New to RDWC - Help please

[wardk27]

hello all. I am a fairly new grower with a few questions. i am in the middle of my first grow using soil but want to switch to an RDWC system. with all the reading i have done on here and other places it seems like it is the way to go.
right now i have a 4x4 grow tent with a 1000 w full spectrum led light running. i have another of the same light but just havent put it up yet. Wasnt really sure if it would be over kill or not. I have just been using the grow big nutrients with Ph water and the plants i have now seem to be doing great (newbie so kinda assuming they are).
my question is really about RDWC system. i am trying to build my own system and want some pointers for it
im going to have 5 5 gallon buckets 4 for plants maybe 5 is space allows, and one for my nutrient reservoir.

what size piping did everyone use. bulkheads are to expensive so i am planning on using uniseals or grommets. i was planning on 3/4 black poly irrigation tubing that way i have some flexibily with positioning. will this be enough for the system or should i try something different.

i have read in few places i have to change the water level in the buckets as the plants mature and the roots grow farther down into them. how do i change the the level of the water. i am assuming the water of the nutrient tank determines the level in the buckets. Do I lower the float valve controlling the reservoir and that will lower the water volume in the nutrient tank.

How big of a water pump should i use. i was think around a 500 gph should be fine

Lastly, any other tips or things i should know going in. like i said i am new to growing and RDWC so any tips would be awesome

thank you all in advanced

 

[DukeO]

I run 4 DWC buckets in a 4x4 with 950w(pulled from the wall) of led. That should be about the same as your two lights together.

With a 4x4 you can grow about four 1/2lb plants. In flower those plants can drink more then a gallon a day.

So you would need about a 15 or 20gal rez to run about a week for RDWC.

I would recommend just running DWC if you can. It would be much cheaper and give you more flexibility in what you grow.

One GH dual diaphragm pump could run 4 buckets and you could pick up a transfer pump for about $20 to move water from one bucket to another. That way you only have to top them off and you don't need to grow just one strain at a time like RDWC

If you went with RDWC you most likely would need a chiller to cool down the water from the extra heat that comes with a water pump.

I use 6" tops so I can just slide the top over a little to check and fill and I use 2" large cylinder airstones.

I run tap water nutes and z7 water treatment. The z7 keeps everything clean and free of root rot with rez temps up to 80f.

 

[Old TimingMan]

I agree with DukO, you will need a bigger rez, I am using a 30 gal heavy duty tote as my rez, my 4 5gal buckets each hold 3 gal & 1 qt (13 gallons) allowing 2" of space between the bottom of the net pot and top of the water level, so your total system should be at least 25 gallons, and when they really start to drink 30 gallons unless you want to mix nutes every night.

I run my rez, air, and water pumps outside of my grow room and use a external water pump to keep the water temps in the mid to high 60's, I also use Z7 but still want to keep a water temp under 70 degrees.

Bulkheads are not that expensive if you shop around, I am using 1/2" for my supply and 1" for my return with strainers on both to keep the roots out. I have read many horror stories from blow-outs and leaks with uniseals...I paid $ less than $5.00 each for the 1" and less than $4.00 each for the 1/2". If you are using round 5 gal buckets, use silicone when installing the bulkheads and you will have no leaks.

I designed my system to be a bottom feed gravity drain and it works well, I am using a 500GPH Pond Master mag drive water pump and a 794GPH air pump with 5" flat stones siliconed to the bottom of each bucket and one in the rez.

I have my set-up in the basement so to change it all I have to do is attach a hose to the floor drain, open a couple valves and in 15 min it is drained. I wipe out the rez, add 10 gals of premixed PH'd nutes and start the pumps and keep adding till I have 25 gallons in the system.

Investing in one of these is the best money I have spent, it gives you peace of mind as to what is going on in the system and is a hell of a lot quicker, more accurate than using PH & TDS pens. Things can go south fast in a RDWC system if you are not on top of it.

Other than some minor changes to the way my shut-off valves are set up on the buckets, the only thing I plan to change is the noisy air pump to a better Jeboa brand pump, they are like only 35db which is quiet, but then they are $50.00 more than what I spent on the one I have now!

I really like growing in water, it is amazing how big the root system will get in the buckets and how fast they drink!

Good luck!