Build Your Own Efficient Kelp Farm In Minecraft

One of the pretty basic and very useful farms to build in Minecraft is the kelp farm. The main reason for that is you can turn kelp into dried kelp, which you can eat, or make dried kelp blocks that are a fantastic fuel source. So, if you have a super smelter but not enough fuel for it, this is the guide for you. Learn how to make a simple and efficient kelp farm in Minecraft right here.

Minecraft Kelp Farm: Required Resources

Building a kelp farm in Minecraft requires a variety of resources. While many of these items are basic, some redstone components can be a bit pricey in the early game. Here's what you'll need to gather:

• 14 or more Kelp
• 14 or more Observers
• 14 or more Pistons
• 14 or more Redstone dust
• 1 or more Hoppers
• 1 or more Chests
• Plenty of water buckets (make an infinite water source nearby)
• A few stacks of full solid building blocks
• Glass blocks (optional)

Creating Your Kelp Farm in Minecraft

We'll be making a kelp farm designed by an amazing tutorial YouTuber Pixlriffs. Though, I did modify it a bit to make it even simpler. That said, let’s begin right away:

First Layer of the Kelp Farm

First, choose a spot for your kelp farm. It should be nine blocks long and seven or more blocks wide. The height of the farm can be adjusted based on your needs, and you can easily expand it later.

Next, dig a trench that is seven blocks long, three blocks wide, and one block deep. In the center, create a one-block-deep hole along the length. You can enhance the look of your farm by replacing the adjacent blocks with solid building blocks.

Now, fully waterlog this trench and plant kelp on either side of the central hole.

Setting Up Pistons and Observers

The next step involves placing the pistons. They should be one block above and one block behind the kelp, facing toward it. Position them on both sides and behind every kelp you planted. You can choose any solid block for the area below the pistons.

After placing the pistons, install observers above them so that they also face the kelp. This will enable the pistons to activate when the kelp grows.

Creating a Watertight Structure

Next, create a case around your setup to hold water. You can use glass blocks to allow visibility into the farm, but this is entirely up to your preference. Feel free to decorate the structure as you wish. Once finished, fill the entire tank with water.

Due to the water mechanics, consider placing an additional water source at the same height as the pistons on one side of the farm. Be sure it’s blocked off on the other side to prevent overflow. This is optional, but it helps ensure that kelp items don't despawn.

Finalizing the Kelp Farm

Place solid blocks behind all pistons and add redstone dust on top. This setup allows the pistons to activate whenever the observer detects kelp growth.

The beauty of this farm is that you can stack it upwards. Add a new layer with solid blocks, pistons, and observers, and plant kelp on top of the bottom observers. This way, you can create a more efficient farm without much hassle!

Once you’ve built the new layer, make sure to fill it with water and place kelp on top of the bottom observers on each side. You can also add solid blocks behind the new pistons and place redstone dust on top of them.

Building the Collection System for Your Kelp Farm

The next step is a bit tricky. You need to create a water stream at the top to collect the kelp items and push them toward another stream where a single hopper will gather and store the items. Here’s how to do it:

First, select one of the sides built with glass or solid blocks, as this will be the direction in which the kelp will flow. Build up one more layer of solid blocks on the other three sides to contain the water.

Fill the entire one-block tall layer across the farm at the height of the top observers. If you have ice blocks, they can be particularly useful as they will transform into water sources when broken. However, any block will work just fine!

Now, go to the opposite side and place water sources across the width of the farm so that they flow toward the chosen end, perfectly aligning with the edge of the farm.

Next, create a new water stream right where the water flows. Place solid blocks one block below the edge of the farm and run that line across its entire width. Choose one end where you'll place the hopper and chests. Create a trench with building blocks surrounding this bottom block line, making it the length of the farm.

At the end of this line, place a hopper facing into a chest directly below it. You can chain multiple chests and hoppers if you want more storage. Finally, add another layer of solid blocks on the newly created water stream to prevent items from falling out, and place a water source at the opposite end of the hopper.

Now, sit back, relax, and watch the kelp come in! If you accidentally turned some flowing water into water sources, simply remove them, repeat the process, and your farm will be good to go.

This detailed guide provides everything you need to know about building a kelp farm in Minecraft. Once it's operational, it will produce a steady supply of kelp for you to convert into fuel. If you have any questions about the build, feel free to drop them in the comments below!