*Under Current* at GrassCity Alright guys, When it was decided to step the grow up I was lucky enough to find some information about the Current Culture Under Current recirculating deep-water-culture system. Ive watched a few runs completed with the system on other forums but haven't seen an abundance of information about the system on any forum, especially my favorite, GC. So lets fix that! I have recently purchased the Under Current 6XL system. I will be running a separate grow journal but wanted a place to keep important information about the UC system including setup, testing, modifications, nutrient performance in the system, and minor and major faults/successes. All accessible to my friends here at the city. Whether you've shelled out the big bucks for a pre-packaged set up, are putting together a DIY UC, or just have something to add, feel free to post. On with the show. Home : Current Culture Hydroponics, superior hydroponic systems. Link To Video - [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ6bd1ACNNs"]YouTube - The Under Current Hydroponics System by Current Culture H2O[/ame]
That system looks awesome! How big is the res? Do you know what that thing the guy attaches at the end of the video? Puts a hose on the return "T" ..that some kinda water conditioner or chiller? Best of luck!
very interested. I was considering trying to build one using PVC and large gromets, basically that looks like what they use. then i think all you do is hook it all up and then use a pump to drain the main control chamber and then that creates suction or a "under/sub current" through the system as it sucks from all of them to move back into the control bucket. they are a little pricey for me to buy one new. any one know if anyone has tried to do this yet? as in build one? i am excited to see the results to see if they compare to my bubble buvkets. i have been running my bubble buckets a little low on water during flowering to try what they say on these systems, that it perceives possible drought and grows more resin to keep water in?
When I see that system, all I see is all that water on the floor... Sooner or later, it'll be there. Looks like they may have some leaks already... Never put holes in the bottom of anything holding water... -Loki
LOL, yeah i worry about the big gromets and huge openings. its the main reason i havent attempted to build this thing yet, not without a draining floor lol!
Yeah, if you've got a drain under it, I suppose you'd be covered... I've done a lot of various types of hydro and there is one constant: if it can leak, it will leak. -Loki
my buddy just put together a similar system about two months ago... it works great... he purchased a box method.. all the holes were pre-drilled... I love watching the water move from bucket to bucket...it looks like it wont work and yet it does... his system uses 1/2 inch lines.. so it takes four hours to exchange eight buckets back to the res... and his only uses air power.. there is no inline pump... he had one blow out... a line started to leak...but that was an assembly problem... not the systems problem... he caught it early and no harm happen to carpet, tent or plant... his control bucket is only like 8 gallons and the res is like a 13 or something... i wanted to hate on his system... but im actually building a mini system just like his.... air power.. no inline pumps or timers... its easy.. and cheap... i hope what loki says does not happen... blow outs... but mine is in a garage... no biggie
i could easily do that with my current bubble buckets if it works with 1/2 lines, they are already hosed for 1/2 lines.
yeah basically what i had setup before now that i think of it. a pump would drain the res into the plant buckets and they would all transfer around (i ran it through a filter to get out contaminates too, worked nice.
It a water pump. it pulls the water from the buckets and the rez, and pumps it back into the main rez. the fact that hte water is falling from the "t" connector will also aerate the water too. I made on very similar, but i run a separate pump from the controller bucket, to irrigate the roots and drain back in to the bucket to be recirculated back into the system. These systems are pretty cool, and allows you to run several cycles right aftet each other without changing the rez. just pop in and out net pots when you need to, if running a perpetual grow. I cant afford the "current" system so i made my own. WOrks like a charm.
I have a 12XL with 13 gallon buckets. They come standard with 8 gallon buckets. The plants get crazy big. One week in veg is almost too long. If I had to do it over I would buy the XXL system with 40" centers. 25" centers were not enough for me. I ended up with a 13' x 5' hedge. You could barely tell where one plant stopped and the other began. As far as balancing the system with nutes and PH, there isn't a better system out there. And yes, I eventually had a leak...
Systems like these always make me envision two huge plants at the front, hogging all the nutes, while down the line the other plants are just getting water. I guess it doesn't work like that, but it seems unfair to me
When you pour nutes into the epicenter, it takes about 5 minutes for the system to completely balance front to back, and it recirculates constantly. The reality is they all get huge. Too big almost. It's the best hydro system out there, but I still prefer soil. My flowers in dirt get way harder than the ones in the Under Current. I tried using a ton of boost and flower hardeners in the second cycle, and it wasn't enough.
Interesting... What kind of soil mix do you use? And did you use the same lights between media, for a direct comparison? I'm thinking REAL hard about doing a plant or two in soil...
Same lights, same nutes, same strain, same spacing, in the same room, side by side. Ocean and Forest dirt, Canna nutes and additives, 1500 ppm CO2, 1000 watts for every 4 plants. Brainstorm first cycle, Blueberry the second, same results both times.
What's the science behind this, would you know? Lets grow em in hydro until week 4 of flower and stick em in dirt til harvest. But in all seriousness, it would be great to marry the 2, though the "organic hydro" systems try, they fall short on a lot of levels.