Remoting a Water Farm reservoir

[Cutty]

I have a Water Farm 8 pack set up to recirculate. I have dropped this in a 4 x 4 Sun Hut. I plan to move from a 400 MH to a 1000 MH during veg and then ultimately 2 x 600w for flower. I am enriching so the girls can use the extra light. I am concerned about the reservoir's temperature though. Everything is inside the tent right now but I have not connected the tubing.

I am thinking:

1) Leave the res in the tent and cover it in Reflectix. Set my chiller outside of the tent and cut a hole in the tent to run the lines.

2) Pull the res outside of the tent and have it sitting next to the chiller.

I am concerned about how effective the recirculating will be due to the method GH employs in the Water Farm. For those not familiar it is basically another drip rig unit inside the reservoir, using the bubbles to pull the nutrient solution from the last unit and up a vertical tube in the reservoir. If things are not level or the runs are very long I imagine this would impact it's efficiency.

I do have a few extra pumps laying around, eco-plus 396's and 264's. I am toying around with the idea of scrapping the bubble lift method and plumbing one of these pumps in-line between the last bucket and the reservoir.

This is my first stab at RDWC/Top-drip. I am an old E&F man and used to have big reservoirs in a separate room with chillers. New place, new approach. Just trying to figure it all out.

How would you all set this up.

 

[EvilTwin]

Hi Cutty,
I may not be able to help, but at least your thread will get bumped.

The standard waterfarm 8 pack is just equipped with a keep-full system via controller. But recently they came out with the recirculating set-up. That must be what you have unless you did a diy thing.

First off, I'd say to re-evaluate your need for a chiller. Temps way too high? And the waterfarm isn't really a dwc at all. Just a top drip system unless you got out your drill and drilled out the bucket holes in the top bucket.

I see no reason why you couldn't add a pump...as long as the overflow/return flow is adequate to drain properly (so it doesn't flood).

I'd put the res outside and wrap the hoses if worried about cooling loss.
ET

 

[Cutty]

I do have the GH recirculating kit. I have moved the reservoir outside of the tent and am planning to run it for a few days with out plants and monitoring temps before I add the chiller.
I did go by and get one of my 1/3 HP chillers out of storage yesterday. The chiller is almost as big as the res/controller!

I also got one of the 396 pumps. I am interested in what you said :

I see no reason why you couldn't add a pump...as long as the overflow/return flow is adequate to drain properly (so it doesn't flood).

How do I figure out the correct flow for a 1/2 fitting, are there formulas?

I plan on installing the pump in-line just outside of the controller on the return side. I will be pulling the water through the buckets rather than pushing.

 

[EvilTwin]

Hi Cutty,
IF you're adding the chiller...then I'd guess that it's the chiller that will determine what waterflow will be needed. So check the specs and see what the manufacturer suggests.

For a recirculating system without a chiller, you don't really need that much flow. If there were a complete turnover 4 times a day, for example, that would be enough to keep your nute solution mixed and fairly uniform. Your 396 eco pump is 396 gallons per hour. If that's running full time, you're circulating over 100 times a day depending on res size. Way more then needed. So I'd say if your temps are OK and you decide to forget the chiller... I'd just keep the air powered pump system that comes with the recirc kit. More then enough.

And another consideration...and I'm speculating here since no pix and limited understanding on my part. BUT wouldn't you be risking pumping the individual pot reservoirs dry? You're pitting a 396gpg pump (on drain side) against gravity fill. I'd guess the pump would win and you would likely burn out the pump since they can't run dry.

Think about the rootzone with all the evaporative cooling from the drip ring...I just don't think you have much root rot risk. It's mostly systems with submerged roots where the risk is highest.

Lastly, go to advanced search and search hydrofarm in thread title only. See what others are doing successfully. Bet you won't find many (or any) using a chiller.
Cheers,
ET

 

[Cutty]

E.T., you were right on about that 396. I had got everything plumbed and filled when I came in and read your post. I thought I would try it since I had it all ready to go.
I turned on the pump and watched the reservoir fill up past the float valve and keep going. I pulled my #8 Water Farm's top off just in time to see the last of the liquid being sucked out.
This all happened in about 30 seconds. 396 WAY too much!

It was a bummer having to re-plumb that little section with the reservoir and all of the Farms full. I sat the res up on a 5 gallon bucket and didn't have to drain the whole thing though.
The stock bubble-lift pump is re-installed and is doing its thing.

Thanks for the input, you have helped me have a better grow. I am going to run some PPP clones in it this first time. The clones have been vegging for a couple of weeks in beer cups.
I will be washing them off real good and then planting them in the Farms.

I am about to mix up some nutrients and let it all circulate for a few days before I plant.

Any more tips?

** I have searched for all the info about Water Farms and have only found one on here that used a chiller and it was a 1/10HP. Thanks for the tip though**

 

[EvilTwin]

Cutty,
Glad you were able to catch things before disaster. Floods are a hassle as are burnt-out pumps.

I don't have that much Hydrofarm experience. Use the re-circulating system stock and see how that goes.

Is this your first hydrofarm run? Did you use continuous drip? I did for my first run but later switched to four 30 minute irrigation sessions sort-of like an E&F schedule. Plants grew just as well with less solution lost to evaporation and splashing.

Be sure you rinse the hydroton well before using.

That's all that comes to mind at the moment but hit me with specific questions if any come up. I've heard that PPP is a nice sat leaning plant. Not sure about it's nute requirements...but don't go to full strength right away. Ease up slowly.

Have fun,
ET