In memory of DD: How to build an MPB revisited.

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applepie

applepie

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Here is a pic of the finished plumbing. 1/2" feed as close to the bottom of the bucket as possible. (2) 1" drains. On the other side of the bucket there is a bulkhead up top with 1/2" pvc that elbows down and feeds the airstone.

The feed line and air lines are on valves to make sure every bucket is even Steven. You can see that the 3/4" main feed line in pvc reduces down to a 1/2" tube on a barb fitting.
imag0142-jpg.171024

Can you please direct me to where I can purchase the bulkhead/rings/pipes etc (or whatever you call that) that you used?
 
Capulator

Capulator

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Can you please direct me to where I can purchase the bulkhead/rings/pipes etc (or whatever you call that) that you used?


The quick connect fittings above are linked on the parts page. FOr bulkhead fittings, just do a google search and find yourself the cheapest black PVC ones you can.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/m...mpaignId=T9F&gclid=CP_39_2i9LcCFSjZQgodljAAEQ

global industries always a good buy. Their mail catalog is a great read while you are on the shitter as well!
 
Texas Kid

Texas Kid

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Are you sure those plastic slip collars that hold your stainless support shelves will hold the weight of the water and plants combined? its goin to be a couple hundred pounds per bucket...I would block those bitches so they can't collapse on ya
 
Capulator

Capulator

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Are you sure those plastic slip collars that hold your stainless support shelves will hold the weight of the water and plants combined? its goin to be a couple hundred pounds per bucket...I would block those bitches so they can't collapse on ya


Been like that for almost 3 years now... Those little shelves are solid. They are rated for 250#. They don't hold more than about 12 gallons, and a gallon weighs 8lbs.
 
R

rywal

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Can you eventually do a small setup diagram, or blue print? For a 6 site, but I am mostly curious about doing a 2 site setup. I am a visual person and it would be awesome if i could see one drawn out. I am sure I'm not the only one. Trying to gain a better understanding of a rig like this.

Thanks for the thread dude!
 
Papa

Papa

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Cap, major props to you and to your clean work!

as we all know, these mpb systems can be a super pain to put together and (at times) run . . . but for those of us who have a passion for creating super complex cool stuff . . . . this system satisfies like none other!
 
Capulator

Capulator

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Cap, major props to you and to your clean work!

as we all know, these mpb systems can be a super pain to put together and (at times) run . . . but for those of us who have a passion for creating super complex cool stuff . . . . this system satisfies like none other!


You still runnin' yours?
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

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yep. always modifying it . . . learning more . . . making mistakes . . . making improvements.

you know how it goes.

But that's the fun part! I love screwing around with things until I find a better way... and then improving on that.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

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Here is a pic of the finished plumbing. 1/2" feed as close to the bottom of the bucket as possible. (2) 1" drains. On the other side of the bucket there is a bulkhead up top with 1/2" pvc that elbows down and feeds the airstone.

The feed line and air lines are on valves to make sure every bucket is even Steven. You can see that the 3/4" main feed line in pvc reduces down to a 1/2" tube on a barb fitting.
imag0142-jpg.171024

I'm considered the mad scientist in my circle of friends, and try as I might, I just can't figure out what all those lines do?

Another very basic question about the operation of mpb vs. RDWC; deep water culture never drains the water except for nutrient changes. Does your mpb setup drain the sites? If so, how often, how quickly, and what's the theory?
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

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mpb is an RDWC system.

Thanks for that clarification, now everything is clear as mud! So if an mpb doesn't flood and drain, what's the difference? Do I need to look at pictures?
 
Papa

Papa

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So if an mpb doesn't flood and drain, what's the difference?


i don't understand. the difference of what?

in cap's pic above, the water enters the buckets thru the 1/2" feed. that's the line with the blue handle valve on it (this valve allows him to adjust the feed, or to eliminate and remove this individual bucket from the rest of the system during a run if he desires). the white pvc this valve is on is the feed from his main reservoir (which a previous pic shows).

the two 1" lines above the feed (with the fancy quick disconnects) are the drains of the bucket (two are better than one, the theory goes, because two are less likely to clog with roots). the water level in the bucket remains constant 24/7 at the height of these drains (DD recommended 2" up from the bottom of the net pot). These two 1" lines dump into the ABS line that he runs under his buckets (which is a capability of using the wire stands. with DD's setup the main drain ran back to the main rez between the groups of buckets). this ABS line drains back to the main rez (you can see it in the upper right of the main rez pic).

the roots sit in deep water continuously. the water continuously recirculates between the main rez, to each individual bucket, and back to the main rez.

what cap hasn't yet shown clearly is how he handles oxygenation of the water. this was something that DD felt was very important. i believe the quote was something like, "nobody oxygenates their buckets as much as i do." it can be a tricky feature. aeration of the water is vital, and unlike another member recently stated, one of the most effective ways to aerate water is through micro-bubbles. there's been a lot of research on this subject for the practice of wastewater treatment . . . which the flex disks the UC system utilizes were designed for. aeration of the buckets also aids in keeping the water mixed and circulating well. however, too much air in a bucket (think a roaring boil) will move the roots around too much and can damage them.
 
Herb Forester

Herb Forester

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What is the lower 1" black line next to the larger ABS drain pipe? And are both white PVC lines on the same circuit? (top feed and DWC supply line)

Does anyone know where to buy the wastewater aeration disks? Dr. Stupid has one in his tea brewer thread, but he's MIA at the moment and I can't find his source.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

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Aha, so there's the difference! Whereas a UC style RDWC recirculates water sequentially through growing sites before sending it back to the 'epicenter' to be oxygenated and sent on, an mpb gets reservoir water directly to each site. The apparent complexity is more about redundancy, fair enough.

As it happens, I'm headed this direction as well; the RDWC- or maybe it's now an mpb?- under my vertical cylinder grow experiment consists of two black 27 gallon tubs draining through one 1" bulkhead each to a tailbucket, aka 'reservoir'. Even if it's only a 5 gallon bucket, this is where the pump drives water through 1/2" lines to waterfall back into each tub. In this way, I plan to dispense with an air driven aeration system altogether. The waterfall should agitate and oxygenate the water inside the tubs just like it does in an epicenter- it always annoyed me that the best looking site for plants in a UC was the only one you weren't supposed to put one in!

My current plan is for one 1" outlet near the bottom of the tub. If it becomes an issue, I could drill a second one either next to it, or up higher so it could serve as a drain- I like that idea. This is starting to sounding a lot more mpb-ish, isn't it? The 5 gallon tail bucket would have the pump submerged in it, and this also isolates debris where I can see it. The cooling coil to keep temps down also lives in the tailbucket, where circulation, and therefore heat transfer, is highest.
 
applepie

applepie

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What is the lower 1" black line next to the larger ABS drain pipe? And are both white PVC lines on the same circuit? (top feed and DWC supply line)
Awesome! I have the same question, I see an additional black line next to the drain pipe and am wondering what that was for also.. And, Thank you Papa for the lengthy description!
 
Capulator

Capulator

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Awesome! I have the same question, I see an additional black line next to the drain pipe and am wondering what that was for also.. And, Thank you Papa for the lengthy description!

What is the lower 1" black line next to the larger ABS drain pipe? And are both white PVC lines on the same circuit? (top feed and DWC supply line)

Does anyone know where to buy the wastewater aeration disks? Dr. Stupid has one in his tea brewer thread, but he's MIA at the moment and I can't find his source.



Hey guys that additional 1/2" balck tubing is my air line. POwered by an allita 100 and each site has 12" alita airstones. I think I am going to double up on the airstones and airpumps next round, so each bucket will have 2 airstones, and 9 sites will be powered by 2 alita 100's.
 
Papa

Papa

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ah, i just looked at the first couple of pics you put up on page 1, Cap, and that shows the air lines more clearly. also, it appears as if you've still got drippers on this rig, which i thought you had eliminated (that's the second pvc pipe on the above pic)?

for others: many of us experienced stem rot issues with the top feed component that DD ran continuously. my solution is to top feed by hand when i put the plants in, the high rh coming up from the bucket typically has the roots reaching into the water four days later. i let the roots establish for a week or so and then uncover my rockwool cube and gently pull off about the top 1" of rockwool so that my lower stems can stay dry from that point on.

EDIT: LOL, and it appears as if you can post pics much faster than i can type Cap!
 
Capulator

Capulator

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