Building a RDWC myself. Have questions. Need help, hints!

[ULMResearch]

Okay I'm going to start slow. I've already got my GH Micro and Bloom (going Lucas), 6" net pots, bag of hydroton, GH pH UP and DOWN with the tester and a TDS meter. I also have a 6 outlet 20w activeaqua air pump.

No buckets yet because while I was going to build just 3 (3x1) individual 5 gallon DWC I think I decided to go with a 4+1. This way I only need to drain one instead of 3 or 4.

First question. I've seen a ton of set ups for sale and read DIY guides and watched vids but the one thing they all use is hard PVC.

Is there a flexible alternative? How do you rotate plants, or move them.. or keep them at the right distance from the light if they are rigidly fastened? Small plants may have 18" between them when mature ones are growing into each other.

What's the workaround for that if there is no flexible tubing that is suitable? Use different lengths of PVC and switch?

Or maybe I should just build all of them fairly close to each other? I have a 400W MH/HPS setup so I figure 4 (2x2) 5 gallon buckets is my max. OR maybe 3 (3x1)? That was my original plan but I have 6 in soil now and I think 4 would be super ideal. Going to keep them small. With my pump I can do 3 singles with 2 lines each or 4 with 1 each and 2 in the rez. Sound right?

So do I just build it like this with pvc? Or do I need more distance and deal with low light early with CFLs?

 

[joe dollar]

I would go with 2x2 myself and you can run black hose from homedepot or something. Get some shut off valves and splice them in ( res --line--shutoff valve-----shutoff vale--T into bucket---line---shutoff valve----line----shutoff valve---next bucket ) so on so on so on.....That way you can shut the each bucket off on its own and move it around if you want or drain just that one. Air stones id go with 1 to each bucket and the 2 extra to the res. Make sure the line you use is black. Either make a big screen over the plants or top them or lst them. Or let them grow out of control and prune them.

 

[ULMResearch]

I made a super high ms paint pic.

These are more options I think. I have a 2x5 closet, 400W cooltube with MH and HPS bulbs. Exhaust is run. Temps around 78-82 on this soil grow. I need more fans and circulation to drop maybe a degree or two but that's not important yet. Going to be doing hydro in the fall so temps will be lower, should be good to go without cooling the rez(s).

So what should I do in my space?

 

[Neumann]

Put your res where it's easy to get into. Fittings, hose and everything else is just a click away.

http://www.htgsupply.com/

Just an example, there are plenty of places to buy DIY supplies online.

 

[vhampyre]

I've been researching the same subject, with roughly the same parameters for a grow. The most common answer for why hard PVC is that the rubber and vinyl lines tended to kink or get knocked off the barbs, making a mess, killing plants, etc and then they switched to PVC and the problems went away. Yes, you can use flexible line. No, they don't recommend it.

I'm with Neumann: put the reservoir where it's easy to get to- more like your first drawing. No sense making a reservoir a bitch to get to.

Also, I think that the 4+1 is the best use of the 400. Rough guide that keeps popping up: 25Watts/square foot is minimum. 40W/sq ft is ideal, and 60 Watts/square foot and up should use C02.

So, 10 square feet is the max optimum, so I'd suggest 3x3 grow area.

I'm planning on running a 4+1 Recirc Setup, a 400W metal halide (replaced a bunch at work, got two free ones) alternating/augmented with a six 65w CFL's to expand the red spectrum,over a 3x3 grow area with a screen for a scrog, with a 4+1 RDWC doing the work of keeping everything fed under the lucas schedule.

 

[ULMResearch]

The first pic is the only one with a res. The others were my ideas for individual units but I'll be damned if I'm pHing and refilling 4 buckets every day!!!

Think I am settled on the 4 + 1 design. Seems easy, efficient and manageable. I like the idea of shuf off valves as well so I can always refit a piece of PVC if I need to rearrange.

Time to start making a shopping list for fall!

 

[BendBrewer]

Here's my 8 bucket veg system. Not much to it really. I use an 18 gallon res. but you could get away with a 5 gallon one most likely.

 

[ULMResearch]

I love you. That's exactly what I want, except with 400w I'm pushing it to go 4 plants, even with a short veg cycle.

I even have a res tote JUST like that, except half the size. Brilliant!

 

[mushmaster]

These are obviously noob questions...but I'm in a rubbermaid right now. Want to switch to buckets with one res bucket. How does the water get into the other buckets? Just gravity fed? Also, what is the lucas schedule everyone is refering to? Finally, PEX plumbing materials are def the way to go regarding rigidity vs. tubing. It is used for plumbing so it's durable and fittings are available also...check it out. Too strong to kink also. I've worked with it before. But it still allows for some movement.

 

[BendBrewer]

I have a 400 hanging over those but I now run 9 buckets. Hooked up in 3 chains of 3. Vegged the last plants for 20 days.

I use 1" soft tubing to connect them. Plants go BOOM. Day 19.

 

[ULMResearch]

Thanks for the info on PEX. I will look into that vs. PVC. If it's affordable it sounds like it may be what I want.

I also would like to know the answer to your question. What's a simple pump design for a 4+rez setup?

 

[BendBrewer]

Mush,

I pump out of the reservoir to top feeders. Gravity brings the water back to the reservoir.

 

[ULMResearch]

And do you think you get enough light coverage with a single 400 MH and HPS to flower? With my cooltube I can barely cover 6, but I keep it like 8" away. How far up is yours?

 

[BendBrewer]

Thanks for the info on PEX. I will look into that vs. PVC. If it's affordable it sounds like it may be what I want.

I also would like to know the answer to your question. What's a simple pump design for a 4+rez setup?

I run a 600+ GPH pump at about 1/2 speed to my feeders. I also have a real small pump in my res. to help circulate the solution in there.

 

[ULMResearch]

I've got a 6 outlet high power air pump, I figured one per bucket and 2 in the rez will max my DO potential and keep the rez fresh?

 

[BendBrewer]

And do you think you get enough light coverage with a single 400 MH and HPS to flower? With my cooltube I can barely cover 6, but I keep it like 8" away. How far up is yours?

No. I have another room with a 1000 HPS that I flip them too. (I have redesigned this to a 9 bucket system.)

I have my 400 about 1' from the tops in veg. Had to flip those to flower under the 400 while plants under the 1000 finished up. Moved them last night and had to use Tomato Plant Cages to hold them up. They are taller than the cages.

 

[mushmaster]

Research: PEX isn't too expensive for the tubing and joints (pun intended) and fittings you will need. BUT the tools you need to attach the tubing are. Luckily the depot rents tools...

Brewer: Thank you! You think a top feeder is better than a bottom feeder that feeds directly to the organic plug? That's what I'm currently using.

 

[BendBrewer]

I've got a 6 outlet high power air pump, I figured one per bucket and 2 in the rez will max my DO potential and keep the rez fresh?

Yeah I use 1 per and 2 in the res. I learned that if you hang the pump from a bungee cord, it really helps reduce the noise.

 

[ULMResearch]

Yeah I use 1 per and 2 in the res. I learned that if you hang the pump from a bungee cord, it really helps reduce the noise.

I thought about putting mine in the attic and running an intake tube back into the house for fresh cold air. Cooler res temps and no noise.

 

[BendBrewer]

Brewer: Thank you! You think a top feeder is better than a bottom feeder that feeds directly to the organic plug? That's what I'm currently using.

Not sure about better. Ideally it would be sweet to have sprayers inside the buckets directed at my net pots but throwing one of those Hyrda Farm watering loops around the stem seems a lot easier. I have been keeping my eyes open for a simple 'internal' spray solution set up but I'm pretty lazy. "If it ain't broke............"