Supply line? Not getting flow to all buckets.

[wowzerz]

Finally got the new room up and running. Took a LOT longer than expected (had an impossible time tracking down some of the parts) but we got the plants moved from their old home under the 1kw MH:
http://img153.invalid.com/i/dscn31720.jpg/
Into their new home in the flower room, under 4kw HPS (all are dimmed to 30% right now):

http://img440.invalid.com/i/dscn31690.jpg/
http://img230.invalid.com/i/dscn3175.jpg/
http://img822.invalid.com/i/dscn3182x.jpg/

The feed system is getting even pressure to all lines, its just low pressure. Im going to need a bigger pump.

This one is a cheapo Magnetic drive

Supposedly 700GPH

I need a better pump. ANY ideas? Sump pump maybe? I need hi flow here people!:mad0233:

 

[RMCG]

If you are going to drop the $$ on a sump pump, look at an Iwaki or PanWorld pump.

It's not 20$ like that one posted, ($130-200) but it will work for years.

 

[wowzerz]

If you are going to drop the $$ on a sump pump, look at an Iwaki or PanWorld pump.

It's not 20$ like that one posted, ($130-200) but it will work for years.

I don't mind spending the dough, i just something that will work well. Are there variable speed sump pumps out there?

 

[RMCG]

Not that I am aware of. Motors pretty much 'run', on or off. Why would you need it variable?

Flow can be controlled with valves, etc.

 

[Bobby Smith]

Wowzerz, this is like going back in time - before I'd ever heard of the Farm I tried to make an RDWC system (thought I was "inventing it", lol) and that motherfucker leaked so bad I almost wanted to give up growing - threw everything I had at it and couldn't get it to stop leaking.

As far as your pump questions, I have two 1/6HP pumps from Lowes (Utilitechs) and those sons of bitches will move some water for ya.

Only $67 bucks, and (if memory serves) they pump like 1200GPH at 12' of head (or some other ridiculous amount).

 

[RMCG]

I don't think sump pumps are rated for continuous duty though...

 

[wowzerz]

Not that I am aware of. Motors pretty much 'run', on or off. Why would you need it variable?

Flow can be controlled with valves, etc.

Because i'm getting tired of buying ones that aren't good enough. I bought a used little giant 1200 gph for $65 today, and it doesn't do much better then the old one. And it was running Hot after a few hours only, water went up by almost 10 degrees.

I was thinking if they made variable speed ones I could buy one obnoxiously big and turn it down if need be.

Wowzerz, this is like going back in time - before I'd ever heard of the Farm I tried to make an RDWC system (thought I was "inventing it", lol) and that motherfucker leaked so bad I almost wanted to give up growing - threw everything I had at it and couldn't get it to stop leaking.

As far as your pump questions, I have two 1/6HP pumps from Lowes (Utilitechs) and those sons of bitches will move some water for ya.

Only $67 bucks, and (if memory serves) they pump like 1200GPH at 12' of head (or some other ridiculous amount).

Thanks a LOT for the info. I'm going to check these out, will run to lowes tonight.
Do you run yours 24/7? if so, does it heat the water alot? How many feed lines are you running? I need something that will give GREAT pressure to my 16 buckets, I am using 5/8 feed lines, and 1.5" drain lines, so I'm pretty sure it can handle it.

 

[RMCG]

My Iwaki is not submersible, very little heat transfer.

 

[topcat76239]

save yourself trouble and go undercurrent. seriously, look into it... a lot simpler in my humble opinion been preachin nothin but rdwc for 6 years now

 

[Bobby Smith]

Wowzerz, haven't really run mine yet except for tests - can't really tell you how much they'd be heating up the water, but for sure they would.

Don't think you're gonna be able to find any pump (save for a large inline pond pump) which won't heat up the water.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

The pump is the heart of your system. Spend the money on the iwaki,it is the only mag drive pump I sell with my system. JK

 

[Mr.Detroit]

My friends you have these feed lines all wrong... let me show you how to do this very easily and cheaply with each line having a shutoff valve and getting equal pressure everytime... it will take you 5 min to do this... I will be right back with a pic give me 5 min!

 

[Mr.Detroit]

Now what you do is go get one of these for $7
http://i70.invalid.com/albums/i90/thafharmacist/IMG_2031.jpg

Then you run as many lines out as you want like this
http://i70.invalid.com/albums/i90/thafharmacist/IMG_2032.jpg

A shot of my mom setup... the plant is bubba kush I just whored her out yesterday... she don't look to happy about me topping her that far down but there is a lot of children that are about to be born in my cloner right now so her top is going on to bigger and better things now. But just so you can see the setup there is 2 buckets not in use that use to be white russian but they got scrapped for this bubba now they are big buffer buckets lol it works for me though...
http://i70.invalid.com/albums/i90/thafharmacist/IMG_2033.jpg

Equal pressure in all feed lines because they all run off the little manifold that screws on the shaft which screws directly into the water pump... I think each manifold does 8 feed lines... You can run them however you want this is just my setup.
http://i70.invalid.com/albums/i90/thafharmacist/IMG_2034.jpg

 

[wowzerz]

Thank you for the Input Mr Detroit, but this is exactly how I had it before, and always have had it.
While this works, hose of this size would not accommodate the flow I am looking for.

I am shooting for undercurrent type of flow.

If you haven't heard of Heath Robinson (sp?) you should google him. The proof is in the pudding, and that guy gets some ridiculous roots in his high flow systems.
Thanks again for the input.

 

[Mr.Detroit]

Thank you for the Input Mr Detroit, but this is exactly how I had it before, and always have had it.
While this works, hose of this size would not accommodate the flow I am looking for.

I am shooting for undercurrent type of flow.

If you haven't heard of Heath Robinson (sp?) you should google him. The proof is in the pudding, and that guy gets some ridiculous roots in his high flow systems.
Thanks again for the input.

Yeah I hear that.. Its leak free and even flow though. Heath is a monster I have read a few of his journals... I thought he was in an aero system though?

 

[wowzerz]

I could be wrong, but I think he uses a few dif systems. I just remember reading some of his threads on RIU, that guy can grow some trees. And i remember him talking about how high water flow is key in keeping the water aerated in tree grows ( at least in the UC system he was referring to)

 

[Airegrower]

I agree with Convex; run a loop so that the central line has constant and equal pressure, use equally long individual feeder lines from the loop to each bucket. If all else fails, consider 2 pumps with 2 (8) bucket loops. In my own grows, I've found that giving each bucket a good air supply will drastically improve growth of your root mass, as will vegging longer.

Have you tried adding Advanced Nutrients Piranha and Tarantula to your solution? Be sure to put it in a nylon sock and use half the recommended amount as the powders can and will clog pumps. Haven't tried their new liquid formulation yet.