My DIY Medical RDWC Rig.

[PaperStreet]

Supp all been running around here long enuff figured i should start a grow of what i currently have growing on instead of jumping around from to other peeps thread maybe i can get a lil help and keep it organized to my journal..

Anyhow briefly heres my flower pad at any given time i can be running up to 5x1k considering i have everything dialed in with enuff veg and healthy.
Built my rdwc rig after building a couple Waterfarms for my buddy and took the basic bucket idea from there and incorprated it with a couple ideas i seen around includeing UC and other peoples ideas.
Anyhow mine sits flush.
Whats shown is a 4 plant single bucket set-up with a controller bucket used for mixing nutes and remote for my chiller i have set-up to an adjacent room to keep the heat from the chiller out.
Only revisions ive made from the picture is the middle tubeing/drainback or equalizer pipe is all 1inch instead of the 3/4 inch that clogged up when hydroton was pulled into the drainback tubeing id reccomend anyone that builds one of these with this idea to use as big of pipe or tubeing that u posibbly can i have used 1.5" that seated and sealed well in another build for my buddy but found anything more like say the 2 inch is pretty much a pain in the ass to get to seal without leaks on the rounded bucket..
The outside 3/4 inch push line was setup at 4inches to center.
The middle equalizer tube is set at 2inches to center.
The controller bucket intake for the equalizer tube was dropped as low as i could to allow for gravity feed.
The contoller buckets pull and push line where also set-up at 2 inches on center.
Why push thru the buckets all the way back go the controller? Simply because if u dont your pumps going to drain your controller bucket faster than gravity can feed it..
Anyhow i have a single 264ecoplus pump pushing water into the buckets thru the loop back into the controller bucket.
The middle tube or drainback/equalizer tube was put in to equalize and disperse the water between buckets while makeing it possible to keep same water level in the buckets without flooding them thru the loop.

I have air lines pumping air to each plant bucket site.

Think that just about covers my rig i can more thoroughly explain my Rig if anyone has any questions feel free to ask ive been working this rig for a couple years now and pretty much have all the kinx worked out..

Heres a pic its pretty much self expanatory.

 

[PaperStreet]

Well cant find most of my pix heres a couple when everythings running proper and not haveing issues with pest. Really sucks i lost my pix, but basic run down is ive been trying to cram 4 plants per lamp but quickly realizeing i need to spread them out and do less plants just veg bigger monsters n squeeze 2/lamp instead with maybe some supplement lighting. Less is more i guess sounds good!

 

[masshole61]

If you build it they will come... Looks good. Can't wait to see the results. Good luck

 

[PaperStreet]

Down to my main girl now i have a few cuts of different stuff ill post pix up if i get them vegged and in a buckets i recenty chopped everything down damn flying aphids man and had to start completely over! Anyhow this is all im working now but if i get my cuts rooted i should have some really nice chemxbubba and some dbl purp sfv to add to the mix we shall see..
Also trying to get a few cuts of some rumble rooted as well!

 

[PaperStreet]

Alright so i figured id keep all my shyts in this thread..
Sorry yall i dont got any nyce flowers to look at now i been battleing whiteflies(flying aphids) for a minut. Lost 3 harvest x1x3 im just tryna get back on i been smashing them with the bayer 3in1 and its the only thing thats worked knock on wood and i tried it all.
Lookin up tho i got them on lock now everything on veg is healthy green and going crazy..

Recent cuts day 4-5 had roots in 3 days not counting some always root fast some better than other i guess but my main stable horse always ahead of the pack Gdk..


Rapid Rooters.. soaked in tap water then sponged out thoroughly to get the stagnation out then watered with moms feed directly from moms rez cuz im lazy and it works and im kinda gettin KISS lately i got no time real life has me strapped it is what it is.

 

[PaperStreet]

Veg pad continued this particular plant seen about 2 weeks under a 4 lamp T5, moved to 400watt hps for about a week or so mom previous cuts where taken from nice n healthy green how i likes it.

 

[PaperStreet]

Some bubbaxchem elite joint waiting on roots im hopeing these things blow the mom was one of the nicest plants i ever seen and it never made past veg pad.

 

[ttystikk]

Interesting setup on your RDWC, but it's obviously working! I've had good success with one inch tubing and bulkhead fittings, these are big enough to flow well and resist clogging and yet still small enough and flexible enough to reconfigure on the fly as your room's needs and layout change. This approach has seen me through multiple redesigns of rooms and RDWC systems, always with flying colors. Even 27 gallon tubs are adequately serviced- I just use a pair of intakes and outlets to each tub!

 

[PaperStreet]

Sounds nyce mang i wouldnt mind seeing some new shyt. This build here was pretty much str8 from the hip running and gunning makeing it work with what i had and it works so i have changed much from my original idea altho its been revised several times now from the gate just flowing and growing but i have seen some really nyce shyt from peeps that have blown my shit outta the water to date so to speak.
This threads open to all. And all r welcome to come with whatever.

 

[tweedy]

Interesting setup on your RDWC, but it's obviously working! I've had good success with one inch tubing and bulkhead fittings, these are big enough to flow well and resist clogging and yet still small enough and flexible enough to reconfigure on the fly as your room's needs and layout change. This approach has seen me through multiple redesigns of rooms and RDWC systems, always with flying colors. Even 27 gallon tubs are adequately serviced- I just use a pair of intakes and outlets to each tub!

According to most reef forums a 1" bulkhead will flow about 600 gph. More than adequate for an unobstructed drain on what most people pump into their buckets. They key word being unobstructed. Keep roots away and you're good. Clog and you're flooded.

 

[PaperStreet]

1Inch does work well enuff anything less loose hydroton caught in roots will clog the tubes.
Simply fixed with the 1 inch tubeing.

 

[ttystikk]

Supp all been running around here long enuff figured i should start a grow of what i currently have growing on instead of jumping around from to other peeps thread maybe i can get a lil help and keep it organized to my journal..

Anyhow briefly heres my flower pad at any given time i can be running up to 5x1k considering i have everything dialed in with enuff veg and healthy.
Built my rdwc rig after building a couple Waterfarms for my buddy and took the basic bucket idea from there and incorprated it with a couple ideas i seen around includeing UC and other peoples ideas.
Anyhow mine sits flush.
Whats shown is a 4 plant single bucket set-up with a controller bucket used for mixing nutes and remote for my chiller i have set-up to an adjacent room to keep the heat from the chiller out.
Only revisions ive made from the picture is the middle tubeing/drainback or equalizer pipe is all 1inch instead of the 3/4 inch that clogged up when hydroton was pulled into the drainback tubeing id reccomend anyone that builds one of these with this idea to use as big of pipe or tubeing that u posibbly can i have used 1.5" that seated and sealed well in another build for my buddy but found anything more like say the 2 inch is pretty much a pain in the ass to get to seal without leaks on the rounded bucket..
The outside 3/4 inch push line was setup at 4inches to center.
The middle equalizer tube is set at 2inches to center.
The controller bucket intake for the equalizer tube was dropped as low as i could to allow for gravity feed.
The contoller buckets pull and push line where also set-up at 2 inches on center.
Why push thru the buckets all the way back go the controller? Simply because if u dont your pumps going to drain your controller bucket faster than gravity can feed it..
Anyhow i have a single 264ecoplus pump pushing water into the buckets thru the loop back into the controller bucket.
The middle tube or drainback/equalizer tube was put in to equalize and disperse the water between buckets while makeing it possible to keep same water level in the buckets without flooding them thru the loop.

I have air lines pumping air to each plant bucket site.

Think that just about covers my rig i can more thoroughly explain my Rig if anyone has any questions feel free to ask ive been working this rig for a couple years now and pretty much have all the kinx worked out..

Heres a pic its pretty much self expanatory.

I think this will circulate water better if you disconnect the part of the outer ring that goes from the last bucket in line and the return bucket. This just bypasses all the growing sites and reduces flow through them.

 

[ttystikk]

According to most reef forums a 1" bulkhead will flow about 600 gph. More than adequate for an unobstructed drain on what most people pump into their buckets. They key word being unobstructed. Keep roots away and you're good. Clog and you're flooded.

Don't blast such a high flow rate- there's just no need, and you end up with uneven water levels across your growing sites, leading to more issues. Also, have at least two routes for water to travel between head and tail of the system, so no single clog can flood you.

 

[PaperStreet]

I think this will circulate water better if you disconnect the part of the outer ring that goes from the last bucket in line and the return bucket. This just bypasses all the growing sites and reduces flow through them.

Yes u can just 90 into the last bucket on the loop if u want but im useing a 264 and my original design was all 3/4 inch returns and the pump couldnt keep up with itself if u can picture what im saying.
I know the 264 was overkill but it was only 20bux and i designed it with mor buckets being added to the loop and have had up to 20 plants all running at one single time.
The equalizer tube and return back to the control bucket does help keep the buckets all the same water level thru the loop. Your right without them being equalized not only will a clog flood them but each bucket in the loop would flood first before makeing it back to the last bucket in the loop.
Very simple fix just adding the equalizer tube problem solved as caveman as this design is it does work flawlessly now that ive changed the return or equalizer tubes all to 1inch becuase the 3/4 inch was always getting clogged on me..

 

[PaperStreet]

Also thought id add i have scrapped my air stones just a pain in the ass constantly changeing them out..
I am running about a watt/gallon of air thru my buckets... Keeps that water turning and bubbleing real nice in the buckets :)

 

[ttystikk]

Yes u can just 90 into the last bucket on the loop if u want but im useing a 264 and my original design was all 3/4 inch returns and the pump couldnt keep up with itself if u can picture what im saying.
I know the 264 was overkill but it was only 20bux and i designed it with mor buckets being added to the loop and have had up to 20 plants all running at one single time.
The equalizer tube and return back to the control bucket does help keep the buckets all the same water level thru the loop. Your right without them being equalized not only will a clog flood them but each bucket in the loop would flood first before makeing it back to the last bucket in the loop.
Very simple fix just adding the equalizer tube problem solved as caveman as this design is it does work flawlessly now that ive changed the return or equalizer tubes all to 1inch becuase the 3/4 inch was always getting clogged on me..

It's okay if the water level in the tail bucket with the pump is lower than the rest; that's just the pump creating the signal to draw the water through the system. If you make the change I suggested, I think you'll see better circulation and the air bubbles will benefit even more.

 

[PaperStreet]

Hmm maybe im just not following the way i have mine set up i can look in my controller bucket and tell u what the level is in my buckets becuz everything is eualized out.....

Ive got constant circulation now from the equalizer line being gravity feed as well as my thru pump feed thats pushed back into the controller res...

I tried numerous configurations believe me. This one here is what i ended up sticking with becuz it was just too easy and i accomplished what i set out to do..
A single level multiple bucket RDWC..

Draw me a picture ttys i am trying to wrap my head around what ur saying.

 

[ttystikk]

All the buckets remain firmly on the same floor. The pump is really creating a tiny river through your system- and only the first and last bucket in the chain are directly pumped. Circulation continues by gravity alone from there, so there has to be some kind of height difference between where the water is pumped from and where it's pumped to- otherwise no water will flow.

The way to minimize differences in height across the growing sites is to have one manifold feed lots of rows, each with a few buckets. Fewer long rows of many buckets is bad, more rows of a few buckets each is good.

 

[PaperStreet]

Agreed bro i cant wait till i have my op running one tree/lamp by then ill be in coolers.

I hear u on the single level bucket thing your correct..

I fixed that issue by dropping my equalizer line into the controller bucket u would be surpised how fast it feeds being only about an inch and a half lower.. Believe me i beat my head on a wall designing my rig.
I had a pile of scrap buckets in the process im saving them now to build a veg rig soon.

 

[ttystikk]

A pile of scrap is part of the learning process, lol.

I've been using and re-using the same 1" screw on bulkhead fittings and flexible 1" tubing for years now, through several reconfigurations and upgrades, from dozens of three gallon pails to just a few 27 gallon tubs. My approach has been given the nickname 'Leggo My Hydro!" lol, because it's as easy to use as stacking blocks. Now, I usually find myself making changeovers without even so much as cutting a hose to fit- my pile of spares and connectors always has the right part.