DWC Pump Problems

Ok so I have 8 rubbermaids (2 gal or so) with 1 plant in each. I have 4 duel outlet pumps I picked up at walmart however the airline hose to some is fairly long and barely any bubbles come out after a few days of running. They say the output is 2.5 psi. I am aware that shorter hose length is a possible solution but I don't really have the option of haivng the pumps inside the area due to having nowhere to elevate them over the water level and no power source to plug em.

So I guess my question is what psi would be reccomended and where can I get a pump that would have this output and still be able to attach the airline hose? I am thinking of running 2 lines into a 4-way splitter valve but the pump can have a single output it doesnt have to be duel.

get some good pumps. why risk it? in a DWC setup if you aren't getting bubbles then what's the point?

i've seen heavy-duty quad ouput pumps at petsmart or petco for $25 each.


-shake

but that is what i mean, I have the same pumps they sell at pet store they 20$ pumps... maybe its just the airstone, im going to try without any airstone just the tube directly into the water

use a known good airstone and test each output on each pump. use lines of varying length and see what happens.

and don't so much worry about the price but the quality of the pump.


-shake

I first tired to use DWC as my preferred grow method, and quickly changed over to drip. My air stones would clog constantly from the organic nutes i was using, my drippers started to do the same thing but hey were easier to clean, and if i stayed on top of it they never clogged. Like u said, take the air stones off and see how much is air is making it through the lines, your problem may be the air stones and not the pumps. Since your running a long air line u may want to get a strong pump either way, and use bigger air stones.

well I use the 1" cylinder airstones I don't know if they get clogged or something but it seems they only good for week or 2. Is there a way to clean them or should I be using larger airstones? Like they are good air pumps Elite 802

If they work for a week or so, then its not the pump. Make sure your lines are also not crimped. Do they all do this? they all work good for a week then stop? maybe some one can advise you on some good airstones. You could also run an extension cable and propping the pumps up above the water line cant be that difficult, they can mount to a wall(there should be a hole for a screw or hook in the rubber base.

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Originally Posted by bloodbrother

well I use the 1" cylinder airstones I don't know if they get clogged or something but it seems they only good for week or 2. Is there a way to clean them or should I be using larger airstones? Like they are good air pumps Elite 802

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Get yourself an air wand. They come in glass and plastic. Glass is very easy to clean and plastic ones need to be weighted down to stay on bottom. They will not clog like airstones. You can make your own with small tubes about 10 inches long but make the holes are very small or all the air will go out the first hole.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bloodbrother

I don't really have the option of haivng the pumps inside the area due to having nowhere to elevate them over the water level

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"aquarium check valve"

$1.78 at Walmart.

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thanks for all the insight. I think it is the airstones clogging because when I first put them in they were fine. Thanks loc nar im going to try to find glass air wand becuase I think by the time I bought and made them myself it would just be too much headache and hassle.

I guess I should of mentioned how long was for the hose. I think the lonest one is a meter in length or so. I actually don't think this is the problem because one of the short lengths that I replaced the stone pumps well, while other short lengths that have been used longer are shitting the bed.

Thanks again all.

Edit: Oh and jack I have tried drip before. I bought the most expensive pump from pet store but it didnt have enough pressure to make it to all the plants. Could you kind of explain how you set up your drips lines or link me to somewhere that explains it?

The best way to do drip, u need a pump at least 300gph and u need to use something like the aqua shuttle that the pump connects to which has 6 adjustable leads from the head, Each lead can support 6 or so dippers. aside from the pump u need the tubing to connect the shuttle to the pump, T connectors and as many drippers u need. The aqua shuttle or similar products come with a lot of tubing for the drippers so u dont need anymore then it comes with. I used a smaller pump before i found out about these adjustable multiple outlet heads, i connected the pump to a strait tube and it had a adapter from big to small tubing for the drippers, it down right sucked, and barely worked. Since the aqua shuttle keeps the pressure the same for all the lines u don't have to worry about the last guy getting enough. Its about 35 bucks for the kit, kinda pricey but well worth it considering what u get and easy set up.

It's probably not ur pump that's the problem, if u got an expensive one, more then 20 bucks then its good. Im guessing the tubing was the problem. Any pump would have the same problem, u can only push so much water through a small tube. that why having the aqua shuttle is so great it keeps a constant pressure in the head, if go from the pump immediately into small tubing the water wont go very far.

There may be other solutions to using this kit Gardening Supplies - Garden DesertTrays, Reservoirs, & Grow Aqua-Shuttle Kit - AQUA SHUTTLE KIT , but it's what i use and is very effective.