Sunday morning at the ranch means leisurely coffee on the front porch with the man, and dreaming about what we want to do around here next. Today, we decided to build an aquaponics prototype. Using our existing fish pond, a few simple supplies we already had, and one quick trip to Lowe’s for a single item, we were able to create a working lettuce garden before dinner. Want to see how we did it?

First we gathered supplies. We found the old aquarium pump that’s been knocking around the place for a couple years; the window box basin from my old herb garden; coffee cans that have been piling up and pleading to be reused; a piece of foam from a hot/cold insulated bag that needed to be discarded; and leftover irrigation hose and nozzles from my recent garden irrigation setup.

He attached the pump to irrigation tubing, then connected a spray nozzle for each container of the system. Here, you see how the nozzle is fastened inside each container. Also, he cut the bottom off of each can to allow for unimpeded drainage and greater root space.

To modify the lids, he used a circular drill bit to punch holes. (I won’t bore you with the details of our search for that doggone bit). Much later, a spare piece of foam was cut to fit inside the lid. Then we marked the center of each opening and cut a slit from there to the outside edge.

I pulled up 2″ lettuce plants from my traditional garden, and carefully threaded the roots through the slits. Placed the lids on the containers and–voila!–we had a water garden! Thanks to the $14.98 timer purchase, naturally nutrient-rich water from the pond sprays the roots for 30 minutes, then rests for 30 minutes.

Our system combines two types of closed irrigation. In aquaponics, plants are grown in a soilless medium and go through cycles of flooding and draining. The water ecosystem draws from a fish pond, and the plants and fish each feed off the byproduct of the other. Aeroponics, on the other hand, is a system in which the bare roots are sprayed with nutrient water for 30 minutes of every hour. Using the best of both ideas, we are spraying fish pond water through sprinkler nozzles. It was the solution we could do in the least time, with the least investment. Did I mention we built it all today, with a single $14.98 expense? That’s so much better than our usual.

Predictably, the nozzles were clogged within an hour. Time for a few quick modifications.

By the time we were done, we had discarded the long box in favor of a wood plank. He even added sides for stability on a windy day. Next he removed the nozzles entirely. Now they spray straight up on the foam, which soaks and wicks water down into the roots.

I am so impressed with my MacGuyver’s ability to troubleshoot and problem solve. If everyone could do that, the world would be full of happier people. He has even come up with a name for our custom solution, and I think it works.

He calls it dribbleponics. I call it just right.