Building a HP Aeroponic Setup

bLunteDDDD

Active Member
sweet man, how long did it take it to get to ur house once u ordered it?

and i got an air compressor but what nozzle do i use to precharge the accumulator?
 

Atomizer

Well-Known Member
It best to check the precharge pressure every so often as it can change over time. Use a digital pressure guage as it`ll be more accurate than an analogue.

Accumulators have a standard car tire (schrader type) valve for air, so a basic tire inflator attachment will do.
 

Trichy Bastard

Well-Known Member
It best to check the precharge pressure every so often as it can change over time. Use a digital pressure guage as it`ll be more accurate than an analogue.

Accumulators have a standard car tire (schrader type) valve for air, so a basic tire inflator attachment will do.
Yep- what Atomizer said- leave it to him to actually know the formal name for a tire valve. :) I check the precharge every 6 months on my r.o. accumulator tank, and it does lose pressure over time even though it's only set at 4-6 psi. I found a nice digital pressure gauge good for up to 150psi on Amazon- on sale for a measley 9 bucks and free shipping (as long as total is over $25) http://www.amazon.com/Accutire-MS-4021B-Standard-Digital-Gauge/dp/B00080QHMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310753434&sr=8-1
Also- it doesn't have to be charged with an air compressor, a manual foot pump would be just as well- if you don't have either you could go down to the local gas station...
I noticed on my accum that there was an extra hole in the very top middle besides the air fill valve. The instructions did not mention it but I can only guess it's for a pressure gauge- unless it has something to do with replacing the bladder- I wonder how one could change the bladder out in these things. I don't even know if my model is designed for that, or if it's non-replaceable.
 

tree farmer

Well-Known Member
if the bladder is replacable then the tank will have a bolt on flange for removing the bladder. here is a pic of a tank with the flange removed and the inner bladder revealed. very simple and easy to replace if the tank is made for a replacable membrane. bladders cost 35 bucks for this 110 dollar tank so it is cheaper if you can replace the bladder but i have some tanks that arent replacable that i have used for years (3 at least) and no failures

IMG_2561.jpg
 

Mike Young

Well-Known Member
Holy shit, TF is back. Not sure if ya actually left, but cool to see ya around again man. I've been pretty involved in other stuff lately, but my pepper plant has finally started to develop some consistant fuzzy roots. I will get out there with a macro pic sometime soon to show em off.
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
Well i was leaning with the bucket idea for a root chamber but after my reading imma do something along the lines of what trichy is doing so i might get one of thse huge 27 gallon totes from lows. So i was looking for about 8-10 plants? averaging 3-5ft? or that too big?

and could u help me out with the non brass or copper PRV and REG? everyone says theyre easy as hell to find... i just cant seem to find it
I am using a 30G Rubbermaid. At most 5 plants/30G, and 3 probably closer to max. 2 mist heads one on each side, staggered. The atomized mist needs plenty of air space to flow into and around the roots. hth.
 

bLunteDDDD

Active Member
haha hell yah, ive got some knowledgable HPA people posting and helping us out :)

I am using a 30G Rubbermaid. At most 5 plants/30G, and 3 probably closer to max. 2 mist heads one on each side, staggered. The atomized mist needs plenty of air space to flow into and around the roots. hth.
yeah i was going to get two of the 27 gals and put 3 in each... but i was wondering if the chamber would get too hot under the light without insulation...hows ur rubbermaid do in terms of rhizophere temperatures?
 

Trichy Bastard

Well-Known Member
Blunt- you can install some styrofoam sheeting and/or reflectix material on the top. You'll probably have to make the decision as to how many misters you need once you do some mist tests with your particular nozzles/setup and see how to get the best coverage and least saturation possible- it's a balancing act from the way I understand it- with coverage as the priority, but avoiding over-saturation being very imporant too. Atomizer tells me the root temps can be controlled with the nute temps, not to mention evporative cooling being on your side.
 

bLunteDDDD

Active Member
thanks for the tip man, thats prolly what ill do unless i figure something better :P

on the other note, i was just hospitalized for 5 days so thats why i haven't been around... im fine tho. But the bad news is, i unfortunately have to move my setup when im done with this harvest, so ill be back eventually when i get shit straightened out for me
 

Trichy Bastard

Well-Known Member
thanks for the tip man, thats prolly what ill do unless i figure something better :P

on the other note, i was just hospitalized for 5 days so thats why I haven't been around... im fine tho. But the bad news is, i unfortunately have to move my setup when im done with this harvest, so ill be back eventually when i get shit straightened out for me
Aww man, sorry bro- hope it's not too serious. I have been having some health issues myself that have been affecting my progress too- but it has kept me home at the pc all day so all I can do is type- hehe... Will look forward to your return, and hope all is well in the meanwhile...
 

syder

Well-Known Member
and couple of questions...

-what is the blader for in a PT?

-if I get a filter befor the pump how come nutrients pass...isnt filters job to reduce ppm???(i kno im wrong, just wondering)...or am I =] ?

-If i have a pump that says 150 psi and a PT 150 psi...what is air compressor for? I thought the pump does the pressure....

........................damn do I have to buy air compressor or is it a one time thing....can I blow it up like a baloon?...ye ill stop trying to be funny....
 

Trichy Bastard

Well-Known Member
and couple of questions...

-what is the blader for in a PT? It holds the pressurized air that pressurizes the tank.

-if I get a filter befor the pump how come nutrients pass...isnt filters job to reduce ppm???(i kno im wrong, just wondering)...or am I =] ? a filter filters out larger particles- imagine you have in your res dust and food coloring (the nutes are the food coloring in this example) The dust gets filtered, the water still comes out colored. Even a 1 micron filter will let nutes pass, possibly some organics won't, but organics aren't recommended or necessary in HPA.

-If i have a pump that says 150 psi and a PT 150 psi...what is air compressor for? I thought the pump does the pressure....

........................damn do I have to buy air compressor or is it a one time thing....can I blow it up like a baloon?...ye ill stop trying to be funny....
Yes, you only need the compressor to pressurize the tank once, and probably top it off every couple months. It fills the air bladder which pressurizes the nutes since water doesn't readily compress in it's own to make pressure.

In regards to nozzles, there isn't a "best", but rather a best for each scenario which accounts for chamber size and shape. You'll need to get ones that put out 50 microns average droplets, and have the right spray pattern angle and throw to cover all the areas of the roots without leaving any dry spots, and also with having as few as possible to achieve this so you don't overwet which would end up being like low pressure aero if they got that wet.
 

syder

Well-Known Member
I think it was you who said if the pump and tank are 150 psi than its better than 100psi...but If 100psi is need for 50 micron what good is the extra 50 psi...would you make 120 or 130 psi your cut out pressure????
 

AdubM

Well-Known Member
Props to Trichy and Cavadge:clap:

Please read this and check out the parts!

Im not building one of those stupid little rubbermaid, PVC manifold, and with low pressure sprayers. I wanna do the real thing with a real pump and all that fancy pressure stuff. Ive done a lot of reading and researching on aeroponics and all the other setups (fogger, sumps, etc.) simply don't provide the ~50micron droplet size that marywana lovessss. So you need all this high tech gear to get that little droplet?....*sigh*... yup you do.


This is the setup diagram I've been basing all my looking for parts off of and Cavadge made it, so credit him not me.

http://www.gardenscure.com/420/aeroponics/133136-project-forget-fogger-im-going-hp-13.html


These are the parts I've been looking at to purchase, and i want other peoples opinion on if it is good or if it will even work with what I'm trying to do lol. Another reason for this, is that not every part is explained exactly. For example i have no idea how to put this shit together and i didn't even know were about to get it... SO with that here are the parts

Pump
http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-6488-shurflo-8005-912-260-demand-pump-14gpm-150psi-38-fpt-115vac-no-cord.aspx?affiliateid=10053&utm_source=nextag.com&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Products
-OR-
http://www.waterfiltersonline.com/detail.asp?product_id=aquatec-5800 (prolly this one)

Pressure Switch
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SQUARE-D-Pressure-Switch-2FH22?cm_sp=IO-_-IDP-_-RR_VTV70300505&cm_vc=IDPRRZ1

Accumulator (the 2 gallon... and is this ok to lay horizontal?)
http://www.accentshopping.com/product.asp?P_ID=150821

Filter
http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-5873-filter-strainer-14-x-14-push-in-200-mesh-60-mic.aspx

Pressure Relief Valve
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/WATTS-Relief-Valve-1X624?Pid=search

Pressure Regulator will this work? it has 1/4'' threaded in and outs
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/WATTS-Pressure-Regulator-5AJ81?Pid=search

Soleniod will this one work?.. play around under "narrow by" if its not the right one
http://www.zorotools.com/g/00062230/k-G1401644?utm_source=google shopping&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Google+Shopping+Feed

Misters the red or black? Cavadge used red... or do u know any better ones?
http://cloudtops.com/misting_systems_misting_nozzles/mistingnozzles.php

i also need to get 1/4" black hose (i think) and T connects and elbows and shit...




those of you who took the time to look at all this and the links and stuff, thanx :mrgreen:
My first attempt at growing HP as well!! "1/2 Horsepower pump"
https://www.rollitup.org/members/adubm-370533/albums/first-aeroponic-grow-attempt-25749/
 

Trichy Bastard

Well-Known Member
The need for slightly higher pressures than your regulated output pressure is because as the tank drains, the pressure goes down. Say you recharge your accumulator with the pump when it gets down to 110psi and then let the pump run till it gets to 150psi. The regulator is set for a constant 100 psi and never affected by the pressure swings that would cause the nozzles to perform differently over the different range of pressures- that way you have no variation of misting regardless of the status of the tank in it's drain/recharge. Hope that makes sense?

At higher pressures the nozzles make a finer mist, but also spray a higher flowrate, they would be constantly fluctuating over different pressure ranges, As long as your minimum tank cut in pressure is above the regulated output pressure, the output can always be 100 psi dead on...

Adubm-
A pump's " horsepower" isn't important, but the pressure output is what counts here. If it's capable of at least 60-80psi, then it'll work, otherwise the horsepower rating is not so important... Do you know the pressure rating?
 

AdubM

Well-Known Member
I will look in the morning...haha But I know for sure it is capable of a lot more than 60-80psi probably double that, or maybe 120. Let me look and we shall continue this conversation because I am a little confused.
 
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