DWC question

[irelandbuds8]

ok so i have a 6 plant DWC bubbler in a 18 gallon rubbermaid tub. To change the res. i have to take the whole tub out of my closet, take the top off with the plants then change the res. it is a huge hassle. i tried puting a hole in the bottom of the res with a beer bong type fitting and i set it on top of another tub and let gravity do the work, but with it on top of another tub, i only have about 2-3 feet of growing space available, so thats out, anyone know an easy way i can do this my tub is already in use i have 6 seedlings in it right now. Please Help

 

[Racefan]

get a small pump (the same ones used in ebb and flows and drip systems) and use it to drain the res with. I've picked them up for around $10.00 brand new and even cheaper used on ebay and at flea markets/yard sales.

 

[Akornpatch]

That's the first thing that came to my mind to. Nice job Racefan!

 

[irelandbuds8]

Oh ok so its an electric pump? now this may be a stupid question, but do i put the pump in the res, meaning do i have to cut any holes or can i have a hose in the res and have the pump, pump the nuets out of the res into the empty container?

 

[Racefan]

Yes it's electric, I know it sounds strange to put a pump with a electric cord into liquid but it's how they work. You can buy them at home depot in the pond department. Ask for a small submersable pond pump. When you buy your pump get some rubber/plastic tubing to go with it or else you won't be able to pump out the res.I think the last pump I bought there was $20.00 and it was a medium sized one. The pump sits in the resevoir on the bottom totally submerged and you either need to prop a corner of your lid up or drill a hole big enough to run your pump hose out of. But either way the hose that the pump pumps out of needs unrestricted access to the outside of the resevoir. I used to pump my res to a 3 gallon bucket and dump it on my yard. A 5 gallon would work too but gets heavy after a few trips.
If you have a Harbor Freight and Tools near you they sell these pumps that would work for $9.99+tx.

Thanks for the props Akorn. We all need help figuring things like these out from time to time. What seems obvious to some, eludes others completely. And vice versus. It seems like I'm spending more and more time looking for the keys that I've been holding all along.

 

[irelandbuds8]

thank you so much man you have helped me out like you wouldnt believe

 

[irelandbuds8]

My 2 cents- Shit can the 18 gal tub and get some 5 gal pails. Takes about two minutes to change water in those babies. Thats what I use, and it works fine for 1 plant. U say U have six plants so 6 buckets. Bout 15 minutes to change water in all of them.

now eventually i do want to use those buckets but my question is what do you do with the plant while your chaning the bucket?

 

[Racefan]

thank you so much man you have helped me out like you wouldnt believe

No problem man. It's my job and what I'm here for.
6 plants and 18 gallons isn't the best ratio. That's 3 gallons per plant. Rule of thumb is 5 gallons per plant. Bigger reservoirs are more stable. The smaller the res the more fluctuations you get with PH and PPM's. Since your running a small reservoir you need to keep a eye on things a lot more often. Make sure you stay on top of things real well. Keep your res temps under 70degrees Fahrenheit. The cooler the res the more disolved oxygen it holds which is good for the root system. Don't let it get much cooler than 60 df though or it can cause it to stop feeding and be under lots of stress. If it's too cool get a fish tank heater rated for the amount of gallons of your resevoir. I think they run like 1-5gal, 5-25gal qnd 25-100gal or something like that.lol If your too warm you may want to set up a smll fan to blow across the top of your resevoir. It alone can drop temps by 5 df or more. If that's not enough you can freeze small water bottles and drop them in your resevoir. I tied mine with thread to a small screw outside the res and to the bottles so I could retrieve them eaiser. Otherwise I had to fish among the roots and yes...there will be a lot of roots if you do things right.
6 plants in such a small container will cause you to fight for space. I would have gone with 2 max myself but I had to learn that the hard way too so...one day soon you will understand what I'm saying.
I think that's it.


Carp...yes 5 gal containers are a great set up. Especially if you set it up with a 8 gallon controller bucket. I had great results with my system...but...you won't fit too many 5 gallon buckets in a very small closet or box. That type of system needs room. Rubber maid systems are extremely compact as it's all in one. You can buy seperate lids and run different amounts of plants at different times as well. Just change out lids and grow away. Great set-ups to teach the basics of hydroponics to newer growers IMO.

 

[irelandbuds8]

No problem man. It's my job and what I'm here for.
6 plants and 18 gallons isn't the best ratio. That's 3 gallons per plant. Rule of thumb is 5 gallons per plant. Bigger reservoirs are more stable. The smaller the res the more fluctuations you get with PH and PPM's. Since your running a small reservoir you need to keep a eye on things a lot more often. Make sure you stay on top of things real well. Keep your res temps under 70degrees Fahrenheit. The cooler the res the more disolved oxygen it holds which is good for the root system. Don't let it get much cooler than 60 df though or it can cause it to stop feeding and be under lots of stress. If it's too cool get a fish tank heater rated for the amount of gallons of your resevoir. I think they run like 1-5gal, 5-25gal qnd 25-100gal or something like that.lol If your too warm you may want to set up a smll fan to blow across the top of your resevoir. It alone can drop temps by 5 df or more. If that's not enough you can freeze small water bottles and drop them in your resevoir. I tied mine with thread to a small screw outside the res and to the bottles so I could retrieve them eaiser. Otherwise I had to fish among the roots and yes...there will be a lot of roots if you do things right.
6 plants in such a small container will cause you to fight for space. I would have gone with 2 max myself but I had to learn that the hard way too so...one day soon you will understand what I'm saying.
I think that's it.


Carp...yes 5 gal containers are a great set up. Especially if you set it up with a 8 gallon controller bucket. I had great results with my system...but...you won't fit too many 5 gallon buckets in a very small closet or box. That type of system needs room. Rubber maid systems are extremely compact as it's all in one. You can buy seperate lids and run different amounts of plants at different times as well. Just change out lids and grow away. Great set-ups to teach the basics of hydroponics to newer growers IMO.

Now for the controller bucket, this is what i want to do when i move into my new place up in Humboldt, anyway would it be easier to make a system like that homemade? or just shell out the money and buy one, also if homemade is the way to go anywebsites that show you how to make it with the controller bucket? thanks again guys

 

[Racefan]

now eventually i do want to use those buckets but my question is what do you do with the plant while your chaning the bucket?

You have a second bucket that you mix everything up into and you just pick up your plant with the roots and plop it into the new bucket. Hook up the air pump to the new line and away you go. Clean the original and get it ready for the next change-out. IMO you need several air pumps and a bigger light with the buckets. The buckets are spread out a lot more than a rubber maid system.

 

[irelandbuds8]

well i have a 600 watt HPS to litte?

 

[Racefan]

nope! It'll work.

 

[Stix]

I'd have to agree with the 5 gallon per plant ratio. I deal with PH and PPM fluctuation all the time. I'm about 2 gallons per plant.

 

[vintner]

My 2 cents- Shit can the 18 gal tub and get some 5 gal pails. Takes about two minutes to change water in those babies. Thats what I use, and it works fine for 1 plant. U say U have six plants so 6 buckets. Bout 15 minutes to change water in all of them.

Hey Carp: Nice to see you around and still willing to lend a hand. How you been man? I've been getting my arse kicked here lately.

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