lifetime of submersible water pump?

vandula

vandula

New Member
looking to build a simple aero system but worried about the how long the pump will last. are they good for just one grow? years? i dont mind investing in a nice one but if they dont last a long time then dont need to get something too good.

also, what is recommended for gallons pumped per hour? ill probably just have a one plant setup, maybe 3. not sure yet.

FF? youre the aero man, what do you say?

are there any good name brands to get?
 
LoudBlunts

LoudBlunts

Well-Known Member
you shouldnt have a problem.

i wouldnt spend too much money on a 'nice' water pump, they all do the same.

i think the most i spent on a water pump was like that 30 bucks and that is only because it had the rotating outlet.

they will last more than one grow, if you're worried....buy spares. i think you are just paranoid.

gallons per hour doesnt really matter especially with you growing one plant. any garden variety pond pump will work.......just make sure it pushes the water.

name brands arent shit either....just like everything else that has a name brand on it. you're just paying for the brand name most of the time
 
vandula

vandula

New Member
as im researching for what to get online, in stores is way too expensive, i see that they offer very short warranties, so i thought perhaps the expected life was small. in FF's 30min aero build he says 350gph+.

do u agree w. this? also, do i need to buy one w. a filter or do they come stock w. filters?
 
vandula

vandula

New Member
oh and one more thing, if the pump every failed and i couldn replace it quickly, would it be okay to raise the water resv. and create a temporary DWC system until i replaced the pump?
 
cloudflyer

cloudflyer

Well-Known Member
It depends on how you are doing aeroponics. Are you using misting nozzles, hose with small holes or a tap sprinkler? True Aeroponics uses misters that can make mist droplets .05 microns in size. The misting nozzle is the only way to do this. The problem with this is each nozzle will only put out a couple gallons per hour. Therefore you need a high psi low volume pump. They are very expensive $250 each. The other two methods can use a normal type pump.
 
vandula

vandula

New Member
i was going to buy a misting system that is marketed as being for homes, lined up along a roof or balcony edge and attached to a hose.

will this work?
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
Name brand matters, just ask any reefkeeper. Personally, I'd go with pumps manufactured for saltwater use -- they're more reliable and have been built specifically to handle high corrosion environments. You could go the pond pump route, if you do give ePond.com (or ePonds, I don't remember) a try, they've got pretty good prices.

If you're going to push water up any tubing (also called "head"), then quality matters even more. At first I was going to suggest a simple powerhead, most all are sealed motors with practically indestructible impeller units with the exception of the Rio line, those are shit. But, with a power head you'll need to cover up the intake with something, a sponge or similar.
 
vandula

vandula

New Member
so what's a good brand? i saw one on ebay that i liked that looked like it had a sponge type filter for the intake...should i get that?
 
LoudBlunts

LoudBlunts

Well-Known Member
seriously man, dont get too caught up on brands.


if you are that worried, put the pump in a mesh pump filter bag....the store sells them for like 10-15 bucks
 
vandula

vandula

New Member
FF has got me worried that the misting system i want to get that they sell at walmart will not work for these types of pumps. im wondering does it have to be a mist, or can it be a "sprinkler" type system. will that be too harsh for the roots, in other words, will the impact of larger droplets damage the microstructure of roots?
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
vandula said:
so what's a good brand? i saw one on ebay that i liked that looked like it had a sponge type filter for the intake...should i get that?
Click to expand...
Anything of German manufacture is going to be absolutely SOLID, it'll last you a lifetime. I like Eheim, Tunze, Turbelle, Aquaclear, and Maxijets. Stay away from Rio. This is specific to saltwater fully submerged applications. There is no environment I know of that's as corrosive as a saltwater environment.. 'cept volcanoes, maybe.
 
LoudBlunts

LoudBlunts

Well-Known Member
you should really listen to Fletch, he sometimes has a bias opinion...but for the most part, he isnt blowing smoke for fun. Fletch is like my mentor....hell im using his ideas.

if you are worried about specifics of the pump and you are afraid that dripper/misting at walmart wont work....will fletch did come up with using one of those irrigation pop up sprinkler head pumps. you know what im talking about?

lol, you sure you dont want to rebuke your comments about me not helping....
 
vandula

vandula

New Member
LB, my beef was you exploding at me double posting ONE time. after that it was down hill. dont worry about my opinion, if you're helpful and not sarcastic, then you're cool bro. if you get all irritated w. ppl's questions here why even be on this site or why waste your time replying.

your last posts have been helpful, im glad you've turned a new leaf, pun intended. FF's 30min aero build seemed a lil complicated for me, id rather purchase the misting system as a complete than build one myself out of PVC tubing.
 
cloudflyer

cloudflyer

Well-Known Member
vandula said:
i was going to buy a misting system that is marketed as being for homes, lined up along a roof or balcony edge and attached to a hose.

will this work?
Click to expand...
You are about to hit a wall. If you look close you will see the dent I left in it. Mist kits for your home are powered by existing water pressure (40-65 psi). You will be pulling your water from a tank/resiviour. Therefore you must provide the water pressure too. Your conventional submersible pump can move a lot of water because it has no resistance. Most sump pumps have no back pressure. It gets worse, you can get a H/D pump (1/2 hp or more) that can provide back pressure but it will burn out because it is tring to push 1000+gph (each nozzle is about 2-3gph). So to solve this problem you are going to have to buy a pump like this
Ecoplus 250 Pump by Horizen Hydroponics

Now about the wall behind the wall. Those mist nozzles for patios are too small and will clog fast. Your need something like this.

DIG CORP: Series EXL 500 low flow fogger

Last but not least. Aeroponic watering cycles are around 30 sec of spray every 4 minutes. Your conventional timers will not do this you need:

Discount Hydroponics - C.A.P. Adjustable Recycle Timer


This type of growing should only be attemped by VERY experenced growers and rich people. If you pump fails you are on a 6 hour clock until total loss. Witch is why I run 2 of those pumps. each one for 30 seconds, every 8 min so they cycle back and forth.

Ohh and in Aeroponic gardning your PH should be around 5.25-5.5
 
faderwars

faderwars

Active Member
honestly it is not that hard to do
it is only a weed.

i used earls spaceship design, 2 res with 2 six inch pvc tubes connecting the res with the net pots in the pvc tubes.

in one res i have a 295gph submersible pump, it is attached to a 8 way splitter thing that reduces the output from the pump from 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch tubing, the tubing runs into holes i drilled in the pvc tubing between the net pots, attached to the end are 360 degree rotating spinner heads...in the other res there are two huge airstones blasting the roots with bubbles.

i do not use a ppm meter, no water chiller, no fancy pump filter bag (only use the filter that came with the pump).

all the equipment i bought at home depot or lowes, except the pump which i got at harbor freight for like $25.

i use botanicare nutes

i have not had to change any of the misters, i have not had root rot, no problems really at all with the plants, no problems with any of the equipment...maybe i'm just lucky but i don't think so.

there are certain things you can do to make more yield but that will come with time and practice...look at my other posts for some pics of my grow and then compare it to earl's - there is a difference, but it can be done both ways imo.

good luck - really it's not that hard
 
cloudflyer

cloudflyer

Well-Known Member
faderwars said:
honestly it is not that hard to do
it is only a weed.

i used earls spaceship design, 2 res with 2 six inch pvc tubes connecting the res with the net pots in the pvc tubes.

in one res i have a 295gph submersible pump, it is attached to a 8 way splitter thing that reduces the output from the pump from 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch tubing, the tubing runs into holes i drilled in the pvc tubing between the net pots, attached to the end are 360 degree rotating spinner heads...in the other res there are two huge airstones blasting the roots with bubbles.

i do not use a ppm meter, no water chiller, no fancy pump filter bag (only use the filter that came with the pump).

all the equipment i bought at home depot or lowes, except the pump which i got at harbor freight for like $25.

i use botanicare nutes

i have not had to change any of the misters, i have not had root rot, no problems really at all with the plants, no problems with any of the equipment...maybe i'm just lucky but i don't think so.

there are certain things you can do to make more yield but that will come with time and practice...look at my other posts for some pics of my grow and then compare it to earl's - there is a difference, but it can be done both ways imo.

good luck - really it's not that hard
Click to expand...
I had spoke about the sprinklers. This is not true Aeroponics though. It is splashing the water on the roots. In Aeroponics each droplet is .05 microns or smaller. A micron is 1/1,000,000 of a meter. Though sprinklers are effective they are not the best method.
 
faderwars

faderwars

Active Member
yeah i hear what you're saying......


i just read so many posts on here about people worrying about growing when it really isn't that hard to do.

this pump - that pump
these pots - those pots
you don't need to go and spend a thousand dollars to do this

water, light, a little tlc and you're good to go.

works for me.

ez
faderwars
 
vandula

vandula

New Member
thx cloud, you've saved me a bit of money. i might have to go w. a passive system. i dont want to do a soil grow bc i know theyre very simple and standard, ive read too much about the benefits of aero/hydroponics that i really want to grow my next plants w. these methods. oh well...
 
cloudflyer

cloudflyer

Well-Known Member
vandula said:
thx cloud, you've saved me a bit of money. i might have to go w. a passive system. i dont want to do a soil grow bc i know theyre very simple and standard, ive read too much about the benefits of aero/hydroponics that i really want to grow my next plants w. these methods. oh well...
Click to expand...
I recomend a good flood and drain setup for your first few. Flood and drain is more forgiving.
 
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