Roseman's Closet-Grow Tutorial

QUESTIONS will be answered faster here:

Questions about Bubbleponic Growing Thread

Please do not hi-jack this thread and start discussions off topic.
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OK, the third pump, a new one, will go into the DIY 5 gallon bucket.

I checked the Irrigation Hub and it works fine. I used a 7 inch long 3/4 inch plastic tube to attach the pump to the Hub. That is a customized fit for my 5 gallon bucket. After I tested it and put it in the bucket, I saw 7 inches was too long, so I cut it back to 4 inches.

The KIT comes with what you need to attach the pump to the hub.





If you buy the kit, the hub and pump come matched up and already fit together.
If you DIY, you will need to rig up something between the pump and hub, and I think using the clear plastic tubes work best. Certainly cheap and easy enough.
ALL water pumps come with several attachements just for this purpose.









I had used a 7 inch piece of clear plastic in those pics to connect the pump to the hub, but when I tried it in the bucket, it was too tall, so I went back and cut it down to 4 inches.

Thank you sir for taking the time to write out such an informative thread.
Very helpful to us beginners!

Peace.

Hi Roseman,

I've been lurking in the shadows for around 2 months now and have read practically all of your DWC and CFL threads. I'm close to 2 weeks into 12/12 right now, but unfortunately no flowers/preflowers, but my babies have been quite abused moving interstate, transplanting etc! Having seen some of your past work (and knowing my luck) I guess we'll be harvesting at around the same time so I'm subscribing for sure!

Btw thanks for all the effort you put in helping out the DWC/CFL community (especially the noobs)!

I got the pumps and hubs all cleaned and I hope I start the seeds soaking and germinating soon.

Let me remind you that IF you are using a New Kit, you can avoid most of the work I have detailed thus far. I am working with OLD, USED equipment and having to clean it up and prepare it for another grow. I did buy new tubes and air stones.

I am also trying to detail a DIY HOW TO using a 5 gallon bucket grow, with 3 grow cups.


I bought my bucket for $5.00 and the lid was $2 extra. The 3.75 inch grow cups were about 60 cents each.
The grow cups are perfect for hydroponic growing, being like little baskets that allow air and water to flow through the roots.

First I get the lid and a grow cup and a black magic marker.
I am using what was called a 3.75 inch grow cup. It is actually 4 inches wide at the widest and it fits into a hole 3.5 to 3.75 inches wide.
Here I am tracing my grow cup with a black magic marker.








After I trace the three holes, I go back and make an inside circle that is 1/4 inch narrower.








I am using a DREMEL power hand tool, to cut the holes. You could use a razor knife or a heated knife blade or a hole cutter from the hardware store.

Now I take my drill, and make a hole very near the top, actually two holes, leaving enough room for the lid to fit on the bucket, but not too low. These are holes for the air stone tubes.








One hole on both sides of the bucket. I could have put them closer to each other.

Now I cut a hole for the Water pump wire.






And Ta Da!



My DIY 5 gallon grow bucket.

QUESTION:
What is with the Water Pumps and Irrigation Hubs?

ANSWER:
One word, BUBBLEPONICS!


I could copy and paste a bunch of technical info here but I'm trying to keep it simple. Earlier, I explained the different Hydroponic systems, and this is about Bubbleponics, the very most efficient fastest growing hydroponic system available. The word BUBBPLEPONICS is actually registered and owned by a friend of mine that owns Stealth Hydroponics.
Simply, it is a system of pumping oxygen enriched and nutrient enriched water to each root base, even when there is no root base and the seed is first germinating and starting its first single root. It is not a stream or strong flow of water, that would drown the sprout. It is just a trickle of a lot of air and a little water, rich in nutrients. As the water is trickled onto the base of the sprout, the roots are fed and then they follow the trickle of water as it falls into the bottom of the tank and re-circulated. The airstones provide a lot of oxygen to the water and the water pump then pumps that oxygen and water to each sprout.
The water pump also moves and stirs the water, and we all know stirring water is cooler and more oxyegenated as it is moved.
I could go on and on, explaining, but the real explanation is in witnessing the rapid growth, especially the first 3 or 4 weeks. I actually have to raise my lights an inch higher every day due to the rapid growth, the first 4 weeks.


To believe it, you will have to see it.


ten days



12 days


15 days



17 days





20 days

I started 3 seeds in soil the same day, to make a comparison, as you see in the pics.

Those first 3 weeks is when the feeding tubes really make a difference.


I started seeds in the soil and in the Bubbleponics system at the same time in these pics. See any difference?

BTW, never bring soil near the Hydro system. I should have never done that. There is a danger of bugs and bug eggs in the soil getting to the baby plants.

I am rinsing my tanks and bucket very good with hot water, they have to be clean, then I am rinsing them again by wiping them down with a thick paper towel full of vinegar.
Then I wipe them dry again.







See the extra holes in the ends of the tank, for adding extra air hoses and air stones:






I cut out that little 1/2 inch cut out to put my wire that runs to the water pump, making it easier to close the lid.








And here you see the black magic marker line I made to show me the 6 gallon water level line.

Here, I am cutting my tubes to a 12 inch lenght, to run each from the Irrigation Hub to the Grow Cups. I will probably trim them shorter later when I attach them. They should not all be the same lenght. The cneter ones can be just 7 inches long.
And again, if you bought the kit, they come already cut and attached. My old lines were full of calcium and lime deposits, commonly called water salts or water minerals, so I bought new tubing.










I needed SIX for each tank or bucket.

Hmmmmm. The ones in the tub look much bigger & very healthy, except that
runt. Remember if it caught up to the others? I love hydro!

Time to assemble the 5 gallon bucket contents together.

I am attaching the Feeder Tubes to the Hub.









I use some 1/2 ounce fishing weights to hold my airstones down. I 've seen some growers just allow them to swim around. They do tend to want to float. I've seen some growers glue them down too. In my first couple of grows, I simply ran the air line UNDER the water pump to hold down
the air stone. Then I used a 4 inch round airstone, they put out a lot of air too. The more I learned about more OXEGENATION makes faster growth, the more I figured an additioanl air stone was wise. To add more air, I simply added a 2nd airstone. I highly recommend a 2nd air stone be added, but it is not necesary. I've seen successful grows done with a one inch air stone bubbler, made for aquariums.
The smallest of airpumps will power two airstones easily.
You shouldn't churn the water violently with air and damage baby roots.

I used two weights on each airstone tied with plastic fishing line.
These are smaller, 8 inch air stones.






Attaching the Air Tubes.





In the bucket they go.


The top of the Irrigation Hub should be centered in the bucket. The airlines run through the holes, out of the bucket, to the air pump.

I have too much feeder tubing, and I will trim it later. I run it into the center of the grow cup. It will butt right into the rockwool cube. On this 3 cup bucket, each cup will get two feeder tubes.

Time for the 8 gallon, 6 cup tanks to be assembled.

I sat this assembly in the floor just to show you what it looks like, completely assembled.







For these tanks, I am using two 14 inch airstones. Overkill? Yes, but I believe in lots of oxygen to make them grow faster.





The air lines are seen here.

I am trying to show different angles in the pics, to give you an idea of how it is done.
Here is the last pump and hub.









I reach through the holes in the lid, to find a feeder tube and insert it into the grow cup. My feeder tubes are too long, and I will cut them shorter, when I put the rockwool cubes in.





The above lid will easily snap shut. It will snap shut without the cut out. I just think it helps some. I guess I am a little articulate or meticulous about this. (I bet that was misspelled), correct later)
You don't have to be as precise as I attempt.

Lookin good, keep it comin!!

Roseman,

I noticed that in the picture where the pump is running through the manifold, the water appears to be flowing in a constant stream. Can you please clarify the ammount of water coming out of the 1/4" tubes? My understanding was that it should be somewhere around 1.5gph (4l/h for me) but it looks a lot more.

Damn, Roseman, you've been busy!

just joined and subscribed. keep it up im taking notes ha

Awesome, thanks for sharing!!