question about recirculating dwc

[Dr. VanNostrin]

what diameter tubing should i use for the lines from the controller bucket and pump? how much does it matter? it seems everyone uses 1/4" drip line; does it need to be that thin?

[Illusion]

I use the same size tubing as what the water pump takes (1/2") to connect my three buckets together, they all have overflows to the correct level below the netpots, and one of them has an extra hole for the water pump to pump water in. I dont have a controller reservoir basically, the 50gal reservoir at the bottom is the controller. 300 gph water pump

so basically 1/2" would be fine, or whatever you want to use, as long as it can flow fast enough for your pump

[herbie the love bud]

Illusion is talking about a recirculating DWC. That's an option too, I just use a regular DWC.

[The White Snoop]

I used 1/2" tubing for my drain lines and main feed line. Then used 1/4 " tubing for each drip line. check out the bottom of page 4 in "snoops growing dro"

[fosomker]

I used 3/4 for fast drain back. Also used a horse troff float setup, they flow way more than the toliet ones. It used to take 45 min to drain back now it is 12 min for 24 gal recirc. Pump only runs for 4 min, so a complete recirc only takes 16 min. Dont think it matters, but I look at my nutes right after a recirc and I hate waiting so long for everything to drain back.

[Illusion]

I used 3/4 for fast drain back. Also used a horse troff float setup, they flow way more than the toliet ones. It used to take 45 min to drain back now it is 12 min for 24 gal recirc. Pump only runs for 4 min, so a complete recirc only takes 16 min. Dont think it matters, but I look at my nutes right after a recirc and I hate waiting so long for everything to drain back.

That sounds like an interesting set up. My recirculating DWC constantly recirculates- the pump is always on recirculating the water between three 5gallon buckets and a 50 gallon reservoir (that i only fill a little)

Why do you have your pump only run every now and then? Why not 24/7?

[PyNapLe]

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Why do you have your pump only run every now and then? Why not 24/7?
looking forward to a response for this question.. i'm curious, because i'm doing same thing.. I am aware of the "BIO SYSTEM" but mine is more like a DWC with CONSTANT RECIRCULATION.. it just works better due to my water pump pushing only about 350 gph. My fill lines are 1/2" , and my returns are 3/4".. water just keeps flowin'...i just started system a couple of days ago. not much experience with hydro.

[fosomker]

I just did it because at first my pump would run me dry, so I always left a little in the buckets and ran just long enough to move the water around. I built a new system and just stuck with what I was doing. I run a tri meter continous monitor in my controller bucket with a heater. I seen the nutes and Ph stay good, my plants grow good, I have nice large roots (see my grow log: ATF in recirc DWC), and I have so much other shit running I am trying to save some power anywhere I can.:D

Now on the e&f/dwc veg room I still turn the pump off but they run longer, I am considering trying to run it 24/7 and see if there is any noticable difference.

Mainly I did it becasue I don't know better. I am still new so I just try crap and it works I just keep doing it.

[PyNapLe]

:cool: YEAH MAN !!! I hear ya, FOSO... i guess it matters how much water you have, and how much your pump will move.. personally, I find that (so far) my numbers (on my tri-meter) are pretty stable.. so i wont change it.. for now.. ! LOL:D:S5:

[Dr. VanNostrin]

im assuming i maintain the nutes in the elevated reservoir. whatever ppm im aiming at for the buckets, will i want that ppm in the elevated reservoir, or half strength or something? since the water is constantly recirculating, how often is a complete change of water necessary? or do you just top off the reservoir daily? i plan on running six 5 gallon buckets which i will fill up with 3 gallons each.

[fosomker]

will i want that ppm in the elevated reservoir, or half strength or something? No I run full stregth in the controller res, the one that sets the level

since the water is constantly recirculating, how often is a complete change of water necessary? I do them every 7-10 days

or do you just top off the reservoir daily? In Flower you should be adding water daily, at least I have to


i plan on running six 5 gallon buckets which i will fill up with 3 gallons each. I run the same setup, 6 buckets with 7" of water (I wanted the baskets a few inches away, that is about 2.5 gallon I think.

[PyNapLe]

here... clipped from GH website, maybe this will help.:thumbsup:

[PyNapLe]

LET ME TRY THAT AGAIN...OK, HERE...:thumbsup:

How can I properly maintain my hydroponic nutrient solution?
Reservoir maintenance is the routine task of keeping the hydroponic nutrient solution in the reservoir from becoming too strong or toxic as the water is being evaporated and the nutrients within the solution are taken up by the plants.

Simply put...
Top off daily with *half strength nutrients, alternating days topping up with plain water. Change the entire reservoir with fresh solution every ten days to two weeks. (*half the strength of your current new reservior starting strength)

Why should you?
One problem in hydroponics solution maintenance, as water is being taken up by the plants as well as evaporating out of the solution, the concentration of nutrient salts in the solution becomes gradually stronger, sometimes to the point of certain elements becoming toxic to the plants. The TDS will always become stronger as water is taken away from the solution.

Another problem, is that hydroponically grown plants will take up what they need as they need it from the nute solution. A nutrient solution left alone will end up lacking key nutrients, with a build-up of *toxic levels of other key nutrients. *Toxic in the solution, as well as in the plants.

The only way around these problems for the average hydroponic grower, is to practice sound reservoir topping off procedures. The most widely accepted maintenance method, involves daily topping off and routine reservoir solution replacement. IE: Topping off the reservoir daily with a nutrient solution which is half of the current new reservoir strength, alternating days by topping off with plain water and finally, changing the entire res solution at least every two weeks.

Changing the reservoir solution every two weeks, will give the plants a fresh and well balanced nute mix, which has not been altered by the plants nutrient uptake.

*Many scientific studies have been performed, which demonstrate these facts by GCMS testing of the nutrient solution contents and the nutrient salts contained within the actual plant tissues, as the plants "take-up" the specific nutrients in the solution.

Metaphorically speaking...
Plants will take up excessive levels of some nutrients, leaving the solution lacking in certain key nutrients. Just like a puppy would make him/her self sick if it were allowed to feed from a bottomless food bowl, plants grown hydroponically can harm themselves with nutrient deficiencies, lockouts and overdoses, if allowed to continue feeding without some control over whats available in the "food bowl".