DIY - Over, Under, Sideways, Down...Sky High builds an Under Current knockoff

[spinkus]

Hey skyhi I get the same brown foam/curd in my waterfarms after i added a AP-100 and an air-stone in every bucket. I just use SM-90 at 3ml/gal and wipe the little bit of crud out once a day when i top her off. Roots are beautiful, healthy and white.

I'd definitely say it's caused by the massive air/bubbles...

 

[sky high]

Thanks guys. Hoped it was kinds/sorta somethin' like that.

OK..... I spoke of moving the pumps above the water level.... and for good reason. Last night I shut it all off and saw the water start to back out of the buckets and into the airlines......so i hit the power on again and averted whatever might have happened.... possibly a backup into the AP-100's.

therefore... the bubbles will stay on until I drain it and break it all down. When I do that I will install a chack valve on each module. folks copying my cobbled system should think ahead and either install check valves or route the airlines on top and then down/into the buckets. (clutter...but whatever works, right?)

pics of the next modification coming soon.....

s h

 

[UCMENOW]

Those Flex Air discs are supposed to have built in check valves....you might check to see if you don't have a leak into your air line somewhere within the bucket.

I've found that the AP's tend to run pretty well after taking a drink. :).

 

[mrdizzle]

you can lift your airpump off the ground, but check valves will also solve your beef

 

[UCMENOW]

May as well go remote, possibly in an adjacent utility room....I understand 4-6 foot off the floor is optimal to extend the life of those pumps.

Super sweet application, SH.

 

[Satica]

Tell me about those bumps, Satica...

Pretty sure I'm gonna rock the Colorado Blueberry clone in here on the first run. I was told I probably couldn't make her yield worth shit but iin the DWC she is cruisin' right along. won't be the BIGGEST harvest but she is packing on substantial weight and there will be no disappoointments here considering how top shelf this smoke is. MMMMM.

clones are rooted. A week or so in the ebb/flow (and a nice harvest!).....and then they'll hit the buckets for a spin.

Question for folks who've ran this system. After a few hours of of I see a weird "precipatate" forming at the water line. Tan/brown crud....you can wipe it out with your finger but in 2 hours it is back. Might be hard mineral in my tap water....or residue from manufacturing one of the components.....but I''ve never seen anyhting like it before in any other system. Maybe something to do with the massive airflow/bubbles?

should be fun....

Thanks for lookin' in, folks!

s h

I said bumpy since Right now I am a Pure hydroponics guy like you but I use different nutrients in my different reservoirs.
Hydro is like riding in Formula ONE with a ferrari,its fast,unforgiven and sometimes wild but if you know how to ride it, you score the best.

just try to resist over feeding.It is the main reason of failure even more than power surges and electical problems.

Good luck

 

[sky high]

Thanks for the advice, satica. I've been running DWC for 3.5 years now. I can't say i have it dialed in (and this UC is a new game) but I can say that I know "just" enough to be dangerous....

thanks dizzle. I may do both.

I built this sytem so the mix bucket and the pumps will all be OUTSIDE the growroom it'self, UC. I'll probably have to run a chiller in the summer months...and I have a plan on a build for that too...LOL. By locating all of the mechanics outside the room makes it easier all the way around to check/service without opening the grow room door in lights out.

prolly always gonna be somethin'' cus that's the way this shit rocks!

s h

 

[UCMENOW]

On Point

Word...

 

[sky high]

Space...the Final Frontier....

 

[Satica]

Sky high

It is a killer set up undoubtedly and 3.5 years experience is more than enough for running this setup .

Just I am curious to ask : Are you a Perfectionist?

 

[noone88]

Nice setup. I've been trying to source CCH2O square pails. They are called EZ-Stor pails. I'm guessing they ordered a ton from the manufacturer so that they could get it in a custom color. Everyone else carries it in white.

You only need to make an exact circle using a hole saw for the uniseal. You can use a jigsaw the cut a hole for the netpot since that part doesn't have to be perfect.

Like the previous posters, the only change i'd make, and this applies to the CCH2O system is the ability to locate the controller bucket outside of the grow room.

 

[sky high]

Sky high

Just I am curious to ask : Are you a Perfectionist?

LOFL.

More like a hack with tools...

 

[Texas Kid]

Love the air diffusers, the loose ones actually get picked up by the rootmass and pulled up into the center of the rootball which makes it hard as shit to get out at the end, most of mine got broken and had to be replaced after harvest.

I am doin a 4 site real similar to this setup real soon.

Tex

 

[easypleasie]

Yo Sky! Glad to see you messing around with a new system :) Always fun just tinkering with stuff. That's some serious air for those round diffusers lol. Do you think one ap100 would be enough to run 5 of those things?

 

[sky high]

one pump would probably do it, easy....but I figured one more might make all the difference for another $130.......

Yo TK. Thanks for stoppin in. You've been HELLA inspiration on this entire gig. Had I not seen you rock this system I wouldn't have paid much notice.

I hear ya about the stones. Even im my 5 gal DWC they get lifted into the root mass...

Time will tell how this works....... but i'm hopin the extra height of the bucket will help keep roots out of the main lines a bit longer.....

if not.... it may be time to experiment with some sort of mesh/etc. over the diffuser to block the roots from descending into the main lines.

Yup...pumps wear out. Tell ya what tho....this Pondmaster stuff is built pretty solid...especially compared to the rest of the hydro crap sold out there. Ya DON'T wanna drop any of these on yer toes...LOL.

Makes SHIT like GH dual diaphrams look like the garbage they are.....and they aren't THAT much cheaper. Never goin back.....

be well my friend.....

sky

 

[Texas Kid]

I just put some big ass round stones in my setup, alot more air movement for sure and heavy bastards.

Tex

 

[sky high]

yeah...ya must have to tie BOULDERS to these suckers to keep em on the bottom of a pond! Never thought about the lift. Glad I hard piped em in the buckets!

My next gig will be a 6 bucket UC VEG system made from those smaller square kitty litter pails. 6 that will fit in the footprint of a 600...so I can just just lift them bitches out of the veg unit...net pot and all ..... roots a protrudin'...and slam em right into the bloom room modules. (gonna do this here with ebb/flow this go around 'cus my system is a few weeks out from gettin loaded up)

some kinda fun!

s h

 

[Texas Kid]

Make sure your lids are the same size on your veg setup and flower setup because after a very short time you can not get the 8" net pots out of the lid because the roots shoot out sideways and all over, you will have to move the entire lid and all with the netpot still in it to the other setup and flower. I actually pushed the netpots through the lids and then pulled the netpot and all out of the buckets to harvest and clean...those roots go nuts...

Tex

 

[UCMENOW]

Attn: UC "aholics"

Just got the low down on some future UC developements.......custom molded 15 gallon professional grade modules for use in full sun greenhouse apps, and other high light intensity commercial applications....I heard they'd be coming out Fall 2010.

These mods will supposedly offer a removable perforated plastic grate that sits near the bottom to protect the air stones and act as an oxy diffusser to boot.

And...apparently they're now also offering all thier systems "bare bones" as well as complete....these bare bones systems exclude all air pumps and stones so that growers can customize their app to suit their needs....regeratives and micropores anyone?

 

[Texas Kid]

Love the bare bones approach, if you could just buy the prepped buckets and seals and then do all the rest yourself that would be tits and shipping would be minimal..

I am ready for the outdoor greenhouse version also, lets get it started...

Tex