Hydroponic system convertible to an open or closed system

Claim 1

An improved hydroponic system for growing plants in a supportive medium by periodic feeding of such plants with a nutrient solution, comprising: a rectangular housing forming a plant supporting chamber, collection reservoir and pump reservoir, said rectangular housing being formed by first, second, third and fourth upstanding walls having a common bottom, said second and fourth walls being side walls and said first and third wall being end walls; an upstanding partition extending between said second and fourth, oppositely positioned side walls; a horizontal panel having openings therein extending from said upstanding partition to said second, third and fourth walls and being vertically spaced from said bottom to form a collection reservoir below said panel and a plant supporting chamber above said panel, said panel allowing drainage of fluid from said plant supporting medium to said collection reservoir, said plant supporting chamber having a supportive medium for supporting plants; said first, second and fourth walls and said bottom cooperating to form said pump reservoir for containing a nutrient solution and pump means for pumping said nutrient solution contained in said pump reservoir into said plant supporting chamber through a fluid distribution line; conversion means mounted with said collection reservoir and pump reservoir for converting said system into either a closed or open hydroponic system, said conversion means including: first valve means positioned in said upstanding partition below said horizontal panel between said pump reservoir and collection reservoir for providing fluid communication therebetween to operate said hydroponic system as a closed system in which a nutrient solution is circulated from said pump reservoir to said plant supporting chamber and drained into said collection reservoir in fluid communication with said pump reservoir; said first valve means preventing fluid communication between said collection reservoir and said pump reservoir to cooperate with a second valve means to operate said hydroponic system as an open system; and said second valve means for providing drainage to atmosphere of said nutrient solution after passage through said support medium of said collection reservoir to operate said hydroponic system as an open system.