Cant use full reservoir because feed line is lower than max water height. Help!

[Mosey3012]

Hey,

I feel like this is a simple plumbing concept that Ive clearly overlooked and hope someone here could explain to me what I need to do to fix it.

I have a 50 gallon water drum that I use as my main reservoir for the system that Im running. The system is using The Bucket Companys 3 gallon pots. Im running drain to waste. Everything is automated.

The 50 gallon drum stands 35” tall. The feed line for the plants comes up to 17”. The equivalent of 17” high in the resivoir is for the sake of simplicity 25 gallons. Theres a sump pump at the bottom of the res that has a hose connected to it that simply comes out the top of the barrel and back over its side to connect to the feed line. The hose is 10 ft long.

The issue im running into. If I fill the res up to 50 gallon mark, once the pump starts its feeding cycle it will run its 22 second cycle and then shut off, however because the water lvl in the res is higher than the feed line the water will continue to slowly just force trickel itself down to that 17” feed like mark.

Ive just delt with it thru my first grow but would like to mod the system so that it will only pump what I set it to.

I tried hanging the hose up higher than the res but its only 10 feet didnt appear to work. The 10 feet also doesnt have much slack but Id be willing to try that again.

What do you suggest I do to fix this issue? Id like to use all 50 gallons in the furure.

 

[bk78]

One way check valves like this. I run them in both my rooms with full reservoirs without a issue

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[amneziaHaze]

if you put a hole in your house close to the pump air will be able to go inside it and it should relese the pressure. that way water goes in only when pump is on because its using a strong pressure.saw it https://www.youtube.com/c/BuildASoil/videos but i am too high to find what video that was. he was outside the tent with a huge reservour and a monster of a pump

 

[BurnzAU]

One way valve since you are fully automated.

I ran into a similar issue, except I go into my room everytime and press a button to water. I just put a ball valve at the start of my feed line at the entrance of my room, and close the valve when I finish watering.

 

[waterproof808]

if you put a hole in your house close to the pump air will be able to go inside it and it should relese the pressure. that way water goes in only when pump is on because its using a strong pressure.saw it https://www.youtube.com/c/BuildASoil/videos but i am too high to find what video that was. he was outside the tent with a huge reservour and a monster of a pump

I dont recommend putting holes in your feed lines, that will just limit the maximum psi in your system. One way check valves or an air relief valve are super cheap and easy to install.

 

[Ice Cubez]

If losing a bit of pressure isn't an issue this simple fix will solve your issue.

 

[EarthAngel]

if you put a hole in your house close to the pump air will be able to go inside it and it should relese the pressure. that way water goes in only when pump is on because its using a strong pressure.saw it https://www.youtube.com/c/BuildASoil/videos but i am too high to find what video that was. he was outside the tent with a huge reservour and a monster of a pump

 

[Bookush34]

What I did was in my main line off the sump pump I put a small fitting the shoots back down into the Rez. It helps mix and airrate when the pump is running. And when the pump shuts off it’s breaks the vacuum and drains back into the Rez. No more syphoning.

 

[jondamon]

Hey,

I feel like this is a simple plumbing concept that Ive clearly overlooked and hope someone here could explain to me what I need to do to fix it.

I have a 50 gallon water drum that I use as my main reservoir for the system that Im running. The system is using The Bucket Companys 3 gallon pots. Im running drain to waste. Everything is automated.

The 50 gallon drum stands 35” tall. The feed line for the plants comes up to 17”. The equivalent of 17” high in the resivoir is for the sake of simplicity 25 gallons. Theres a sump pump at the bottom of the res that has a hose connected to it that simply comes out the top of the barrel and back over its side to connect to the feed line. The hose is 10 ft long.

The issue im running into. If I fill the res up to 50 gallon mark, once the pump starts its feeding cycle it will run its 22 second cycle and then shut off, however because the water lvl in the res is higher than the feed line the water will continue to slowly just force trickel itself down to that 17” feed like mark.

Ive just delt with it thru my first grow but would like to mod the system so that it will only pump what I set it to.

I tried hanging the hose up higher than the res but its only 10 feet didnt appear to work. The 10 feet also doesnt have much slack but Id be willing to try that again.

What do you suggest I do to fix this issue? Id like to use all 50 gallons in the furure.

I did this to mine.

It allows me to shut off the main feed line and adjust the back flow pressure to compensate for more or less feed lines by adjusting the tap inside the res.