What Do I Call My Rdwc System

[h4ppyf4rmer]

I shall call my system "Bubbles" };-)

After researching all different hydro systems for about three years(can't help it, I'm an engineer, it's a curse I tell you!!!) , I finally decided on a RDWC. I built it where I have a 20G res, 6 - 5G buckets, 400GPH pump, and air stones in each bucket.

here's where I differ from a lot of systems, I use a 1/2" feed to all the buckets at the BOTTOM of each bucket and I have 2 - 3/4" returns, 3 buckets on one return and 3 buckets on the other return, all at the final waterline in the bucket. So, Basically, water is forced into the bottom of the bucket and returns at the top of the bucket for what I believe is the best circulation of the nutrients.

Is there a particular name for this type of RDWC system.

 

[Tat2420]

Sounds cool.
Did you consider using a "waterfall pump" instead of the air stones...IMO, they are more efficient, easier on the roots, and add less heat to the water...
Just a thought.
Pics would be cool!!!

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Sounds cool.
Did you consider using a "waterfall pump" instead of the air stones...IMO, they are more efficient, easier on the roots, and add less heat to the water...
Just a thought.
Pics would be cool!!!

I did not, my system is in the basement on painted cement, so it stays pretty cold. I actually had to add a 150watt fish tank heater to get the water up to the mid 60s this winter. This summer might be different trying to keep the water below 70.

 

[Wee Zard]

Good idea there.
I'd call it "Up yours" :D
Or enemagic.
Or douche tech.

Or maybe just Emily. :D

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Good idea there.
I'd call it "Up yours" :D
Or enemagic.
Or douche tech.

Or maybe just Emily. :D

LOL, now that's funny :cool:

 

[FennarioMike]

I have a pretty large Under Current system for flowering and an 8 plant, 5.6 gal DIY RDWC - with a 5.6 control rez and 60 gal top off rez for veg.

Here's the thing to watch for - your bottleneck seems like it will be the feeds - if roots get into the lines connecting the buckets. If this happens, the upstream ones will overflow. I found this out through trial and error. I fixed it by changing to dual 1" connections to each bucket and a single 3/4" return. That way I'd never be pulling more than the buckets could supply. I also put a filter at every 1" connection in the buckets. Your pump size is about right - more than that and you really have to back off nutes or the plants get nute burn super easy.

But very cool. Can you post any pics? I'd love to see how you did it!

 

[FennarioMike]

I shall call my system "Bubbles" };-)

After researching all different hydro systems for about three years(can't help it, I'm an engineer, it's a curse I tell you!!!) , I finally decided on a RDWC. I built it where I have a 20G res, 6 - 5G buckets, 400GPH pump, and air stones in each bucket.

here's where I differ from a lot of systems, I use a 1/2" feed to all the buckets at the BOTTOM of each bucket and I have 2 - 3/4" returns, 3 buckets on one return and 3 buckets on the other return, all at the final waterline in the bucket. So, Basically, water is forced into the bottom of the bucket and returns at the top of the bucket for what I believe is the best circulation of the nutrients.

Is there a particular name for this type of RDWC system.

Under Current. That's what it is. Current Culture makes a version very similar in concept. But yeah, the under current rips through the bottom. It's a very good design and maximizes nutrient uptake even better than regular DWC. You'll really need 1/4 nutes. If you take a look at CC's nutrient calculator, you can get an idea of how low to run your PPM's - http://cch2o.com/cultured-solutions-feeding-schedule/ Go by the High Yield Recirculationg Hydro chart.

But yeah, you have a DIY Under Current RDWC

 

[FennarioMike]

Here's mine - the pump is not in the pic - I had taken it out.

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

I was looking at the CC systems yesterday when I was trying to figure out what the hell I had built because it didn't seem like the traditional RDWC system that everyone puts together.

The big difference between what I did and CC's systems is that I didn''t pull the water from the far end with a pump back to the res to create a nutrient current. I push the nutrients from the res into the bottoms of each bucket through 1/2" tubing and have a gravity return back to the res with 3/4" tubing. When the system was first turned on, the buckets filled to the level of the return ports(actually about an inch over the ports, more on that in a bit).

So the basic idea was that the nutes from the res would enter each bucket at the bottom, forced to circulate to the top of each bucket and gravity return to the res.

a couple of issues I ran into (besides the normal leak fixing that comes along with any DIY system):

1. the amount of pressure the pump puts out determines how high the water level is. With my pump, the pressure is enough to push water a bit more that the gravity returns can handle, therefore, the water level rose to about 1" above the return port. Not too much of a problem because I'm still well below the top edge of the bucket, BUT, I measured the return ports to be an inch below the net pot bottoms. Which means the net pot bottoms were in the water by about 1/2" which turns out to be good to get the roots of the seedlings to grow into the water but I really wanted an inch air gap for the larger roots. I fixed this problem by adding a 2" foam gasket between the net pt and the bucket once the roots were well established.

2. I had a couple of the return ports got clogged with roots. In this case, the water overfilled the buckets and I had a small swimming pool in my tent. Luckily I check things once or twice a day and removed the roots from the port. and, Luckily the tent has a pan that caught all the water so no leakage on the basement floor.

I don't have a ton of pictures of the build, I'll post what I got later today.

 

[FennarioMike]

I run my level 2" above the base of the netpots for almost the entire grow - this is by CC's recommendation. This makes for useable roots right from the net-or down instead of thick ropes through an air gap that only transport nutes.

Here's how I think of an air gap in any DWC... The water is the medium - we wouldn't do this with any other medium. For example, we wouldn't remove an inch of soil below the roots to make them get thicker. We want the roots to spread out right from the root crown on down.

So your return is at the top of the bucket and returns to the rez directly? Seems like a good concept. So the pump directly feeds the first pot at a greater rate than the gravity return, so that the next pot is essentially gravity fed from the first and so on?

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

I have the res outside the tent for easy access

notice the pump port is higher than the return, this was done so that when you shut the pump off, the buckets won't back feed the pump and empty the buckets.

There are two returns where three of the buckets are on each return. The is only one feed line and it's split off to each individual bucket. It's in the middle, you can't really see it

to enhance this:

1. I really need a top-off bucket with a float valve, I already have the valve.
2. I need to figure out an easy way of emptying the buckets. The way this is setup, there is no way to completely empty the buckets, I think I'll all a second drain pump to the 1/2 feed for the drain function. and really, the only time you need to fully drain these things is for when you are setting up you next grow and you want to clean the system thoroughly or if you need to clean because bad things started growing in there };-)

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

So your return is at the top of the bucket and returns to the rez directly? Seems like a good concept. So the pump directly feeds the first pot at a greater rate than the gravity return, so that the next pot is essentially gravity fed from the first and so on?

yes, the returns are 2/3s the way up the bucket, basically where I wanted the water level to be in the bucket.
The pump feeds each individual bucket. The feed splits in two as soon as it's in the tent and then I run each split to three buckets using Tees and an elbow ====T===T===L

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

I run my level 2" above the base of the netpots for almost the entire grow - this is by CC's recommendation. This makes for useable roots right from the net-or down instead of thick ropes through an air gap that only transport nutes.

I agree, I really never understood why I needed an air gap, the roots get plenty of air via the air stones, but I'm a noob and it seemed this is the way most RDWC did it, so I followed };-) I might try it without the spacers on my next grow...

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

LOL, I really have come to the conclusion that there really is a million right ways to do this as long as each plant gets the right pH, Nute combination, O2 saturation, water temp, light spectrum... :cool:

 

[FennarioMike]

LOL, I really have come to the conclusion that there really is a million right ways to do this as long as each plant gets the right pH, Nute combination, O2 saturation, water temp, light spectrum... :cool:

Yep. I've never seen a system quite like this but I like it. Being a DIY and engineering (water treatment engineering) kinda guy, I totally dig looking at different designs so that maybe I can keep improving mine.

Thanks for sharing! I'm psyched to follow your grow.

 

[FennarioMike]

2. I need to figure out an easy way of emptying the buckets. The way this is setup, there is no way to completely empty the buckets, I think I'll all a second drain pump to the 1/2 feed for the drain function. and really, the only time you need to fully drain these things is for when you are setting up you next grow and you want to clean the system thoroughly or if you need to clean because bad things started growing in there };-)

Agreed. I do about an 80% changeout about every 2 weeks. In the top off rez, I mix it more toward the next week's mix so that as it starts to use it, it starts to steer the whole mix gradually toward the next week's mix.

I only do a full drain at the end of the grow - or if there was some extreme sort of issue.

 

[FennarioMike]

Instead of an under current, you have more of an upswell. Maybe an Upswell Deep Water Culture - UDWC?

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Instead of an under current, you have more of an upswell. Maybe an Upswell Deep Water Culture - UDWC?

yes, exactly...
I would take all the credit for the idea but I did see a system like mine online that you can purchase