RDWC Water level/circulation issues

[bellyofthebest]

I recently purchased and assembled a 4 site 25 gallon RDWC. Followed the directions and what I’m ending up with is the reservoir bucket emptying and the return pipe is not filling. I have two water pumps, one for circulation located inside the reservoir and one for feeding the chiller also located inside the reservoir. These pumps are 370 GPH and came with the system. I attached pictures for reference. When I shut the circulation feed pump off all 5 buckets eventually level out as water back flows through the pump into the reservoir. How do I maintain that with pumps on though? Any help is appreciated thanks.

 

[bellyofthebest]

Video of Issue

Here are two videos one as I turn the circulation pump on and one after about 30 seconds the pump is almost running dry

 

[redi jedi]

I cant make heads or tails of that.

What is the vertical pipe in the control? bucket for?

 

[bellyofthebest]

I cant make heads or tails of that.

What is the vertical pipe in the control? bucket for?

It’s supposed to be for controlling the level of water inside the res. I have a pump pushing water into the buckets and one pump feeding the reservoir. I have since removed the vertical pipe in the control.

 

[redi jedi]

It’s supposed to be for controlling the level of water inside the res. I have a pump pushing water into the buckets and one pump feeding the reservoir. I have since removed the vertical pipe in the control.

Yeah thats a new one for me...

Does it work now?

 

[bellyofthebest]

Yeah thats a new one for me...

Does it work now?

Yea I’m not 100 percent certain but I believe the pump wasn’t strong enough to overcome that vertical pipe. It came with the system (they said it was optional) so I removed it and boom we’re fine.

 

[redi jedi]

Yea I’m not 100 percent certain but I believe the pump wasn’t strong enough to overcome that vertical pipe. It came with the system (they said it was optional) so I removed it and boom we’re fine.

The strangest rdwc Ive seen...

 

[MaL!]

Interesting design. I'm not sure if the internal piping in the reservoir was made for a certain purpose or just to be different.

I'd prefer a return down the center through a water pump to a chiller then the reservoir.

 

[bellyofthebest]

Interesting design. I'm not sure if the internal piping in the reservoir was made for a certain purpose or just to be different.

I'd prefer a return down the center through a water pump to a chiller then the reservoir.

Yea I’m seeing the center return line is fairly popular among RDWC growers. I’ll likely add it after this run.

 

[MaL!]

If you do add it, make sure you remove the internal connections.