RDWC system help!!! Please....

Hello,
So i need some help.. I built a 4 site system (Under Current design). 5 Gal round connected with 1.5inch Sched. 40 pipe. My return line is 3/4 with a 400gph pump. My flow is good and no leaks.. My issue is my (Res./Control) bucket is no where near the same water level and the 4 sites. All sites are leveled and follow suit when recirculating or even draining. Why is my Res. not the same water level? Should i use a 1/2 return hose or Ball valve to slow my Res. to the system? Im hella confused? Oh and my Res. is elevated about a 1/2' above the other buckets. Needed to do so to exit out of the lower vent hole of grow tent.

So the feed line is 1-1/2 sch 40 and your return is 3/4"?

yes 1 1/2 piping and return is 3/4 hose

I may be wrong here but if your res is lifted 6” above the buckets then it won’t be same level you have to take that 6” into account. Check out PA hydroponics he uses elbows out the tent hole to get to the res so the res is same height as the buckets. Is your res 6” less water level than the buckets? If so that would be my guess

Treesomewanted77 said:

I may be wrong here but if your res is lifted 6” above the buckets then it won’t be same level you have to take that 6” into account. Check out PA hydroponics he uses elbows out the tent hole to get to the res so the res is same height as the buckets. Is your res 6” less water level than the buckets? If so that would be my guess

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Agree. Also from what I've seen, the return pipes should be larger than than feed lines. On my system i have 2"sch 40 returns, and 3/4 feed reduced to 1/2 inside bucket. Slower flow of return and greater size should prevent clogs.

@Mr. Mohaskey the feed pipes are larger than the return. The manifolds are 1 1/2 piping and the return hose is a 3/4 of an inch hose. i might try an lower my Res. i hope that helps.

Thanks guys for you input. The Res. does make more sense.

Need to raise all of the containers on platform\s so they are level to res (as undercurrent systems should be), or cut a hole into the lowest spot you can, probably through the tent's included flood liner too. You don't really want a big kink going up and over through the port hole, unless you like draining it all separately.



I have a great trick for doing it if you decide to cut open a new hole for the plumbing:

Cut up 2 square sheets of thinner plastic, like 4" x 4" from some old container lids\bins or something.

Stack them on top of each other, trim them evenly, and poke a thumb tack directly through the centers of both of them. You can use this to help line up the next step, which would be sandwiching the tents fabric layer between the 2 plastic sheets (scratch the glue sides of them up good).

Using 2 part epoxy, spread some out on one of the sheets, with the tack stuck in from the other side. Then poke the tack while also sticking the sheet to wherever you need it to be on the tent. Probably down real low, a few inches up maybe. Then put the epoxy on the other sheet (with a small hole), go inside/outside, and find the tack poking through.

Use the tack pocking through, and the hole as a guide to place the second sheet perfectly. Keep them clamped together with magnets, or just hold for 10 mins, or however log the setup cure time is.. Now you have a pretty solid 4x4" or however large square patch\flange that you could drill whatever size hole you want, or even put a bulkhead through it. Keeping it from ripping, like just cutting a hole would.

Unless you know how to sew porthole sleeves on, which would be cool.. that's how I would do it!

What I would try becore repiping is turning down your pump. I have an eco 66 pump in mine which is a very similar set up. Its a tiny pump but i believe it is all you need. Its only like 70 gph. I just started using it after upgrading to 8 gal buckets and it still seems to circulate fine. You dont need water flying around, also helps to prevent clogs imo.