Build A Self-Watering Garden With Recycled Water
Over at DIY web site Instructables, user askjerry details how he recycles the condensation water from his air conditioner through a self-watering garden system for some seriously green gardening.
The system is pretty smart, and even if you aren’t keen on re-using the air conditioner water, you can still mimic the self-watering PVC system for some low-cost, low-maintenance gardening. The how-to is packed with detaied schematics, so if you’re interested in setting up your own self-watering garden, head over to Instructables for a closer look.
Self Watering Garden – Using recycled water from an air conditioner [Instructables]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
I love instructables.
@BrettKS: I love lamp.
SJRNWT
But I don't have an air conditioner. Now what do I do?
@akiwiguy: Use another source of water lol.
@akiwiguy: You should go buy one. Think of all the water you'll save once you build this--it will pay for itself in no time. :)
QuinnTheEskimo
I am a high school administrator and have established and maintain a club completely around instructables for our students this year.
speaknspell23
Gotta love those autoCAD 3d models of a PVC trellis. I had to design a PVC softball launcher a few years back in autoCAD Inventor. Maybe a little over engineered :D
This could probably be modified a little to just use rainwater instead. To bad we are in a drought here in Texas
Aggierandy
@speaknspell23: Teaching kids to think outside the box?! I'm surprised the admins allowed it. ;)
Sounds pretty awesome actually.
bodar
@bodar: Oh wait, you ARE the admin. Now it all makes sense. Props to you then.
bodar
@bodar: thanks. You know what they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
speaknspell23
@QuinnTheEskimo: But think of the alternative environmental damage from buying an air conditioner which uses electricity o.O
BrianB
@akiwiguy: Sit uncomfortably in the heat.
the_fury
@QuinnTheEskimo was being sarcastic, bless your heart.
@speaknspell23: I applaud you.
As an aside, I just got a rain barrel hooked up and it's full and ready to go. Now I just have to plant my vegetable garden.
@speaknspell23: I applaud you.
As an aside, I just got a rain barrel hooked up and it's full and ready to go. Now I just have to plant my vegetable garden.
Just so your readers know, this might be "illegal" in some states, like colorado. Colorado has a law on the books that makes it illegal to capture any runoff, any water that would have fallen on the ground. It's crazy, but they say it has something to with downstram water right. So in colorado any system that captures excess water for any purpose is illegal. What a crock of .....
dennis_k85
Cool Idea.
Coolintino Testingpage
Nice idea, but I'm sorry. Any watering system that claims to be green needs to be using a drip irrigation system. Dropping the water on the top like that just waters the leaves and much of it does not make it into the soil, where it's really needed.
orev
@dennis_k85: Yeah, the eastern US and western US have different riparian doctrines. This side of the country generally gets too much water, so drainage is the biggest concern, and I have a protected right to discharge water on my neighbors. (and after this wet week, come get all the water you want!)
In the drier areas out west, there isn't enough water to go around, so your neighbor has a right to get that drainage. This leads to some strange laws...
One warning is to beware of the condensate for bateria etc. Someone mentioned that Legionaires Disease is often found it the a/c bugs...
econobiker
Calling a watering system green because it uses air conditioner run off is like saying that your low-resistance tires make your Hummer economical because it increases gas mileage by 10% to 11 mpg instead of 10.
sean98125
I love how lifehacker has gardening tips. so random and so great.
draketrumpet
@speaknspell23: wish i went to that school