3D printed aeroponic tower

I spent a few weeks studying, designing, 3D printing, assembling and setting up an aeroponic tower. 
 

Why - because I have found the idea of growing vegetables with only 5% water consumption and only 5% space requirements versus the traditional methods very exciting. As the population of the planet grows, we will run out of food and water before we run out of petrol :) This is why such ideas have a great potential imo. 

Quick examples:
https://www.youtube.com/@Agrotonomy/featured

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JIlg9FKG_N0
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mjlNXZX2ztM

Long story short: My first two towers are ready, fully running now, filled with various seedlings. 

My costs per tower:
5-6kg ABS - bought with 9€-10€ per kilogram.
Water pump - 35€ - https://www.amazon.de/dp/B08LT2PH56?th=1
Repeat cycle timer - 25€ - https://www.amazon.de/dp/B09WYJCXSG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 (it controls the pumps in both towers)
Running costs for printers - 20€.
 

There are professional aeroponic towers costing thousands of $$$$, there are also “toys” on Amazon in the three figures range, with small tube diameters that would not permit large root systems. I would say under 150€/$ it is a fair price for a good quality tower. 

I hope to find colleagues interested in this subject and able to solve a number of challenges - getting medium complexity 3D prints OK, setting relays and water pumps, assembling the towers, learning about nutrients, PH, cycles, turning the seedling in real vegetables etc.

Having 2 weeks experience: the towers need a daily 1.5l water refill - consumption, evaporation, lost drops. The large base tanks can work 2-3 days without refill, the small tanks only one day. I switched both towers on large tanks and I have added a side water tank with 70+l - sufficient for 20 days maintenance free usage. It can be seen in pictures, it uses too a time relay and a small pump to make the automatic daily refill. 

Important to know: buying large seedlings (like I did) and exposing the roots is a very stressful process for the plants. It is an easy start, but with a very high percentage of seedlings not accommodating to the new conditions. 
The way to go: Plant seeds in agricultural rockwool (Amazon), cover with vermiculite, water daily, plant in three weeks the rockwool cubes with seedlings in the towers.