Best bulkheads
- Thread starter maxamus1
- Start date
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Very hot topic here. Uniseals work well. Bulkheads are costly. Shout-out to @fragileassassin for the idea to use Adapters with some modification by cutting the threads shorter so the nut can seat down. Adding gaskets would help immensely.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-1-2-in-ABS-DWV-SPG-x-SJ-Trap-Adapter-C580127HD112/100344703
https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-1-2-in-ABS-DWV-SPG-x-SJ-Trap-Adapter-C580127HD112/100344703
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
I'd HIGHLY reccomend using 2" pipe and fittings though. A lot more volume of water can be moved through it.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Link to these drains?
thenasty1
Well-Known Member
i use 2"slip bulkheads with 2" pvc, bulkheads come from marinedepot.com
my smaller veg systems just use the 1" hydrofarm bulkheads with the black soft hose
you can also get covers for the bulkheads that help keep the roots out of your plumbing, they look like tiny net pots
my smaller veg systems just use the 1" hydrofarm bulkheads with the black soft hose
you can also get covers for the bulkheads that help keep the roots out of your plumbing, they look like tiny net pots
maxamus1
Well-Known Member
Would 2" or 3" be better? Ive read and heard a couple ppl say 3" is better but think that maybe over kill for a 4 bucket set up. Ill be using 4 12 gallon tuff totes.
maxamus1
Well-Known Member
Thought the bigger pipe was for the roots not clogging it up n not about water flow. Am i wrong about that?even 2 is overkill for that amount of water.
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
it's for both really. but for a good rdwc setup, maximum water flow of very high DO content water is the end goal. they make plenty of things to help keep roots out like i and @thenasty1 mentioned.
for your setup, 1.5" would be fine. nothing wrong with 2" either but fittings and pipe gets more expensive the bigger you get.
you could put your plant on one side of the tote and the drain at the other and that would help keep roots out too.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Ya... Real bulkheads cost far less.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
I always have to put the gasket on the outside, with the threads and nut on the inside to get a seal with those black ABS ones. Wish they had 2 gaskets. Or that Sch.80 Grey bulkheads weren't so expensive. Those are cool as hell.
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
The drain screens wont help much, the roots will just grow through them and get all tangled up in it and youd have to cut them out if you got a clog.
The root masses of my younger plants seem to grow towards my waterfalls, ive only had to pull one out of my drains so far, but i imagine ill have to do it more often as they get bigger
Elbows and caps to finish off my waterfalls should be here in the next few days!
The root masses of my younger plants seem to grow towards my waterfalls, ive only had to pull one out of my drains so far, but i imagine ill have to do it more often as they get bigger
Yep, everythings been leak free since my initial testing. Totes get bumped and shoved around fairly often and its all held up great.
Elbows and caps to finish off my waterfalls should be here in the next few days!
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
You'll have to take some updated pics n show me what you've done. I can't believe the silicone held up lol. I'd be using those 1 7/8" o ring/gaskets you can buy to seal those drain adapters.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Also, @rkymtnman what are the metal grates supposed to do? How is hydroton going to be flowing through the system? I didn't really get what you meant..
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
silicone was just an extra precaution. Its mostly just makes a gasket on the inside. The ring nut has a crush washer on the inside that seals up against the threaded edge. It took a little playing with it to figure out exactly how long to cut them, but they seal tight against the plastic of the totes.
Theyre still like this atm. Ill use a 45 degree bend to aim the water more into the center of the tote. I found ones that have the smaller spigot end on one side so I can just put caps on them with a bunch of holes drilled into it to make like a shower head for back pressure and agitation.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/is-this-enough-flow-for-my-rdwc.975710/
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
price is pretty close for your first comment. $6.79 for 2 inch at marinedepot, $7.10 at ferguson. my local ace had shower drains on the shelf, no bulkheads though.
you've never inadvertently knocked some hydroton out of your netpots? the grate will stop it from getting back to the pump. my drain was on the bottom in the middle of 27g HDX totes, not thru the sides like some systems.
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firsttimeARE
Well-Known Member
I use 1" botanicare bulkheads. Pretty cheap at about $1.5 per. Way better than the cheap feeling active aqua ones