DTW vs. Recirculating in Coco, via top-fed drip

[Prestige]

I know perlite likes to float, it will be messy fersure.

 

[KiLoEleMeNt]

This is true but what about in the 2gal ebb n flow buckets rather than the airpots they are not mesh on the side they only have 1/4" holes in the bottom

 

[Prestige]

Someone should chime-in with an answer in not too long here.

 

[Coir]

This is true but what about in the 2gal ebb n flow buckets rather than the airpots they are not mesh on the side they only have 1/4" holes in the bottom

Using pots with 1/4" holes on the bottom for a flood and drain table is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[KiLoEleMeNt]

No it is not a flood table that's just what I am currently using if you read what I have said it states they are ebb and flow "buckets" it is a bucket with in a bucket 12 of them with a ebb and flow controller and 55gal rez titan makes one called the flo n gro I have two of these and it wuld never work as the pots are netted all they way around and would leak the perilite but I am referring to another that I have that's the ebb n grow from c.a.p. electronics that has solid buckets with 1/4 holes in the bottom of the bucket and the fore mentioned question was about a "flood table" and "airpots"

 

[Coir]

No it is not a flood table that's just what I am currently using if you read what I have said it states they are ebb and flow "buckets" it is a bucket with in a bucket 12 of them with a ebb and flow controller and 55gal rez titan makes one called the flo n gro I have two of these and it wuld never work as the pots are netted all they way around and would leak the perilite but I am referring to another that I have that's the ebb n grow from c.a.p. electronics that has solid buckets with 1/4 holes in the bottom of the bucket and the fore mentioned question was about a "flood table" and "airpots"

Ok. I must have misunderstood the question. Good luck with that system. Hopefully someone here can help.

 

[Prestige]

Yea, I still don't understand lol.

 

[Prestige]

I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the runoff. At 10%-15%, does it just kind of evaporate off? I was thinking of using a second pump to get rid off all the runoff. Let me know what you guys think or what solutions you guys have come-up with to solve this problem. I'm really afraid of a malfunction and it flooding out my spot lol.

 

[Prestige]

How about a big plastic kiddy pool? The only thing is that I want to be able to get to each individual plant. If I used something like a kiddy pool, I don't know how I would reach the plants in the middle.

Second strategy:

Build a rectangular box (almost like a veggy bed) and line it with plastic, I would raise the pots so that the gurls don't get their feet wet and the runoff collects in this box. I would then use a small pump to dump it.

 

[Prestige]

Third strategy:

Use those plastic roofing things that have groves in them and put them on a table at a slant and have the runoff drip into a bucket and then pump that out.

What do you guys think? I would really appreciate your input on this one.

 

[Prestige]

No it is not a flood table that's just what I am currently using if you read what I have said it states they are ebb and flow "buckets" it is a bucket with in a bucket 12 of them with a ebb and flow controller and 55gal rez titan makes one called the flo n gro I have two of these and it wuld never work as the pots are netted all they way around and would leak the perilite but I am referring to another that I have that's the ebb n grow from c.a.p. electronics that has solid buckets with 1/4 holes in the bottom of the bucket and the fore mentioned question was about a "flood table" and "airpots"

Hey, that came-off as kind of rude, dude. Coir was just trying to help you out. I still don't know what your trying to do, but it sounds like you already have your mind set towards it and no one is going to tell you other wise. I notice some people are just looking for reassurance and want someone to tell them 'that will work'. I wanted to do a recirculating drip setup in coco, but very experienced people set me straight and I listened.

Just run it and see what happens, setup one bucket and test it out. These guys have done it all, years of trial and error and if you listen to them you can save yourself a lot of time, trouble and heartache. That's my opinion, anyways.

Much love

 

[Prestige]

I know; when you have it all planned-out in your head and you run it by the big dogs and they tell you it won't work, it sucks, but if you want the best setup possible, you can't be afraid to dump your design and start from scratch again.

I was in the denial phase for a minute, cognitive dissonance; looking for any post I could find on google that reassured me about the design I had my heart set on. But in the end; I want the best results possible, so I listened to the OGs.

 

[Coir]

I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the runoff. At 10%-15%, does it just kind of evaporate off? I was thinking of using a second pump to get rid off all the runoff. Let me know what you guys think or what solutions you guys have come-up with to solve this problem. I'm really afraid of a malfunction and it flooding out my spot lol.

There are a ton of options. I have large individual drip trays under my pots and I use an aquarium vacuum to empty them after watering. It uses a lot of water but it works great and I have plenty of water so I don't mind. If I was on city water, I would use a small pump instead.
If I had the height, I would have my pots on a tray that had drains running into some sort of reservoir/container and then just pump that out.
The fiberglass/plastic roofing stuff will work. You can use a vinyl rain gutter across the low end to catch all the runoff and divert it to another container or drain.

 

[Prestige]

If I was on city water, I would use a small pump instead.
If I had the height, I would have my pots on a tray that had drains running into some sort of reservoir/container and then just pump that out.
The fiberglass/plastic roofing stuff will work. You can use a vinyl rain gutter across the low end to catch all the runoff and divert it to another container or drain.

That's what I was thinking, seems to be the only practical solution, that I can think of at least.

 

[Prestige]

Ah, so many variables.... It is quite a headache lol

I have a decent amount of room, instead of running 1000w(s) would you recommend replacing them for 2 600w(s)?

I think I'm going to veg for about 2-3 weeks and then bloom. I guess we'll just see what happens.

I need to get this dialed as soon as possible, any miscellaneous tips or advice you guys are willing to share; please, pour it on me.

 

[Oregon Grown]

If going drain to waste be sure you know where it's going. After 2 years of pumping it to my basement drain I managed to kill my apple trees in my yard.

 

[Coir]

If going drain to waste be sure you know where it's going. After 2 years of pumping it to my basement drain I managed to kill my apple trees in my yard.

I have never seen that happen! Sorry to hear about your trees.
I used to pump all mine on to the outside garden and the neighbors could never figure out why my garden was always so much better than theirs!
Back in the late 70's-early 80's I knew a guy that pumped all of his out onto his lawn. His doorbell rang one morning and there was a group of people at his door telling him he had won an award for having the nicest lawn in the neighborhood. The area he lived in Portland apparently had some sort of competition that the Royal Rosarians judged each year and he didn;t know about it until then. He though for sure the police would be his next visitors but they never came.

 

[GET MO]

Good thread, lots of info. I did recirculating 50/50 coco perlite for years, me and a group of growers grew some of the best weeds off that stuff. We would use canna coco nutes like the schedule says, with a little added cal mag and sometimes some added organic stuff, drip lines with 15 minutes a day feeding. simply put a compost tea bag around the pump so nothing gets in your lines. might top off once but no more than that, just let it get empty and refill it bout every two weeks. Best run I ever did I pulled about 1 1/2 lb from a 600 in a 4x4 tent, with canna nutes and adding open sesame, beastie bloomz, and chaching to the equation the way the label said to with budswell the last two weeks.

Where Im at now tho im considering the DTW. I just need a tank or barrel or whatever to put my nutrients in, it seems like the plants would be getting what they need a little better without having to use the canna line and mix all those nutrients.

 

[KiLoEleMeNt]

Hey, that came-off as kind of rude, dude. Coir was just trying to help you out. I still don't know what your trying to do, but it sounds like you already have your mind set towards it and no one is going to tell you other wise. I notice some people are just looking for reassurance and want someone to tell them 'that will work'. I wanted to do a recirculating drip setup in coco, but very experienced people set me straight and I listened.

Just run it and see what happens, setup one bucket and test it out. These guys have done it all, years of trial and error and if you listen to them you can save yourself a lot of time, trouble and heartache. That's my opinion, anyways.

Much love

Well first off @Prestige I was not intending to be rude @Coir im just a lazy/blunt typer. Plus i never have got any updates on this thread or simply missed it out of the many different things I write in a single day every day otherwise I would have answered back when replied too. So second no I was not looking for re assuring of anything I was actually just trying to throw ideas at the wall and see what sticks you best go look at my threads and posts before you try and tell me about "The big dogs" bro you don't know me nor what I do or have done. third and finally I have already made many runs useing a similar technique and it works great the many ways I do it where as I use the same systems and qualities best way i found out if the many many i tried over the many years just simply keep perlite and the coco seprate having perlite on the bottom half of the bucket and coco on top. So before you call me rude as i am being now!!! Be sure that Next time yiu do your homework before being rude to me or anyone for that matter or putting anyone's abilities in question as if you knew them well enough to do so and that is all I will say on the matter.

@Coir I apologize if I came across rude but did in no way intend to as well as sorry for blowing your friend up on your page but to imply that as he has is arrogant rude and pedantic in the least of things.

@GET MO those are some nice numbers for sure don't think I have pulled anything like that form a 600w before on a flood table. However i never have used canna coco either with a flood system and I see extremely good results just have never seen it to be worth the very high cost perhaps I should re evaluate this and give her a serious trial and error run

Hope all is well with everyone and their gardens are going strong good luck and have a great one.

 

[GET MO]

yeah man, everything on that run was perfect tho. I had an ac running that was ducted into the tent, with a fan on the other side pulling air through the light and out. I think i also changed the rez once a week that run, i havent been able to get that good a pull since but then agian havent ran much indoor since neither, this was like in 2008, I stopped growing indo for the most part round 2010 and just started again early this year.