2L 6pack rack

[dadums]

Not sure what to call this. Modular 2L hempy? Keeping humidity down started me on this design. No little hole in the side to clog and all extra liquid drains to a bucket. I started with a 6pack I may make a bigger one, I think 12 would be the limit. When it is time to trim just pick up the rack and put it on the table. Same for a weekly system drain. I'll keep an air stone running my bucket of nutes and water daily with oxiginated water. KISS for my wife she does the daily care keeps (her involved) Oh yea... hey Twelve12 here it is.

I drilled a bunch of holes in the bottle bottoms and added Fish tank gravel for under the coco coir.

I can add another elbow and raise the water level in the bottom

Lost one seedling so only 5 first run I just plugged the hole.
I'll be transplanting soon so I'll have to start my first journal.

 

[Twelve12]

dadums Very nice design. This will be very effective being automated for those who don't like watering each bottle, and is a safe and easy walk away, flood and drain system. Can't wait to see it in action. The only thing I'm concern is the roots may grow into the pvc and clogged it up over time. Your thoughts on this?

 

[dadums]

I thought of that and I think a disk of landscaping material will cure that. I'll put on top the gravel. Funny I was in a hurry mixing the batch of putty for the last 2L and it didn't harden glad I had the plug. First time expanding a brick of coco coir, just added more water
Future ideas: Air stone(s) in the bottom with raised water level and start the clones right in the 2L bottles (may have to plug drain). Pull flowering clones (day 21) mmm 2 racks in veg 4 or 5 in flower perpetual grow with no mother. I've been reading the journals and threads again.
It's like your 2L DWC-H only inside out.
For now I'll water each bottle and with the air stone in my nute bucket I'll be adding oxiginated water each day. I Can watch PH and TDS in the system changing out once a week (pull plug in the end and drain). With the landscaping material it will drain slow and flood each bottle. So I guess this is a 2L DWC Hempy Flood and Drain. Or just Rack

 

[PrairiePoet]

Cool ideal. Will be interesting to see how it works for you.

 

[HiTimes4Me]

Nice build brother

 

[dadums]

System loaded Journal to follow.
Fixed one minor leak. Figures now that it is running I looked at the quick connects
for the garden hose sitting on my desk and the cap off a 2L fit :rolleyes3 the epoxy is the week link. I'll find an adapter so the bottles will just screw in.
This rack probably won't be practical for large grows 6 or maybe 8 bottles is the limit on size. 6 is pretty heavy to pick up, but I'll be able to put it on a table to trim along the way. once I get a mum going I figure 4 racks in flower one veg and 6 plants in the cloner. start 6 every 3 weeks. That will be more than enough for our meds.

 

[dadums]

Here is the last of it
Landscapeing material to keep roots
in check

Loaded in coco coir

thin layer of gravel on top

I gotta get the digital camera out for the Journal

 

[dadums]

Found out that garden hose fittings fit 2L bottles. Next rack will have them. I may leave the gravel out of the next set, these drain really well.

 

[Hash Hound]

very nice dadums,

I did a similar system for my peppers a few years and posted about it before, but here it is again. I saw it at hydroponicsonlinedotcom

I always wanted to try it for weed. I used window screen in the bottom and a little pea gravel, then a mix of pea gravel, perlite and soil, with a layer of pea gravel on the top. I used it one year as flood and drain and another year as a drip.

 

[dadums]

Thanks HH They love it and I'm so glad you saw it. I had this in mind and I saw yours and pushed me into building it. The girls LOVE it.
6 Pack 2L Hybrid Hempy Rack Unknown Strain.
My journal has better pictures, but see how growth in just 4 day after transplant.

 

[dadums]

Rack #2 with single point watering.
Hempy clean and easy.

 

[DUBGIB]

Couple questions, how do you water? How often do you water? Do you plug the drain? If so how high should the water level be for how long? Thx allot in advanced!

 

[dadums]

Water goes in the upturned elbow until it flows a little out the drain. (into bucket)
First fill takes a gallon or so.
I water daily with oxygenated mix (BPN all the way air stone in that bucket)
Drain sets the water level 2" from bottom
One collection/watering point.
I journal-led the first run Did great till half way through flower
Got a fungus gnat infestation that lowered my final weight still got some killer sticky bud
not the fault of the system just my assistant "Oh yea I say a few bugs" LAST WEEK
I'm inn search and destroy mode now and then will fill both racks
There is a drain plug in the back that will drain the rack for flush and harvest.

 

[DUBGIB]

Thx for the info! Trying it with tomatos, peppers, flower, and basil to get the idea of how it works. I already had them started there in there everythings up n running. About the bugs look in the pest forums for yellow playing card. seems like a nice easy way to somewhat control the bugs and inexpensive. The best part is it does nothing to your plants. Let me know if it works out. Thx again for the info

 

[dadums]

Starting from scratch dumping all old medium and spraying /cleaning. I'm stumped at how and where they got in. I had them before and killed them off this time they just got a big hold with my wife doing the daily care.

 

[DUBGIB]

We live and we learn

 

[ChefGreen]

Dadums, that is so freaken cool! What a great idea. Do you have a room for them or do you use daylight? How heavy is the piece once the containers are filled?
It must be miles easier to trim and water this way.

 

[dadums]

I left out the stone and am running straight per-lite it's lighter, but i wouldn't go bigger than an 8pack, 6 works for me. I got a bank of cfls that will cover both racks. I ran a journal on one rack. I am thinking 4 racks in flower starting every 3 weeks from clones and one veg will more than meet my wife's needs. once the tap root hits bottom they really took off. If it wasn't for the @#$*&^%* gnats I would have had a great yield. I run an air-stone in the nute bucket to oxigenate the mix.

 

[Jimmycricket]

I just got some DE to tell those fungas gnats to fuck off for good . Indoors they can be a real pain. Cool little setup. But arnt the containers too close to eachother?

 

[dadums]

No I'm doing single cola with a fast turn around ala 420fied.