Undercurrent pipe size question

bongsmilieYeah maybe I'll keep using the one I have then for now at least... would like to try one maybe in the new year or try building one during winter hibernation. Humidity is 0 to 30% in my flower room, cut Sunday, can start some AK finnaly woo lol

Am sampling some tops I took down right now, Alcupoco Gold, (smells like foldgers coffee grinds and even better when cured) its killer wish i could share some with everyone lol

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Sureshot2 said:
Looks about right. Only thing to keep in mind is that with the 27g totes you have a lot of water, which means a much larger capacity chiller and the larger electric bill and price tag that comes with it.

The 15g and 8g tubs work well if you can't afford a large chiller or don't need such large sites, and would still work perfectly in this build.
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The 27gal totes only,fit 12 gal per. Thats only 60-70gal. 1/4 HP can handle that. I use a 1/3HP and it barely kicks on with a 72F room lights on. Way more,stable,with this amount,of water. I set at 5.6 beginninf,of week and by the end,its 6.1. I love RDWC
 
Niblixdark said:
Yeah maybe I'll keep using the one I have then for now at least... would like to try one maybe in the new year or try building one during winter hibernation. Humidity is 0 to 30% in my flower room, cut Sunday, can start some AK finnaly woo lol
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I personally prefer RDWC over UC, but that's because it fits my grow area better. You could always retrofit to larger pipes down the road or upgrade from 5g to 8g tubs.

I haven't found site size to impact growth much given that the roots are always in the nutrient solution unlike potted plants. That said, I have found the roots don't spiral/constrict as much in square containers.
 
firsttimeARE said:
The 27gal totes only,fit 12 gal per. Thats only 60-70gal. 1/4 HP can handle that. I use a 1/3HP and it barely kicks on with a 72F room lights on. Way more,stable,with this amount,of water. I set at 5.6 beginninf,of week and by the end,its 6.1. I love RDWC
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You must run your water levels low then. I run mediumless and keep my levels about 3-4 inches from the top. I would think most would be filling at least 20g or close to that in the 27g totes.
 
Sureshot2 said:
You must run your water levels low then. I run mediumless and keep my levels about 3-4 inches from the top. I would think most would be filling at least 20g or close to that in the 27g totes.
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It may be more than 12gal not sure. I keep,water,level 1/2" below netpot. Netpot sits about 6" from lid.

I know my 12gal totes fit half water. But rhese 27gal are deeper so it very well could be more than half. So,prob more like 16-18gal
 
Sureshot2 said:
I lost the only pure sativa I had so I guess it's not a problem anymore lol. Now it's just cannatonic and harlequin, which isn't picky despite being sativa dom.
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For me lately, Blue Dream and Acapulco got along together, but not White Cookie and Acapulco, I guess the foresight in this is to pick strains of similar status or have two systems going. But then again I have seen plants fight it out in the grow room that were both even in character. They love to compete with each other.
 
firsttimeARE said:
It may be more than 12gal not sure. I keep,water,level 1/2" below netpot. Netpot sits about 6" from lid.

I know my 12gal totes fit half water. But rhese 27gal are deeper so it very well could be more than half. So,prob more like 16-18gal
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Ah that explains it, I switched from using 6" netpots to 3" to raise my levels higher, then eventually to mediumless with a foam collar which I love since there's no washing hydroton or cutting roots from the pots.
 
Niblixdark said:
For me lately, Blue Dream and Acapulco got along together, but not White Cookie and Acapulco, I guess the foresight in this is to pick strains of similar status or have two systems going. But then again I have seen plants fight it out in the grow room that were both even in character. They love to compete with each other.
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Yes this is very true, it is a pain trying to compensate the needs of a faster growing plant and then end up burning a different one. These days I avoid mixing strains just for the sake of not having varying harvest dates... because f that.

Niblixdark said:
Mediumless foam collar?
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Essentially just a neoprene collar or similar foam collar that simply holds the stem. There's no rockwool, hydroton etc. Just roots and water.
 
Niblixdark said:
For me lately, Blue Dream and Acapulco got along together, but not White Cookie and Acapulco, I guess the foresight in this is to pick strains of similar status or have two systems going. But then again I have seen plants fight it out in the grow room that were both even in character. They love to compete with each other.
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4 blue dreams. Even scrogged the two in the back are like 8 inches taller. Scrogs do help a lot for indica sativa mixed strain grows. Only thing is the indica will finish first. But no big deal, extra buffer space
 

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Sureshot2 said:
Ah that explains it, I switched from using 6" netpots to 3" to raise my levels higher, then eventually to mediumless with a foam collar which I love since there's no washing hydroton or cutting roots from the pots.
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Ive done mediumless but the plants always tip,over once taller than 12"

My aeroclone,jist has 2" netcups and collars
 
firsttimeARE said:
Dont waste your money on a name brand system.

(5) walmart 27g tough totes $50
15Ft 1" poly tubing ($5)
(15) 1" barbed bulkheads ($40)
(5) 1" barbed elbows $3
(1) 1" barbed tee $0.50
(1) 600-1000gph pump $40-60
(4) 1x1/2" barbed reducing tees ($3)
(1) 1" barbed cap $0.50
(4) 1/2" barbed elbows ($2)
5ft 1/2" poly tubing ($1)

$145-$165 depending on,size,of,pump

And if you dont have a stepped drillbit they sell a two pack at harbor freight for $15-$20. Its the bigger one I think its 1-3/8" and a deburring tool works well and can be had for less than $10 the HDX home depot brand, grey and orange.

Its simple to put together and dirt cheap. This is,only a 4,site so if you wanted more,its about $22 per site. So a 12 site would be like $350. Compare that to a current culture xxl 12 site thats $2,000
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I don't think Walmart carries the super strong HDX totes. Home Depot has them pretty cheap though.
 
Sureshot2 said:
Looks about right. Only thing to keep in mind is that with the 27g totes you have a lot of water, which means a much larger capacity chiller and the larger electric bill and price tag that comes with it.

The 15g and 8g tubs work well if you can't afford a large chiller or don't need such large sites, and would still work perfectly in this build.
Click to expand...

Possibly, but not for certain. I've mentioned it before, but I've got 50 - 60 gallons in my RDWC, using both a commercial air pump, and an inline water pump, and no chiller. My temps hover between 66 and 68, and all I'm doing is using evaporative cooling. Even in the summer I was able to keep my temps at bay. I think part of it is just having the lid off the reservoir, to let the warm water expell heat.
 
firsttimeARE said:
The 27gal totes only,fit 12 gal per. Thats only 60-70gal. 1/4 HP can handle that. I use a 1/3HP and it barely kicks on with a 72F room lights on. Way more,stable,with this amount,of water. I set at 5.6 beginninf,of week and by the end,its 6.1. I love RDWC
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I'm using 2 x 27-gal totes for four plants, inside my 4 x 4 tent. Holds more water than using 4 x smaller totes.
 
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