How does Aquafarm/Waterfarm Recirculate Solution?

[grow4fun]

lw: Cool..... americanagritech makes some cool systems. I so wish I could just buy one (tested and working). But to fit the layout I need (room shape, vertical grow, etc.) I have to take one of the commercial designs and bend it into the shape/configuration I need...........suuucks. I always use an airstone in the reservoir, thanks.

Ziggy: after studying the Waterfarm manual closely I can see how it works, no recirculation, and how the mysterious drip ring works.

If you ran those drip rings with a water pump I'm trying to figure out how many gph pump you'd need to run how many rings. Or in other words what the approx. flow rate of a ring is. Like would a 50gph pump run 10 of them?

[Ziggy Stardust]

everyone kno what a "sump pump" is? see my thinkin is more simple is more better. ive cked out the plans for the DWC cited above and it looks lika lot of extra stuff (risers float valves and more work - which if your into is ok). but why not use gravity (elevate your buckets with a few blocks-bricks under your buckets) to drain back to a angled collection basin with a "sump pump" that shuts itself off then it starts sucking air pump your nuetas back onto the main tank. the only thing a need is the pump....and to tell ya the truth a aint seen one yet - any ideas??

[The White Snoop]

^^^good shit...but the only plus to installing a float valve is that the system topps itself

[Ziggy Stardust]

ok ...soooo where do we get suitable pumps like the above? submersible and self actuating. i ask because ive looked and no action and i NEED a few....lol any help?

[grow4fun]

Ziggy:

'xcuse me but..... needing a sump pump to get the nutes back into the reservoir (and another one to pump them to the buckets) is more complicated than one pump recirculating them.

The sump pumps you're talking about are good units, heavy-duty, relatively cheap for how much power you get. My $60 one [a Wayne] from Ace wil easily pump up to a 7' height above the pump, with a flow rate the same as my house water tap wide open. But........ they're hot! Left one in the res accidentally turned on overnight a couple times ---- could've cooked an egg in the reservoir soultion. :stoned:
So they couldn't be used for continuous duty, no way. Great for emptying reservoirs, great for watering soil grows (watering your pots with water/nutrients mixed in a reservoir).
Here's your float-switch links:

http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...Id=10509336467

and

http://www.acehardware.com/sm-wayne-...i-2151136.html

[Ziggy Stardust]

lol....that switch is exactly what i need....much thanks G4fun. see im running a drip recovery system so right now my beauties are in 5 1/2 net pots buried half way in a 2x2' seedling tray, that in turn, gravity drains back into the initial feeding resv.since my current system is so small i dont even need a 2nd pump BUT after i go to a 12 pot system my needs will change as i will need like a 25 gl feeding drum so the smaller pump with that actuating switch will turn on whenever theres nuets to be recaptured. simple.