V-SYSTEM Configuration Options

Welcome to The Evolution of Hydroponics Header Pot "Outer" Rows Remote Header Placement 4-Row Options: 3-Row Options 2-Row Options Flexible Row and Pot Spacing Pump and Header Placement Option: Total Canopy Area Rows Pots Pump Plant Spacing Along Rows Aisle Possibilities Split Inside Outside 28 Pots 24 Pots 21 Pots 20 Pots 18 Pots 16 Pots 15 Pots 14 Pots 12 Pots 10 Pots 9 Pots 8 Pots 6 Pots 4 Pots Filters 2 Pots per Row 3 Pots per Row 4 Pots per Row 5 Pots per Row 6 Pots per Row 7 Pots per Row 8 Pots per Row 9 Pots per Row 10 Pots per Row Up to 32" / 80cm with standard kit; special order lengths available 22" / 56cm to 39.4" / 100cm with standard kit; special order lengths avilable 23" / 58cm to 39.4" / 100cm with standard kit; special order lengths available 25.6" / 65cm to 78.75" / 200cm with standard kit, special order lengths available Plant Center Distance Between Rows = Mature Plant Width Plant Center Distance Along Rows = Mature Plant Width
View V-SYSTEM Kits

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.

Pot Spacing / Plant Centers

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.

Header and Pump Location

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

Inside the Canopy Area

Header pot and pump inside the main footprint

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

Standard Configuration: Header pot outside the main footprint, pump inside

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

Header pot and pump outside the main footprint

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

Extending the header pot away from the canopy

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.

Rows, Aisles and Total Pots

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

1-row V-SYSTEM

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

1-row V-SYSTEM

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

2-row V-SYSTEM

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

3-row V-SYSTEM

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

4 Row Systems

4-row V-SYSTEM

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.

Pot / Plant Spacing

V-SYSTEM Spacing Between Pot / Plant Centers
Place: Minimum
Spacing
Maximum
(standard kit)
Maximum
(special order)
Along a row: 23" / 58cm 39.4" / 100cm 5' 7.75" / 172cm
Between Rows NOT on either side of the header: 22" / 56cm 39.4" / 100cm 5' 7.75" / 172cm
Spacing between row pot / plant centers on either side of the header:
Configuration: Minimum
Spacing
Maximum
(standard kit)
Maximum
(special order)
Pump and header outside canopy area: 25.5" / 65cm 78.75" / 200cm 10' 6" / 320cm
Split: pump inside, header outside the canopy area: 30.5" / 77cm 78.75" / 200cm 10' 6" / 320cm
Pump and header inside the canopy area: 35" / 89cm 78.75" / 200cm 10' 6" / 320cm

Available Multi-Row V-SYSTEM Kits

Pots per Row Number of Rows Length (along row, excluding header)
2 3 4 Min Max*
2 4 pots 6 pots 8 pots 55" / 140cm 72" / 182cm
3 6 pots 9 pots 12 pots 77" / 195cm 111" / 282cm
4 8 pots 12 pots 16 pots 100" / 253cm 150" / 382cm
5 10 pots 15 pots 20 pots 122" / 311cm 190" / 482cm
6 12 pots 18 pots 24 pots 145" / 369cm 229" / 582cm
7 14 pots 21 pots 28 pots 168" / 427cm 269" / 682cm
8 16 pots 24 pots - 191" / 485cm 308" / 782cm
9 18 pots - - 214" / 543cm 347" / 882cm
10 20 pots - - 237" / 601cm 387" / 982cm
Width (across rows) Min: 48" / 120cm 69" / 176cm 91" / 230cm -
Width (across rows, no aisle) Max**: 61" / 155cm 100" / 253cm 140" / 355cm -

* 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.

Available 1-Row V-SYSTEM Kits

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.

Pots End Header
Row Length
Middle Header
Row Length
Min Max* Min Max*
3 88" / 224cm 120" / 306cm 69" / 174cm 104" / 265cm
4 111" / 282cm 160" / 406cm 91" / 232cm 144" / 365cm
5 134" / 340cm 199" / 506cm 114" / 290cm 183" / 465cm
6 157" / 398cm 239" / 606cm 137" / 348cm 222" / 565cm
7 180" / 456cm 278" / 706cm 160" / 406cm 262" / 665cm
8 202" / 514cm 317" / 806cm 183" / 464cm 301" / 765cm
9 225" / 572cm 357" / 906cm 206" / 522cm 341" / 865cm
10 248" / 630cm 396" / 1006cm 228" / 580cm 380" / 965cm
11 - 251" / 638cm 419" / 1065cm
12 - 274" / 696cm 459" / 1165cm
13 - 297" / 754cm 498" / 1265cm
14 - 320" / 812cm 537" / 1365cm
15 - 343" / 870cm 577" / 1465cm
16 - 365" / 928cm 616" / 1565cm
17 - 388" / 986cm 656" / 1665cm
18 - 411" / 1044cm 695" / 1765cm
19 - 434" / 1102cm 734" / 1865cm
20 - 457" / 1160cm 774" / 1965cm

* 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!