Prusament Hydro-Tower: Modular Planter

Give Your Empty Spools a Second Life!

Repurpose your empty NEW Prusament spools into a space-saving, fully 3D-printable vertical garden! Ideal for growing fresh herbs or succulents indoors.

Devlog
https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVGl6J2D0=/?share_link_id=929576467237

EOL
https://www.printables.com/article/goodbye-printables-this-is-where-i-stop-157JYON

How It Works (The Water Cycle)

The system uses a top-down cascading hydroponic cycle. A submersible water pump in the base pushes water and nutrients to the top. A precision showerhead and hyperbolic guide create an even 360-degree cascade that flows through the plant pots before returning to the reservoir.

Included Printed Parts

• Base & Feet: container.stl, container-foot.stl Main water reservoir with cable routing. Feet prevent surface scratching.

• Base Lid: cover.stl Foundation plate that holds the first spool.

• Drawers & Pots: drawer.stl, jiffy.stl Drawers slide into spools to securely hold Jiffy pots for root growth.

• Connectors: Custom screws & nuts Locks stacked spools together for a rigid, safe tower.

• Top Assembly: shower-head.stl, funnel.stl Distributes and contains water within the optimal radius for the cascade.

Printing Guidelines

• Material: PETG is highly recommended. PLA will degrade or warp from constant humidity and sunlight.

• Settings: Use a 0.2 mm layer height for accurate screw threads. Calibrate your flow rate and E-steps for a tight, rattle-free fit.

• Watertightness: Use at least 3 to 4 perimeters. For long-term use, coat the inside of the Base Container with food-safe epoxy resin.

• Drawer Sealing: Apply waterproof tape or film to the bottom and outer seams of drawer.stl to prevent capillary leaks and force water down the intended path.

Assembly Instructions

1. Base Setup: Place the pump (e.g., 20W Hsbao HSB-950) inside the printed container, attach the water hose (e.g., 12/16mm), and route the power cable out through the model's cutout. Place the container top over it.

2. Tower Construction: Gather your empty spools and an equal number of printed standoffs. Screw the standoffs together to form a central shaft. Place a nut on the bottom standoff. Slide this completed shaft—with the hose running inside it—up through all the stacked spools.

3. Top Assembly: Screw the Funnel and its nut onto the top of the standoff shaft to lock the entire vertical structure firmly in place. Screw on the shower head, connect the top end of the hose to it, and place the Top Cover on to keep dirt out.

4. Drawers & Planting: Place your seeded Jiffy pots onto the drawers, tilting them as close to a 45-degree angle as possible to prevent water from leaking out. Slide the drawers into the sides of the spools.

5. Irrigation Cycle: Fill the base with water and nutrients. Connect the pump to an outlet timer set to run for at least 1 minute every 10 minutes (do not run the pump constantly). Verify water flows smoothly through the showerhead.

Roadmap

• Universal Bucket Adapter: A base designed for standard, off-the-shelf buckets to reduce print time, save material, and provide a larger splash zone.

• Commercial Sprinkler Integration: Adapting the top assembly to fit standard 360-degree garden misters for professional-grade water distribution.

• Lightweight Version: Optimized core parts to significantly reduce print time and filament usage.