Currently have a single 5 gallong with 3 random bagseed from seed for 3 weeks and just put into flower (killing off males hoping for atleast 1 male) But I just received a shipment from attitude and am going to pickup buckets and 6 inch net pots tomorrow to get my good critical kush/freebies going. I learned from my first/trial bucket that changing water/nutes is a pain so I want to build a recirc setup that I can drain and refil easily. My current idea is to run buckets about a foot off the ground on with a rez under them. Having the buckets inline (2 rows of 4) each being 2 inches higher then the other. And installing a tube into each bucket at desired nute level. Having that hose drain into the next bucket. So essentially the water/nutes with be pumped from the rez to the top bucket, dripping into the next and the next and so on. This would let me keep nute levels at desired level, while adding more oxygen into the solution aswell. My idea is probly very flawed. Someone point me in the right direction please.
I think you are just making it too complicated. I had a 24 bucket system with 4 rows of 6 - 5 gal buckets each. I installed thru-hulls in the lower side of each bucket and connected them all to a 1/2" black poly drain line that started and ended in the reservoir (a 30 gallon tote) by means of 2 more thru hulls in the res. The main drain line went between the first 2 rows and returned between the other 2 rows. Each bucket then connected to the main line with T's and short lines to the bucket thru hulls. The 5 gal buckets had net inserts that ended roughly 8" above the bucket bottoms. I top fed into the net pots by pumping through 1/4" irrigation lines running to each pot off of 1/2" lines main lines and kept the water level in the buckets at roughly 1" below the net bottoms by keeping the liquid in the res at the proper level and let gravity recirculate the runoff. I also had an air stone in each bucket
What Deman said. But.....I am currently running 1/2" lines for gravity return to the res. I have had to install a valve to regulate the water feeding the pots so I don't overwhelm the return lines and overflow the buckets. Next run I am going to increase the return line to 3/4" or 1". Also, look at "Uniseal" bulkhead seals for your buckets & res. They are the bomb. Good luck & have fun!
Here are a few pics of my recirculating DWC bubble bucket system. I have been running this style of system for a few years now, and i can tell you that there is no easyier way to grow hydro. Like the guy above said, I think you are making it to complicated. A gravity fed system needs to have all buckets on the same level as the res to work correctly. I have 6 buckets, 1 res, and an 80gph pump. My supply lines are 1/2 inch in diameter, and my return lines are 3/4s of an inch in diameter. I do wish i had used 1 inch return lines. In this system, everything is done from the res, feeding, watering, checking your levels, all done from the res. The pics i am posting started out in a 4x4 tent. Everything is now in a walk-in closet. Like I said, Ive been using this system for a few years now, and it works well. The bud pics are whats currently whats in the closet. They are 4 weeks into flowering and doing very well.
I run a 4 bucket system with a slightly bigger res kept outside the tent, and an Inline pump to keep the pump out of the res. I ran two grows with RDWC and this grow I got a root mass build up in my 1.5" return line which caused a bit of an overflow in my back 2 buckets, and I had to use a plumbing snake to rip out the roots. Plant is still alive and finishing up flower now. This happened a couple of weeks back. I have already started my next grow from seed in Mini Hempy cups and will run this next grow in Hempy Buckets.
What you're talking about is similar to a "stadium (seat)" grow. While sound in design, it would be a pain to keep your light distributed evenly over all the plants. Without a doubt, the undercurrent method of DWC is the finest working DWC system I can imagine. It's expensive, and has a lot of parts, but works like a champ. Don't forget to provision for a chiller, or other method of cooling your nutrients, too. See my signature for an undercurrent build. Aside from the chiller, the airpump you choose is key. You want a lot of bubbles to break up surface tension of the water, to allow gas exchange with the atmosphere.
I'll checkout your build when I get home from work. I had seeds germed and needing to go in asap. So last night I through a setup together, 2 rows, 5 buckets. 1 row of 3 1 row of 2. Where the 3rd would be in the second row I have my sesevoir. I already had 3/8's tubing I got for free. And it fits my small 50gph pump. Basicly all the buckets have a hole drilled in them at the level I want it at, tubing going from rez to the first bucket and into the next. And so on till it drops down into the rez after the last one. I'm going to run it the last one. I am picking up aquarium sealant on way home and getting it finished. I will rebuild as undercurrent after first harvest. As for air, I got a shitload of smaller pumps that were on clearence at the pet store. And 4 inch round air stones. I currently have a single dwc cfl growing in my closet. Its bagseed, so I don't care that much about how well it turns out. But up to this point. Its growing awesome. I'm just over a month in and been on 12/12 for a week. I know its best to veg a bit longer. But I just want it done quick to get some medicine(without buying it) Also have a auto cheese going that's about 1 week in(from seed). That I just have in a 4L bucket.
Also, at first nute change, I'm aDding drain valves. For first change out I'm gonna take lid, place on a empty bucket for a few minutes and use another pump to drain the buckets
Well, the tubing I used didn't flow enough. Going to buy new buckets today. Will reuse current ones in an upcoming grow.
p I just wanted to kno how long do u keep pump running? And is it like that through out all flowering stages? Thanks
You may want to consider tanks instead of buckets. Less plumbing and a lot easier to deal with. I use them.
I am currently constructing a wooden table with 11" sides, I am going to fiberglass it up with a 2" PVC drain that will allow for a 6" deep water level in the table. Similar to a ebb n flow except what was the flood hole will now have a valve for flushing the table allowing me to empty the fluids back to the rez underneath. For the lid I will drill roughly 6" holes in a piece of prolly1/4" ply wood and fiberglass that. Glue lots of air stones to bottom of table. That Gariulla glue washes off with hot water so I like that for the airstones, plus its strong stuff at norm temps. And top feed the net pots via one pump and manifold 2-4 times a day at a rate that allows the water in the table to fully cycle with the water/nutrients in the rez by the end of the day.The top feed will fill the table and drain the excess back to the rez, this allows me to drain the table via the valve at what used to be the flood hole and adjust the nutes, then close the valve and kick the top feed pump to refill the table. I plan on using these tables to run a Scrog grow to help maintain hight as I know the plants will get monsterous in this set up.