Lets Build a Bubble Bucket *Step by Step*

[salgjkhaf]

not really. the air bubbles create enought water movement to ensure a good nutrient mix.

I guess osmosis will mix the contents between all 3 buckets.

Hey Rumpleforeskin excellent guide.

I had a thought, if pH is critical and it changes on a daily basis maybe it is possible to design a ~pH5 buffer that wouldn't be toxic to add to the mix so theoretically the pH should remain stable?

[Rumpleforeskin]

I use a small pond pump to recirc the nutrients, dump and fill.

[linedrivr]

Hey Rump,

Your system looks great and no one can argue with your results. Awesome! I am new here and have done a ton of reading on this site as well as others and I am going to use your system. This site is the best I have found and the members here seem very helpful.

The buckets are great I have everything built and ready to move forward however I have a couple questions regarding nutrient mixing and topping etc if you wouldn't mind. I will be using the Lucas formula and with the Flora micro and bloom as you are.

1) When starting out, do you prepare nutrient mix and fill each bucket individually or do you tie them all in series from the beginning and fill them through the reservoir bucket?

2) Once filled, do you check and adjust the PH daily in each grow bucket or do you just check and adjust it in the reservoir only?

3) As the plants are using the water and nutrients, you mentioned you had a 5 gallon bucket nearby with 3-4 gallons in it. You were topping off the reservoir from this extra bucket. Is this extra bucket plain water or does it have a mix of nutrient the same strength in which you filled the buckets with?

4) Once this extra bucket you were using to top off the reservoir is empty, Am I understanding correctly that you then drain the entire bucket series and refill with new nutrient mix?

5) If you drain all the buckets in series, would one bucket need an extra ball valve at the bottom to drain from since the other is tied in series to the other buckets?

Thanks Again for the help! I am hoping to have the same results you are getting.

[Rumpleforeskin]

You answered most of the questions. I just top off with water until I have used 12 gallons of RO water (I fill each grow bucket with 4 gallons of nutrient). My 3 bucket system holds 12 gallons of nutrient. When I have replaced 12 gallons, I dump and add new nutrient. This gives me about two weeks.

Before I check PH, I recirc with a pond pump to mix all the nutrients. Then I take a reading from my reservoir bucket. I adjust and recirc again. Allsamples are done through the reservoir bucket.

Filling and draining are done through my reservoir bucket. I have a drain on the front of my reservoir bucket (extra valve). The three buckets are tied together via 1/2" pvc pipe. The pipe joining the the three buckets is in the back so its hard to photograph.

Here is the drain.


Pipe that ties the buckets together:


Peace, R.

[linedrivr]

Thanks for the info and clarification.

Do you have a particular water pump that you use and would recommend?

Regards!

[Rumpleforeskin]

I use a Via Aqua 1300. They run about $25

[linedrivr]

Thanks for the help!

[stankdro]

hey i have everything all ready to go but i have one question, what do i do with the leftover air tubing that comes out of the bucket? i have two 4' lengths cut out and one of the ends goes into the airstone but im not sure what to do with the other end. any help would be appreciated

[Rumpleforeskin]

I thought I had it spelled out pretty good. Push the tubing through the top hole in the bucket and attach it to a check valve.

[stankdro]

thanks a lot man, ill post some pics once i get it goin

Hey Rumples, How goes it? I've broke everything down and I am currently bringing up some new mothers. But I'm kinda re-tooling and such right now so I thought I would touch base with you and ask a couple of questions. I really like the recirc set-up you got going now if I'm seeing what I'm seeing. Are you using those water pumps at set times during the day? All the time? Or just during nute change times???

From this last set of instructionals it appeared that you now have a fitting going in the top of your planter buckets...Is that a type of spray nozzle under the lid or just open fitting for water return?

I really liike the three bucket set-up. I have about the same amount of available space so this will fit in nicely. The third bucket or reservoir gives you a central collection point for water readings or are you taking readings from individual sensors in each grow bucket?

I think the two biggest problems I had was filling my buckets too full and not keeping my water balanced. I feel if I get this under control, everything else will already be in place for a great worry-free grow. Thanks for all your help in the past and all those goofy questions you know I'll be asking in the near future.

[Rumpleforeskin]

I recirc my nutrients manually. I do it everytime I check the PH (about every day).

The fill on top works better. It does not leak as much while filling. Make sure you use an elbow on top and one inside. I had a light leak the first time I tried it, but I added an elbow on the inside of the lid and it solved it.

If you connect all the buckets together, they will all find the same nutrient level. So you only need to fill one bucket and it will devide the nutrient equally automatically.

Excellent! And thank you very much sir...I was kinda leaning that way with the manual recirc because its not really necessary to do a schedule or constant because of all the air flow already. And you have some serious bubble action going on too. Those big GH pumps probably really put out the air. The return on top needs to be a 90 for the light problems???IC When you run the water pump that kinda flushes the roots a little. Nice! l8rs

[canada89]

that is so cool