Alien Hydroponics V-System Configuration Options

The ALIEN V-SYSTEM offers great flexibility in layout options to fit your growing area and needs. Besides being able to choose different numbers of pots and rows, the high-quality reinforced pipe is flexible and not glued together, allowing you to customize the layout in many different ways and even easily make adjustments in the future.

The V-SYSTEM's pots can be spaced to allow for plants of different sizes, depending how large you want to grow your plants. The optimal set-up will have the same distance between the plant / pot centers as the width of a single plant when mature, otherwise growing space is wasted or the plants compete with each other for space. It is important to keep in mind that the total canopy area- the total area the plants take up when mature- is going to be larger than the footprint of the V-SYSTEM itself. Just because you can technically squeeze a certain size V-SYSTEM into your growing area, it doesn't benefit you to skimp on the total canopy area as you won't be getting the maximum yields possible with the system. Total canopy area is probably the most important thing to consider when trying to determine which V-SYSTEM setup is right for you.

The pipe that comes with a standard V-SYSTEM kit allows for plant spacing from 25.6 inches (65cm) to 39.4 inches (100cm). Special-order lengths of pipe allow plant spacing up to 67 inches (5' 7" / 172cm) between plants in a row and up to 127 inches (10' 7" / 322cm) between rows; contact us for more information.

The header pot and pump can be positioned in multiple ways, depending on your needs.

Inside the Canopy Area

Placing the header and pump between the rows of pots allows for the most-compact total V-SYSTEM footprint, which is useful if you're placing the system on a rolling bench or if you're trying to fit the entire system inside a grow tent. This option does require a minimum pot / plant center spacing of 35 inches (89cm) between the rows on either side of the header pot. It is also slightly less convenient to access the header pot and filters in this configuration, as they will be underneath the plants' canopy as the plants get larger.

Split: Pump Inside, Header Outside the Canopy Area

This option allows easy access to the header pot for nutrient monitoring and dosing. The pump and filters are still located under the plant canopy, but not so far in as to be inconvenient to clean. To allow the pump to fit between the pots, a minimum pot / plant center spacing of 30.5 inches (77cm) is required between the rows on either side of the header.

Outside the Canopy Area

This configuration keeps both the pump and header completely outside the plant canopy area, making maintenance as convenient as possible. This configuration option also allows for the closest pot / plant spacing if desired- down to 25.5 inches (65cm) between the rows on either side of the header pot's 5" return connection Tee; outside row spacing can be even closer at 22 inches (56cm).

Remote Header and/or Pump

The split configuration allows the header pot to be placed outside of a grow tent or further away from the plant canopy in a room, and in the outside configuration both the pump and header can be remote. Depending on how far away you want to move the header and/or pump, this may require a few pieces of pipe longer than what comes in the standard V-SYSTEM kits. Having the header pot outside a grow tent allows for nutrient monitoring and dosing without disturbing the plants in the lights-off period. With custom-ordered pipe lengths, the header can be up to 5 feet (150cm) from the Tee in the 5" return-flow manifold; contact us for more information.

The V-SYSTEM supports 1, 2, 3 or 4 rows of pots, with an optional aisle between rows, and from 2 up to 10 pots per row.

1 Row End Header Systems

With 1 row and the header at the end of the row, 3 to 10 total pots are supported with the standard V-SYSTEM kits. Note that 1-row end-header and middle-header configurations require slightly different parts so are different kits; contact us if you want a configuration that is not available on our website.

1 Row Middle Header Systems

With 1 row and the header in the middle of the row, 3 to 20 total pots are supported with the standard V-SYSTEM kits. Note that 1-row end-header and middle-header configurations require slightly different parts so are different kits; contact us if you want a configuration that is not available on our website.

2 Row Systems

With 2 rows, 4 to 20 total pots (2 to 10 pots per row) are supported with the standard V-SYSTEM kits.

3 Row Systems

Configured with 3 rows, the standard kits support 6 to 24 total pots (2 to 8 pots per row).

4 Row Systems

8 to 28 total pots (2 to 7 pots per row) are supported with the standard 4-row V-SYSTEM kits.

Aisles

An aisle can be introduced between rows to give easier access to your plants. Depending on pot spacing along the rows, the standard kits support aisles up to 78.75" / 200cm between plant centers; with special-order pipe lengths an aisle up to 10' 6" / 320cm is possible. Contact us for more information about custom-ordered pipe lengths.

* The maximum length given is with standard kit parts which allows up to 40" / 100cm plant spacing, but larger spacing is possible with custom-ordered pipe lengths; contact us for details!

** The maximum width given is with standard kit parts and 40" / 100cm plant spacing without an aisle between rows. With the standard kit an aisle of up to 38" / 96cm (additional system width above the maximum stated above) is possible between rows where the header pot is located, and this can be made even wider with custom-ordered parts; contact us for details.

All V-SYSTEM 1-Row Kits have a width (across the row) of 37" / 94cm if the header is placed as close to the row as possible.

* The maximum length given is with standard kit parts which allows up to 40" / 100cm plant spacing, but larger spacing is possible with custom-ordered pipe lengths; contact us for details!