For All Cap Ebb and Grow Users

DailyBlastin

Well-Known Member
Yeah I am done with my stg experiment in this system. But with the rocks it is great.

If you want to do a good cleaning or rearrange the buckets how do you go about getting the water out of the controller bucket, lines, and outer buckets without getting water everywhere?
as far as not getting water everywhere my best attempts at that (still got some water on the floor but not much) was done by temporarily elevating my pots with some 2x4s just enough to get all the water to run back to the control bucket, then using one of these bad boys to suck it out of the control and spit into a 5gal bucket to be dumped outside.Stream-Machine-TL-750_20170711-235621_fullsize.jpg
 

blackrex

Active Member
So all is well transplanted those girls three days ago, afgan kush clones, and a blue haze, do they look ok. I'm using pbg and green planet gp3 for everything else the micro, the bloom and the vita thrive. Any help appreciated.
 

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blackrex

Active Member
The ebb and grow systems are awsome, the capp system is junk, the floats get stuck , it's not hard to make a industrial strength one with a good times and good floats, I have some pictures on my computer back home showing how to make one, you could make the buckets as large as you need, when I get back home I will also post a picture if you want of the plants I am growing under double neders now, freaking massive plants for indoors , the room is not set correctly yet as am helping another grower raise production and quality up, this is in Michigan, I have to hand it to you , you have skills,
Hey if ur gonna post those pics I'd be interested, I check my floats functionality everyday wipe them down make sure they aren't sticking make sure they do what they are supposed to. But def looking for a diff set up. Wanna do the oxygen pot style. Any opinions, failed miserably at building a rdwc, gonna try again tho.
 

Mmcary82

Well-Known Member
Hey if ur gonna post those pics I'd be interested, I check my floats functionality everyday wipe them down make sure they aren't sticking make sure they do what they are supposed to. But def looking for a diff set up. Wanna do the oxygen pot style. Any opinions, failed miserably at building a rdwc, gonna try again tho.
Hey if ur gonna post those pics I'd be interested, I check my floats functionality everyday wipe them down make sure they aren't sticking make sure they do what they are supposed to. But def looking for a diff set up. Wanna do the oxygen pot style. Any opinions, failed miserably at building a rdwc, gonna try again tho.
the bubble pot / oxygen pot system is simple and great for winter time or if you have a way to keep your water temps down like a chiller or a good climate controlled space. I wouldnt recommend it otherwise because your roots sit in water and as the water temps rise much over 75f degrees, water cannot hold enough O2 for the roots and that warm of water also invites a lot of trouble, disease, algae etc.
 

Mmcary82

Well-Known Member
Hey if ur gonna post those pics I'd be interested, I check my floats functionality everyday wipe them down make sure they aren't sticking make sure they do what they are supposed to. But def looking for a diff set up. Wanna do the oxygen pot style. Any opinions, failed miserably at building a rdwc, gonna try again tho.
I haven't used an ebb and gro system but I like the concept. I hear of users having issues with the float switch mechanisms though. My idea was to apply their controller to a system using larger size sites, reservoir and pumps. Something I would like to play around with someday. Do you know what is the difference between the old style and the new style as far as the controller part is concerned? Is it reliable? Should I just build my own?
yeah I’ve never had an issue with the float systems As I do a clean / sanitize in between grow cycles but I could see that for sure with a larger more commercial operation with heavy salt build up or sticky organic foam gumming it up a bit. If that became a issue and wasn’t a feasible way the remedy the situation I would defiantly be aggravated and build a more dependable controller bucket for sure. I think for what it is, the simplicity, the price point, it’s a good introduction into hydroponics and a good solid option for the small scale hobby growers. Which is the majority of growers. With a few cycles under your belt you can modify what you have or take a trip to the hardware store and design a badass system. Now that you have a understanding of how ebb and grow bucket systems work.
 

blackrex

Active Member
the bubble pot / oxygen pot system is simple and great for winter time or if you have a way to keep your water temps down like a chiller or a good climate controlled space. I wouldnt recommend it otherwise because your roots sit in water and as the water temps rise much over 75f degrees, water cannot hold enough O2 for the roots and that warm of water also invites a lot of trouble, disease, algae etc.
I am in a basement so temps are easy to remedy always about 65 in there, my res is obviously outside my actual room. In my room ambient temp is 78 degrees with 60% rh and night time stays anywhere between 65 and 78 in the room with my girls, about 45%rh is the lowest humidity has gotten. My tap water comes out the tap about 170ppm and about 50 degrees year round, also out the tap pH is 7.0. so I have other issues gonna invest in a 500 gallon vat of ph down if any one is interested in a group buy. Haha
 

Mmcary82

Well-Known Member
I am in a basement so temps are easy to remedy always about 65 in there, my res is obviously outside my actual room. In my room ambient temp is 78 degrees with 60% rh and night time stays anywhere between 65 and 78 in the room with my girls, about 45%rh is the lowest humidity has gotten. My tap water comes out the tap about 170ppm and about 50 degrees year round, also out the tap pH is 7.0. so I have other issues gonna invest in a 500 gallon vat of ph down if any one is interested in a group buy. Haha
My tap water is 60ppm and a ph of 5.6..i live under a aquifer.. really good water.
 

Joe80

Active Member
I've used trough floats for years never had a problem. They are like 10 bucks at tractor supply. I thought I could do better with undercurrent or coco. Currently rebuilding my systems.
 

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TS23

Member
Where is the cheapest place to buy grodan croutons in bulk? I am needing to fill 96 active aqua 2 gallon buckets
 

Mrblaze212

Well-Known Member
I have a hydrofarm ebb and grow 5 gal system. The roots keep clogging the drain lines in early flower, I even trimmed the roots twice in veg. Any suggestions to solve this problem?
I am thinking fabric pots in the unit or possible paint strainer bags.
Thanks for any help
 
I have a hydrofarm ebb and grow 5 gal system. The roots keep clogging the drain lines in early flower, I even trimmed the roots twice in veg. Any suggestions to solve this problem?
I am thinking fabric pots in the unit or possible paint strainer bags.
Thanks for any help
Yeah they will..and I will tell you what works . Copper...cooper fittings, copper pipes, a find mesh copper over fittings..there's even a coper product you can buy, or make yourself that you paint on the fittings and inside of bucket to discourage root growth. There will be some people that will argue against using copper but they probably don't have the issue and certainty don't have any better advice to use other then copper. The only other tool you got is to lift the plants up every couple weeks and check for problems..if you use a trellis net, that will be impossible most likely. Anyways good luck.
 
See another MicroKote, spin out hater...he's probably never even tried it...copper is a necessary micronutrient the plants use..the biggest thing I have read is the potential negative effects on the taproot when growing from seed. After using MicroKote, my plants end up being heathier overall because the roots don't clog the drain fitting and the root zone is much stronger and thicker. Apparently BK78 would like to chim in and tell you not to listen to me, and offer you better advice.
 

gr865

Well-Known Member
I have a hydrofarm ebb and grow 5 gal system. The roots keep clogging the drain lines in early flower, I even trimmed the roots twice in veg. Any suggestions to solve this problem?
I am thinking fabric pots in the unit or possible paint strainer bags.
Thanks for any help
I too am using the Active Aqua Gro & Flo, and I put a copper screen over my drain. I am in the third week of flower and have had no issues with root clogging. I will post some pics tomorrow.
 

gr865

Well-Known Member
I too am using the Active Aqua Gro & Flo, and I put a copper screen over my drain. I am in the third week of flower and have had no issues with root clogging. I will post some pics tomorrow.
Here are a few pics of my screen.
Roots in the pot.
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The screen in the bottom of the bucket.
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The screen removed from the pot. There is no roots trying to grow in the drain at all.
Before I added the screen there were roots trying to grow in the drain.
20230216_102619.jpg20230216_102627.jpg

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Bottom of the bucket with screen removed, only roots are broken from removing the plant from the bucket.
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Roots, shot, from the bottom, you can see there is not damage to the roots using the screen.
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The plant in that pot.
20230216_102742.jpg
 
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