Which would produce more DO in a DWC?

[JSB99]

I've got my drips set up. With pots these small, setting up the the amount of time the timer should run, to top them off, and the amount of flow with the adjustable emitters, is a little tricky.

Check out this tiny pump! Got it for about $6, and it works great for very low-flow watering!


I drilled holes in the plastic trays, and mounted the drip spikes in them. This allows me to rotate the plants, and move the trays around, without the emitters moving. The zip ties really hold the water lines in place.


Finished:

 

[JSB99]

My uneventful, top-feed system. The water's just kind of dribbling out LOL! Guess that other cheap pump, though bigger, just isn't powerful enough. I don't need anything all that powerful, but I might take my 400gph main pump, and use that. Then I'll get a bigger pump for the UC. Probably like 1000, or higher. I want to oversize it a bit, so I can put my inline filter back in place.



I found that these little clone netpots fit on the end of the bulkhead, in the buckets. They'll work great for filters. I do think they would fit better on 1/2" or 1" bulkheads, but it'll do what I need

 

[JSB99]

Hooked up my 400gph pump, and I'm still getting just a dribble. Definitely not the stream I was expecting. I know they take some pressure, but I would've thought I'd get something.

With a top-feed, is it just a matter of dripping water, or does it need to spray out a bit to cover more area?

 

[JSB99]

Giving up on the top-feed setup. This time I'll veg in the totes, but I'm going to put a mini UC together, with the 3-gallon buckets, for the next veg. I'm going to move the shelf in the closet. Right now it's 4' on the bottom, and 2' on top. I don't need that much room on the bottom, so I'm going to put the shelf in the middle, at 3'. The top shelf is where the UC will go, and share the space with the Cloner.

I'll get six more 3/4" bulkheads, and put together a mini UC. I'll use my 400gph pump for this, and get a 1000gph pump for the big UC.


Bottom, with much unneeded headroom. The mums will only be getting a few inches taller.


I'll put the mini UC here, under a T5 hood and CFLs, like the one below.


Found my tri-meter, from 10 years ago, in the attic. Surprisingly still works great!


I had to figure out a spot to mount it, where I wasn't having to bend or stretch to see it. I'm 6'3", so I angled my pilot holes and mounted it tilted upwards.

 

[Cold$moke]

Is that kinda like a capns top feed setup ?

Cheap pumps can be a pain sometimes

My second rdwc build i went with a 400gph i think cheap pump. And it barley dribbles in.my 4 site 5 gallon bucket system.


In my 10 gal brute setup i have the 900 gph syncra silent pump. And its about perfect .

After this run im pulling the small rdwc out in place for an tweaked nft style set up


Looks good though JSB99

 

[SSGrower]

Looks good. Might want to try manifolding the pump, can improve flow. Also allowing flow through may improve pump performance. In other words have your 1/4 in lines manifolded to a 1 in or something and have a valve on that 1in piece that will just dump/circulate warter in the res.

I draw this from experience with waste water treatment and reclaimaition work I have done and have not applied it to hydroponics, but your pump performance curves psi. vs. flow will dictate the situation.

 

[JSB99]

Is that kinda like a capns top feed setup ?

Cheap pumps can be a pain sometimes

My second rdwc build i went with a 400gph i think cheap pump. And it barley dribbles in.my 4 site 5 gallon bucket system.


In my 10 gal brute setup i have the 900 gph syncra silent pump. And its about perfect .

After this run im pulling the small rdwc out in place for an tweaked nft style set up


Looks good though JSB99

The pump I'm using on the tent setup is a 400gph. It has great flow, so there's no doubt that it'll work well on the mini. If I can afford it, when I'm ready to put it together, I'd like to get a Danner mag drive. But that's going to be spendy if I'm looking at a minimum of 800gph.

 

[JSB99]

Trim time! Time to trim off the unneeded branches, so more energy is put into the the top eight branches of each manifold. I had a plan going into this, which was to trim off any branches that weren't on those to eight. Everything I trimmed off are perfect for cloning, and more will grow out of those spots I trimmed. I don't need any more clones right now, but when I do, I should be able to take around 24 clones on each, once the top branches grow.

White Widow:
Before:




After:




Gorilla Cookies
Before:




After:




Here are two into four of the top eight branches on the manifold


Girl Scout Crack
Before:

 

[JSB99]

After:



Much more room:

 

[Cold$moke]

The pump I'm using on the tent setup is a 400gph. It has great flow, so there's no doubt that it'll work well on the mini. If I can afford it, when I'm ready to put it together, I'd like to get a Danner mag drive. But that's going to be spendy if I'm looking at a minimum of 800gph.

I looked at danner then i found the reef guys

And spend almost as much on a 900 syncra silent ....went with it over the danner cause i wanted my pump to be submersible or inline and i think it runs quieter


I think im going to be going away from rdwc though it all depends on the next side by side test i do

 

[drgreentm]

Just finished up a top feed recirculating system (well half of it) for a 16 site. I love top feed, only system I have run that will keep right up with rdwc with far less water usage. Reducing pump outlet drastically reduces its flow. If your little pump is 1/2” you will need to run 1/2” manifold up close to the pots and it will work great.

 

[Tstat]

So, what is the consensus for a good, high quality air pump? I know you mentioned the Alita early on in the thread.
I'm running a 6 tote RDWC with a controller tote. It's based on the Current Culture UC6 model.

I currently have a mishmash of pro pumps and hydro pumps. I'd like to upgrade the pump (or pumps) and stones now that I have some extra cash. Thinking of this:

ALITA INDUSTRIES Air Pump, 60 LPM

It looks like it pairs up with a 12 valve manifold, and my system currently uses 12 air stones- 2 in each tote. And also 2 in the res.

What are the best air stones, too?

EDIT: Thinking of this setup:

 

[JSB99]

So, what is the consensus for a good, high quality air pump? I know you mentioned the Alita early on in the thread.
I'm running a 6 tote RDWC with a controller tote. It's based on the Current Culture UC6 model.

I currently have a mishmash of pro pumps and hydro pumps. I'd like to upgrade the pump (or pumps) and stones now that I have some extra cash. Thinking of this:

ALITA INDUSTRIES Air Pump, 60 LPM

It looks like it pairs up with a 12 valve manifold, and my system currently uses 12 air stones- 2 in each tote. And also 2 in the res.

What are the best air stones, too?

EDIT: Thinking of this setup:

Alita's are awesome, but pricey. My inexpensive, 70LpmActive Aqua pump works great, though probably not nearly as quiet. AA also has a 110Lpm pump, with a 12-port manifold.

I would go with the large, 4" stones instead of the 2" stones you're looking at.

 

[Tstat]

Thanks! Yea, so I really don't care about it being quiet at all. It's in the basement and has fans, carb filters, etc. running all the time. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't want to pay a premium for quiet- I only care about performance.

 

[JSB99]

Thanks! Yea, so I really don't care about it being quiet at all. It's in the basement and has fans, carb filters, etc. running all the time. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't want to pay a premium for quiet- I only care about performance.

Mine is in a bedroom, and I can barely hear it right outside the door, when it's shut. So, it's not all that loud. I get around 60db with my 70, and I think the 110 is around 65db or 70db. It's not going to be any louder than your other components. It blends right in

 

[Tstat]

So, what do you suggest for a really powerful pump upgrade? This is what I have now:

 

[Cold$moke]

So, what is the consensus for a good, high quality air pump? I know you mentioned the Alita early on in the thread.
I'm running a 6 tote RDWC with a controller tote. It's based on the Current Culture UC6 model.

I currently have a mishmash of pro pumps and hydro pumps. I'd like to upgrade the pump (or pumps) and stones now that I have some extra cash. Thinking of this:

ALITA INDUSTRIES Air Pump, 60 LPM

It looks like it pairs up with a 12 valve manifold, and my system currently uses 12 air stones- 2 in each tote. And also 2 in the res.

What are the best air stones, too?

EDIT: Thinking of this setup:

Alita gets my vote every time cause i hate pump drone

I bought the smaller 40 lpm
Andd i can say its having no problem running 10 different sites at once and its still got nuts left.

A 60 might actually be too big and heat your water up unnecessarily.
But ALL ALITAS. Require a small fan for ACTIVE COOLING which is actually good for any pump .

Get what you are comfortable with spending
But you will NEVER. Hate on an alita ever.


As far as stones go
I like the cheap 8$ pawfly stones from amazon
They have 3 really good suction cups that actually work i will be picking up a few spares of these.

 

[Cold$moke]

1 40-60 lpm alita would rock those tubs

Need a lil clean up lol

 

[Cold$moke]

Remember DISSOLVED OXYGEN. Is easy to get into water .

A waterfall set up could likely replace any air stones.


But the problem is getting DO into a big root mass. Cause the outside of the rootball may have plenty of do but its the center that doenst recive any


This is where air stones can help by churning your water from the bottom up (hopefully with no dead spots)

And air stones can help push DO into the root zone.

But flow and circulation are king imo.
Cause if you constanly refresh the water to the roots it had no choice but to be oxygenated

At least in my wacked out mind lol

 

[Tstat]

Need a lil clean up lol

Yea, it's a 7x3 area and most of my stuff is covered in resin from years of usage! I may just go ahead and get the 60. Unless there is something cheaper that is just as good? Again, noise is not a factor. I just want reliable, long lasting, etc.