Coco drain to waste in 4'X4'X6'5"

Smootherpete

Smootherpete

Well-Known Member
What is a good way to drain my setup? I have 2 plants in 5 gal buckets, both buckets stand on other 5 gal buckets and drains into them. I have to lift my plants up every time I water to sit them in a dry bucket for watering. My height is very limited, I can't sit my plants up any higher. I ordered manual syphon pumps on amazon for next grow, the pumps were only 2.95$ each so I had nothing to lose. Any one else have a similar set up for drain to waste....how do you drain your system??
 
d0rk2dafullest

d0rk2dafullest

Well-Known Member
So if you are able to get a Flat rubber maid, get a rubbermaid big enough and flat enough to hold 2x 5 gallon buckets. you're going to need 2x 5gal buckets. put a piece of osb board onto the 2x 5gallon buckets to make a table. throw your rubbermaid on top of that, and then drill a hole and u can even get a piece of pvc to make a drain pipe. throw another 5 gallon under that pipe. cheap flood table out of a rubbermaid. wayyyyyy cheaper than buying a real table. incase you are on a budget and dont wanna buy a tray from the shop. that stand makes it ez. and remember to put something under the rubber maid to TILT the tray to one side where your hole will be to drain.

i use 4x 5 gallon buckets and a piece of 4'x4' osb board to make 4'x4' tables for my 4'x4' trays. i drill one hole into one tray and have a 2x4 on the opposite end of the hole to tilt my trays. 1x 5 gallon bucket to catch the waste. beats paying 200 for a metal frame to hold the trays.

u can also make a stand with whatever u got for each pot as well if u cannot find a rubbermaid big enough for 2x 5gallon pots.


5 buckets @ 5 dollars each = $25 + tax.
1 4'x'4' Osb board = $5 + tax.

vs

4x4 Tray Stand ($196.00 + shipping)


Edit: Just add another 5 gal bucket to catch the water after u drill a hole into a rubbermaid.
I also just read that your height is very limited as well. You can just use 2gal buckets from Home Depot as well. same setup. and use a 2 gallon bucket to catch runoff.
 

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JimmyIndica

JimmyIndica

Well-Known Member
Smootherpete said:
What is a good way to drain my setup? I have 2 plants in 5 gal buckets, both buckets stand on other 5 gal buckets and drains into them. I have to lift my plants up every time I water to sit them in a dry bucket for watering. My height is very limited, I can't sit my plants up any higher. I ordered manual syphon pumps on amazon for next grow, the pumps were only 2.95$ each so I had nothing to lose. Any one else have a similar set up for drain to waste....how do you drain your system??
Click to expand...
I
I set my fabric pots on saucers and use a little shop vac to pick run off up!
 
Smootherpete

Smootherpete

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the replies but I was looking for a way to drain my run off buckets without having to lift the pots up since my plants always end up touching the light.
 
Fross T Nuggs

Fross T Nuggs

Member
My method is the same as WattSaver suggested. Then you can lose the drain bucket.

Or keep the drain bucket and put a grommet and hose on it with a flow valve
 
longdongjohnson

longdongjohnson

Well-Known Member
So the 5 gals are sitting in another. The little pumps should work. Or you can just move the plants out to the bath tub to water them. Watering two plants isn't the arduous task you are making it out to be. I take out all my 5' mothers and put them on top of my dryer to water them. This way I can check the plant health from underneath and occasionally clear up their under growth. I have 10 moms that need water every other day. Good luck.
 
Mad Lab

Mad Lab

Active Member
Another option is to drain to a bucket(ebb n flow controller unit aka mother bucket) with a float valve, you can make your own for cheaper. When the water drains into the bucket and it fills, the float will enact a pump that sends the water to whereever you want it to go, ie. sink drain, outside or to a rez that you will manually dump.

This allows you to keep trays low.

http://www.horticulturesource.com/product_info.php?products_id=12202&gclid=CjwKEAiA8_KlBRD9z_jl_fKBhQkSJABDKqiXic-cnOkkZbf3oIz8NlTf0IXrmMzp2AK4UXQhzN1IOhoCExbw_wcB
 
Smootherpete

Smootherpete

Well-Known Member
longdongjohnson said:
So the 5 gals are sitting in another. The little pumps should work. Or you can just move the plants out to the bath tub to water them. Watering two plants isn't the arduous task you are making it out to be. I take out all my 5' mothers and put them on top of my dryer to water them. This way I can check the plant health from underneath and occasionally clear up their under growth. I have 10 moms that need water every other day. Good luck.
Click to expand...
The way my tent is sitting almost next to the door of the room it's in makes the passage very narrow + when I leave for work(sometimes 4 weeks at a time), my wife waters and the pots are heavy for her. I find the using double buckets with a drain pipe on the bottom was the best option for us...no more lifting the pots.
 
Silky Shagsalot

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
i use to do the same as you (op) but then i drilled holes in the bottoms of the drain buckets and attached short tubes. these drained into a small container....
 
JimmyIndica

JimmyIndica

Well-Known Member
I have fabric pots on saucers and usin the rigid shop vac right now and love doin it this way. I like movin the plants around and I get the full height which is so awesome! Although next run will be under current /LED . I like the coco/perlite grow rate but the mess that shit makes? I will use rockwill before coco again! Off top pick a little but its on the mind
 
since1991

since1991

Well-Known Member
I have the same problem
Stupid 6.5 foot michigan basements. Fabric pots on saucers with a shop vac is what i been doing. Pain in thee ass. Got to be there everynigjt to vac up fukin runoff. Thinking about "stacking" 2 2 gallon buckets (5 of coco is too much). Top one having little eighth inch holes for drainage and nestled in the bottom one with a half inch hole...grommet...and barbed elbows and tees towards the lowest point but on the side all plumbed with tubing and running out a hole on the bottom of growroom wall running across basement floor... to the sump pump well. Has any one tried this? Not much gravity action bit there is some.
 
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