Setting up dtw coco 2.5x5 tent

Good eye on spotting the integrated valves.

I'd first confirm that they're actually all the way open.

Drop That Sound said:

Change your 8 way orbit manifold to one that is "full flow". Those adjustable ones are too restrictive IMO.

EDIT: Probably better to add a T with a couple elbows, and put two of the free flowing 4 way ones on instead of the bigger 8 port you have. It's likely your bottle neck.

Click to expand...

Not sure I understand the edit. Is it tough for the water to disperse in the 8 manifold so use two 4 port manifolds instead? Not sure what you mean by T and elbow, do you have any visuals? Just a T and elbow to make a 4 way port? Im so lost, bare with me.

For example I have a couple 3 way pieces that feed 3 plants instead of a manifold, just connected by 3 way pieces, valves and tubing. Something like that but with T’s and elbows?

Billy the Mountain said:

Good eye on spotting the integrated valves.

I'd first confirm that they're actually all the way open.

Click to expand...

Their all open all the way.

Heres my 3 gallon two plant setup that works great when it has enough root mass up top so it puddles and works its way down but down side is you could just buy two 6” halos.

Thinking I need flora flex plates or something similar home made. Maybe just have it pour onto the plate and flood it.

Maybe use two gallons next time but with big enough pot to use halo. The 3 gallons is overkill some say but the plants are doing just right. One used up the 3 gal up more than the other, had a slight longer veg time.

Need to decide if to do two big plants or 8 small ones but this drip situation isnt easy. Its hooked up as best as possible. Having RH issues during a dry season, 8 plants might push it too much too easily.

Can drilling one too many holes do it? Stressin. Need figure something out asap. Maybe try less holes and use half gal plastic pots so it doesnt try to drain through the fabric so I can puddle it a little.

Challenge is using a small pot that most dtw systems arent meant for but if you cut pot it can drain too fast being too shallow.

With three holes it seems to work but thats poor coverage. Made a pre made drip plate that works better pre made but only a few holes are used but its better dispersement than before.

Heres without the drip plate.

medidedicated said:

With three holes it seems to work but thats poor coverage. Made a pre made drip plate that works better pre made but only a few holes are used but its better dispersement than before.

Heres without the drip plate.

IMG 5224

www.youtube.com

Click to expand...

These give really good coverage. This pic is after 15 seconds. Fills the top of the container almost full.

So floraflex makes 1/2 gallon and 1 gallon. Also 2 gallon if I want to run two big plants again. I think I am missing the answer, just buy the drip system because its clearly better than a halo which no one makes smaller than 6”.

I can buy pots that will fit it but that challenge comes up again of being too shallow, anything under 2 gallons is hard, has to be tall. Filling a pot that fits a halo is hard to do with 2 gal or less without it being too shallow meaning its got ton of runoff before the pot is even properly watered.

So flora flex it is, I am going to call then up and see if they can get me setup which is basically just getting plates that fit the pot. Just saw a video of guy showing everything flora has and I think he said they match a certain way. Just see if the store can help find the right plates for it.

This is cool, I want happy plants with dtw system optimal. Just re use the pots. No more pot shopping, flora flex has it all. Just was looking at them wondering how I would use them if I did. Im getting the 6” ones that have a drip plate like I was making.

Haha, what a relief, I needed figured out asap. I was just trying to do something challenging DIY. I mean, this could work but wont be optimal and leaves can die off from it. Nasties can grow in it.

You need to seal any leaks in the fittings leading up to the manifold first, or you'll never get full pressure anyway. Put a few wraps of teflon around the threads of all the male parts you'll be screwing in, or you'll be sorry!

Yeah, I meant using 2 of the 4 way orbit ports instead. They are full flow, without the adjustable valves. They flow better. Or, get a better pump, maybe?

Does anyone know if buying from floraflex if their pots come with the cap or do you buy that? Hydrobuilder wants 200$ shipping, what the heck… So looking at flora flex but cant ask them till monday. I guess wait till then unless someone knows if they forsure come together.

The caps are a separate item.
I don't recall the details, but I've bought twice directly from Floraflex and shipping was quite reasonable.

Thanks, that helps a lot. I need to buy asap and every site shows it with the cap so I thought it came with it. So thats great to know.

As for my reservoir, its still working strong. Those of you worried about a measly 60 gallon reservoir not holding its water, check this out. 320 gallons lmao.


Although the bowing at the bottom is crazy, the 60 gallon doesnt bow at all, just flexes all around.

You can find their bundles here:

They also have kits that come with a pump
I just bought a couple of these bundles:

Would you do square matrix 6” or 6” single use cap? I think square matrix, looks like has a slower drip which if my system is weaker it might help.

The clips for the tubing for side of pots, are they 3$ a piece or for 100 units like it says? Site seems to be hard for me to navigate, loads of description that lacks the one thing I want to know about item.

edit I figured it out as the single use cap says 200 units so thats just some other info idk. So peobably 3$ each which is a lot but sounds right. Just stressin, cant think straight.

Just been dialing things in non stop but like one said just figure something out and go from there. There is an end in sight though, almost done having to figure things out. Losing control of RH I am pushin it so just tweakin a little bit.

I got everything I should need, just need to see if fixing the manifold can work properly. Paid shipping twice, hope they can correct that.

I can be a spaz and not notice that the cart wasnt updating because theres a update button so the first order is wrong. Not the worse mistake I made but it had no problem remoxing items from cart.

Whatever, its the last damn purchase of pots. That is kind of a relief I didnt know what I was going to do. I dont see how their manifolds would work any better than the one I built.

I got half gal pots with single use caps just plug in tube and play. Now to figure out why 8 plants vs two big plants in the 2.5x5.

Off top of my head I could have plants ready to flip with basic cloning a mother bushed out just enough for 8 cuttings. Flip after 9 weeks but if to veg out a whole 2.5x2.5 area I would prob need another 2-4 weeks veg. 11-13 weeks vs 9.

Airlayering could shave more time off but no less than 2.5 months needed to have plants ready because thats how long it will flower. Might not be needed other than abiding the plant count.

Just journaling to myself right now feel free to comment. I need to write out my plan but doing it here can help with feedback. Feed back got me to this point otherwise I was originally planning a crap show.

For instance it was suggested I could stagger half the tent with younger flower plants and have almost ready plants on other half. Harvest monthly, less RH issues, sounds nice.

Just gets hazey thinking how to line that up. I do have a space filler plant that doubles in size but takes 5 weeks to be ready for that. Does any of this sound like a decent game plan?

Having half tent with younger phased plant in flower did help but now that both are oozing oil its getting in the 50rh and have a ways to go.

Another pro of 8 plants is its easier fillin in space. Where as this time was a gamle which branches will grow as intended. I got lucky but borderline over stuffed the tent but have shallow areas.

Never grew half gal plants in coco though, might be easier to overdo but as stated, half the tent being early flower helps.

What the heck… Nothings changed but plugged in the pump and the diy halos I made that I said werent working, theyre perfectly fine now.. Nothing was kinked before, I literally did nothing different. The mylar diy floracap I made is working too. Well I upgraded anyway, too late. Might as well have an even better working system.

I doubt this but I think its because the 60 gal reservoir is full so more pressure but havent seen that effect on other plants. Will see what happens next time it empties. I need to make antisiphon hole so hopefully that doesnt ruin it too.

I thought it would work with my floraflex setup because the tubes pump water out, it just wasnt working right with the halo.. This is just weird.

Pipe sealant worked, now its just leaking at the tubing nipple elbow thing. About to set it to auto feed once a day 50 seconds.

Do these clones look like they are going to make it? 2 weeks ago potted. Per my notes by now I had a ton of growth last time but these cuttings rooted very slow this time.

They look like they grew a tiny bit but wont know for another week to compare pics as I only just now took them.

So thread sealant I think obviously cannot be used on tubing but got teflon tape anyway in case I needed it and in hind sight did. It all now runs dry.

Only complaint is due to the connection of trays it makes it stiff like its not perfect so there is some gaps that you can feel where the tray isnt perfectly flush to ground.

So one of them puddles a little but not much more than the other does do to being so damn wide.

As for floraflex working with my dumbass, they fixed the order so no double ship payment. Theyre already great to work with so thats cool. Wont mess that up again.

Hose clamps are all you would need to use for connecting the tubing. Probably not even needed though if you have the properly sized tube going over the barbs on the fittings, especially on a low pressure hydro system.

I'd prefer using teflon tape over sealants though, because it's nice to be able to break down the system periodically, to clean out the pipes/manifolds/screens without reapplying new goop every time, but hey whatever keeps it from leaking!

Sounds like you just needed to prime the system to get full pressure to your drip rings?

Drop That Sound said:

Hose clamps are all you would need to use for connecting the tubing. Probably not even needed though if you have the properly sized tube going over the barbs on the fittings, especially on a low pressure hydro system.

I'd prefer using teflon tape over sealants though, because it's nice to be able to break down the system periodically, to clean out the pipes/manifolds/screens without reapplying new goop every time, but hey whatever keeps it from leaking!

Sounds like you just needed to prime the system to get full pressure to your drip rings?

Click to expand...

Its possible that reservoir being full added more pressure, I had this happen with a 95gph pump and 5 gal bucket that when half full or less, the halos lose pressure. Halo was kinked which didnt help, I learned how to make these these halos right after that.

I really am not sure what did it but like you said, I am sure I lost some pressure through the elbows and couplers etc. It had a fast drip to all leaks.