Clear Indicator Pipe (12mm/15mm) - Reservoir Level Tubing, Sold Per Metre
Best for: Growers running a reservoir-based system who need a visual way to check nutrient levels without opening the tank.
Our thoughts
It's just clear tubing, but that's exactly the point - a length of this fitted to your reservoir means you can see your water level at a glance instead of lifting a lid every time. Simple, cheap, and it does one job properly.
This is a length of clear plastic tubing with a 12mm internal diameter and 15mm external diameter, sold by the metre so you can cut exactly as much as your setup needs. Fitted as a sight gauge alongside a reservoir, such as on the Green Man Grow System, it lets you see the nutrient level inside the tank at a glance rather than having to lift a lid or dip a rod to check.
Because it's clear rather than the opaque black or blue tubing used for standard feed lines, it also works connected to a water pump for draining spent nutrient out during a water change, since you can see exactly what's flowing through it.
How it compares
Reservoir tubing is mostly differentiated by whether it's clear (for visual monitoring) or opaque (for general feed lines).
- Autopot's blue flexi pipe and similar coloured tubing are built for feed delivery, not for visually checking a level
- Standard black or opaque garden hose works fine for moving water but tells you nothing about what's happening inside it
- Generic clear aquarium-style vinyl tubing can do a similar job, but isn't always sized to match hydroponic system fittings the way this 12mm/15mm size is
The value here isn't the tubing material itself - it's being clear and sized to fit straight onto common reservoir and system fittings without adapting anything.
Usage guidance
It's a simple product, but fitting it properly matters for a leak-free sight gauge.
Sizing
Measure the height of your reservoir or the section you want visible, and buy that length rather than guessing - it's sold per metre, so you only pay for what you need.
Fitting as a sight gauge
Connect it vertically alongside the reservoir wall so the water level inside the pipe matches the level in the tank, giving you an at-a-glance reading.
Draining a reservoir
Connect one end to your water pump and run the other to a drain point when doing a full water change, using the clear pipe to confirm flow and check for debris.
Fitting
Push-fit onto barbed connectors sized for 12mm internal diameter tube, tightening jubilee clips if the connection needs to hold pressure.
Technical specifications
- Internal diameter: 12mm
- External diameter: 15mm
- Material: Clear plastic tubing
- Sold as: Per metre, cut to length
- Typical use: Reservoir level sight gauge, drain-down line for water changes
- Compatible systems: Green Man Grow System and similar reservoir-based setups
Who this is for
- Growers running a reservoir-fed system who want to check levels visually
- Anyone building or repairing a Green Man Grow System or similar setup
- Growers who want a clear line for draining spent nutrient during a water change
Best suited to being fitted as a sight gauge, rather than as a general-purpose feed line where an opaque pipe would do just as well.
Our take
It's about as simple as hydroponic accessories get, but being able to see your reservoir level without lifting a lid is a small convenience that adds up over a grow.
Worth adding a length to your order if your system doesn't already have a sight gauge fitted.
