Fallponics vs Under Current

vorus

vorus

Well-Known Member
Hello!
I am not even sure if I used the names correctly, but I am about to build a 6 plant rdwc system very soon... I have come across 2 types of designs, one of which is the very common type that I believe is called "under current", where all the flow is sucked back into the main reservoir and later pushed from there to the plant buckets, such as this (imagine 6 :smile:):

ca8deeb918b2c46f0d3a4f9dd50a60c3.jpg

And the other is "fallponics", where the water is sucked FROM the main reservoir and pushed to each plant bucket from the top, like this:

IMG_5897__26276.1600371697 (1).jpg

Now with the fallponics system I apparently will have to add a valve as seen in the picture because the water pumped from the reservoir splits to 2 vs 4 buckets from the connection and the 2's side has a faster flow if not corrected with the valve.

The fallponics will have more aerated water as it will have a waterfall in each bucket but I'm afraid will also cause a lot of noise which might get frustrating after a while (although the system will obviously be in a seperate room).

Do any of you guys see any advantages/disadvantages of building one or the other of these systems? The usual under current one seems to be simpler and good enough but if the fallponics would have an obvious better outcome, I will definitely go for it...

What do you say?
 
H1ghTime

H1ghTime

Well-Known Member
Personally i would choose the latter.

The water fall wont be that loud, better than having air stones and air pumps are noisy and very annoying after awhile.

Air stones will do more harm than good with rdwc, you don't need them.

Also if feeding from the top, the water falling through the basket is creating its own waterfall.
 
vorus

vorus

Well-Known Member
H1ghTime said:
Personally i would choose the latter.

The water fall wont be that loud, better than having air stones and air pumps are noisy and very annoying after awhile.

Air stones will do more harm than good with rdwc, you don't need them.
Click to expand...
Hmmm... I didn't think I wouldn't need air stones with fallponics. The above picture is from PA Hydro's site and he has a youtube video for building the system yourself, he actually drills holes for air tubes (the green tubes in the picture actually). Now you got me baffled...
 
redi jedi

redi jedi

Well-Known Member
The fallponics system in the picture is using waterfalls and airstones. One or the other is all thats really needed.

Airstones and pumps work fine. The downsides are having to clean the stones every run or replace them.

Im assuming the small green tubing is airline.
 
Z

zacuriah

Active Member
I just got the fallponics system and built it like the current culture system in a straight line. I have air stones in each nd I also put PAH bottom drain system in it. I just got clones in it and have haze it running for about a week. I love it set up this way and the buckets all stay level. I did a ton of research on both these systems and have asked both the companies a ton of questions so ask away and I'll help as much as I can.
 

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vorus

vorus

Well-Known Member
redi jedi said:
The fallponics system in the picture is using waterfalls and airstones. One or the other is all thats really needed.

Airstones and pumps work fine. The downsides are having to clean the stones every run or replace them.

Im assuming the small green tubing is airline.
Click to expand...
Cleaning them is no problem since I'll already be rinsing the whole system with h2o2 after every run but after @H1ghTime mentioned it, I looked up and saw that airstones is not really a necessity if the system is built with the waterfall idea in each bucket because the oxygen is not pumped IN but it comes from the surface of the water and causing it to bubble on the surface helps it get more oxygenated. Since the waterfall will prevent the water from being still, I think I'll go with the fallponics system and just ditch the airstones... another con from the airstones is pumping heat in the water apparently, and I cannot afford to buy a chiller as of yet.
 
vorus

vorus

Well-Known Member
zacuriah said:
I just got the fallponics system and built it like the current culture system in a straight line. I have air stones in each nd I also put PAH bottom drain system in it. I just got clones in it and have haze it running for about a week. I love it set up this way and the buckets all stay level. I did a ton of research on both these systems and have asked both the companies a ton of questions so ask away and I'll help as much as I can.
Click to expand...
Nice build man! I'd definitely go with their system if I was living in the states... but they do not ship internationally, and it'd cost a lot even if they did. One thing though, I didn't understand why you didn't choose to pump the water to every plant bucket instead of pumping it back in the res... In all the videos Gary seemed to do it that way? Or maybe I missed this one... anyway, it looks good.

If you could read my above post, I've read people saying that the air pump actually pumps heat in the water. Do you feel your airline tubing getting hot?
 
Z

zacuriah

Active Member
@vorus yes all that you said is correct. I deleted the waterfall portion because the way I built it in a straight line I was told I would have a lot of problems with the water level staying the same in each bucket. Yes the green is air line.
 
redi jedi

redi jedi

Well-Known Member
vorus said:
Cleaning them is no problem since I'll already be rinsing the whole system with h2o2 after every run but after @H1ghTime mentioned it, I looked up and saw that airstones is not really a necessity if the system is built with the waterfall idea in each bucket because the oxygen is not pumped IN but it comes from the surface of the water and causing it to bubble on the surface helps it get more oxygenated. Since the waterfall will prevent the water from being still, I think I'll go with the fallponics system and just ditch the airstones... another con from the airstones is pumping heat in the water apparently, and I cannot afford to buy a chiller as of yet.
Click to expand...
Heat from an air pump is bullshit. Unless its a huge pump and you have a couple of tiny airstones it shouldnt be a problem...anyways, you might not need a chiller. Depends on your water. I suggest either a 'sterile' or beneficial bacteria approach and insulating your system. The mylar bubble wrap works well.
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
Yep, attempting to mitigate funk growing in your rez means using bennies to out-populate bad bugs, or running a sterile system.
It's even more challenging if your running leds, because your room temps are going to be in the low 80's.
Although I finally relented and bought a chiller a couple of years ago, I ran for many years with just bennies and prayers.
I like simplicity in my system, so I utilized the return stream from the pump to generate waterfalls in each of my 17 gal totes. Works very well.
 
myke

myke

Well-Known Member
Ive always said you should have twice the water outside the room then in.So 5 g buckets with 4 gallons in ea.I usually run 4 and i have about 30 gal in my res.OUTSIDE the room in a cool spot.I cant imagine having to pay for a chiller.

Air stones,small air and recirculate pump is all you need,Water goes in the top via hose something soft/flexible about 3/8ID.A T in the res to make a waterfall.

Hydro works with the most simplest set ups,sure you can over engineer it,spend lots on tubing etc.But in the end its more work and plants grow the same.
 

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R

RCJR

Active Member
vorus said:
Hmmm... I didn't think I wouldn't need air stones with fallponics. The above picture is from PA Hydro's site and he has a youtube video for building the system yourself, he actually drills holes for air tubes (the green tubes in the picture actually). Now you got me baffled...
Click to expand...
I have garys fallponics system. Works great! I don't run an air pump because the waterfall must do enough to keep the plants happy.
 
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