The klx Way!

klx

Well-Known Member
Where does it say it takes that long?

but if it does it isn’t really an issue

edit oh yeah I see it now 5-10 seconds but that shouldn’t reallly be an issue I think.
Not for flood and drain. Would be for 100ml top fed injections though if anyone going that route.
 

SamWE19

Well-Known Member
Not for flood and drain. Would be for 100ml top fed injections though if anyone going that route.
For flood and drain the valve won’t be controlling the water as such - the water pump will be. The valve just decides which table the pump will fill.

so in the automation code just set the valve to open to the specific table 10 seconds before your pump turns on.

the drain pump the same thing - shut valve 10 seconds after drain pump shuts off

maybe your thinking of using valves differently to me
 
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klx

Well-Known Member
For flood and drain the valve won’t be controlling the water as such - the water pump will be. The valve just decides which table the pump will fill.

so in the automation code just set the valve to open to the specific table 10 seconds before your pump turns on.

the drain pump the same thing - shut valve 10 seconds after drain pump shuts off

maybe your thinking of using valves differently to me
No, I get you. I was referring to people who top feed and they only inject 100ml of water so it only takes literally seconds to do the feed. Having a valve that takes 10 seconds to open would not work.

For flood and drain we all good and I am still not quite decided exactly how to do the feeding yet in terms of valves and pumps. I want as simple and reliable as possible. I think I am almost decided on two 4x8 trays but I just need some time in the new space to see what layout will work best.
 

SamWE19

Well-Known Member
No, I get you. I was referring to people who top feed and they only inject 100ml of water so it only takes literally seconds to do the feed. Having a valve that takes 10 seconds to open would not work.

For flood and drain we all good and I am still not quite decided exactly how to do the feeding yet in terms of valves and pumps. I want as simple and reliable as possible. I think I am almost decided on two 4x8 trays but I just need some time in the new space to see what layout will work best.
Most reliable would be gravity drain If you’ve got the height.

I don’t but I reckon I’m gonna have sensors everywhere for water level etc and get notifications if any pump fails.
 
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SamWE19

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Most reliable would be gravity drain If you’ve got the height.

I don’t but I reckon I’m gonna have sensors everywhere for water level etc and get notifications if any pump fails.
All this stuff is cool as fuck.

I want to design everything so I can empty and refill my Reservoirs from even outside the country.

these cool water sensors would be ideal to ensure that tanks and tables never accidentally overflow


Not sure exactly how they work yet - trying to figure out if they will work through a solid piece of 2 x 4 timber as my tables will be timber lined with epdm
 

wietefras

Well-Known Member
Yeah those sensors work great. I have them on the outside of a plastic container though. Not sure if they will make it through 2" of wood.

Also work well in detecting that water is actually flowing through the distribution line (to see if the pump is actually working when it's supposed to be "on")
 

klx

Well-Known Member
Yeah those sensors work great. I have them on the outside of a plastic container though. Not sure if they will make it through 2" of wood.

Also work well in detecting that water is actually flowing through the distribution line (to see if the pump is actually working when it's supposed to be "on")
Cheers for the info mate
 

SamWE19

Well-Known Member
Yeah those sensors work great. I have them on the outside of a plastic container though. Not sure if they will make it through 2" of wood.

Also work well in detecting that water is actually flowing through the distribution line (to see if the pump is actually working when it's supposed to be "on")
They are cheap enough I’ll buy one after I’ve built my tables and check they work before I buy a few of them. Won’t be starting the built until probably Christmas time though. Lots of planning to do in mean time
 

klx

Well-Known Member
Hey klx,

when you ran flood and drain with no media now shallow do you reckon the flood table could be effectively? For true sog so straight clones into 12/12. 4 per sqft
You only need enough room for a small net pot and then the roots under the lid so I reckon 100mm of depth below the lid would be enough for small plants. Bigger plants I'd want a bit more.
 

SamWE19

Well-Known Member
You only need enough room for a small net pot and then the roots under the lid so I reckon 100mm of depth below the lid would be enough for small plants. Bigger plants I'd want a bit more.
That would only end up being like a 50mm flood depth though right?
 
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klx

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That would only end up being like a 50mm flood depth though right?
Yes but remember the roots are spread across the floor of the tray like a mat, you dont need to flood very high at all. 50mm is plenty as long as the base of the stem is close to the top of the flood level.
 

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Keesje

Well-Known Member
I always was a bit surprised how dense and flat your roots were.
Comparing them to DWC for example when they sometimes fill up the whole tote.
 

klx

Well-Known Member
I always was a bit surprised how dense and flat your roots were.
Comparing them to DWC for example when they sometimes fill up the whole tote.
The roots just go where ever the feed is but there is no way the roots of a zero veg clone is going to fill a tote, there is not enough time.
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
The roots just go where ever the feed is but there is no way the roots of a zero veg clone is going to fill a tote, there is not enough time.
What was the height of your waterlevel again?
And did the root mass also reach that height, laying flat?
 

SamWE19

Well-Known Member
The roots just go where ever the feed is but there is no way the roots of a zero veg clone is going to fill a tote, there is not enough time.
Got you, but if you have 4 plants per sqft is there enough room for the mat of roots to spread out?

cheers
 

klx

Well-Known Member
Got you, but if you have 4 plants per sqft is there enough room for the mat of roots to spread out?

cheers
Yep they will all be best friends and just intertwine. You are growing tiny plants remember they don't have a big root ball
 

klx

Well-Known Member
What was the height of your waterlevel again?
And did the root mass also reach that height, laying flat?
The risers in my flood and drain fittings raise the flood level 35mm. I have used 1 and 2 and did not notice any difference in yields. If you lift the lid and watch during a flood what you will see is the roots all floating around in the nutrient, especially during the first few weeks of flower. Then when it drains they all just follow the laws of gravity. And thats why proper flood trays are good because they have the grooves and hold some water between floods.
 
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