View Single Post
Old 04-14-2009, 12:20 PM   #1 (permalink)
doubleds
Super Moderator
 
doubleds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: new brunswick, Canada
Posts: 669
doubleds has a spectacular aura about doubleds has a spectacular aura about
doubleds's Gallery
Default Doubleds "med patient bucket" DIY MPB BUCKETS

Hello farmers

After about 300 pm's asking for assistance on building my system i decided to do a diy. There are many aspects of this system to work properly such as co2, lighting, cooling, humidity and many more.

Today we are going to talk about the hydroponic portion.

I designed this system for north american legal medical patients who have small plant numbers, to maximize the amount of medicine they can get.

I new b4 i started that i wanted a very hi flow, recirculating dwc system that produces more dissolved oxygen than the plant need alone. The nutes firing through the 1/2 line into the base of a 60 litre resevoir at very high speed and building up until it reaches 1.5 inches above the inner bucket and exiting via gravity through 2 x 1 inch outlets that drain into a 4 inch pipe returning to the res. All this movement, all the sloshing around all the travelling back and forth to the res highly oxygenates the nute solution. Then as a real kik we add a 12 inch airstone to each res and froth tht nute solution.

Here is how we build the system

You will need cordless drill, file, hole saw kit (50$) at canadian tire and some drill bits

You will need quick connects available here

http://www.newageindustries.com/camop_nylon.asp

you will need pieces c & f in 1inch (2) and 1/2 inch (1)

The nuts to attach these to the res are available here

http://www.sealconusa.com/nynuts.htm

you will need (2) 1 inch and (1) 1/2 inch.

You will need to get a plumber to make you gaskets for these, my local did it for me.

The amount of parts listed above are for 1 mpb bucket system. Add more for more buckets.

Off we goClick the image to open in full size.

here is the hole saw kit i use.

Click the image to open in full size.

here are the parts we will use.

Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size.

First thin we need to do is drill holes in our 10 litre bucket. Take a piece of your hydroton and get a drill bit just a tad smaller than the rock, this way hydroton wont fall through but the holes are big enough to not strangle the roots. Drill as many holes as you can without comprimising the integrity of the bucket, as shown in pic.

Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size.

Next we take the lid of our res and mark out a 10 inch circle in the middle. Drill a hole bigger than a jig saw blade and cut out the hole, this is where your bucket will sit.

Click the image to open in full size.

This is our 60 litre res that will hold our bucket and the root system of each plant.

Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size.

it is 2ft long x 20 inches wide, the perfect size. A 20 litre pail wont allow for the roots to grow out and become a mat 2ft x 20inch therefore really increasing your plants dripline.

Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size.

now we are going to drill the 1/2 inch feed line. We put this at the lowest point we can. It doesnt matter where this goes, i run all my feedlines around the outside of the room so the are out of the way hence, the back of the bucket. Match your hole saw (shown in pic) to the threaded end of the 1/2 coupler so its just bigger than the part. Drill your hole slowly. Clean up any loose debris with you file. Attach a gasket to the coupler and push it through the hole we just cut, attach another gasket to the coupler inside the res and then screw on your nut to hand tight, DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN !!

Your feed line is now complete. Lets fix our bucket.

Place the lid on the res and place your bucket through the hole as shown

Click the image to open in full size.

(1 inch outlets shown, dont worry about it)

take a long piece of somthing (i use a screwdriver) and stick it through one of the holes you drilled in your bucket so it touches the bottom straight up and down.

Click the image to open in full size.

next hold it steady with your finger at the bottom of the pail

Click the image to open in full size.

then move your finger 1.5 inches up the screwdriver and make sure you dont lose that spot on the screwdriver, this is where your nute line will be, the highest point of water.

Then grab your res at the end where you want your drains to be and hold the screwdriver from the bottom.

Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size.

scratch an x at the top of the screwdriver, do this 2wice so you have 2 drains.

Click the image to open in full size.

this x marks the spot where the LOWER PORTION OF THE HOLE SAW WILL CUT THROUGH. NOT THE DRILL SPOT. move the drill higher so the lower portion cuts at that x.Click the image to open in full size.

attach the 1 inch hardware same as you did the 1/2 inch. Attach a gasket to the coupler, push the coupler through the hole, attach another gasket inside the res and put on your screw and hand tighten.

Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size. Click the image to open in full size.

you are done other than adding a drill hole to push an air line through and attaching a 12 inch airstone. Shown in the last couple pics are the easy clamp couplers you will use for drainage.

Let the questions roll.

I will be adding all the aspects to make this a system as successful as mine as we go so stay tuned.
__________________
THCfarmer Moderator pm me for any forum related help

Forum Rules - Current thcbay freebies - Uploading photos 1, 2
doubleds is offline   Reply With Quote