Building a Aeroponic Prototype -- Need Help!

[Daddynobucks]

I have not a clue what all the highlited gobledegoop is in the prevous post:wtf:]
but here are the pics of the repump and res.
the pump came from (wholesalepumps.com)

[WeedTree's]

SUPER UPDATE!

Lets backtrack a second..

Each 5 Gal. bucket will house a 6" Net pot lid, that will outfit 2, 180 Degree misters in each bucket. The misters will be placed opposite each other coming down from the top of the lid. Rubber gromets will be placed in the nutrient line wholes on the lid, and the nutrient line will slide right through for a snug, light tight fit. The misters will be attached to the other end, which will hang about 2.5-4" from the top of the lid as to fully cover the net pot as well as the newly developing roots below.

An air pump will be outtfitted to a 6" Bubble Stone that will sit at the bottom of the nutrient res. next to a 520 GPH Water pump w/ adjustable flow knob. The pumps outlet will have a backflow prevention socket, that will lead to the top of the res. lid where on the top of the lid on the outside will sit a Raindrip 8-Outlet 1/4" Dripper feed manifold. Each dripper distribution line is adjustable from 0-30PSI.

From there each distribution line will feed to the buckets misters.

SOME GOOD STUFF!

AND SOME MORE!..

I researched trying to keep the grow buckets at a constant temperature, but came up short on answers.

The temperature in the res. will have to be maintained, and kept slightly warm, So I will most likely invest in a heater with thermostat to monitor it's temperature and adjust accordingly.

Now, keeping the grow buckets from overheating will be another problem. I do not wan't to encounter root rot!

I'm sure they will get quite hot from the temperature in the grow room, since they are just thin PVC plastic. I'm thinking start small and wrap the buckets in some sort of heat reflecting tape to keep them somewhat cool. I still have yet to construct the grow room, have things running, and take temperature readings so I don't know for certain what extent I need to go to keep them cool and at a below 70 Degree temperature.

DOESN'T END THERE!

I've figured out most everything for the plumbing. The outlet to the pump has a 3/4" female insert. I've decided 1/2" is too skinny, so I've upgraded to 1" piping. So the pump outlet to the dripper manifold will go as such -

Pump Outlet > 3/4" threaded to 1" slip Male Adapter > 3 inches of 1" PVC > Backflow preventer check valve > 4 inches of 1" PVC > 1" slip to 1/2" threaded Male reducer adapter > Dripper manifold.

The manifold that all the nutrient lines will run off of will sit atop the resevoir. I will drill a whole so the piping can run through the top. This removes any kinks, and opening the top of the resevoir is as easy as just unscrewing the dripper manifold on top.

I just recieved my 6" Net Pots today and am figuring out how I want to incorperate the misters onto them. I'm thinking I'll stick with my original plan -- Drill 2 holes in each net pot lid, insert rubber grommets, slide the nutrient lines through the top and extend them so they are at length with the bottom of the bucket net (about 6-7")

I'm also constructing a SCROG screen out of PVC and chicken wire. It will be almost as wide and long as the grow tent (31.5") but will bend slightly at each side at 45 Degree angles.

CONTINUING THE MISTER TALK!

So, today I recieved my 1/4" Rubber Grommets for the seals for nutrient tubing as well as air tubing.

Should I have gone with 360 Degree misters instead of 180? The spray spread will be facing the roots/net pot.

Here is a quick shot of the nutrient line and pot -

ImageShack - Image Hosting :: 004rkm.jpg

As you can see, the nutrient line will drop down from the top passing through a rubber grommet. What I need to now know is how to keep the nutrient line straight, instead of hanging all willy-nilly like that. Maybe a piece of stiff plastic to slide on it so it doesn't bend?

Now I was going to use Rubber Well Nuts, that have a thread at one end where I was going to screw in the misters, insert the nutrient line from the other end, then insert them into the lid. But the nuts are way too short and wouldn't cover spraying the roots efficiently enough, and I couldn't find longer ones ANYWHERE!


Thanks for stoppin by! :thumbsup:

[Daddynobucks]

FAROUT :thumbsup:
That sounds like it will work, a couple of comments/suggestions

by running the system without plants you can figure out if you need 4 emmiters instead of 2,me thinks 4 is needed.I used 360 degree only because thats what I had,be sure to angle them so they hit the netting and not up on the solid part of the netpot

the back flow valve sounds like a good idea,but you might need to remove it if you get a syphon action into the buckets,be sure to watch out for this.

I was mistaken on my pump size. they are 1056 GPH not 633s like I thought.each pump feeds 6 buckets.
put your pump in a filterbag,rather than an inline filter,as they cut the flow way down

notice the differance in the spray systems from my first proto to what I setteled on.the first was WAY to much work/cost,all those glued PVC fittings

and no matter what folks say,you will need to keep the PPMs LOW,if they don't grow with aero they don't know

Aeroponics is not DWC/EB FLOW/FLOOD/DRAIN,BUBBLER, whatever. it is a hi order supercharged fast grow system
and you will need to stay on top of it

[Daddynobucks]

oh forgot, paint the buckets and net lids white with rust-olium plastic primer paint,this will help on the heat during the summer,setting the buckets on a piece of styrofoam or Al skinned foam insulation will help with the cold

Are you sure you want to go thru the lids with the feed lines rather than the side of the bucket,thru the bucket allows you to remove,rotate the plants without fussing with tubing fittings and making leaks???

[WeedTree's]

oh forgot, paint the buckets and net lids white with rust-olium plastic primer paint,this will help on the heat during the summer,setting the buckets on a piece of styrofoam or Al skinned foam insulation will help with the cold

Are you sure you want to go thru the lids with the feed lines rather than the side of the bucket,thru the bucket allows you to remove,rotate the plants without fussing with tubing fittings and making leaks???

That is a good idea! I think i'll change my setup, and use your 1/2" Vinyl tubing like you have in the second picture. I'm wondering if these 1/2" Compression Tees with barb outlets will work instead of the Tees with the barbs so I don't have to glue and can change out tubing/misters as I need to if problems occur. They are large, but sturdy.

Have them exit the bucket, and insert the barb outlet as shown --

ImageShack - Image Hosting :: 010uyg.jpg


I also picked up a Temperature/Hygrometer today. And will be buying a pH/EC/TDS/Temp. all-in-one meter later tonight.

[Daddynobucks]

sorry but I dont see any pics at imageShack

[WeedTree's]

Here are the tees:

[Daddynobucks]

I know you already have them, but I would just go with a barbed "T". the compression fitting is going to be in the way inside a bucket

You should see the BOXES of unused,scrapped, misc. fittings I have. the big drawback to designing/building DIY projects.

[WeedTree's]

I know you already have them, but I would just go with a barbed "T". the compression fitting is going to be in the way inside a bucket

You should see the BOXES of unused,scrapped, misc. fittings I have. the big drawback to designing/building DIY projects.

Very true. They are quite large seeing them in the bucket. I will stick with the 1/2" Vinyl tubing inside to house the misters, but will come up with another smaller, more agile fitting.

Here are the backflow preventer, 1" PVC piping and attachments for the pump. Now I also just got the 8 Site dripper feeding manifold today in the mail, but will not need it for the plan changes i've encountered. I'm thinking of just buying a 1" PVC Distributor like such and placing it atop the res. bucket as shown --



This..

http://www.flexpvc.com/cart/picserve...=/672-4570.png

or this..

http://www.flexpvc.com/cart/picserve...rve=/6port.png

There are only going to be 3 plants growing as of now, but would like to expand on later.

[Daddynobucks]

nice looking fittings,I would plumb for the final # of plant sites and just plug the unused

I doubt your pump will have enough pressure to unseat the spring loaded check ball,unless you pay over a $100 for a pump.
always get the pump with the highest head,for the $