the bottom of the reservoir/bucket to the top of the main shaft.  The actual capability of the pump however must be 8+ feet.  An additional foot of lift is added due to water resistance within the supply line.  What follows is, I hope, a fairly detailed discussion of the design and setup.  This design could be modified and result in improvements. Should I undertake another build maybe the design will change because of lessons learned.  The water distribution side is simply "get the water high enough and let gravity distribute through several lines to the "grow pots" ".  Here goes:

	This design consists of three main components moving right to left in this picture:  the reclamation side (1 1/2 pipe and various fittings), the supply side ( 1/2 pipe with different fittings on each end, and a pond pump capable of an 8 foot lift – yours could be less or more depending on the total hight from bottom of the reservoir to the top of the supply line), and the gravity distribution side on the left most side (1/2 pipe utilizing threaded couplings – a lot more forgiving when it comes to aligning the "ends" to the "grow pots").  I say gravity distribution because fountain pumps are designed to lift water and not the provide high pressure within the lines.  I had tried a drip distribution head with 4 1/8" tubes but the water flow was not adequate nor reliable because the system lacked  pressure. Now for a closer look at each of these components.
This is the RECLAMATION side.
	It consists primarily of 1 1/2" pvc line, 1/2" right angle couplings, 4 "T" couplings (1 1/2 X 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 slip), 2 "T" couplings (1 1/2 X 1 1/2 slip X 1/2 threaded  – top and bottom of picture), 4 4"x3" reducers, 4 3" x        1 1/2" bushings, and 4 6" sections of 4" diameter pipe. The two "Ts" at the bottom and top having a 1/2" threaded side are used later for the erection of netting to protect the fruit should this miracle ever happen.
	Lets take a closer look at the grow pots.  In the picture to the left you can see:  a 6" section of pipe glued to a 4" to 3" fitting.  Protruding from the 3" side is a 3" to 1 1/2" bushing which connects to 1 1/2 pipe into a 90 degree elbow and over to a 1 1/2" "T".    All water from the distribution side flows into these grow pots and is reclaimed in the 1 1/2" pipes and returned to the bucket at the base where it is oxygenated by "falling" and then recycled.
The SUPPLY side.
	It consists of 1/2" pvc tubing with unique connectors on both the head and tail ends.  This entire assembly goes "inside" the reclamation component (see later picture). In the center picture to the left you have a 1/2 slip threaded nipple to a 1/2 threaded/threaded coupling.  The distribution "T" will screw into this part at the top of the tree. In the right picture you have 3 pieces:  1/2 inch slip/thread to a 1/2 threaded barb, and 1/2 flex tubing which connects to the output side of the pump.
	This picture shows the supply component being inserted into the reclamation component.
	In the picture to the left the supply component has been fully inserted into the reclamation component with only the flexible 1/2 pump connection line protruding.
	This is the "top" of the reclamation component.
	This is looking down into the "top" of the reclamation component.  What is not clear is that in the center is the 1/2 threaded part of the supply line.  The next picture might be a bit more helpful.
	This part accepts the "T-head" which is part of the distribution component as seen in the next picture in this sequence.
	This is the "T-head" which drops down into the top of the reclamation component and screws into the 1/2 threaded female nipple on the top of the supply component.
The DISTRIBUTION side.
	The ends of these 4 lines dump water "lifted" to the "T-head on the supply side to each of the grow pots.  It looks painful but the critical points are the two "Ts" and the top.  If either should be cocked to one side or the other then gravity would favor that side and plants would not get an equal supply of water/nutrients.  In a pressurized system it would not matter since both sides would be "forced" into receiving equal distribution.

Saw a couple of earth boxes and a local nursery (Sun Harbor Nursery) on the beach so I decided to buy one and give it a try.  What amazed me is that just about anything can be grown in these things.  For example, in addition to the standard – tomatoes, I saw watermelons, corn, beans, and peas.  You usually cannot mix different produce like tomatoes and peppers for example so that might be considered negative, but just two tomatoes plants in these boxes produce an enormous amount of fruit.  That can also be said about any other type of produce.  The box containing watermelons was incredible.  No these were not the “standard” watermelon, but a smaller variety about the size of a duckpin bowling ball.  There were about 10 of these things hanging from the netting on this one box.  This nursery sells just the box or the box with the polls and netting.  Either way I believe it comes with casters so that you easily roll it around on a patio.  If you buy the poles/netting kit it comes with some “out riggers” for added stability in the wind and two additional wheels.  The complete kit pictured below included the soil, fertilizer, netting/poles,  and two tomatoe plants.  Pictured below is my setup.

	This is looking down into the box with the supporting polls and netting installed.  You should notice:  1.  that there is a black perforated grid that rests above the bottom of the box, 2.  that in the top/back left and right corners are two square holes and 3.  in the front right corner is a water fill tube.  You pack the two square rear holes with damp potting mix being sure it is all the way to the bottom.  This will provide two wick chambers for drawing water from beneath the black grate for irrigating whatever plants you have selected. Once the two rear corners have been filled you then begin filling the box with soil and nutrients.  I won’t go into the entire process here because the kit comes with a complete set of instructions and they vary slightly based upon the type of plants selected.  The process basically falls into filling the two rear wick chambers, layering dirt, layering dolomite, more dirt, then forming a trench for fertilizer (location of the trench varies by the number of plants bought and by the type of plants), more dirt to top off the box, and finally plastic cover to retain moisture and keep out weeds, followed by the plants themselves.
	This is the fully assembled kit with support netting and the extra wide caster set necessary when using the netting.  The potting mix, fertilizer and dolomite was added following the kits instructions and was not included in this series of pictures.
	This is the completed kit with all components “assembled”.  I chose tomatoes so you can see that only two plants are required.  In this picture you can see the water fill tube in the rear left corner.  You need to fill this tube on a daily basis.  You need not be concerned with over watering because there is an overflow tube to the right of the fill tube.  So just keep adding water until you see it exiting the overflow tube, then stop.  You are set for the day.  Now sit back and watch it happen.  You might notice in the background is a tomato plant that is about two months old.  While it is producing fruit it has not grown very much.  This grow box should completely fill with tomatoes from these two plants.  Stay tuned for more pics tracking the progress of this kit.
	May 22, showing growth and note the stalk size!!!
	06/08/09 – gettin bigger but some yellowing of he lower leaves.  Could it be the result of all of the rain we have had?  Not sure.  Could be an iron problem the result of to high a ph.