8 Site High Performance Under Current For $300 Or Less

[DGP]

First off I decided to post here in Hydro because the UC forum was under "Tree Growing" and I don't grow trees right now just run straight up hydro trying to turn a cycle every 3 months or so.

I cant afford a $4,000 UC system so I set out to design one of my own. I tried 2 prototypes and admit that they were not the best solution but I learned a lot in the process. I thought I would share the experience in case someone else wanted to try UC without selling an organ or giving up a left nut and an arm.

My first system used Uni-seals (AKA Uni-Leaks) and they were nearly impossible to assemble and in the end just leaked. I personally think they are garbage but that's just my opinion.

Second prototype worked but had some weaknesses. I used conduit bulkheads and like I said they worked but the potential for leaks is still there. It is cheaper than my final design but I moved on.

I spent about $500 on my testing and final design due to the failed parts but the final design can be reproduced for about $300 or less depending on what sort of materials you may be able to scrounge around your grow like pumps, hose, hardware etc. So even if I spent $500 it still yielded me a system that works wonderfully and didn't cost $4K.

The basic system uses square, black food grade buckets, aquarium 2" bulkhead fittings and common PVC 2" pipe and fittings from the hardware or big box home improvement store. The only thing I had to order special was the bulkheads and buckets.

I will post a bill of materials with costs and sources along with a design diagram.

My plants have been in the system only a few weeks but are thriving and I can't believe the quality of the root system already. I have large root bundles as well as huge (pinky size) diameter main roots. The stems on my plants are bigger in diameter already compared to where my last grow finished.

All in all I am very happy with the system. Will be adding more detail shortly along with some photos.

 

[DGP]

Oh yeah, and credit to @EventHorizon for inspiring me to do this and helping me to understand UC systems.

Dee

 

[DGP]

Ok, so the first thing I did was to layout the room and figure out the ideal spacing for the setup.

Then I made a little template to insure every bucket was drilled exactly at the same height and in the center of the buckets. In my case my control bucket will be offset from the system for easier access. That is why one of the pipe assemblies has an extra elbow in it. Also, I added a shutoff valve right before the filter to make it easier to service the filter with out water spurting out or having to wait for a drain and fill cycle. The filter picks up a lot of stuff even when I think my system is super clean.

Use the recommended procedure and primer for gluing the pipes up and use teflon plumbing tape for any pipe threads (where the inline filter goes). The bulkheads go with the nut on the outside and gasket on the inside with the ribs facing the inside flange. Do it this way or it will leak (no need to ask me how I know).

Dee

Here are the bulkhead fittings:

The bucket with a fitting installed:

The main pipe assemblies, one for the pump pickup and one for the control bucket end of the operation:

 

[DGP]

Basic layout of the plumbing for a system. Use a 3" hole saw for the 2" bulkhead fittings....

 

[DGP]

Basic bill of materials attached.

Dee

 

[Shamus]

This is awesome thank u for taking the time to post it

 

[DGP]

No problem, I enjoy the process of growing as much as the process of learning. I didn't think it was possible to get a UC system without a second job but it was fun figuring out how to do a budget UC with really almost no compromises. The one compromise is the 5.3 gallon buckets but the 13 gallon Current Culture buckets are like $50 each and I don't veg up huge plants that need that kind of root space. Also, when using those big buckets it costs a lot to do water maintenance and nutes. My system is about 50 gallons total (not including the top-off reservoir) and the 13 gal buckets would yield a system capacity of over 100 gallons. I do weekly res changes and that would be expensive.

Anyway, it's a fun project and my plants are still growing beautifully in prototype 2 which will be redeployed into the vegetable (food crop) indoor grow when the final design is finished and installed in the flower room.

Dee

 

[DGP]

Basic system coming together, now I just need to add the rest of the buckets and some short sections of pipe between all the buckets, the return line and pump....

There are cutters (big scissor like tool) that will chop the 2" pipe but they are kinda spendy (Home Despot has em), but if you have some kind of saw it helps (chopsaw or the like) but be careful a guy at work was doing some plumbing one day and tried to cut pipe on a table saw and the next day I saw him he had his jaw wired shut (kicked the pipe outta the saw). A chop saw, hand saw or maybe a sawzall with a vice works ok. Table saw is a bad idea....

If you don't have to hand saw the pieces this system can go together real fast. The only thing slowing me down is I have more bulkheads coming but they wont be here for a few days.

Dee

 

[str8smokn]

Looks good man, the only thing I see that may not make any difference is the bulkheads are backwards. But again it’s gasket to plastic on both sides , it would just look sleeker if you didn’t have the threads on the outside.
STR8

 

[DGP]

These BH connectors are actually supposed to go in this way. I watched several instructonal videos from the aquarium folks who use these regularly. I tried it the other way and it was a total fail and they only come with one gasket. The gasket has concentric ring raised areas on one side and smooth on the other. the smooth side is supposed to go against the inside of the container with the flange on the concentric bumps and no gasket on the outside. Anyway thats the way it looks like they are typically used. they leak if I put them with the flange out and threads and nut inside. Also, it is about impossible to tighten the nut when its on the inside since there isn't enough clearance for a very large wrench (if one even has one that big in the toolbox). I made a wrench that would fit and no matter how tight they leaked.

Actually I wish there were two gaskets and I may add one on the outside as well just to be sure. I hate leaks in the grow room!

Dee

 

[DGP]

Here is one of the videos that tipped me off to the correct direction:

The part on installation starts at about 1:34.

There are "schedule 80 BH fittings that have a more robust design but they are $25 each and require threaded pipe and not slip/glue in style.

 

[DGP]

Schedule 80 type (about $24):

"ABS" Schedule 40 type (about $6):

 

[str8smokn]

These BH connectors are actually supposed to go in this way. I watched several instructonal videos from the aquarium folks who use these regularly. I tried it the other way and it was a total fail and they only come with one gasket. The gasket has concentric ring raised areas on one side and smooth on the other. the smooth side is supposed to go against the inside of the container with the flange on the concentric bumps and no gasket on the outside. Anyway thats the way it looks like they are typically used. they leak if I put them with the flange out and threads and nut inside. Also, it is about impossible to tighten the nut when its on the inside since there isn't enough clearance for a very large wrench (if one even has one that big in the toolbox). I made a wrench that would fit and no matter how tight they leaked.

Actually I wish there were two gaskets and I may add one on the outside as well just to be sure. I hate leaks in the grow room!

Dee

I got you, I see it now.
I’m used to working with swimming pool equipment , they have double gaskets. And I see it’s female threadeds on the inside and not slip on the smooth face side.
My bad for trying to correct you, your on it.
STR8

 

[DGP]

No problem, I am just bouncing around trying to figure it all out. My motivation was the ridiculous pricing of Current Cultures stuff. I tend to learn by putting things together wrong and making mistakes.

 

[str8smokn]

It looks like you’ve done a good job.
STR8

 

[DGP]

Thanks, I hope it helps some folks with the high entry cost of UC. After less than a month I am already seeing great results and am super excited about the potential outcome. I have to run my grow with a fairly tight budget and I see many small growers with the same cost constraints. The only bad thing to me about hydro is some of the cost of entry. For me the hardest part was the cost of cooling (warter chiller and A/C).

Dee

 

[DGP]

Continuing to lay out the system, check measurements and cut netpot openings. The rest of the parts look like they arrive on Tuesday. Need to do a water change in my current system so I may swap it in as soon as it is tested. My plants are not super huge yet and just coming out of veg so I think I can swap systems during a water change.

Dee

 

[DGP]

Planning out the location of the control bucket. The top off res will go right next to the control up against the wall on a stand.

Dee

 

[DGP]

Here is why I think UC, a water chiller and high quality COBs or Quantums will rock:

My current plants that were just flipped.....

Flipped at about 5.5 weeks (had some issues before I switched to UC) should have typically flipped em at 4 weeks:

Roots are getting so big the main taps are breaking the net pot:

 

[DGP]

I got you, I see it now.
I’m used to working with swimming pool equipment , they have double gaskets. And I see it’s female threadeds on the inside and not slip on the smooth face side.
My bad for trying to correct you, your on it.
STR8

Ok @STR8 you were actually right in a way and so was I:). Here is the real deal on which way these assemble vs. which way that they have to assemble (at least in a UC hydro system):

1. The manufacturers method is technically correct but they seem to hold a seal either way as long as the gasket is on the fixed flange side (whether out or in). Ideally the seal would be on the water side so pressure is compressing it as opposed to on the outside where water can push against the seal directly.

2. If they are assembled the way they are meant to as in an aquarium, the buckets will be hopelessly stuck together cause even if the nut is removed you cant pull the flange out of the hole. So moving and cleaning would be near impossible.

So, in the end the best way is the way you suggested as long as the gasket is on the flange and the ribs are facing the flange.

Thanks for making me think thru this or I would have had a big problem!

Remaining parts are due today so I am excited to get it into testing.

Dee