I just saw in another thread, talking about an air pump that can have 8 hoses to 8 different buckets. Saw the same thing on a hyrdo video awhile back. Can someone explain this to me/ link me? Can this pump run 8 seperate 5 gallon buckets? What kind of wattage is this?
You want to look for an airpump that's for like a 300 gallon fish tank or bigger. I have not seen a 8 port 1 myself.I think petco sells 4 port/outlets. They use spliters and run the airlines to the buckets that way. You might check fish stores or sites for the bigger airpumps
Like this? [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ecoplus-Eco-Air-8/dp/B001QXNS3Q]Amazon.com: Eco Air 8: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame]
I`m getting ready to go with a DWC set up, 6 Rubber Maid 18 gallon totes and am gonna get this pump in the link below. I look at it this way better to a little bigger then I may need then one that might be to small. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Active-Commercial-Air-outlets-minute/dp/B002JPPFJ0/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1310686414&sr=1-5]Amazon.com: Active Aqua Commercial Air Pump with 12 outlets, 110 lt per minute: Home & Garden[/ame]
The 8 port link above has air control on it. Where you can control the air flow/pressure. Where the bigger one is high pressure only according to the product info. Wow 110 litters a min is pushing some major air.
The one in the first link provided is like the one I use in a 5 gallon bubble cloner but its a 4 line one and I used a T fitting to combine two lines together to goto 1 air stone and the same for a second air stone in it. I know a couple of guys who have been doing a DWC set up and am gonna ask them what type and size of pump they use. I do know they are using the same size of Rubber Maid totes that I got. They turn over about 2-3 pounds every couple of months for a dispensary. If you want to dial down the air they have aquarium valves that will do that.
Think about it before you get a 8 outlet pump or a 8 outlet manifold. If something happens and that pump quits, you can lose the whole 8 buckets. Another consideration is the output of the pump. Whatever it is, divide it by 8 to see what each bucket gets. Sometimes your better off air wise to get a few smaller pumps. A good example is the Active Aqua 8 output pump which is aroung 50 bucks. It puts out less per output than if you get 4, 2 outlet pumps (maybe $10) and costs you more than getting the smaller pumps.
One of the two growers I mentioned said he uses the smaller ones like I`m looking at and he said the same thing about if your pump goes out. I told him the same thing crossed my mind last night and was thinking of buying a spare pump. Theres a hydro shop about 10 miles from my house that pretty much has all the other hydro shops and most online places beat on prices, that pump that I linked I can get for $85.00 plus 20% discount then tax. I was there yesterday because they had Raptor light hoods on sale for $174.95 plus tax so I got one. Another thing my friend said was go with the heavy duty or commercial pumps, they last longer because they dont run as hot as some others. Were still getting all the stuff together and dont plan on starting untill the fall for our next indoor grow so were not in a big hurry so that gives me time to do plenty of research and ask quesitons and get other peoples opinions.
Good idea to have a back up plan. I am with you on no time frame. I have done soil before. Never tried hydro. But got people close to me that has. So learning all I can to. Funny part is can't make up my mind on what seeds to get.