hey Rumple I added it up and cost about 60 to make you think I would be better off getting the hyfrofarm www.discount-hydro.com/systems.asp
tolhas I think he is talking about the Waterfarm made by Hydrofarm. It comes with an air pump and everything you need to get started. I started hydro with this system. After my first grow with the Waterfarm, I wanted to make some changes to the unit. I wanted a drain valve to make changing nutrients simple. You can use the sight indicator to drain the tank but it was a pain in my grow to do. Then I noticed the air pump it came with made very little pressure and the bubbles all came up in one spot. I did not want to ruin my store bought unit, so I made my own with the gear that suited my grow and grow style. I ripped-off the sight indicator idea from the waterfarm. I felt more bubbles would be better so I got a good pump that could run 2 stones. After it was said and done, I spent more money making my own unit (like mrtwomuchskill stated above). The pump was 75% of the whole cost. I grew another cycle with my home made job and the waterfarm. I got alot more growth from the 5 gallon bucket then from my waterfarm. I posted the question on Overgrow.com, "why do I get a faster growth rate from the 5-gallon bucket then from the Waterfarm?". Most everybody had the same answer, root space. I felt it had to do with air bubbles but no one agreed with me. The waterfarm has 2.5 gallons of root space and the 5-gallon bucket had almost 5-gallons of space for roots to grow. I tried the waterfarm a few more times before I gave it away. My answer to this is you might want to think about buying the complet Waterfarm unit. It will cost less then my method and you won't have to build anything. I still feel my unit is better and fits my grow needs more. I posted this to give people ideas and another prespective to DWC growing. Peace, R.
Thanks Apache, but I think some folks here have an issue with the clear sight tube. Many believe it will cause pond-scum to grow. I have had great luck with it. Not a bit of scum. But..... I change my nutrients every ten days. I have not tested it with any other nutrients or watering methods. Thanks, R Thanksgiving Day harvest: <SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_1322173", true); </SCRIPT>
I don't mind all the private messages I get from this thread. But... If you want the best answers to your questions, posting it here for all to see will give you multiple prespectives and better answers then I can give alone. R.
I think I already gave you + rep but gonna try one more gonna be building this some time in the future after my first two or three soil grows
hy·dro·pon·ics (hī´drö-pŏn'ĭks) n. (used with a sing. verb). Cultivation of plants in nutrient solution rather than in soil.
Wow! Thanks mrtwomuchskill. I just looked at your signature for the first time. They already have a step by step bucket build in the sticky, it just lacks pictures. Over in the Advanced Growing Techniques they have a sticky made in 2004 called Bubble bucket hydro method 101. Real good info, I just did not like the part about using duct-tape. Again, thanks, R.
this is a great guide! the step by step with pictures is very well organized. why not just use a black 5 gallon bucket instead of taping? http://underbid.com/action/display/item/1058189358/sku/461210.html
yeah I seen that guide before and its all talk and no links LOL. We have to make out with the old and in with the new, and to many overgrow links in there that dont work anyway.
*stickied* Good thread Rumple, like the pics. 2muchskill... Instead of out with the old... in with the new... how bout we just squeeze a little closer so everyone can stay? lol
Black buckets will work real good. I looked all over my local area for some when I did my first build. I would still use them if I could get my hands on some. Folks will say black absorbs light, but with a taped or white painted lid it would not matter. Black buckets are hands down the best color. I would still tape the whole thing for my grow, because I like everything silver. My white buckets leak light if the tape falls off or gets torn. A great tip from "IceCold". Thanks, R.
pleas forgive me if i sound irritated. because i am. only because i am really excited to get this bucket completed. this seems like a basic issue (but i have not heard anybody even address it). i bought all the PVC connectors/fittings and for the most part, when i try to screw in the threaded parts together, it will only go about half way and then stop. only a few are ok and, with some resistance still, will screw in all the way, but for most of these parts i cannot get them to screw in all the wya for the life of me. i am not a weakling and i am so frustrated w/ this. is there some step i am missing? lubricant? anything? i've already checked for stripped threads....none to be seen. please help me! -fred
They all should be that way. They make the threads slightly oversize, so when you screw them together the threads will make a water tight seal. It is the same with metal pipe. If you use both O-rings (one on the inside of the bucket and one on the outside), the fittings will screw together by hand and form a good seal. You might need to use a wrench on a few of them, but be careful not to over tighten. You want both O-rings to be compressed a little. If the O-ring starts to push out, back off a half turn. This setup will be water tight, but not so tight you cant rotate the fittings. I feel your pain man, I did the same thing when I first started to work with PVC. R.
yea seriously dude my hands are hurting bigtime LMAO. fortunately i bought supplies for 2 buckets and i think i have successfully finished 1 bucket. about using a wrench, however, it is harde to get a proper angle on the grips for the bottom drain and sight level holes. and my hands are still hurtin haha. thanks for this super fast response btw. and also for this post overall! great information.
welp i figured id post a follow-up. even a noob's experience is worth a lesson, i say. although i had some trouble initially w/ the tightness of hte threaded PVC design, i worked it through. unfortunately, on the first bucket while dirlilng the bottom hole for the sight-reader, the bit or my arm strnegth pushed too much force into the hole causing a very small tear from the edge of the hole out 1cm. this ruined my seal down there and the sight-reader was leaking. I decided to seal that hole up instead using some marine adhesive sealant. i might add, however, that i completely sealed the hole w/ the freshly applied sealant by placing a nickel on the duct tape that sealed formt he outside and then duct taped the inside seal. so even though that stuff is water proof, if the rig doesnt fail the water will never even touch it. so yeah, i just selaed those holes and drilled fresh holes on the other side of the drain hole. with CARE and steady drilling holes. you don't wanna rip/make cuts other than the actual hole! thanks again for this thread. -f