DIY Flood and Drain 250w Grow (!NEED HELP!)

Project been put off by days now because I can't figure out every last detail... :stoned: ;]

Im hoping theres some hydro-scientist out here that will be able to help me out... It seemed so easy until I started seeing "Bulkhead connectors" and "Barbed connectors"... I thought it was as simple as just connecting the submerged pump to tube(s) and putting the tube(s) at the bottom of a tray (or in my case buckets)...


Okay-- So I plan on having about a forty gallon res or so, and six black five gallon buckets for each one of my plants.. Ebb and Flow as mentioned earlier..

I will be using rockwool cubes, later transplant to rockwool blocks, and will be filling the remainder of my 8" net baskets with hydroton rocks. Planning on using GH 3 part nutrients (and cal-mag yatayata).. Pretty basic 250w HPS lighting with batwing reflector.

The pump speed is 396 GPH::EcoPlus Submersible Water Pump - 396gph | Water Pumps

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OKAY so here's the issues.
I thought it was as easily as making things LIGHT and WATER tight... Submerging the pump and connecting a tube from the water pump to a flood tray... Correct?
Where is PVC tubing involved?

I will be basically using SIX flood trays (the black buckets)... So that would mean that I would need six individual tubes running to the buckets from the pump? the res?...

Do I attach 3/4" tubing for the actual connection of the water pump, to a pvc pump on top of the Res lid that leads to 6 PVC tubes?

I really Would rather just using tubing, and no PVC piping at all..

Here are some links to the tubing... the link to the pump is higher in this post, and I'm not sure if it would connect to any of the tubing below...
1/2" Tubing:: 1/2" Soft Tubing - Blue - per foot | Plumbing Materials & Fittings
also
3/4" Tubing:: 3/4" Soft Tubing - thick wall - black | Plumbing Materials & Fittings

I've established the fact One or the other is used for connecting to the water pump... Now i've got to figure out if the tubes can be split into 6 with a splitter for those tubes... Or if I gotta use PVC.

Do i use 3/4" Barbed T's for the tubing to connect 6 Tubes to the buckets? Link below:
3/4" Barbed Tee | Plumbing Materials & Fittings

I have many more questions to ask but as to keep this post long, and not extremely long... I'll reserve them for another time...


Thank you all in advance :thumbsup:

A.H. Fill/Drain Fitting w/screen | Plumbing Materials & Fittings

On this fill/drain fitting? Does it say you have to manually pull something out to drain? Or can you just shut the pump off?



Would a 3/4 Bulkhead screen be a better option?
Ebb & Flow/Bulkhead Screen | Plumbing Materials & Fittings

Well since I'm no further ahead then I was before, I'm just going to risk burning a hole in my pocket and get what I think i need. heh

Four 3/4" Barbed Tee
Six A.H. Fill/Drain Fittings w/screen
Two 3/4" barbed elbow
Six Barbed Reducer - 3/4" to 1/2"
10ft of 1/2" soft tubing
12ft of 3/4" soft tubing thick wall


I *think* the fill/drain fittings has 1/2" tubing connection? can anyone verify this for me? A.H. Fill/Drain Fitting w/screen | Plumbing Materials & Fittings


Thats why I thought i would need the 3/4" to 1/2" Barbed Reducers...

Will that work?

I use a ebb and flow set up it is two pcs. 10 pots on top they are 10"x10" they fit in tray bottom of table holds about 8 gal of water, water is pumped up to top tray for a period of time it has a overflow drain and the same drain emptys into bottom resevoir, add hydrton and nutes you are in bussiness, set up you would do better with is dwc with the five gal buckets also you will need about 600watt hps. for best results, there are alot of diy dwc set ups try looking into hygronomics.com they have a easy to build dwc. just my two cents.