Ebb and floow question

Ok, i'm alittle new to hydro. But this site has helped me learn alot this past couple months. I have messed with soil in the past, but just little closet grow ops. But I am currently in the process of building a grow op in my attic. I know, I know, the heat issues. I think I have it under control, please see my thread....

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/29436-attic-grow-room-debate.html

My question is this. I think the flood and drain/ebb and flow method looks the most economical, and perfect for a beginer like myself. My problem is height. I can't have tables and keep the reservoir below them. I saw a system called the Ebb and grow, but the buckets are just too big. I am planning a SOG, on a small scale. Has anyone ever done a system where you flood your pans, then have a seperate pump to pump it back to the reservoir rather then drain it to the bottom? Any help would be great. Just looking for some pros and cons. Thanks

Why not just build aeroponic tubs or bubblers since your going small sog? These cost under $40 to build a 6 plant setup and are only about 20 inches tall??

NFT-DWC tubes.. better then aro... if the power goes out at least your crop is still good to go... you just need 8 or 6 inch pvc pipe... with end caps.... if you like i can take some photos of mine and post them for you.... its a simple system.... and very effective... also i duno about you but i have bug probs.... in a ebb and flow ssytem you can get into real bug probs if gnats get into your roots your done for... with the DWC type system.. your roots are under watter all the time (dwc = deep watter culture) so the whole thing is the bugs can't live under the watter so even if you get gnats with DWC, they won't beable to eat your roots cuz there under watter... plus if power goes out, your still ok... for a while at least.. don't have to worrie about the drying up... if the roots were in the watter for too long with out air you could get some rott, but thats minor in comparison to your plants drying up... ... just some thoughts on systems...

peace out

Hmm, I have grown in both flood & Drain and DWC. Right now I have two monster plants in DWC. I feel that flood & drain is a much safer and easier system for a beginner. If the power goes out, No problem, just twice a day take a cup and laddel water into your rock wool cubes. F&d is much easier to keep your PPM and PH in check also. I am harvesting my DWC grow in 10 days, and then swirching back to my F&D system for the 8 plants I have in veg right now.

One nice thing about growing this time of year, is the heat issue is not as bad as the summer time. I just went through my first grow where I have moved to. It gets upto 118 degrees here during the hot months. My Elect bills were freaky high. I about fell out of my shoes when I got the bills. But when I am growing during the cool winter months. The lights will be helping to heat my home, so the Elect bill should not be much higher then normal.

Just my honest opinion though.

Thank you both for your comments. To be honest, I've only ever seen up close and touched an ebb and flow type system and a drip system. Got a buddy of mine out west who used to do an ebb and flow system (when he grew), so I thought it would be easier for me jump into. I don't know too much about aeroponic or DWC. And yes! Please post pictures of your system! Myself and a buddy of mine are going to a hydro shop this weekend to look at some systems up close and in operation. I'm really looking forward to it!

I just looked at your pictures Fletch. Can your system just sit directly on the floor? But still, 20 inches does sound doable.

Thanks guys

Lord Dangly Bits said:

Hmm, I have grown in both flood & Drain and DWC. Right now I have two monster plants in DWC. I feel that flood & drain is a much safer and easier system for a beginner. If the power goes out, No problem, just twice a day take a cup and laddel water into your rock wool cubes. F&d is much easier to keep your PPM and PH in check also. I am harvesting my DWC grow in 10 days, and then swirching back to my F&D system for the 8 plants I have in veg right now.

One nice thing about growing this time of year, is the heat issue is not as bad as the summer time. I just went through my first grow where I have moved to. It gets upto 118 degrees here during the hot months. My Elect bills were freaky high. I about fell out of my shoes when I got the bills. But when I am growing during the cool winter months. The lights will be helping to heat my home, so the Elect bill should not be much higher then normal.

Just my honest opinion though.

Click to expand...

Thanks.....lord dangly bits, (lol, love your name). Do you think I can do a system like I talked about? I guess I would be a flood system, but not drain. But rather pump out if that makes any sence. Maybe if I draw something up of what I'm trying to do. And I'm going to a hydro shop this weekend so maybe I can ask a sales guy.

I'm using a very simple E&B setup...

Get two tubs of different height, but with similar
dimensions (I use 4'x2').

I use one 400Gph pump to uptake, with an overflow.

It has a valve to drain, and check the water level.

Here she is...

Dank guess your not to familar with aer setups especially the one I suggested as the roots hang from the net pots get misted as they grow down and then will hang into the water in the res just like a bubbleponics setup with the only difference being the aero setup grows faster and better plants as it uses both aero feeding and DWC techniques as a hybred system.If a dwc system looses power its bubblers go out just the same as a mister but the roots hang into the water just as the 6 site aero setup I suggested so it has zero advantage in a power out situation.Fast growth and bigger plants doesnt seem like a bad thing to me.Heres a link to the tutorial I posted a few months back..Several people have bought these from me and also built thier own from this post and are very happy with its ease and speed... https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/22362-30-minute-6-plant-aero.html

Mogie has a great post on building a low profile ebb and flow. Its not posted in flood and drain its under hydro. Faq follow the links. VV

Are you talking about this one...https://www.rollitup.org/view.php?pg=faq&cmd=article&id=466

If so, very nice...E&B really is one of the easiest IMO.

Thanks Victor for pointing me out in that direction. That does sit pretty low.

Johnny, is that the same type of set up you have in your box? Looks very similar.

I'm kinda torn now. Fletch had very easy, low profile setup too. Does either system work better for differnt stages of growth?

Its basically the same thing, but I don't need the lid
because my tubs are bigger. I just place the top one
in the bottom one, and there is still enough room for
6 Gal. of water. There is also a pump (duh) that is
not shown in Mogie's DIY setup.

Don't worry about which is better for flower...Do which
is easier for you, they will both be effective based on YOU.