Return Pipes Clogged

Mr. Mohaskey

Mr. Mohaskey

Well-Known Member
Have a RDWC/waterfall system, 4 site with 17 gallon totes, 2" pvc return to a 20 gal res. Water levels were falling everyday and I thought it was just due to flower cycle. So I kept adding 5 gals everyday to keep res up to level. Then noticed lots of water in my tent. Thought maybe dehumidifier was leaking ot something. Checked the totes and water was to the lid and overflowing the totes. Water in res was low. Reached in the tote and pulled a ton of roots out of the return lines. Water flowed and overflowed my main res. Water was everywhere. Thankfully concrete floors so no damage. Only 2 plants in a 4 site system and clogged. Need to figure out a way to keep them from clogging for next run. Any ideas?
 
Mr. Mohaskey

Mr. Mohaskey

Well-Known Member
I cannot. Was thinking after this run, screen off a decent size section to confine the roots to a certain area in the totes. Or get some perforated polypro or polyethylene and use as a screen.
 
L

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
No screen will stop roots. They can and will grow through any opening large enough o pass water. If the mesh or fabric is tight enough to stop the roots, the water flow will be drastically reduced.

Plus, even if your screen works - the roots will just clog up that screen.

The only thing I know that works is to just plan t clean out the drain at least weekly. You can screen off the drain but that just means cleaning it a bit more often as the screen clogs up.

When I was using totes and doing rDWC, I cut a small hatch over the drain so I could easily get to it without lifting the entire lid off.
 
J232

J232

Well-Known Member
I put elbows on my returns, I just went threw another restriction but it def helps, not such direct flow threw the root mass imo.

..will add, if I rebuilt, 3” return.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Mr. Mohaskey said:
I cannot. Was thinking after this run, screen off a decent size section to confine the roots to a certain area in the totes. Or get some perforated polypro or polyethylene and use as a screen.
Click to expand...
how i did my rdwc was 27 gal totes with a shower drain in the bottom of each one (the kind with the metal grate). i don't know if i got lucky or maybe b/c the drain was in between the 2 plants, but i never had a clog.

are your return lines on the sides or bottoms of your totes?
 
Mr. Mohaskey

Mr. Mohaskey

Well-Known Member
What about u bend going up? So water would fill until it got up to the pipe then drain. Kind of like they do to ponds. This way it could never overfill. Do roots float in water?

If I did that the biggest problem would be how to drain each tote.
 
mytwhyt

mytwhyt

Well-Known Member
I've seen a large plastic bottle punched full of small holes with the mouth stuck in the return line hole. It keeps out the roots and still lets the water flow through.. I guess it would on how big your pump is.. Bigger pump bigger bottle.
 
GrowTime38

GrowTime38

Well-Known Member
Mr. Mohaskey said:
Have a RDWC/waterfall system, 4 site with 17 gallon totes, 2" pvc return to a 20 gal res. Water levels were falling everyday and I thought it was just due to flower cycle. So I kept adding 5 gals everyday to keep res up to level. Then noticed lots of water in my tent. Thought maybe dehumidifier was leaking ot something. Checked the totes and water was to the lid and overflowing the totes. Water in res was low. Reached in the tote and pulled a ton of roots out of the return lines. Water flowed and overflowed my main res. Water was everywhere. Thankfully concrete floors so no damage. Only 2 plants in a 4 site system and clogged. Need to figure out a way to keep them from clogging for next run. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
I just had this happen and planned to switch to flower next week. Need to try and pull some roots out and transfer to a new bucket.
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
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I run a similar system.
I have encountered some roots migrating into the returns on my first run and fortunately found it before it overflowed.
What I do now is to just lift the lid and gently 'swirl' the root mass into a ball and that all but eliminated roots growing into the returns.
 
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