Advanced rdwc please help

Dabhead710

Dabhead710

Well-Known Member
Hey guys thanks for reading my thread...so I am going to be rebuilding my ucrdwc system however I have some questions I need answers too before I can start building it...I will be using 27gal totes x2 well 3 total with the control tote..
Now I'm wanting to have the return line pvc and it be vertical pointing towards the ground from the tee instead of being horizontal like how most ppl do it now having it point down the bulkheads will have to be higher up like maybe even half way up the totes.. as long as its lower than the net pot I think it will be fine... however I would like to use 3in pvc and 1.25 or 1.5in for the return...or would 2in pvc instead 3in be better since I'm having 2 plant buckets?...
I will be using a alita 120 for my air pump with 1/2in PVC now I'm curious on if I could just press fit all those fittings and not glue them or do thread x slip fittings...
Does anyone have any experience on using pvc male and female fittings with gaskets instead of bulkheads and is it safe to use for a indoor setup or should I just use bulkheads and have peace of mind and call it a day?....


.I have a few other questions too you can PM me if that's easier for you or just msg on here is fine thankyou all for your time and help..
 
shawnery

shawnery

Well-Known Member
I think it would be better to have your pvc as close to the bottom as possible and instead raise your buckets a bit. There's a great build on here that someone just did that reads a lot like what you're looking for. He used waterfalls instead of airstones which I agree with completely.

I'll look for it and I'll link ot when I find it.
 
Airwalker16

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
shawnery said:
I think it would be better to have your pvc as close to the bottom as possible and instead raise your buckets a bit. There's a great build on here that someone just did that reads a lot like what you're looking for. He used waterfalls instead of airstones which I agree with completely.

I'll look for it and I'll link ot when I find it.
Click to expand...
Fragileassasins thread. Adapters work, but finding gaskets that fit is not easily done. One person mentioned tub drain fittings kit at home depots gasket fit the 1.5" adapters threads. I found an o ring kit at harbor freight I think has some sizes you could get to work for 1-2". But as far as for 3", do they even have adapters that big?
 
Airwalker16

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
fragileassassin said:
Yeah check out this post
https://www.rollitup.org/t/fragiles-flowers-rnd-2-new-veg-room-rdwc-from-first-clones.980253/#post-14612618

I used those on both systems. When I put them in, I make the holes slightly smaller so the fitting threads into the hole.
I use aquarium silicone as a gasket. I put it all around the hole and on the threads before I push them through and all inside the nut.
Click to expand...
Even I would convert from uniseals to these if there were just some right sized gaskets. Silicone doesn't make me feel good about it.
 
Dabhead710

Dabhead710

Well-Known Member
shawnery said:
I think it would be better to have your pvc as close to the bottom as possible and instead raise your buckets a bit. There's a great build on here that someone just did that reads a lot like what you're looking for. He used waterfalls instead of airstones which I agree with completely.

I'll look for it and I'll link ot when I find it.
Click to expand...
I would appreciate that alot thankyou..ya I would rather not have to raise 27gal buckets that will be 150lbs ea with water which is why I dont want to have to raise them...and with me having 3 buckets total I'm wondering on if 2in pvc would be a better fit...but I like 3in esp with having 2 plants a tote and being right next to the b.h 3in would be better off and I think if I did 1.25 possibly 1.5in pvc return would work...but is having the return pvc pointing straight down worth it that much to raise all the 3in pvc for it or would pointing it flat with the ground be the best way to do it...and would me putting a 90 elbow or tee In it right away to go to the outside of the bucket make a diff in the flow as long as the return tee was in the middle still? Thanks appreciate your help
 
Dabhead710

Dabhead710

Well-Known Member
And they have 3in gaskets for toilets they have them local h.d and lowes they are red I havent actually used them but I know they have 3in ones..as I also heard to get grey cvpvc only for the fittings as they are tapered and will seal and plain pvc white ones are not and have problems sealing..now I dont have a problem buying 3in current culture bulkheads for peace of mind over a cpvc fitting leaking on me but idk which is why I'm asking and I'll check those threads out
 
myke

myke

Well-Known Member
i have a similar system,1.5" bulk heads , flex hose goes in the middle of the long side of tote.right at the bottom.my res is outside the room so about 8' of hose.1/2" hose is my feed line.4 air stones per tote.all at same level.KISS system ,no problems.
on the bulkheads i sand the outside of tote,80 grit and use polyurethane adhesive on the nut side and on the hose with light clamp pressure.
i like the flex hose as you can movee the totes around as the plants get bigger.
 
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Dabhead710

Dabhead710

Well-Known Member
Well I'm downsizing and the 1st system I built was with 2in bulkheads and used 3/4 hose for return and had 3/4 hose for my air pump with 4-6 large air stones per bucket..and this is just for my bloom system so I do not need to move it plus plants will be scrogged too and with the new system I want to get away from using hoses and do pvc for air and water and will be doing matala diffusion disc instead air stones..I also want to be able to clean and scrub thee entire system even with the pvc which is why I'm not doing elbows...and will do ball valves and unions where needed.....now my air stones I had no problems with but it's just more things to clean and sterilize and have to replace vs diffusion disc as I'm disabled and have arthritis so like you say k.i.s.s is what I'm doing with this system for me to easily do w/o help from someone...appreciate the tip on sanding for poly adhesive as most ppl have used aquarium silicone instead....its still iffy to me on using pvc fittings over bulkheads...but I'm still considering it as I need x6 3in b.h and 13x 1/2in b.h or fittings and it would be like $130 for b.h just about not sure on the fittings as the 3in it would be like $6-7 ea w gaskets vs 13 for current culture 3in b.h....price isnt that big vs me being able to rely on them and can trust them and have peace of mind esp with 95gal total with my res connected I cannot have a leak or come home and its flooded so things staying sealed is very important to me over saving a few dollars now which would cost more in repairing damage plus rebuilding the system with b.h which is what I dont want to have to do which is why I rather pay the money for peace of mind than have a problem and have major problems........thanks guys for your help still dont have a answer yet tho....

Does anyone know anyone who has alot of experience at rdwc that I could pick their brain on advanced rdwc questions thanks
 
Airwalker16

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Dabhead710 said:
Well I'm downsizing and the 1st system I built was with 2in bulkheads and used 3/4 hose for return and had 3/4 hose for my air pump with 4-6 large air stones per bucket..and this is just for my bloom system so I do not need to move it plus plants will be scrogged too and with the new system I want to get away from using hoses and do pvc for air and water and will be doing matala diffusion disc instead air stones..I also want to be able to clean and scrub thee entire system even with the pvc which is why I'm not doing elbows...and will do ball valves and unions where needed.....now my air stones I had no problems with but it's just more things to clean and sterilize and have to replace vs diffusion disc as I'm disabled and have arthritis so like you say k.i.s.s is what I'm doing with this system for me to easily do w/o help from someone...appreciate the tip on sanding for poly adhesive as most ppl have used aquarium silicone instead....its still iffy to me on using pvc fittings over bulkheads...but I'm still considering it as I need x6 3in b.h and 13x 1/2in b.h or fittings and it would be like $130 for b.h just about not sure on the fittings as the 3in it would be like $6-7 ea w gaskets vs 13 for current culture 3in b.h....price isnt that big vs me being able to rely on them and can trust them and have peace of mind esp with 95gal total with my res connected I cannot have a leak or come home and its flooded so things staying sealed is very important to me over saving a few dollars now which would cost more in repairing damage plus rebuilding the system with b.h which is what I dont want to have to do which is why I rather pay the money for peace of mind than have a problem and have major problems........thanks guys for your help still dont have a answer yet tho....

Does anyone know anyone who has alot of experience at rdwc that I could pick their brain on advanced rdwc questions thanks
Click to expand...
If you want peace of mind, don't even consider anything but genuine bulkheads.
 
fartoblue

fartoblue

Well-Known Member
I have just built a system with Uniseals and am pleased I used Uniseals rather than bulkheads. Uniseals are so forgiving if you need to level your pots or your pot sides have a slant. If using Uniseals I do think the pot material needs to be of a decent thickness as this is where the seal is.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Uniseals are great as long as the hole is perfect. Otherwise bulkheads are more forgiving.
 
Dabhead710

Dabhead710

Well-Known Member
Ya I'm just not sure about uniseals I've seen plenty of issues even with it being done right as overtime they will split on the inside from the pressure of the tote and the pvc itself and abs fittings I'm iffy on too as everyone has to use aquarium sealant of some sort in order for it to be so called leak free and if a bucket gets moved a hair while cleaning or something there goes the seal and having to reseal it again...now if I was in a greenhouse or outside where a leak wouldnt be a problem but If I would get a leak and it empties the whole 95gal system in my basement it will cost much more than the price of bulkheads even if it would be $140 total in bulkheads vs like 20 in uniseals I'm okay with uniseals above water plus when I use 27gal totes your getting 150lb of water in ea tote has quite a bit of down pressure pry from the weight...I do appreciate everyones inputs so thankyou all for your time I do appreciate it...
 
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