Will this easy RDWC work?

[m420p]

Some people change out their reservoir every week or two.

Lucas states that by using his ratios and top off method one can get 3 grows out of one solution change. Lucas is the same amount of the same 2 nutes from start to finish so there is no need to change the reservoir out. Top it off with 1/3 strength ratio water and in theory you will stay at the proper ppm and ph levels for the entire run. It's STUPID simple.

And I wouldn't suspend my return lines. Get them on the floor.

Ya, I change my non-recirculating DWC every 2 weeks along with topping off and adjusting ppm throughout the week. I understand the point of switching out solutions but if I ran a RDWC would I have to lift up the plants and clean the actual buckets when I change out solution?

 

[BendBrewer]

Not if you put the return lines on the floor. You could just use a shop vac and suck the solution out of the reservoir. It doesn't have to be bone dry and cleaned unless you end up with some funk in there.

I start by just using my pump to pump out most of the solution and use the shop vac on whatever my pump can't pump.

(4 pumps - one sentence!)

 

[m420p]

Not if you put the return lines on the floor. You could just use a shop vac and suck the solution out of the reservoir. It doesn't have to be bone dry and cleaned unless you end up with some funk in there.

I start by just using my pump to pump out most of the solution and use the shop vac on whatever my pump can't pump.

(4 pumps - one sentence!)

lol, 4 pumps, that's cool though, thanks for the info. I also remember reading somewhere that when changing solution they would flush their system with PH'd RO or Distilled water before adding the new nutrients to help clean the buckets and keep funk and stuff out of there. I guess it would also flush your plants at the same time so I wouldn't do it to often.

 

[BendBrewer]

Yeah that flushing stuff seems like a lot of work. Drain and fill and do it all over again the next day? No thanks. My water always has nutes. Start to finish.

 

[m420p]

Yeah that flushing stuff seems like a lot of work. Drain and fill and do it all over again the next day? No thanks. My water always has nutes. Start to finish.

cool, thnx

 

[sicks stuff]

i did some quick thinking about your system.

with a couple of routing changes you can keep your same basic system:



change your pump in location to the bottom of the buckets (on a x-over between buckets) (orange to lower black x-over)

add a water level x-over between buckets (to equalize bucket water level and exchange, this is not 100% critical but an easy and simple way to ensure water turn over) (upper black x-over)

add an outfall line (at critical invert water level, this waterfall will set critical water level in both buckets) return the outfall line to the reservoir (red)

this small modification will help ensure water enriched nutrient turn over from reservoir to all buckets..

[water level in the res. must be lower than bucket water level to ensure that water will not back-flow into the buckets and upset critical water level in the buckets]

hope this helps.

 

[m420p]

i did some quick thinking about your system.

with a couple of routing changes you can keep your same basic system:

View attachment 1749557

change your pump in location to the bottom of the buckets (on a x-over between buckets) (orange to lower black x-over)

add a water level x-over between buckets (to equalize bucket water level and exchange, this is not 100% critical but an easy and simple way to ensure water turn over) (upper black x-over)

add an outfall line (at critical invert water level, this waterfall will set critical water level in both buckets) return the outfall line to the reservoir (red)

this small modification will help ensure water enriched nutrient turn over from reservoir to all buckets..

[water level in the res. must be lower than bucket water level to ensure that water will not back-flow into the buckets and upset critical water level in the buckets]

hope this helps.

Your a genius! lol, that eliminates the little problems I would have had with my set up. I really didn't want that controller bucket either and this eliminates it. The only change I would make is putting the outlet from the bucket to the res above the water line of the res. but still at a downward angle. Another drawing for the Journal lol. Thanks man.

 

[sicks stuff]

yeah... i'm also re-thinking the controller bucket at this time..
the bottleneck in my early sketch is the float valve, it's a road block and a flow limiting addition, + it costs, 1 bucket, piping, water and nutes that are not useful..

like i said earlier.. we are walking the same path..

(my seeds should be here next week.. so i got some werk to do...)

 

[m420p]

yeah... i'm also re-thinking the controller bucket at this time..
the bottleneck in my early sketch is the float valve, it's a road block and a flow limiting addition, + it costs, 1 bucket, piping, water and nutes that are not useful..

Exactly what I was thinking and in my situation its a space saver as well.

 

[sicks stuff]

The only change I would make is putting the outlet from the bucket to the res above the water line of the res. but still at a downward angle. Another drawing for the Journal lol. Thanks man.

that's fine, and will werk.. but it's a preference deal..

good luck, and stay in touch...

SS

 

[m420p]

Got another question if anyone could help? I was wondering what kind of fittings are best for connecting the tubing to the buckets and if there is any sealant to put on the connections to make sure it is water tight? I looked around but I don't want to get crappy connections and regret it. I absolutely can not have any water leak. Thanks.

Also, I planned on using a 396 gph submersible pump with 3/4" outlet but I was thinking about switching to a 264 gph pump with 1/2" outlet so I know that it won't flood because the drainage can't keep up, which I intend on using 1" for.

 

[NUTBUSH47]

Manuel pump? won't run all the time?

 

[NUTBUSH47]

sorry... manual? I'm a little confused on the pumps and sizes