Under current knockoffs: Pictures of your DIY

dirtybud

New Member
I've been doing research and would like to make my own. So I thoght I would look to help of other members. If you have a system that you built inspired by under current or Alien, could you post your pictures here?

The hardest part seems to be the container penetrations. I'd like to do 3 or 4 inch plumbing. How did you go about leak proof fittings? Large unseals seems iffy.

Anyway, would love to see the crafty work ... if you have any ... Post your reference photos and describe your setup.
 
Which one would you use? Would it be cost effective?

A four bucket system requires eight tank adapters. For 3 inch fittings, they can cost $40 and up. That's $120. That's just for connectors. Uniseals ($10) are cheaper, but chance of leaks seems high.
 
Ok im in the uk and i got 40mm pushfit tank connectors for less than £2 each, surely you must have something similar local?

I believe they are used for coldwater tanks/ cysterns
 
uniseal2.jpg


Here's a sample of what I mean for the cheaper option. I was hoping to do 3 or 4" (which is equivalent to 76mm or 101mm.) I bought a 4" (101mm) Uniseal for $9 US (which is equivalent to £6.05). Because of the expense, I may scrap this large diameter try to construct in 2" (50mm), instead. I have spaghetti lines now and they clog to easily.

The pushfit seems to be comparable with the U.S. equivalent at large sizes. I am checking with distributors for custom pricing, now. Anyway, looks like I will proceed with 2" (50mm) and show pictures here when it's done. Thanks for our reply, Nish.
 
I've been doing research and would like to make my own. So I thoght I would look to help of other members. If you have a system that you built inspired by under current or Alien, could you post your pictures here?

The hardest part seems to be the container penetrations. I'd like to do 3 or 4 inch plumbing. How did you go about leak proof fittings? Large unseals seems iffy.

Anyway, would love to see the crafty work ... if you have any ... Post your reference photos and describe your setup.

I'm currently building a knock off uc4xl, I ordered there uc spin tight bulk heads, zero leaks... ran me about 13$ each, needed 9 for my system.
 
Looks at my journals and you'll see my system(s), which were self made at a fraction of the cost of store bought rdwc (or UC as some call it).
 
How about no connected plumbing at all? Keep each container with no side wall penetrations and eliminate the possibility of root clogs that cause catastrophic floods. Do a keyword search of "DWC root clog" on the search engine of your choice to see what I'm talking about. I have 2 rooms of 18 containers ( 20 gallon rubbermaid brute bins) that have no side wall penetrations, no recirculation pumps and they are all auto top offed with 2 RO filters so there is no need to check when the water level is low. This gives me the unique ability to run various strains with different nute sensitivities because they are not connected through a common reservoir. I use a level sensor in each rubbermaid bin to sense low water level to automatically top up to high water level. The time saved checking each container (even if you have just a few) makes this type of system worth it , even before considering the other benefits. Here's why separate DWC bins has every other system beat (in my opinion, I'm open for friendly debate):
The same sensor also turns off the filling pump when doing water changes when the high water level is reached. The other cool thing about it is if I want to I just put twice a many plants in 9 of the 18 bins and I use the other 9 bins for pure water holding reservoirs that I use to supply water for water changes in the 9 that are holding plants. Those pure water containers refill automatically and enable "me" to automatically (I don't do water changes, my timers do them for me) change water in the 9 plant containers every 6 hours if I felt like (but the water changes only need to take place once a week if the 9 plant holding containers are filled to regular capacity, once every 4 days if filled to 2x capacity). Those water containers that I use to supply the change water are at the same temperature as the container it is supplying right next to it, so no thermal shock either.
If I had connected sidewall plumbing for unnecessary recirculation I would not be able to do that and I would live in fear of root clog catastrophe. I simply use 2 danner pondmaster AP-100 air pumps to pump 1.1 cfm of air through 2-8" round air stones in each container. Oxygen and agitation like crazy. I'm able to harvest and change out water from one container without disturbing the other plants. Also no need for a chiller when you have this much agitation from overwhelming "air" support. Just run the lights at night.
In other words, use an auto top off system with an individual level sensor in each container, ditch the connected plumbing and enjoy the world most advanced diy hydroponic system. That's what I'm into.
 
Here's my DIY. 13 gal buckets, 3" pvc, 3/4" return line w 1200 gph pump and 1/2 hp chiller. Also running 2 commercial air pumps. 1 for the 8 buckets (large blue air stones) in bloom room and 1 in mechanical room (6" Round) in the control bucket. So far so good. With low temps and high dissolved oxygen under LED I haven't been able to push beyond 220 ppm now without nute burning the tips in flower. This is my first time running anything other than coco.

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And the results...
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scored these baby's for .50 cents a piece ...at dollar general....as a dwc guy .I was obviously syked....they are back to school pencil holders

Sent from my SM-G360V using 420 Magazine Mobile App
 
I am making a 4 bucket slow rdwc from a 20 g brute tote 5g black buckets and 1-1/4" black nylon sump flex tubing.

All that is holding me up is a 10 pack order of General Hydroponics GH4167 , 1-1/4" I.D grommets from the AeroFlo system.
When they arrive I will shuffle the seedlings / net pot lids off the buckets , empty them drill install the parts and zip the nutrients seedlings/lids back onto them.

A mid grow build ..

I will be sure to post a photo when its assembled to add to the thread , the system will have tweaks and use a slow recirculating 80gph pump to insure every pot is always topped up 24-7

and LOTS of air
 
Got it built and pulled two pounds of well flushed Bud off it last grow using Remos nutrients a sterile res and 85 lpm of air with twelve 5 inch and two 10 inch stones

Here is next rounds plants sitting under 100w cobs to start the seedlings off , watt draw 220w

It uses 1 1/4" ID #40 PVC pipe and GH aeroflow res. grommets that fit a 1 7/8 drill hole and the outside of the 1 1/4 pipe

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Has a eco265 a 290 gph pump inside a 20G Brute tote to flow water into the top of those two buckets , it then flows back into the res from the lower right side bucket.
 
Here's my DIY. 13 gal buckets, 3" pvc, 3/4" return line w 1200 gph pump and 1/2 hp chiller. Also running 2 commercial air pumps. 1 for the 8 buckets (large blue air stones) in bloom room and 1 in mechanical room (6" Round) in the control bucket. So far so good. With low temps and high dissolved oxygen under LED I haven't been able to push beyond 220 ppm now without nute burning the tips in flower. This is my first time running anything other than coco.

20160910_193753.jpg
20160910_193940.jpg
20160911_211515.jpg
20160911_211625.jpg
20160925_170720.jpg


And the results...
20161118_153504.jpg
20161110_220436.jpg
20161108_194200.jpg

20161101_225909.jpg
Room looks great. If u could message me I’m in the middle of a shed build. I want ur advice on what u are happy with in ur room. Do u like that penguin chiller. What HP?
 
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