RDWC almost overflowing

[trapdevil]

Whats up guys,

I haven’t had this issue before, i’ve had a 6 bucket rdwc but this is happening in my 4 bucket.

I think it may be cause of the roots but not sure.


Today i happened to check the roots and water levels in the buckets the plants are in, 3 are where i expected them but one was about two inches from overflowing.

I’m assuming something with the return line is clogged or something.

I’m about 4 weeks into flowering. I have tried to with a toothpick clean the first bit of line in the bucket and the main res but didn’t seem like anything changed.

I got my pump and pumped out 5 or so inches of water into the main res and it seems to be holding steady there(30 minutes ago maybe)

It has a drip line also that is working.

Any ideas?

Stressed i’ll wake up to a flood.

It’s a 5 bucket total rdwc. 1 main res and 4 buckets with plants in each. 5 gallon buckets. Each bucket has a hole on the bottom that has a water line going to the main res that I believe is gravity fed. Then there is a water pump(i believe ) in the main res that has water come out the drip line. Air stone in every bucket.

 

[GBAUTO]

Probably has some roots that have 'flowed' into your drain and are beginning to block it. Only thing you can do at this point will be to lift the plant out of the bucket enough to allow you to clear the blockage. Good luck. This is the reason I switched to a UC style system an even with 2" lines you can still get blockages.

 

[trapdevil]

Probably has some roots that have 'flowed' into your drain and are beginning to block it. Only thing you can do at this point will be to lift the plant out of the bucket enough to allow you to clear the blockage. Good luck. This is the reason I switched to a UC style system an even with 2" lines you can still get blockages.

i’ve pretty much lifted the plant up and it doesn’t seem like any roots are going into the drain hole/line. Maybe i need to donit more

I turned off my drip line and pumped more water out sonits like half way. Should stay steady till tomrorow when i can try and play with it more.

Is it common for roots to be stuck, broken off in the lines?

 

[Airwalker16]

i’ve pretty much lifted the plant up and it doesn’t seem like any roots are going into the drain hole/line. Maybe i need to donit more

I turned off my drip line and pumped more water out sonits like half way. Should stay steady till tomrorow when i can try and play with it more.

Is it common for roots to be stuck, broken off in the lines?

Roots find their way with the flow of water. If your returns are anything less than 1.5" on 5 gal buckets, expect blockages. Build a new system using black sq 4gals, 2" ABS and bulkheads.

 

[trapdevil]

Roots find their way with the flow of water. If your returns are anything less than 1.5" on 5 gal buckets, expect blockages. Build a new system using black sq 4gals, 2" ABS and bulkheads.

I didn’t build it, bought it. Not going to change stuff to it. Not handy enough. Especially middle of flower but I feel you.

 

[Airwalker16]

I didn’t build it, bought it. Not going to change stuff to it. Not handy enough. Especially middle of flower but I feel you.

As i said, build a NEW SETUO from scratch. It's kit difficult, especially with sq buckets.

 

[trapdevil]

As i said, build a NEW SETUO from scratch. It's kit difficult, especially with sq buckets.

I’m not going to do all of that but appreciate the suggestion

 

[5BY5LEC]

That sucks. I had to rip apart my return lines in the middle of flower. Roots had gown at least 3 feet up the lines!!!

 

[trapdevil]

That sucks. I had to rip apart my return lines in the middle of flower. Roots had gown at least 3 feet up the lines!!!

Damn i think that could be the case with me.

When i lift the net pot the rootball and roots all come up and none are near the return line. Maybe some went in and broke off and is clumped in there ?

Currently I am running my drip lines but not on this one bucket. Just putting the drip line in for a few hours each day then taking it out. The water gets high when the drip line is in, but once it’s out it slowly drains. I’ll do that until this flower cycle is over then break er down

 

[Airwalker16]

Damn i think that could be the case with me.

When i lift the net pot the rootball and roots all come up and none are near the return line. Maybe some went in and broke off and is clumped in there ?

Currently I am running my drip lines but not on this one bucket. Just putting the drip line in for a few hours each day then taking it out. The water gets high when the drip line is in, but once it’s out it slowly drains. I’ll do that until this flower cycle is over then break er down

This is why I highly and I mean HIGHLY suggest upping the returns to 2". Anything less, I.e.1", is so incredibly vulnerable to roots finding their way in and breaking off is a definite possibility. That's a nightmare.
2" piping is over FOUR TIMES more space for water to flow through and roots to run through. They will not clog a 2" pipe. But they'll clog a 1" with little effort.

 

[rkymtnman]

Any ideas?

here's a thought (never tried it but it might work):

buy a 5 gal bubble bag for making hash (individual bags on Ebay are like 10 bucks) that has 220 micron mesh. take your plant out, put the bubble bag in the bucket and replace the plant.

that might be enough to keep roots out of return lines until you are done flowering.

 

[Airwalker16]

here's a thought (never tried it but it might work):

buy a 5 gal bubble bag for making hash (individual bags on Ebay are like 10 bucks) that has 220 micron mesh. take your plant out, put the bubble bag in the bucket and replace the plant.

that might be enough to keep roots out of return lines until you are done flowering.

Roots find their way through literally any sized hole. Maaaasybe if you went with like 25-73micron, you might have a shot.

 

[Aqua Man]

Course filter foam may work.

 

[rkymtnman]

Roots find their way through literally any sized hole. Maaaasybe if you went with like 25-73micron, you might have a shot.

yeah, i was thinking something similar to a aquarium filter bag but bigger. not sure what size micron holes are in one of those.

 

[ttystikk]

Roots find their way with the flow of water. If your returns are anything less than 1.5" on 5 gal buckets, expect blockages. Build a new system using black sq 4gals, 2" ABS and bulkheads.

You got links to bulkheads like that?

 

[ttystikk]

This is why I highly and I mean HIGHLY suggest upping the returns to 2". Anything less, I.e.1", is so incredibly vulnerable to roots finding their way in and breaking off is a definite possibility. That's a nightmare.
2" piping is over FOUR TIMES more space for water to flow through and roots to run through. They will not clog a 2" pipe. But they'll clog a 1" with little effort.

I ran 1" lines. I just built my system so it was easy to reach down and pull the roots of the drain holes once or twice a run.