Will this idea work?
- Thread starter DenverDango
- Start date
DenverDango
Member
It would pretty much be a ebb and flow/Dec system, the chiller would keep the res cool, and I would "flood" x amount of times a day, keeping the water level and temp pretty constant. But I've never ran a chiller so I'm not sure were it would be optimal in the system.
DenverDango
Member
And would the return or "drain" natually go back into the res after over flowing from the buckets?
redi jedi
Well-Known Member
I get ya...so the pump will be on a timer? If so, that's no good for the chiller. They need to have constant flow. You would need another pump to cycle the res through the chiller. Then you need to make sure there's still enough water in the res after a flood cycle so the pump/chiller doesn't run dry waiting for return water.
redi jedi
Well-Known Member
I dont see why it wouldn't? I would make the drains larger dia than supply and the most direct route back to res...just to insure.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
I use pretty much the same ideal but with trays and multiple suspended pots. I dont use air stonesand keep the system pump running all the time for waterfall effect. My pumps feed from the bottom so if pump quits all water drains out and roots dont drown. You may want to add a couple of overflow tubes running back to res from pails so when you ebb/flow fitting gets plugged by roots it doesnt flood out. Saved my ass a couple of times 
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NeverOutgunned
Well-Known Member
No.
1) Need pump/ extra line for chiller.
2) Need something under your tote that's going to collect the large amount of condensation the chiller is going to create.(I'm assuming your indoors)
3) Your current feeding/watering line is too low, the base (especially if you're using clay) of your plant is going to dry out.
4) you're return line is too high, sediment, salts, etc.. are going to collect on the bottom of your bucket, also the condensation issue again is going to occur with your bucket due to cold water.
solution:
1) Ditch the chiller unless you really need it, look towards ventilation or hood cooling if possible.
2) Ditch tote for a 5 gallon bucket, and keep this feeding bucket Aerated. Switch to top feed/ watering with drip stakes or equal.
3) Position your return line where your air stones are located in your plant bucket drawing or on the side of the buckets as low as possible and ditch the air stones in the plant buckets. Raising your plant buckets will returns most water back to your feeding bucket. The higher the plant buckets, the less to almost no water on the bottom. This will give your roots Aeroponic suspension as long as you use clay pellets for the base, keep the plant bucket sealed from light, and water 2-3 times for 10-15 min during lights on. You can also install a line shut off valve on each return line to assure the plant buckets fill up and your roots become saturated before draining and beginning the next suspension period.
1) Need pump/ extra line for chiller.
2) Need something under your tote that's going to collect the large amount of condensation the chiller is going to create.(I'm assuming your indoors)
3) Your current feeding/watering line is too low, the base (especially if you're using clay) of your plant is going to dry out.
4) you're return line is too high, sediment, salts, etc.. are going to collect on the bottom of your bucket, also the condensation issue again is going to occur with your bucket due to cold water.
solution:
1) Ditch the chiller unless you really need it, look towards ventilation or hood cooling if possible.
2) Ditch tote for a 5 gallon bucket, and keep this feeding bucket Aerated. Switch to top feed/ watering with drip stakes or equal.
3) Position your return line where your air stones are located in your plant bucket drawing or on the side of the buckets as low as possible and ditch the air stones in the plant buckets. Raising your plant buckets will returns most water back to your feeding bucket. The higher the plant buckets, the less to almost no water on the bottom. This will give your roots Aeroponic suspension as long as you use clay pellets for the base, keep the plant bucket sealed from light, and water 2-3 times for 10-15 min during lights on. You can also install a line shut off valve on each return line to assure the plant buckets fill up and your roots become saturated before draining and beginning the next suspension period.
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Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
IMO do not ditch the chiller. One of the keys to a successful plant and healthy root mass is water temp control. You will find that a chiller, while not a must have, is probably one of the most recommended parts of a hydro setup, wish I could utilize one. Yes condensation will be an issue but insulating the pails/totes would be advantages anyways to lower cost of chiller. The nice thing with an ebb/flow fitting is, its adjustable so you can raise and lower the water level keeping it higher to start. Never has some great points though, having the water drop onto water surface would probably create the required DO, doing away with the need for an airpump. My inlet (before switching to aero) had enough flow to actually hit the top and create a water fountain and massive amounts of DO. Having run both flooded (cont. recirc,) and non flooded (timed) systems I would have to say the flooded seemed to do better but it was like an NFT on steroids lol, with a constant 500 gph running through the trays 24/7 with a root zone depth of 8-10" . In my areo system I have tried many different spray times and really the continuos spray at lights on and three through lights off seemed to work best for me, keeping in mind its low pressure. One of the keys to my success in hydro using Rock wool starter cubes in balls was to limit watering to the bare minimum until roots were established. The seedlings seem to do better top watering until the roots were a few inches long at that point I'd hit the switch and have the water level just at pot level.
NeverOutgunned
Well-Known Member
If the chiller is an absolute necessity then use it, otherwise its an expensive overkill alternative to an easily managable factor. I doubt he's running 5000w hps for a two bucket system.
Aeroponics > Ebb & Flow, that's not even an argument. Finally, K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid)
Aeroponics > Ebb & Flow, that's not even an argument. Finally, K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid)
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ttystikk
Well-Known Member
This seems like a hybrid RDWC/ebb n flood system. My advice is to pick one or the other of these systems and just build that instead of trying to reinvent the hydro wheel.
If you build ebb n flood, you won't need a chiller.
If you build RDWC, you won't need a separate res.
If you build ebb n flood, you won't need a chiller.
If you build RDWC, you won't need a separate res.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
I run 1200 watts and in the spring and fall when the ambient temps are low 70's and my room/shed gets up to high 70's, trying to keep res below 70 can be difficult if not impossible. But yes as I said its not imperative and can be worked around. And yup I agree keep it simple stupid lol.
NeverOutgunned
Well-Known Member
I have a 15x15 sealed indoor grow room. I run 3600 watts x 4 tables with 4 different 9gal reservoirs I don't even bother checking the temps in the res because unless the water is really warm( root rot) its not a big issue.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Sealed with ac, perfect, wish I could. My extension cord is to small lol.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
What is your res temp? If I run much above 70 yup roots suffer.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
You're running 14,400W in there? Of what kind of lighting? What's your W/ft²?
My rack has 144 ft² of space on it and I've never put over 4500W in there.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Are you talking about what I had tty? If yes thats exactly what I had and it was just a matter of turning on timer and I had ebb and flood lol. I actually found the plants did better with constant circ so stop flooding and just let it go. Wasnt really trying to reinvent as much as making the girls happy. Also I lose power here a lot so with my setup it drains when power goes down and plants can stay healthy for quite some time unlike a rdwc.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Using a small circulation pump and putting it on a battery backup will solve the power outage issue.
NeverOutgunned
Well-Known Member
No, 3500 divided by four trays. With 12 in each tray. No ac. Good venilation with a seperate intake for my 8 flange hood. 2-8inch fans bring in air, and a 6 inch 600cfm fan exhaust it via a scrubber.