Lets Build a Bubble Bucket *Step by Step*

[77401]

S'up RF?
I just wanted to stop in say hello & show you my grow in your BB's design.
This is Day 8 of Flowering with 4 White Widow Fem'd
Your design rocks and this may help others to see how simple it is.
Thanks again,
7

[Allenparsons]

Looking pretty good to me.

[Allenparsons]

Dang, there gonna grow big. Day 8 of flowering. They should triple in size .

[katripus]

High everybody,

I'm about ready to build my setup, but I was wondering if I'm crazy? I've done various setups, but none which circulate. I've read a few guides/threads, but it's a lot more advanced.

All I'm aiming for are buckets with circulating water.

I have all buckets filled around the water line. The water pump is turned on. The water flows into the feed line which splits off to two 3bucket rows. The water flows to the end bucket and makes its way to the front bucket, which is connected to the reservoir. The same applies to the 2nd row.

I'm wondering if I make the drain lines 3/4 inch and the feed lines a standard 1/2 inch, this will allow gravity to take the water through the 3/4in tube giving way to safely circulate back to the reservoir.

1a. Is a 3/4 hose connection possible on a 5gal bucket w/o a huge risk of leakage?
1b. What kind of hole would I need to make to have a 3/4 hose connection?
2. How many gph/lpm (water pump) would be safe and efficient for a setup like this?
3. Am I crazy?

Thank you for your time and any replies. I'd greatly appreciate quick responses, for I'm about to go buy the needed materials any day now !

-Katripus

P.S. - This is an amazing thread, I felt connected again to hydro, it's been a while. Thanks for all the knowledge, I'm on page 50 so far, trying to remember everything I've read. I'll have to reread it all once I finish it when I have the free time. Again, this thread is EPIC!

[kindone]

Hey Rump thanks for the thread and all of the advice. You have made my life much more rewarding. And look at these sick ass nuggs. Week 6 of flower.

[dirtyduane]

Originally Posted by 77401

S'up RF?
I just wanted to stop in say hello & show you my grow in your BB's design.
This is Day 8 of Flowering with 4 White Widow Fem'd
Your design rocks and this may help others to see how simple it is.
Thanks again,
7

plants look huge for only 8 days of flowering.

[Rumpleforeskin]

Originally Posted by MagniKhan

First off RF, thanks for the well thought out and executed DYI!!

I'm thinking of switching from a drip( for veg), ebb and flow ( for flower) , to your DWC setup. I problem/question is, I've already got my clones and seedlings in 4x4 rockwool cubes. Do you think I could run these in this system with bigger baskets for my first runs? Then I would just change my lids to the smaller baskets and plugs I see your using. Sorry if this question has already been asked, I'm on page 30 in this thread.

The problem with bigger baskets is they tend to sit lower. If you keep your nutrient level 1" below the bottom of a 6" basket, you will have about 3.5 gallons left as a reservoir. The smaller your nutrient capacity the wider your PH swings will be. In short it will mean more maintenance.

[Rumpleforeskin]

Originally Posted by 77401

S'up RF?
I just wanted to stop in say hello & show you my grow in your BB's design.
This is Day 8 of Flowering with 4 White Widow Fem'd
Your design rocks and this may help others to see how simple it is.
Thanks again,
7

Wow! What can I say? You have one super clean setup. I love that tub you have your plants in. I wish I could do that, but I am just short of room.
Very F'n nice my brotha.

[Rumpleforeskin]

Originally Posted by katripus

High everybody,

I'm about ready to build my setup, but I was wondering if I'm crazy? I've done various setups, but none which circulate. I've read a few guides/threads, but it's a lot more advanced.

All I'm aiming for are buckets with circulating water.

I have all buckets filled around the water line. The water pump is turned on. The water flows into the feed line which splits off to two 3bucket rows. The water flows to the end bucket and makes its way to the front bucket, which is connected to the reservoir. The same applies to the 2nd row.

I'm wondering if I make the drain lines 3/4 inch and the feed lines a standard 1/2 inch, this will allow gravity to take the water through the 3/4in tube giving way to safely circulate back to the reservoir.

1a. Is a 3/4 hose connection possible on a 5gal bucket w/o a huge risk of leakage?
1b. What kind of hole would I need to make to have a 3/4 hose connection?
2. How many gph/lpm (water pump) would be safe and efficient for a setup like this?
3. Am I crazy?

Thank you for your time and any replies. I'd greatly appreciate quick responses, for I'm about to go buy the needed materials any day now !

-Katripus

P.S. - This is an amazing thread, I felt connected again to hydro, it's been a while. Thanks for all the knowledge, I'm on page 50 so far, trying to remember everything I've read. I'll have to reread it all once I finish it when I have the free time. Again, this thread is EPIC!

I have never done a circulating DWC setup. I love the concept though. Make sure you have a plan for overflow and clogs in your drain. Shot us some pictures when you have it built.

[Rumpleforeskin]

Originally Posted by kindone

Hey Rump thanks for the thread and all of the advice. You have made my life much more rewarding. And look at these sick ass nuggs. Week 6 of flower.

Can you tell us how your got all them tops so even? I would like to hear your method on that.

[katripus]

Originally Posted by Rumpleforeskin

I have never done a circulating DWC setup. I love the concept though. Make sure you have a plan for overflow and clogs in your drain. Shot us some pictures when you have it built.

Will do, but I've never drilled holes in buckets or put inserts / adapters in them. I'm worried I won't be able to, unsure of what size of hole I'd make to fit a 3/4 tube on a 5gal bucket.

[kindone]

Originally Posted by Rumpleforeskin

Can you tell us how your got all them tops so even? I would like to hear your method on that.

I just did like you said Rump, I pushed them through the hole and just tried to eyeball an even canopy, I didn't spend too much time on it. I did switch to 12/12 when the plants were just reaching the screen and I think I should have waited. Alot of the buds above the screen still have alot of bud under the screen so the screen is kind of in the middle of the buds. So at the end of the day I have alot more bud under the screen than I would like.

[Allenparsons]

Originally Posted by Rumpleforeskin

Can you tell us how your got all them tops so even? I would like to hear your method on that.

One method for evening out a canopy is to gently pinch an area of a stem till it can be bent over and lay there. Won't hurt it and won't decrease yeild of that particular branch's cola. When I first seen it, I thought it looked like it was bad for the plant but the branch evened out with the rest of the branches. I even noticed increased groth of the bud itself from the extra exposure to the lamp. Experiment and you will come to the same conclusions.

[Rumpleforeskin]

I did experiment with fim (pinching) and topping and came to the conclusion that, the way Kindone is training is much more effective. This is why I asked him to explain his technique.

[Icon13]

Originally Posted by Rumpleforeskin

I have never done a circulating DWC setup. I love the concept though. Make sure you have a plan for overflow and clogs in your drain. Shot us some pictures when you have it built.

I had an interesting idea for a recirculating BB system. It is pretty simple. All you need is an out line near the bottom of each bucket (Reservoir included). The 3 out lines then converge into 1 outline via a simple 3 to 1 splitter (made of PVC & funny fittings). The 1 outline then feeds into a water filter, then into a Flojet water pump (much like Rump's). Once the water is pumped out of the Flojet it is then pumped back into each bucket via a 1 to 3 splitter which feeds the water directly back into each bucket though the top. I have not tried this but cannot see why it would fail. Not only would it recirculate and mix, but the water filter would keep your nutes nice and clean. I plan on trying this soon.