does the manifold just lay in bottom of tub
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My manifold kind of sits up near the top from the tubing coming up from the water pump, but yes:
This is what I mean by the tubing that holds it up (1/2" Vinyl Tubing):
The manifold kind of sits near the top of the tank, but not close enough to affect the net pots
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What kind of pump are you using in that tub. That looks like a crazy easy DIY one night project and could yield crazy maddening results. I have some fish tank under water filter / pumps- they are these top fins. I think by removing the extension pole, I can put a tube in there- and connect that to any aquarium manifold- essentially the purpose to keep plant roots wet at all times-. Then outside a pump for air for stones. If that works- there is a snowballs chance in hell that anyone will hear that. The pump has no noise and a quiet air pump sitting on a pillow if need be would be no more noise than running a fridge in the house... I mean crazy less but right ?? Nebula are you growing 1 or 2 plants in that box during a single grow. Why 6 pots? Im thinking you arent thinning many plants because they get so much provided for them with the bubbleponic process
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For the water pump I use a EcoPlus-185 Water Pump. If you've already got a water pump and manifold for your aquarium, I'm sure it would work for your DWC tank! I don't think it really makes much noise at all, less than the air pump. If you're worry about the sound of pumps it can help to put your tank on something that helps muffle the sound, like almost any type of mat. Having the top-feed really gets the plants growing faster the first 2-3 weeks. After the roots have established themselves in the water I usually take it out.
I usually grow 1 plant in the reservoir because you can really focus on it. Growing 1 plant at a time is just easier than growing multiple ones, and you end up getting about the same yields as long as you train your plant to take up the whole space. I don't like when more than one plant is attached to the same lid because it's difficult to train properly if one of them ends up getting way smaller than the other. And with two plants competing for root space, it's pretty common to have a "winner" and a "loser" where one plant gets far larger than the other
However, I'm considering growing two autos in one tank next time, since they'll both stay small.
I have all 6 ports instead of just the one for the plant because it gives me the most access to the reservoir. I can get to pretty much any part of the reservoir without having to remove the lid by going in one of the ports. I avoid moving the lid if I can throughout the grow, because I feel like disturbing the roots (especially when the plant is very young) can stunt the plant. Of course that doesn't always happen, but when the roots just get to make up their own mind of where to go, I feel like the plant grows faster.
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It would probably suit your purpose well to also be able to drain that efficiently. Installing a spout- (DIY mash tun project- ) would be a great way to flush and or add new nuts flush old etc.Attached FilesComment
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I've used spouts before, but I make a new reservoir almost every time (instead of cleaning the old one, since tubs cost $7) and I feel like spouts greatly increase the chance of leaking. Nothing is worse than coming home to a flood in your tent!
To change the reservoir I use a battery-powered water transfer pump. It uses re-chargeable D batteries and will get all the water out of the reservoir in about 2-3 minutes. I use that time to check out the plants, and then I use the pump to transfer the new water back in.
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Lol, I noticed you have a "hitchhikers" thumb Nebula. I have one too. It's genetic but neither of my kids have it. Neither does my brother or parents. I guess I'm a freak...
I really do love the simplicity and cost effectiveness of this diy.
The lids in those tubs seem a little flimsy. When the plant is full grown does the lid keep the plant in its place? I'd be concerned that the lid may bend and pop off the tub.Comment
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Especially considering you have 6 ports drilled. I do know there are some heavy duty lids too. More expensive. Additionally I like the new tub idea also.Originally posted by Royal Nugs View Post
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I never knew what a hitchhiker's thumb was until just now! I had to look it upOriginally posted by Royal Nugs View Post (For those who don't know, apparently it's when your thumb can bend back a lot)
The lids are flimsy, but strong enough to support a plant throughout its life. Even if the plant completely tips over and the net pot starts leaning, the lid will stay on just fine and the net pot won't pop out even with a very large plant covered in heavy bud (learned this from experience). I've also found that if you align your plant so the manifold is diagonal against the center, that it will almost never tip.
Example of a plant tipping completely. One day the plant was tipped like this but since it seemed completely sturdy at this point I just left it alone until harvest. The depth of the net pot compared to the diameter of the hole keeps it from tipping more than this in normal situations. I did have to string up the buds with plant yo-yos a little bit by the end of the flowering stage, though. You might be able to see the almost invisible string and yellow pieces in this pic. However, that was mostly because the buds were falling down away from the center, not that the actual plant was falling down.
Here's an example of making the manifold diagonal (which I've realized helps prevents tipping)
Grown out with the diagonal manifold - no tipping at all even though the plant was almost half a foot taller
Here's another example with plants that each got over 10oz of bud. They weren't even on a diagonal!
Even with the diagonal method, I would never reuse a cheap tub like this though. Why not start with a perfectly sterile and new reservoir every time? I always toss all my tubing between grows, too, since it's incredibly cheap yet difficult to clean the insides.
These 10-gallon tubs only cost $7 from Wal-Mart so they're basically disposable. I have a 3-5/8” Hole Saw (power drill attachment) which lets me drill perfect new holes for net pots in a few seconds. That ends up working out perfectly for my purposes
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nice can I ask how long was veg???Comment
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