DIY gravity drain multibucket controller

[Mr Smith]

I have been using my ebb n grow controller for my mother plants. I have decided to do another ebb n grow project so I need the controller but to take that controller I need a system to keep the mothers going. I decided to make a multi bucket gravity drain controller. I thought this was a good time to show people how to make a super simple table style controller. The diy is super easy to make, very reliable and can be used for mothers, veg and flower cycles. This is the second one I have made so I know you can have very good results from them.

This square bucket is the controller. My first controller I used a square kitty litter bucket. I had a issue with algae so now I am using a black bucket. The bucket could be round but I prefer square because of the grommits.

Insider the controller on the left I drilled 3 holes on the side at the bottom. then I installs grommets I purchased at home depot from the electrical department and black plastic fittings from Lowes found in the plumbing department. These fittings are where the multiple buckets are installed.

I have 3 fittings going out but you can have more or less depending on how many buckets you hook up.

On The right side of the controller are ebb n flow fittings I bought at the hydro store for 10 bucks. You can buy them at most online hydro stores or improvise and use fittings you can put together at the hardware store. The green fitting is the fill and drain fitting. When the pump is on the system fills with water/nute mix, when pump is off it drains back into the resevoir. The tall fitting is a level fitting that I modified with a short piece of 3/4inch pvc tubing to increase height. Once water reaches the desired level the extra water is drained off into the resevoir.

Wherever you place the controller on the table your gonna have to cut 2 holes for the fill/drain and leveling fittings. The table has to be elevated high than the resevoir. You can put the resevoir under the table or to the side of the table. I got the black tubing from home depot in ten foot lenghs.

The black lines feed into this tote I got from walmart. I had to drill 2 holes into the sides for the tubing.

The pump is in the resevoir. You can use as low as a 70gph pump or as high as a 220gph pump. I wouldn't go higher than 220. You set the pump on a timer to fill 3 times a day for 15 minutes.

Hope the info might help a grower in the future.
Any Qs? LEt me know but I give ya fare warning, I get really high when I am on this site.

 

[growinman]

Kick Ass!! That is awesome! Is doesn't get much more simple than that.

This is funny......I just bought a 'Farm-Kit' from GH....the guts to diy a water-farm. I like this(your) idea much bettter and am going to try it..... So I may be back with Q's if that's alright, Mr Smith!

Oh, great update in your other thread!! I have comments for later when I get time-----

gman

went to rep you---gotta spread it around more 1st, haha!

 

[Mr Smith]

Let me know bro. I would be more than happy to help if needed.

 

[growinman]

Let me know bro. I would be more than happy to help if needed.

Thank you very much, Mr Smith!! I will be seeing what I can get set-up asap. I am moving a table(flood/drain) out to try this---it gets harvested this coming weekend....thinking to just do 4 of the buckets this first run.

Hey, I wish you very much luck in your entry in the Plant Of The Month contest. That is sure one KICK ASS Chronic girl you had.....5 zips,

gman

 

[Mr Smith]

You can add as many buckets as you want depending on your resevoir size. I average 4 to 6 buckets a line when I flower with the bucket system but you can do up to 8 but you have to increase your flood time to 30 minutes if you do 5 buckets or more per line. You need the extra time to allow the furthest buckets to fill completely. The less buckets per line, the less time you need to fill and saturate your medium.
For mother plants I average 1 to 2 buckets per line flooding for 10 to 15 minutes. I do this for moms because there are less plants and it makes working with the moms easier when pruning or taking clones.

I hope this makes sense, if not just let me know bro.

 

[growinman]

Thanks for your time, Mr Smith!!

I just got the stuff to put together 4 of these........now I have to harvest that table that's getting moved out.
I notice that you pretty much just fill the buckest with hydroton-----rooted cutting right into that? I have some very nice vegged AK girls that I was planning for this run in these. BUT, I have them in 3" nets of hydroton......do see a problem just leaving them in those nets and feeding the roots down into the bucket rocks without cutting the nets?? they're my nets from the AF------I veg in a diy aero and have mass roots. I am just curious if you think the plastic net strap things give battle for the big taps once they go...

Hey, how/where do you veg for your AF??

Thanks again!!

gman

 

[Mr Smith]

I double pot many of times with the 3 inch nets and never had a problem and I put them straight into medium and never had a problem. I don't think it makes a difference at all.

There has been no veg time with the plants that go into the aeroflo. From cloner straight to flower in the aeroflo.

 

[Retired One]

Great DIY info.

+rep

 

[DrDan]

Nice design on the controler, so simple and it was the missing piece in my own homegrown ebb and gro system. THANK YOU! My ladies thank you as well, now they get a full 15 minutes of feeding instead of 6-7 minutes.

 

[retired again dude]

Lookin good great that you built it all your self. About water times a day. I use to run the fill 4 times a day but soon found out when you got 12 pots with big plants you can water up to 12 times during the day and night and still never show any leaf dammage from overwatering....they just drink it up......mine are finished veg at 30" tall and drinking about 20 gallions every 2 weeks and its not evaporation, I have a sealed res.

Again well done!

 

[420fied]

Thanks for posting this Smith. I always enjoy your posts. +rep if I can.

 

[Tyrone Hamilton]

Always happy to see people sharing DIY... +reps!

 

[McBudz]

very nice work man. This is great stuff. + reps

 

[Ray Gunn]

Hey Mr. Smith,

One question, Does the controller sit on same height as your buckets? Does that riser drain inside the controller determine the height of the maximum water level inside your buckets?

 

[Mr Smith]

Thats the way it works Ray. The controller sits at the same height as the buckets, the riser drain is what sets the flood height. Works exactly the same as a ebb and flow system, has to be above resevoir height.
I am using this controller to take care of a few mums and vegging out a few plants from seed in a journal I have. Its my second diy controller, the 1st one I made was before I owned a ebb n grow and I used to flower with this style controller. It worked great and it was a nobrainer to operate.

 

[Mr Smith]

Lookin good great that you built it all your self. About water times a day. I use to run the fill 4 times a day but soon found out when you got 12 pots with big plants you can water up to 12 times during the day and night and still never show any leaf dammage from overwatering....they just drink it up......mine are finished veg at 30" tall and drinking about 20 gallions every 2 weeks and its not evaporation, I have a sealed res.

Again well done!

I can't recommend these watertimes but I have done this also, I don't think its neccessary to water so much and the way a ebb n flow is desighned it feeds from the nutrient trapped in the medium and drinks from the bottom bucket. Over watering might make the plant lazy especially if done to soon so I will stick with telling people 3 times a day and find whats best for them.

 

[retired again dude]

Mr Smith I got a question for you If the system was designed to drink from the bottom, What if the plant never sends roots into the outer bucket at 4 foot tall. I tried the 3 watering times and my plants were so big they would wilt. I switch to 12 and the problem was solved...

I have never heard of anyone over watering a ebb and grow system.....
The plants when I depot them are fully root bound but no roots to the bottom bucket.....

I have used this cycle for 1 year, 4 crops no problems......

 

[PitViper]

great post....there are no set flood times or no set amount of intervals...you need to see whats work for you. myself I flood 6 times for an hr.....there is no set time and interval. My plants eat 40 gallons every 6 days

 

[Mr Smith]

The new buckets have bigger holes is all alowing roots to grow through easily. I have overwatered many of ebb systems lol but go with what viper said what works is what works. My plants can suck just as many gallons with less waterings.

 

[BCMoto]

Great tec Mr. Smith!

Thanks! So I'm assuming the drainback fitting is just a restriction that lets the water drain into the rez slower than the pump will fill the buckets in a 15mn time. Was wondering how a eb&grow/flow system worked. So simple...