rdwc question

callies

callies

Active Member
i want to set up a recirculating dwc set up for one plant

do i just put two buckets next to each other and connect then at the bottom with one big pipe

do i put the pump in the bucket with out the plant and have it pump in to the bucket with the plant and use gravity to move the water back in to the bucket with the pump
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Well, you're going to have to do some reading and learning. It's too broad of a question to answer, even with a long response.

Take a look at my RDWC/UC thread. You'll learn a lot about setting up an RDWC.

I start off with buckets, but a few pages in, I change my setup to use HDX 27-gallon totes. Without even knowing your proposed grow space, we can't even give you advice on the proper sized lights, fans, etc...
 
callies

callies

Active Member
JSB99 said:
Well, you're going to have to do some reading and learning. It's too broad of a question to answer, even with a long response.

Take a look at my RDWC/UC thread. You'll learn a lot about setting up an RDWC.

I start off with buckets, but a few pages in, I change my setup to use HDX 27-gallon totes. Without even knowing your proposed grow space, we can't even give you advice on the proper sized lights, fans, etc...
Click to expand...
i thought my question was easy to answer you are way over thinking
im 90% sure the way i am thinking of doing it will work
 
callies

callies

Active Member
callies said:
i thought my question was easy to answer you are way over thinking
im 90% sure the way i am thinking of doing it will work
Click to expand...
two buckets one plants. do i only need to connect the two buckets with one pipe at the bottom and use one pump to transfer water
 
Joint Monster

Joint Monster

Well-Known Member
callies said:
i thought my question was easy to answer you are way over thinking
im 90% sure the way i am thinking of doing it will work
Click to expand...
He is over-thinking, because he's a freaking walking encyclopedia on this subject and there are just that many factors to consider.

You could do a waterfall with just one single bucket. (But then, will the pump heat up your water real fast because it's a small amount of water?)

Then maybe go with a simple air stone if just one bucket?

Or get a prebuilt single bucket unit?

Or multi unit water farm?

You see, once you start digging, the digging doesn't stop. Focus in one a specific style and setup and come with a specific question might help you get the answer you were looking for.
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
See, the thing is, regardless of whether it's a single site, or 20, he concepts are the same. Difference being that equipment scales according to how many buckets there are in the system.

The absolute easiest setup is the 5-gallon bubbling bucket. The next step up from that would be an RDWC, which would require the addition of a water pump and, and two links between the bucket and reservoir. One for sending water to the plant bucket, and one to return the water to the reservoir. The size of the pump(s), pipes, and tubes depends on the total number of gallons/litres in the system. Lots of info out there on how to select the correct pump sizes, how to connect buckets/reservoirs with bulkheads, and how large the diameter of the pipes and tubes.

Doing RDWC correctly is fairly technical, even though the concept seems easy enough. It gets complicated when you get into the details, like water temps, circulation rates, adequate dissolved oxygen, etc...
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Not trying to discourage you, just saying that you'll need to do some research and reading on RDWC to learn the key concepts. Just asking how you do RDWC in a forum isn't going to get you the quick answers. It's already been written :)

Again, read my thread. Even though I start off with 4 buckets and a reservoir, the concept is exactly the same with a single bucket and reservoir. However, read further into the thread, because I make some very important improvements.

After you've read up on RDWC, let us know if you need some help :)
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
callies said:
two buckets one plants. do i only need to connect the two buckets with one pipe at the bottom and use one pump to transfer water
Click to expand...
Honestly, there is no reason to do this. Primary reason for a recirc is to increase total volume of solution the plant has access to. Just grow in a larger container if you're only running a single plant-no need for complexity.
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
GBAUTO said:
Honestly, there is no reason to do this. Primary reason for a recirc is to increase total volume of solution the plant has access to. Just grow in a larger container if you're only running a single plant-no need for complexity.
Click to expand...
Agree
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
GBAUTO said:
Honestly, there is no reason to do this. Primary reason for a recirc is to increase total volume of solution the plant has access to. Just grow in a larger container if you're only running a single plant-no need for complexity.
Click to expand...
What might work better is upsizing the bucket to a tote, depending on the space.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Single tote DWC would be a lot simpler and easier that setting up RDWC for one plant.

No water pumps to fail or fittings below the waterline to leak. Rubbermaid tub with 2 - 12" airstones and a cheap dual outlet aquarium pump and off you go. Drill the holes for the airlines under one of the handles on the tub and it's impossible for a leak to happen. With the dual outlet pump if one side fails the other will keep pushing plenty enough air to prevent problems. I've done 50 tubs like that since '01 and never had a leak or total pump failure. No nute lines to plug up or drains to get choked with roots either. There is no need for top feeding with DWC either once roots are grown out of the net pots and a turkey baster can be used to water the pots until the roots emerge. Usually twice a day for 4 or 5 days.

KISS, (Keep It Simple Stoner!), is a great philosophy and I live by it wherever possible. RO water and pH Perfect nutes make it damn near foolproof. Top up with RO, check ppm and adjust if needed then go back in 3 days and do it again.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Joint Monster said:
You see, once you start digging, the digging doesn't stop. Focus in one a specific style and setup and come with a specific question might help you get the answer you were looking for.
Click to expand...
That's great advice right there! Pick the method first then build your system to suit. Hard to do for a total nOOb with zero knowledge but not hard to figure out if you do some reading in a few forums first which many are too lazy to do.

GreatJob.gif
 
callies

callies

Active Member
i already grow single bucket dwc with the air stone but i find it annoying to top up the bucket so hints why i was thinking ill do a single bucket recirculating so then i dont have to lift the lid of the bucket that has the plant in it
best advise given is this ( the pump will heat up your water real fast because it's a small amount of water) i didnt consider that.
that alone might be a deal barker for my plan.
i use to grow in a tent but now i am a cupboard grower for stealth reasons. i run my plant and dwc bucket in one cupboard with my extract and intake, air pump in a second cupboard. i was thinking i could put the second rez in the cupboard with my fans and pumps with two pipes going though the wall connecting them both
im only half way though my build i need to add sound dampening foam and re mounts the fans and upgrade my light and rez setup but for now im still thinking of ways to make things easier for me to change my rez before going out and buying new tots or buckets
the photos is abit shitty but you can see what im going for. i was thinking of dividing the second cupboard so i can have the rez isolated from the heat of my grow light
 

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JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
callies said:
i already grow single bucket dwc with the air stone but i find it annoying to top up the bucket so hints why i was thinking ill do a single bucket recirculating so then i dont have to lift the lid of the bucket that has the plant in it
best advise given is this ( the pump will heat up your water real fast because it's a small amount of water) i didnt consider that.
that alone might be a deal barker for my plan.
i use to grow in a tent but now i am a cupboard grower for stealth reasons. i run my plant and dwc bucket in one cupboard with my extract and intake, air pump in a second cupboard. i was thinking i could put the second rez in the cupboard with my fans and pumps with two pipes going though the wall connecting them both
im only half way though my build i need to add sound dampening foam and re mounts the fans and upgrade my light and rez setup but for now im still thinking of ways to make things easier for me to change my rez before going out and buying new tots or buckets
the photos is abit shitty but you can see what im going for. i was thinking of dividing the second cupboard so i can have the rez isolated from the heat of my grow light
Click to expand...
What you're looking for is a "top-off reservoir". You can have a large container of soup, ready to go, and then feed that to the bucket, using one of couple methods.
  • Gravity feed - Have the reservoir higher than the bucket, then use a valve and tube to feed the bucket. You can use a float valve, which will keep the bucket topped off automatically, or a manual ball valve.
  • Water pump - you can have your reservoir way out of the way, hen use a water pump to feed the bucket. There are automatic switches that can turn your pump on when the water drops, or you can just plug in the pump when needed.
 
callies

callies

Active Member
JSB99 said:
What you're looking for is a "top-off reservoir". You can have a large container of soup, ready to go, and then feed that to the bucket, using one of couple methods.
  • Gravity feed - Have the reservoir higher than the bucket, then use a valve and tube to feed the bucket. You can use a float valve, which will keep the bucket topped off automatically, or a manual ball valve.
  • Water pump - you can have your reservoir way out of the way, hen use a water pump to feed the bucket. There are automatic switches that can turn your pump on when the water drops, or you can just plug in the pump when needed.
Click to expand...
non of them systems would allow me to adjust my ph and ec with out accessing the main bucket. if i was only wanting to top up with not adjusting id use one of them
 
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